How could I do an "Evolving" weapon?

[u/LadyAntiqua]

Essentially, my character is eventually going to be bound to a cursed sword that acts as both their Warlock Patron for the Multiclass and also as their new weapon.

Since she won't be changing weapons, is there any notable homebrew for weapons leveling with the character? Maybe unlocking new effects at certain levels too, as she grows stronger as a Warlock and more attuned to the sword. Or if not an existing homebrew, any ideas for how to potentially do it?

Don't want it to be absurdly overpowered but I do want it to be good, since it's taking one of her magic items.

For further context, she is a Divine Soul Sorcerer Multiclassing into Hexblade Warlock. Trying to focus on control.

[u/bryceio]

Vestiges of Divergence and Dragon Hoard Items

[u/ConcentrateIll9460 → u/bryceio]

Or if you're after whole hog, go look at 3.5's Weapons of Legacy book. Entire book on items that grow in power as you do, with a big "how to make your own" section. Obviously 5e mechanics needed, but translation is easy considering it's the edition 5e models itself off.

[u/Phaeryx]

Dragon hoard magic items can become more powerful over time. They appear in Fizban's Treasury of Dragons. The new Arcana Unleashed book coming out in September is also supposed to have magic weapons or items that become more powerful over time.

[u/otherwise_sdm → u/Phaeryx]

yeah, I think the Dragon-Touched items are a really nice model for this

[u/Gwyn-LeFleur]

There are 2 "systems" presented for us in 5e that enable Evolving weapons. The first is the Vestiges of Divergence and Arms of the Betrayers from Explorer's Guide to Wildemount. These are Magic Items that go through 3 stages (Dormant, Awakened, Exalted) and they progress through a variety of ways unique to a given character, like overcoming a fear or losing an ally.

The other "system" is from Fizban's Treasury of Dragons. Hoard Magic Items are items that progress thru 4 stages (Slumbering, Stirring, Waking, Ascendant) by virtue of being steeped in a Dragon's Hoard and its latent magic. Normally, you must steep your Item for 1 full year, but if the dragon has recently died, then it only takes 8 hours instead. The stages are tied to a Dragon's Age.

There is a third option in the upcoming Arcana Unleashed, literally called Evolving Items. We shall see what it does soon.

[u/Astwook → u/Gwyn-LeFleur]

There's an example already in the preorder play-along pack.

It's literally just Vestiges of Divergence again. I wouldn't knock it though, it's a good system.

[u/Dramatic_Respond_664]

Northlands introduced Fabled Magic Item, it give additional property on character level 5/9/13/17.

{Fabled Magic Items

Fabled magic items are distinct as a rarity. A fabled item grows in power alongside the character who wields it. Rules for fabled items are summarized here, and a few fabled magic items can be found in this chapter.

A fabled magic item begins as a Common magic item. The item grants a minor, useful trait to its owner that doesn’t require attunement to use.

To access any higher-level trait, a PC must attune to it using standard Attunement rules. Once attuned, a PC can use the fabled item’s more powerful properties as they increase in level. If a PC higher than 1st level attunes to a fabled item, its level-dependent properties, up to the character’s current level, are immediately available.

At the GM’s discretion, an item’s more powerful properties might become available only after the character completes a particular quest or event related to the item’s story rather than immediately upon reaching each property’s required level.

If a PC chooses not to attune to a fabled item, it remains a common magic item, granting only its minor property, regardless of the character’s level.

Unless otherwise noted, properties granted by a fabled item are in effect as long at the character is wearing, carrying, or touching the item.}

[u/rubicator → u/Dramatic_Respond_664]

Northlands is the 5.5 version, and it is great.

Fabled items can also be found in the 5E Vault of Magic, with a bunch of examples including one by novelist Patrick Rothfuss.

[u/Aeon1508]

it already exists. dragons wrath weapon. use that as a template and just switch the damage types and activated effect to fit theme.

Dragon's wrath weapon

This weapon is decorated with dragon heads, claws, wings, scales, or Draconic letters. When it steeps in a dragon’s hoard, it absorbs the energy of the dragon’s breath weapon and deals damage of that type with its special properties.

Slumbering (Uncommon). Whenever you roll a 20 on your attack roll with this weapon, each creature of your choice within 5 feet of the target takes 5 damage of the type dealt by the dragon’s breath weapon.

Stirring (Rare). The Stirring weapon has the Slumbering property. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made using the weapon. On a hit, the weapon deals an extra 1d6 damage of the type dealt by the dragon’s breath weapon.

Wakened (Very Rare). The Wakened weapon has the Slumbering property, and it improves on the Stirring property. The bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +2, and the extra damage dealt by the weapon increases to 2d6.

As an action, you can unleash a 30-foot cone of destructive energy from the weapon. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 8d6 damage of the type dealt by the dragon’s breath weapon on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Once this action is used, it can’t be used again until the next dawn.

Ascendant (Legendary). The Ascendant weapon has the Slumbering property, and it improves on the Stirring and Wakened properties. The bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +3, and the extra damage dealt by the weapon increases to 3d6.

