Cold Intellect

aberration · CR 3 · from Gallery of Magical Blades

Statistic	Value
AC	4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - 0
Move	20' (floating)
Hit Dice	4 - 5+1 - 6+2 - 7+3 - 8+4
No. of Attacks	1
Damage/Attack	1d6 (crushing damage); 2d8 ( when charging)
Special Attacks	Lightning - see below
Special Defense	Immunity - see below
Intelligence	variable ( 16-17-18-19-20 )
Alignment	most are Neutral; a few are CN, LN, NG, NE; a (rare) exception is LG, LE, CG, CE
Size	hollow sphere of 3' diameter
Psionics	100 - 150 - 200 - 250 - 300
Attack/Defense Modes	INT 16: a,c/g,i; INT 17-18: a,c,e/g,i,j; INT 19-20: all/all
Abilities	Domination, ESP, Telepathy
Special Abilities	Levitation (to keep it floating); Energy Control

Description

(Special abilities require no psionic cost but cease to function when psionic ability is zero)

The Cold Intellect is a sleek, dark pink, metal ball. The metal is of unknown origin and keeps the energy in the hollow sphere. When it gains control over an area (no other highly intelligent mortal creatures left) it settles down. It lives solitary and spends huge amounts of time on thinking and controlling its inner energy fluxes (a decade is normal.) When it has refined its energy structure (and the metal around it), it grows in intelligence and gains additional powers. Its hit points are a measure of the quality of the metal. How better, how more blows the sphere can sustain before it tears apart. Should this happen the energy is dissipated and the intellect is utterly destroyed. A CI feeds on the thermal energy around it, hence it is cold.

Lightning

A CI can release strokes of lightning at will. An 16 INT CI has a surplus energy of 18d6 and is capable of releasing it in strokes of minimum 1d6 and maximum 6d6.

17 INT CI has 21d6 - max. stroke of 7d6
18 INT CI has 24d6 - max. stroke of 8d6
19 INT CI has 27d6 - max. stroke of 9d6
20 INT CI has 30d6 - max. stroke of 10d6

It can release only one stroke per round. Thus a 20 CI is able to release a 1d6 stroke for 30 rounds or 2d6 strokes for 15 rounds, and so on...

Recharging can only take place after combat. Exception: lightning bolts will be completely absorbed and its number of dice added to the surplus. A CI is immune to cold based effects (due to the guarding metal).

Fire based effects:

Saving throw failed: Half the fire dice will be converted and added to the surplus. The other half is deducted from the hit points.
Saving throw succeeded: 3/4 of the dice is added to the surplus. 1/4 damage. Excess energy will flow to the earth (and is not stored).

The Cold Intellect Sword

In the beginning the sword is as follows:

+2 to hit / +2 to damage
+4 to damage against fire-electricity using creatures. Damage from such creatures will be added to the energy store. Ratio is 6 HP for 1d6. Truncate excesses.
Wielder can use lightning bolts with a maximum of 4d6 from a energy store of 12d6. Normal recharging (without bonuses from damage and attacks) is done once a day.

The blade is extremely cold, and precautions should be taken while wielding (e.g. Ring of Resist Cold in the hilt, a special enchanted scabbard, etc.). When the wielder makes its saving throw against lightning, all energy will be stored in the sword as a surplus. Excess energy is truncated. When he doesn't, he takes half damage, while the rest is absorbed.

Due to the forging process, the quality of the metal is reduced to its lowest state. However, its capacity to store energy remains. The 'spark of life' that once created the CI is still present. When a to hit score of 20 is rolled (modified or not) against a highly intelligent creature (e.g. a mage) the sword will sap an intelligence point from him (permanently) and add it to his own intelligence. Decide for yourself what the effects are on the victim: loss of spells, etc. The sword starts from an intelligence of 5. When it has reached an intelligence of 10 another CI will be born. Once it has intelligence 16, draining intelligence is at a ratio of 5 drained points for one intelligence point for the CI:

INT 10-15:
- +2 to hit against normal creatures
- +3 to hit / +4 to damage against fire-electricity using creatures
- Sword has empathy
INT 16:
- True consciousness is now present.
- +2 to hit normally
- +4 to hit against fire-electricity using creatures
- Damage absorption ratio is 5 hp for 1d6
- Sword has telepathy
- Lightning bolts are the same for a 16 CI
- Saving throws against fire:
  - success: Wielder takes no damage. Half the damage is absorbed in the sword
  - failed: Wielder takes half damage, 1/4 absorbed in sword
INT 17:
- Levitation upon wielder, when nicely asked (once a day)
- Lightning bolts as the 17 CI
- +3 on initiative (the sword has become almost weightless)
INT 18:
- Full psionic powers of an 18 CI are gained (but only the sword can use them, the wielder has to ask for it)
- Damage absorption is 4 hp for 1d6
- Lightning bolts as the 18 CI

The sword has now full powers and will decide upon its goal in life. Note that it has no true revenge feelings, since the living CI is another being than the one that was killed. However, it may have bad feelings about the fact that one of his kind was killed.

Should it decide to stay a sword, it shall always remain on INT 18, but it can drink intellect by draining points (which is a kind of drug). Note that it will be always hateful against intelligent creatures, since it sees them as rivals.

Should it decide to become a sphere, it loses the draining capacity, but can become a powerful 20 CI. When it chooses the sphere, it will ask the wielder to leave it behind in a secluded space. When the wielder refuses, it will use all his forces to make him do so and afterwards destroy him. Even when the wielder agrees, the chance of being killed is high, unless the sword is assured (by ESP for example) of the wielder's loyalty. This is because the conversion from blade to sphere is a delicate process and the CI wishes no intrusion.

Final note: feel free to change the chance of draining INT points and/or the ratio of draining INT points. The purpose was the sword should grow along in level as its wielder, until a final confrontation occurs.

Also in this section of the source

Copycat Blade

<jcrowley@wheatnma.bitnet>

Appearance: Sword hilt (no blade)
Magical adj.: +2
At first this sword will appear to be trash, it has no blade, but it's a perfectly good hilt.
If the hilt is grasped, however, and a command word said, the power of the blade is made known.
By touching any substance, and using the command word, a blade for the sword comes into existence made of the same material as that touched. Therefore holding the blade up to a fire would produce a burning blade. A stone blade would be invulnerable to rust monsters and such, a blade of holy water (holy ice) would do appropriate damage against demons.
Note that the magic can copy gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, etc., but breaking off the blade to use the raw material as currency ruins the magic of the sword.

Coward Sword

This appear to be a magical long sword, but whenever a character tries to use the sword against a monster whose level is greater than the plus of the sword, the sword will scream "Oh shit!" and put itself back in its sheat. The sword will not come out of its sheat until until the monster is no longer within striking distance. The sword is cursed so that the character who gets it will think it is the best sword in the world and will never get rid of it no matter how many times it gets him beat up and/or killed. The only way to free yourself of the sword's curse is to touch it to a Vacuous Hole or the like or to have a 20th level cleric remove curse.

Daryo

<crit@acusd>

NOTE: For use with Spelljammer...
Magical adj.: +1
Intelligence: 19
Ego: 6
Alignment: Neutral Good

Magical Abilities:

Automatically refreshes personal air (1/hr)
Communicates by empathy
Detects spelljamming activity within 1,500 million miles, OR detects the largest body within 3,000 million miles assuming at least an Earth-like body exists (2/day)
Allows for flight (at 36", 1 hr/day, class B)

Demon Slayer (Devil Bane)

+5 vorpal vs. devils or demons.

Demon Slicer

This sword was forged by a Drow Noble who feared treachery from the Demons the priestesses of Lolth oft conjured from the Abyss. The Elven Blade is delicate, long, and extremely well balanced. The blade is made of Black cold Iron on one side and is silver edged on the other, while the handle itself is made of carved Adamantium. Dark Elven Runes are engraved upon the length of the blade, which glows blood red in the darkness. The blade detects Extra Planar creatures of Evil alignment within 100 foot distance, and will begin to vibrate and point towards the general direction of the otherworldly entity. While it possesses no bonuses to hit or damage, the sword can affect any creature requiring a + to affect it. The blade will do double damage to such creatures as Demons, Imps, Daemons, and the like. If such a creature is struck by this sword it must make a save vs. spells or suffer from a Spirit Wrack spell (on a natural 20).

Dragon Chopper

<pfrey@drew.bitnet>

Magical adj.: +2 (see below...)
Intelligence: 11
Ego: 19
Alignment: Lawful Good

Magical abilities:

Detect evil dragons 100' radius (glowing)
Triple damage against evil dragons on a natural 20
Telepathic in alignment tongue

Because of the nature of the sword, it can only be possessed by a paladin, ranger, or LG fighter.

How "Dragon Chopper" fell into the hands of Orcus: the story is similar to that of "Fire Biter". Its possessor grew so confident he single-handedly challenged Tiamat to a duel. Tiamat knew of this miscreant before he even entered her plane. She had all of her consorts beside her invisible. The Paladin sensed evil, but believed it to be Tiamat alone as well as the fact that he was in Hell. The Paladin rushed to attack and was blasted by the breath weapons of 6 of each type of dragon. The remains of the Paladin were never found. His sword miraculously survived. Orcus traded 6 hearts of each type of good dragon in exchange for this sword. He blasted the memory of this sword just as he did "Fire Biter".