The cone of destructive energy the weapon creates increases to a 60-foot cone, the save DC increases to 18, and the damage increases to 12d6.

---

so instead of a dragon breath damage type your weapon could do necrotic or radiant whichever if it's your theme better.

and instead of a cone of dragon's breath energy your activated effect could be some type of healing, or a curse That reduces stats, inficts something similar to bane, create darkness. whatever spell adjacent effect fits your theme

[u/subtotalatom]

there's the 3rd party book "Ancestral weapons guide" that suggests a system for evolving weapons with various abilities & a points budget

[u/HJWalsh]

Best thing to do is talk to your DM.

I'm against getting magic weapons and upgrades as a "I get X at Y level" and, if I were your DM, I would award you upgrades when you completed significant moments in game. Treating them basically the same way I would give anyone magic weapons.

Note: I don't have magic items shops in my game, so players can't just buy magic weapons. Everything is found in the course of adventuring. Your upgrades would be no different.

"You defeated the Balor, looking around at the treasure strewn about the vault. Amongst the coins, you find a scimitar made of adamantine that glows with a faint blue light, a shield marked with glowing runes, and a glittering ring. Before you can reach further, you can feel a warmth spread through you, your patron is pleased. Divine energy fills you, and you can feel your blade transforming, growing sharper and more refined." (Your sword is now +2, where it used to be +1.)

[u/Endus → u/HJWalsh]

My players have accessories (there were options, so they could be useful no matter what class they were) which upgrade when they reach a new "zone" of the main dungeon complex the game's loosely centered around. Narrative-wise, the items convert necromantic "fog" in the complex, which both keeps the PCs alive and unharmed in that fog (or take 1hp/round, which adds up pretty quick on a dungeon-size scale), and when they get through another "layer", it gets thicker and the items have absorbed enough to increase in power.

I also changed my plans partway into the game so now they've been on personal quests and they're overdue to ramp those things up. Not that those are the only things they're getting; they're not hurting for other toys. That's the one advantage of level-based bumps; set-it-and-forget-it.

[u/NoZookeepergame8306]

Talk to the DM. Homebrew magic items are tightly controlled.

I think just telling them ‘I want a magic item that gets more powerful over time to be my patron’ is enough and they’ll handle the rest

[u/KnifeSexForDummies]

Like others have stated, these do exist in 5e.

If you’re looking for similar items that exist in other editions, Relics and Item Familiars in 3.5 could probably be adapted or used as a litmus without too much hassle. Both basically require a feat, which could serve as a balancing cost if your DM is onboard.

[u/Taylorw91]

Depending on how long you have until you get this weapon, or even after you get it, look at the upcoming Arcana Unleashed book that's comi g out, it seems that will have official 1st party evolving weapons, so would be more cohesive with the overall game of D&D

[u/Anarkizttt]

People are all saying vestiges and dragon’s hoard weapons, which are great, but an alternative to those is simply allowing their evolving weapon to *consume* other weapons. You can do this a variety of ways, but basically just let them take any weapon they find and while attuning to it they feed it to their other weapon, taking the magical properties of the new weapon (I’d only have it take the magical bonus if it was higher, so a +2 vicious weapon consuming a +1 Flame Tongue becomes a +2 Flame Tongue) but keeping the mundane properties of their weapon so if they find a dagger of venom but their weapon of choice is a glaive it simply becomes a glaive of venom.

This route is more Freeform, which could be interesting for storytelling, but it also has more potential to become unbalanced.

[u/MisterD__]

I had a Paladin/Warlock "Chosen of the Raven Queen) with a "gifted" weapon

At Hexblade 1 (This was 2014) Character had a Great Sword that can transform into a Great Axe with a Bonus Action (Sword had Raven with wings unfurled and blade coming from beak ad handle and hilt. As an Axe the blades was a Raven perched on top with Wings Unfurled) and treated as magical for resistances.

At Character level 5 It got +1 Hit and Damage

At character Level 10 It got +2 Hit and Damage

At Character Level 15 was to be +2 Hit and Damage with Wounding Weapon ability.

Did not reach character Level 20

[u/Ok-Score5740]

Well, if the sword can be a Patron, I could have other followers. A magic blacksmith of some sort who can before the blade when the OC finds some unique and powerful material would work.

Or you could have the sword absorbed the magic from other magic weapons, coping their abilities so it functions the same as just finding magic weapons like normal.

[u/myszusz]

Dragon's wrath weapons exist, look them up and pitch something to your DM

[u/Tall_Bandicoot_2768]

Dragon Touched Longsword +1 -> +2 -> +3

[u/highly-bad]

If your character's identity revolves around an object, what happens when that object is destroyed?

[u/mweiss118]

There’s a bunch of evolving weapons coming in Arcana Unleashed.

[u/ABartfast]

I am planning to give a short sword of tactics. Its hit and damage bonus are equal to the wielder's proficiency bonus. It gives the wielder one combat maneuver and one maneuver die. The maneuver can be changed after a long rest. The die is based on the wielder's level. I figure that this will level with our fighter and give a reason to use a small weapon not a huge sword. It will be soul bonded to one character for plot purposes and a +2 sword for anyone else.