Ebonblade

This blade is the work of Anton the Smith, an elven metalworker and mage of great power. In balance and heft it is near perfection, giving a nonmagical +2 to hit, and +1 to damage from its edge. In addition to this, it is enchanted to affect almost any creature with its blade, and it damages creatures as if it was a +5 magical blade (though it derives no bonuses to accuracy or physical damage). A supplementary enchantment, added by Anton where 'space permitted', is a spell of skill. This enchantment lends the wielder proficiency in the use of the sword, as if the wielder were specialized. It will not add its skill to someone who is already specialized, however - it will only provide any necessary skills which are not already present. This enchantment also causes the sword to act in the same manner as a Cavalier's weapon of choice for number of attacks (the character has a number of attacks as if 5 levels higher).

The blade is somewhat intelligent, about the sentience level of a very young child: able to perceive the environment, understand things within its experience, and have somewhat undefined feelings of right and wrong. It is definitely on the side of 'good', but its morals are somewhat hazy. Most things are handled on a case by case basis, as offensive or acceptable or 'the right thing to do'. These feelings it can transmit to the wielder, with the wielder fully aware of the sword's approval or disapproval (yes, the owner is aware that these are emanating from the sword). The sword has no power to enforce its desires, but it can strengthen the power of its broadcast feelings, letting its owner know full well, constantly, just how upset the sword is. In other words, it can give headaches.

Anton's sword is a dark grey metal, similar in shape to a katana, and very undecorated. It will call to truly good (chaotic, neutral or lawful) characters within 20 feet (that is, if a truly good character passes by its current location and it does not have a current owner, the character will receive feelings of distress and need coming from the direction of the sword, and then relief and warmth when she takes the sword in hand).

Ebonblade is good for about a third level or better character, especially in games strong on role-playing (Ebonblade will tend to get lost in the shuffle in monty haul or hack-n-slash games). I don't generally like or use experience points given for possessing a magic item, but if I did, I would give about 1200 XP. Ebonblade is worth a lot of money, being a unique creation of Anton the Smith. Think 10,000+ gold in standard AD&D economy. Of course, any player who actually sold Ebonblade deserves the loss.

Emerald Sword

The blade of this sword +1 is made from purest emerald. When drawn, all within 30 feet of the sword must save vs. spells or become fascinated with the sword and not take any action for that round (associates of the sword bearer save at +4, dwarves save at -2, and gnomes and elves save at -1). The sword will inflict double damage on creatures from any elemental or para-elemental plane, and against such creatures it is a +2 sword.

Ethereal Blade

This silver bladed +1 sword appears simultaneously on the Prime Material Plane and on the Ethereal Plane. While carried there is a 1 in 20 chance per hour while sheathed (per turn while drawn) of something on the Ethereal Plane encountering it. Also the blade can go ethereal 3/day (taking the wielder with it). In the Ethereal Plane the blade is +2.

Exploding Sword

This sword is made out of a rather unstable metal. When it is struck sharply against anything, there is a chance it will explode.

The Sword when found has a base 0% chance to explode. It can be a Magical weapon of any plus you see fit. When ever something or someone is hit, there is a chance that it will explode. The damage inflicted using the sword mis expressed in a percentage of exploding. It is culmitive. Ex: Joe finds the sword - Joe hits goblin for 6 points of damage - DM rolls percentile, it is 42 so nothing happens - Joe hits again for 6 - DM Rolls again but this time the chance for explosion is 6+6=12% chance to explode. When it does explode, it is in a 30 foot radius. They take a damage equal to the points stored in the sword; save for 1/2 damage if you are nice. Consider the damage as Pure Magical Energy. The holder of the sword takes all damage with no save and the hand(s) are toasted. All Items on the wielder must save vs Disentergration or be gone.(Option, give items a +1 to the save for every 20 points less than 100 when it explodes.

Fire Biter

<pfrey@drew.bitnet>

Magical adj.: see below...
Intelligence: 10
Ego: 18
Alignment: Chaotic Good

Magical abilities:

Detect evil fire using/dwelling creature 100' radius (glowing)
Triple damage against such creatures on a natural 20
Fire resistance for wielder
Telepathic in alignment tongue

How "Fire Biter" fell into Orcus possession: this pompous sword led its possessor through many a mighty battle. As their victories grew so did the ego of the sword and the fighter who possessed it. Believing their powers to be so great, they decided they could take on the queen of the fire elementals. They found a way to enter the elemental plane of fire. Unfortunately, the sword could not overcome the intense flames found there, let alone the flames of the queen of fire elementals herself. Orcus bargained it from her at the expense of 66 water elementals and a merman prince. All memories of these events have been blasted from the sword through Orcus black magic.

First Justice

+2 Sword.

Always strikes first in a battle, there after receiving +3 to further initiative rolls. Damage 1d10/3d6.

This weapon was custom built for a duelist in our group who had a habit of picking fights with the wrong people. It was great until he lost his right arm dueling someone with a sword of sharpness.

Flaming Wooden

<wilston@vccsouth30.its.rpi.edu>

A sword made of wood, which will burst into flames upon command. It starts as a two-handed sword, +4 to hit and damage after the command word is spoken (without being activated, the weapon is nothing more than an ornate club).

The flame lasts for 1 combat or 1 turn, whichever is shorter, or however the DM wants to work it. After the first use, it burns down to a wooden long sword, +3 to hit and damage, flames on command. In this same manner it goes from here to a +2 short sword, a +1 dagger and than a nice little pile of ashes. It sheds light in a 5' per plus radius, and yields the heat of a small campfire in the larger modes (suitable for saving someone from frostbite in a cold glacier cave at the DM's option).

Fooling Sword

<Slinky: slinky@indial1.io.com>

It is intelligent and speaks privately to the owner, claiming some pretty awesome powers. Every time the wielder tries to use one of the powers, however, the sword is able to come up with some good excuse why it shouldn't do it.

It will take a pretty long time to figure out that this sword is just bullshitting the wielder.

Frez

Frez is an intelligent sword of dancing, who speaks with a ludicrous French accent, and itches to go fighting on his own: "Take zat! And zat! You foo-el, take *zees* won, too!", and on returning on the last round, "Yo-ho! Hey, Master! Here I coom!"

Gavin Hall Magebane

This sword ignores most magical protections. While ordinarily a +1 Sword, it ignores the AC bonuses for: Shield spells, Rings, Cloaks, and Bracers of Protection. It will go through, but not bring down Stoneskins and Walls of Force.

Godslayer

This is my favorite munchkin item: a sword created by Ao himself. It even has an incredibly munchkin name: Godslayer. It is a +5 vorpal weapon of speed, wounding and it has vampiric. It gives total immunity to energy-based attacks or anything that affects the mind. It can cast all known wizard and priest spells a certain number of times depending on the level. 9 times a week for 1st level spells, 8 times for 2nd... It does x4 damage against the living, x5 against the unliving, and x6 against the immortal. Its major power is to summon a god to the Prime in a physical form, generally with the intent to kill him. Basically, it is the fantasy/mythology equivalent of impeachment.

Guardian Blade

This blade does not normally glow. Its chief function is to lie upon or beside the sleeping character and warn of approaching danger. It can detect enemies like a wand of enemy detection within a 2" sphere. Upon detecting an enemy, the guardian will flash a single burst of light, telepathically alert its owner, and go out. This power can be used but once per day, and will operate continuously for a period of up to six hours. It may be used while the character is awake and moving but once-used it will not function again for twenty-four hours.

Hell Beater

<pfrey@drew.bitnet>

Magical adj.: +3 (+5 vs. devils) (also see below)
Intelligence: 12
Ego: 20
Alignment: Lawful Good

Magical abilities:

Double damage vs. devils (additional to the +5)
Destroys devils on a natural 20 if on Prime Material Plane
Detect presence of a devil (100 feet)
Telepathic in alignment tongue

(Note: can only be possessed by a paladin)

How "Hell Beater" came to be possessed by Orcus: like its two brother swords, this conceited sword goaded its possessor until he challenged Asmodeus. Asmodeus disarmed the Paladin and is using rings of longevity and regeneration to keep him alive for eternal torture and torment. Asmodeus sold the sword to Orcus for the head of a Astral Deva and another Paladin. Orcus removed the memory of this sword as well.

*Note this condition!* Devils will recognize this sword as Asmodeus's lure and will break from regular melee to attempt to bring the possessor back to Hell with them. They are promised greater status as a reward and know that Asmodeus is sincere regarding promises of this nature.

Hell Razor

My DM gave the party a really cool sword called Hell Razor. Everytime someone hits anything with the sword a 6 HD fireball erupted at point of contact. Of course the wielder of the sword wasn't immune to the effects of the sword and got hit at ground zero of the fireball. So we gave the sword to the halfling psioncist that had telekinesis. He was the only one who could really use the sword and only at a far FAR distance.

Holy Avenger +5

Does Damage according to Alignment

Alignment	—	—	—
LG-NG-CG	2d4	2d6	2d8
LN-N-CN	4d4	4d6	4d8
LE-NE-CE	6d4	6d6	6d8

No Strength Bonuses. This weapon can adjust to any size, and can teleport itself at will (with or without another person). It speaks Common stuttering with a lisp, and speaks elven with a horrible French Accent!

Hot and Cold Blade

It burns both hot and cold: one side of the blade is hot, and the other cold. Because of this, a special scabbard is required to hold the blade.

The special sheath/scabbard had two positions for holding the blade. If you use the first position, escaping gases from the blade generates a noise, much like a shrieker (i.e., summon any wandering monster). If you use the other (full) positions, the build-up of gases caused the person who withdrew the sword to take damage (5d4+4).

Some of its properties:

Improved identify 15' radius: e.g., we once encountered a high level vampire, wearing +5 plate armor. When the sword wielder invoked the identify, everyone in hearing range heard everything about the vampire; including his AC & HP. One of the other PC's shouted "Don't hurt the plate! I want that Armor!", and was surprised to see the opponent leave in a great amount of haste.
Reneneration (with "unhits"): This was the really nasty trait associated with the sword. It would regenerate hits like a ring of vampirism, except (and this was the hard part for the DM to keep track of) was the fact that these hits were really "cursed". If you reached a point where all of your hit points were of this type, you basically became a creature like one of JRR Tolkiens ring wraiths. Very nasty!

Kaklank

<brwheeler@internt.com>

The sword can cut down emmortal beings, spirits or any being that can withstand normal attacks. It has a dark black blade with a red haldle incrusted with a singled obsidian gem which is said to give it its power.

Mage Doom (Mage Bane, Mage Striker, Fighter's Dream)

Legend (mortal):

Created by three triplets. All three were mages, one a Wild Mage, the second an Invoker, the third a "standard" Mage. Made to be the bane of mages, it was given to the youngest of the the three, in order to kill their father. Of the three sisters, two died trying to keep the sword a secret, leaving the youngest to carry out the deed. The runes on it though, were weakening her, much as they had her sisters, increasing her hatred for her father. The two fought, and as she struck the killing blow, he also lashed out, killing her in one foul swoop. Their gigantic contest contained so much power that the very crust of the earth was weakened and it opened up beneath them. The sword is thought lost.

Legend (immortal):

In fact created by one of Mystra's twin daughters. (NB: this is specifically for a campaign I am designing) This sword is meant to be wielded by her champion in order to wipe all Wizards from the realms.

Appearance:

115 cm long, blue crystal blade embedded with 4 black opals around which runes are etched (though that are invisible to the naked eye). The hand guard is made of glass (glassteel) in the shape of a snake about to strike. The handle is made from a single (black) dragons tooth, which magically shapes itself to fit the wielders hand. The handle is partially hollow, the gap snugly fitting a diamond. The diamond is magical and has unknown powers. The pommel is made of the same substance as the blade and is spherical (unscrews).

Combat Bonuses:

+3, +5 vs. Magic using creatures (e.g. Dragons and creatures with innate abilities), +7 vs. Human and Demi-human Mages.

Magical Abilities:

When drawn from its scabbard, all the gems on the scabbard sparkle and glitter, and the snake hisses. A Dispel Magic comes into affect centered, but not affecting, the wielder. This happens up to three times every 24 hours and is equivalent to a mage casting it at the level of the wielder. The one of the following effects take place (If the effect cannot happen re-roll):

d20	Spell Effect	# of uses
1-8	Gust of Wind	5/day
9-12	Monster Summoning IV	3/day
13-15	Great Shout	2/day
16-17	Animate Dead	2/day
18	Death Spell	1/day
19	Finger of Death	1/day
20	Power Word, Fire	1/week

These all function at level of wielder or 20th, whichever is highest.

Minor Abilities (+3, +5, +7):

Detect Magic 25'
Detect Enemy 20'
Confers "one-weapon style" specialization X2
Fly
Speech and Telepathy
Read Magic
Fear Radius (mages at -3, magic using at -1)
False Vision
Confers 10% cumulative magic resistance
Detect scrying 100%

Major Abilities (+5, +7):

Feeblemind * (20th level) 2/day
Lower Resistance * (20th level) First 2 strikes/day
Magic Negation * (see below) 1/day
Anti-Fly * (see below) 1/day

Greater Abilities (+7):

Kaleidoscopic Strike * (25th) 1/day
Sword becomes +7, of wounding (see DMG for details)

* invoking these powers reduces the Charisma of the wielder by 1 permanently.

Magic Negation:

At the will of the wielder (or so he/she thinks) the next successful strike on the enemy, discounting ALL magical protection brings down as many protections as the sword has +'s, further if there are no protection spells left, the sword may be willed to force other protections, destroying items of protection (e.g. Bracers of Defense), though these items do get a saving throw. This also causes the sword to temporarily looses the +'s it used, this lasts for 1d3 + 1 rounds. Though the defenses are permanently down.

Anti-Fly:

This affects any being the wilder wishes who is nearby (within 100 feet) or in sight. This is VERY versatile, the wilder may want "all but those 2 and me" to be affected, this will affect any air-born being, even if the wielder was completely unaware of them.

Mage Masher

This +2 sword may only be used by fighters (including cavaliers and paladins but excluding rangers, barbarians, and multi-classed fighters), and in the hands of any other class it functions as a non-magical sword. It has a +3 bonus against magical creatures (ones with innate magical abilities) and a +4 bonus against magic-using creatures (ones who must learn and memorize magic-user or illusionist spells).

MetalBlade

<jcrowley@wheatnma.bitnet>

Appearance: Stone or bone sword
Magical adj.: +1 (this baby doesn't NEED magical bonuses!)

This is an enormously dangerous weapon. Always crafted from stone or bone and tempered in the blood of lava children, the MetalBlade ignores metal. Completely. Doesn't even know it's there. Passes right through it. So those fighters striding around in plate armor, sniggering, could be in for a shock... Ignore the AC of metal armor, but magical bonuses may or may not have their regular effects.

Mundane Sword

<Mario: igm137@uriacc.uri.edu>

The Mundane Sword is a very powerful magic item. The sword has no plusses, and if Detect Magic is cast on it, none will be detected. However, when drawn, the sword creates a 20' sphere in which no magic functions. Natural abilities like dragon breath and petrifaction abilities of medusa, for example, are another matter however. Spells cast from outside the area of effect only function if the spell has a physical manifestation, such as fire or cold. Purely magical energy, such as illusion, charms and sleep spells, fail to function in the area of effect. This extends to magic items, including those of the wielder, which fail to function at all. The effect is dispelled when the sword is sheathed. The sword itself resembles a katana with a wider blade, and does 1d10 damage in all size categories.

OathBreaker (Chain Breaker)

This sword releases its targets from any Gases, Charms, compulsions etc. whenever it does more than minimum damage. Further, it breaks bonds and chains as a much more powerful sword, as appropriate to its special purpose. The wielder cannot be geased, charmed, Suggested, Feared or affected by Emotion spells. Yes, hitting a Demon with it is very likely to free it of its bonds.

Pre-intelligent sword

That's right, it's not smart yet. Here's the deal...

An old paladin had spent his life on a quest to find a holy relic, and had sworn never to rest until he had recovered it. On his death bed, his quest still uncompleted, he begged the priests attending him to commission a local enchanter to create a vessel for him to continue his mission. A magnificent claymore was fashioned, enchanted to +3, set with the appropriate spells (including locate object, magic mouth, magic jar, and permanency) and was brought to him. He was to complete a ritual of purification, after which he would impale himself on the blade, transferring his life force to it, along with his sentience. He died during his final night of fasting, and the blade was taken to the temple vault where it was eventually forgotten. Eventually, it was taken by a thief, and later fell into the hands of a PC fighter. The blade has never killed, and is still waiting to transfer the last hit point from a sentient body to itself. In other words, the first vaguely intelligent thing this guy actually kills with the sword becomes it's personality!

Prohibitionist Sword

In one campiagn, I played a Bard, who was a chronic alcoholic. The party had gotten fed up with his misfired spells, drunken brawls, and a whole host of other annoying problems. One of the wizards made it a point to "cure" the bard of this problem. Since the character was having a "slight" problem hitting things and defending himself in combat, the wizard "offered" to make an enchanted blade for the bard. The resulting sword was a +4 defender with some minor hidden problems.

If the weilder is an alcoholic, you can't get rid of it.
Any time the sword is brought with 10' of any form of alcohol, the alcohol lost it's taste and longer had its intoxicating effect.
Any individual, other than the wielder, could make a save vs. magic to realize who was responsible for his drink being "ruined." Well, after being thrown out of countless traverns and being beaten up by upset fellow drinker (or drunks?), the poor bard was on the wagon.

Remove Curse had no effect, I tried several times to have the curse removed. It turned out that the only way to beat the curse, was to voluntarily remain sober for two years. Trying to beat the curse away other way will reset the clock and the character will have to wait for two more years. And if the wielder is not an alcoholic, the curse has no effect. However, another player suggested that perhaps that the blade, if intelligent, might insist on moderating how much that the wielder is allowed to drink.

Purple Sword

All it is know about the wonderful thing is that whenever the blade hits any living matter it turns them... Purple. A Remove Curse spell can successful return the victim to his/her/its normal complexion.

Reverse Sword

Not exactly cursed, but this sword is +2 to hit with the hilt only and gives fire resistance to anyone who grasps it by the blade. This blade is good for a laugh (a slight error in the enchantment).

Sacrificer

Although this sword has no "plusses" to hit or damage, it can hit creatures which require magic weapons to hit them, possibly up to +3.

Before rolling to hit, the player has the option of using the special power of the sword, as follows. He declares something like "I will hit" or says some command word or something, then rolls to hit as normal. If the hit succeeds, no problem, roll damage as normal. If the roll is too low to score a hit, the sword hits anyway, but the wielder loses hit points, one for each "plus" he would have needed to hit with the roll. For example, a fighter with a THAC0 of 15 rolls to hit an AC 2, and declares "I will hit". He needs to roll a 13. He rolls an 8. The fighter hits, but takes 5 pts of damage himself, roll damage against the opponent as normal. Yes, a character can knock himself out, or even kill himself by using this ability.

To prevent a higher level fighter from using the ability every round, thus never missing and only taking a few points of damage from the occasional miss, you could alter the power so that you lose the number of hp detailed above + 1, with a loss of 1 hp even if the roll was high enough to hit anyway.

In the past I have given this sword to a Paladin, and it worked very well, even at low levels (if you use 0hp = KO, -10 hp = dead).

Sexblade

Perverted blades forged by who knows who. These weapons could be any sort of sword and are always "keyed" to a sex (male/female). They are +1 weapons, +2 versus the opposite sex the blade is "tuned" to. Each Sexblade can also do Charm Person at 12th level daily. If a person of opposite sex uses it it will function just as an ordinary non-magical weapon of its type.

ShadowBane

A sword which give +5 to saving throws vs. illusions. In addition, any illusory creature hit by it would be instantly dispelled. It was also +1 vs. shadows and shadowy creatures.

Shadow Sword

Appears as a normal sword with a black blade. When someone picks it up, after a few seconds it vanishes. They can still feel the weight (only about two pounds) on their hand, but there's nothing there. Subsequently, any time they INTEND to have a sword (of whatever type) in their hand, the Shadow Sword will appear (in the expected form). It has no combat bonuses, except when fighting creatures of shadow, in which case it is +2, or in magical darkness (+1). Usually what happens is someone pick it up, it vanishes. Then in their experimentation (WHAT the HELL?) they will attempt to draw their own sword (thus desiring to have a sword in their hand), and it will appear in the proper form. It will remain until they put it down and someone picks it up again, or will it out of existence again. It's a neat sword, flashy, but it doesn't usually help in combat (BTW, it sheathes itself in the Border Ethereal).

Shatterer (The Sword of the Outcast, Bloodguard)

A sword +3 defender. If its user took no other actions in a round and was attacked by a weapon-wielding opponent, the user got a 'to-hit' roll. On a successful 'hit', the opponent's weapon had to make a save or be shattered (I think the save was vs. crushing blow at -4). If attacked by an unarmed enemy, a similar 'to-hit' roll was made, with the enemy taking (assuming a hit) as much damage as the wielder suffered (save vs. death for half). Finally, against missile weapons, it allowed a save vs. paralysis at -5 to cut the missile out of the air.

There was a curse that went along with it, making it the Sword of the Outcast as well, but I can't remember what it was...

Silver Sword

A completely normal short sword, except for two features: it's made of solid silver, and it's indestructible. Completely and utterly indestructible, unless you want to go to the extremes of artifact destruction methods.

It has no other bonuses.

Singing Sword [1]

Whenever this sword is drawn, it sings to help boost the morale of its wielder and his allies (like a bard). The only problem is, it sings anytime the sword is drawn (not just combat). The singing is also very loud, off-key, and off-color. Tends to embarrass its wielder more than inspire.

Singing sword [2]

The Singing sword, has been created as a bard weapon. But the party's thief won the die roll, chose the most impressive item, and so he couldn't backstab if he wanted to use his +2+2 sword. And the rest of us made it hard on him. We tried to get the player to give the sword to the Bard and take another share of treasure, but he didn't, so we spread rumors that there was this cursed sword that sings, and NPC's wouldn't buy it... Eventually we would have arranged for him to get a reasonable trade, but the game broke up ...

Songblade

This is a +1 sword but in the hands of a bard it can be commanded to sing. Whenever the command word is spoken the sword will compliment any song the bard sings for 2-8 rounds. This will give the bard a +15% to any song he sings during the 2-8 rounds. This ability can be used 4 times/day. The sword can also cast an Audible Glamer like a 7th level wizard twice a day.

Spellswords

It is believed that the fighter/mage elven kings of High folk were the first ones to create a Spellsword. Anyone can wield them, but only spell casters may truly benefit from their powers. This weapons usually have the form of a long or bastard sword +3. They have two powers:

The wielder is not required to have simple or trivial material components for his spells. The sword can supply this magical energy instead. For example, the wielder is no longer required to have "a bit of fur and an amber, crystal or glass rod'' to cast a lightning bolt. Instead he could (for example) hold the sword in both hands, raise it above his head, utter some words of power, point it to the target and make the bolt sprout from the blade itself. Rare or expensive material components, however, are still required.
The wielder may cast a memorized spell at the sword. Any spell will do. The sword will then receive an extra damage bonus equal to the level of the spell. This effect lasts for 1 round per level of the caster. It is possible to cast several spells in sequence, but the maximum total bonus the sword can have (including it's original +3) can not exceed the caster's level. The caster can not boost the sword's power in this manner and then give it for someone else to use. Doing this immediately breaks the spell(s) and the sword reverts to a +3 blade.

Stargate

When this sword is unsheathed under a starry night's sky and the command word is spoken, all touching it will be teleported to any location they desire, usually. Roll 5d6, and subtract the result from 16. Multiply that number by 10 to give the distance in miles from the target and determine the direction randomly.

SureBlade

This blade never strikes a friend. On fumble results where the blade would strike a friend or the wielder, or fly from his hand, treat as no result. Further, the blade "knows its target", it isn't fooled by illusions, Displacements, Blinks, etc. If the blade is actually intelligent, it will be reluctant to fight in certain circumstances, such as fighting a charmed opponent, or otherwise beguiled.

Surge's Prismatic Blade.

I started my days as a pile of dragon metal, left over from the war of the lance... Mr. Surge here was just begining to learn the arts of bladesmithing... He got lucky with me... In the process of enchantment my form of loving silver was changed under the breath of his god and the light of the plane of radiance... I was imbued with a portion of Surge's intellect (explaining my meager 22 intelligence) and the ability to unleash the spell Prismatic Spray on contact with my foes...This strange method of release results in nearly all of the rays to strike the foes (80% of the time) the other times (20%) a ray will go stray and strike some random creature (sometimes even Surge). I was forged with full crown and serpent compliment (+6) over the years Surge happened upon a time trap, wherein I was lost to him in the channels of time... 400 years my time, and a week his we were reunited in the conquest of a dragon's den. Surge and I are now much harder to separate as I have made a transition to a weapon of energy in the fullest. I can hide inside of Surge if I wish... A trick that has saved his skin many times...

Sword of Blinding

On a natural 1 or 2 this sword produces a sun-burst as per wand of light.

Sword of Canine Attraction

<stnnec@macalstr.edu>

Magical Adj.: +1 (hit/dam)

This little oddity was last reported in PM 26565, a small splinter of reality near Toril space. This is a rather finely made weapon, whose most notable property is that it is made completely from the legbone of a dragon of unknown species. Its main enchantment is that every canine creature who sees it must posses it (no save). They will follow the sword around until they have an opportunity to grab it, in which case they will make off with it and bury it somewhere. And yes, they will follow it if you throw it.

Personal suggestion: don't let your players know its power... Watch them panic the next time they walk about in a city!

Sword Of Change

This sword always provides at least a +1 bonus. When used to deliver the killing stroke against a creature, it becomes a sword +1, +3 vs. that type of creature. It retains this +3 until used to kill a another, different creature.

For example:

Gunther Gonadgrinder, dwarf warrior, has a sword of change. He enters battle against a horde of orcs and goblins. In the first round of combat, Gunther cuts down a feeble goblin. The sword of change gains a +3 bonus against goblins. If, during the fight, Gunther slays an orc, the sword's +3 bonus changes to apply only to orcs.

Sword of Conditional Immortality

<umwrickman@memstvx1.memst.edu>

When drawn, the user cannot sheathe or discard sword until the sword has killed a humanoid. It will stay adhered to the user until a humanoid is killed . However, the user can adhere the sword to any part of his body (i.e. his/her back), so long as it stays in contact with him/her. This way, he user does not always have to "carry" the sword in his/her hand.
Sword acts as a +3 to hit/damage against humanoids.
Curse will only end after user has killed 10 d10 humanoids. Once the required number is killed, the sword will turn on its user and kill him/her with no saving roll to the user, plus the user gets a -3 on Resurrection roll.

All 820 monsters in the Netbook Bestiary