5th edition homebrew and game mechanics
by Dillon MacPherson
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Contact: Dillon.MacPherson@gmail.com
Magic Weapon (Maul), Artifact (Requires Attunement)
This magical weapon appears as a two-handed maul of tarnished bronze, the head of which is shaped like a giant squid grappling a ship.
This weapon gains an enchantment bonus, equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded down, to attack and damage rolls.
Scuttle - 1/day
As an action you cause a wave of thunderous force to sweep out from the hammer. Each creature in a 15-foot cube originating from you must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 thunder damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t pushed.
When you use this item, the thunder damage increases by 1d8 for every 2 levels you are above 1st. 3rd level (3d8), 5th level (4d8), 7th level (5d8), 9th level (6d8), 11th level (7d8), 13th level (8d8), 15th level (9d8), 17th level (10d8), and 19th level (11d8)
In addition, unsecured objects that are completely within the area of effect are automatically pushed 10 feet away from you, and unattended non-magical objects in the area take the maximized thunder damage.
Bludgeoning and thunder damage from the hammer is doubled against wooden objects.
If the Krakenhammer is bathed in the fresh blood of a Megladon then the hammer now permanently deals 3d6, and double damage against stone.
Destroying the Hammer
The Krakenhammer must be hung to dry for one month in a smokehouse, alongside dried seaweed harvested from a Kraken's lair. Over this time the Krakenhammer will visibly shrivel, and afterwards it must be kept absolutely dry or the process will need to be started anew. In this state, it can be struck tremendously (DC 20 Strength check) against the top of a mountain, where it will shatter. Once shattered, nothing can repair it.
Any melee weapon can be a Crystal weapon. These prismatic instruments critically hit on 19-20. When the damage from a critical strike is rolled, you can choose to shatter the weapon, destroying it but dealing double the damage rolled in the process.
Magic Ring, Rare (Requires Attunement by Jakkin)
This ring grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with your monk weapon and unarmed attacks. This ring has 1 charge.
This once ordinary ring buzzer has been modified with copper coils that wrap down around the wrist and attach to a expanded power pack on the forearm. The little shock glyph has been replaced with a piece of enchanted topaz that crackles with electrical energy. Esper has lovingly engraved "Abra-ca-fuck-you" in Draconic upon the wrist guard.
When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack you can spend 1 charge to discharge lightning that chains to nearby foes. The target is struck by lightning; three additional bolts leap from that target to as many as three other targets, each of which must be within 30 feet of the first target. A target can be a creature or an object and can be targeted by only one of the bolts.
A target must make a Dexterity saving throw against your monk save DC. The target takes 2d6 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This damage increases with your breath weapon attack: 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level.
You can channel your breath weapon into the ring to gain an additional charge. The ring returns to 1 charge after a long rest.
Wonderous Item (Gauntlets), Very Rare (Requires Attunement)
These heavy hide gauntlets are edged with feathers and giant teeth. The plates along the top guard are formed of huge carved bone pieces with weathered imagery.
Might. Your Strength score is 19 while you wear these gauntlets. This has no effect on you if your Strength is 19 or higher without them. If your size is large or larger you deal double damage to objects and structures.
Fury. When you are reduced to half health or less you can immediately enter a rage, gaining the following:
- Resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
- You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
- When you make a melee weapon attack using Strength, you gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded down.
You can maintain this rage for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier, after which it ends at the end of your turn. You can extend this rage by spending a hit die for each extra round you maintain it. If you choose to spend hit die in this way you gain 1 level of exhaustion once the rage ends. Once you use this feature you cannot use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Magic Weapon (Special), Legendary (Requires Attunement by a Cleric, Monk, Paladin, or Warlock)
In the ruins of Bellhammer, the once-mighty forge city, lay a broken chapel bell; the material, in the hands of a gifted smith, can be forged into a pair of enchanted caestus. These mighty bronze fists dealt crippling blasts with each strike, the dull tolling of a bell ringing out with every blow.
When equipped as a pair, these gauntlets grant a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with these magic weapons. They are simple melee weapons that deal 2d4 thunder damage on a hit.
Toll. If both gauntlets are equipped, then as an action the gauntlets can be slapped together to create a shattering blast. All creatures, including you, within 10 feet must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your Strength modifier + your Proficiency bonus. On a failed save a creature take 2d4 thunder damage and is deafened for 1 minute. The creature may attempt the saving throw again at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save the effect ends.
For Whom the Bell Tolls. Once per day when using Toll, you can channel the Spirit of the Last Vicar into the attack. The range increases to affect every creature except you within a 20 foot radius; the damage increases to 2d6 + 1d6 per player level, and targets who fail their save are stunned. Creatures who save are not stunned or deafened, and take half damage. Stunned creatures can reattempt their save at the end of each of their turns, however once successfully saved the creature remains deafened for an additional minute.
You still have use of your hands while these weapon are equipped, but you cannot effectively wield a another weapon. While equipped you have disadvantage to tool checks, sleight of hand checks, and the use of any other weapon.
Simple Melee Weapon, 2d4 Thunder, Special
Minor Trick
At 3rd level, your dabbling in pranks and gags has blossomed into unique talents. You gain the I’m Not Touching You trick and you select one more minor trick from the list below. Any trick items that are lost reappear after a long rest.
I'm not touching you. 1 Ki Point As a Bonus Action you can assault one target with a disorientating display of flurried strikes that never actually HIT anything, leaving the target dazed and confused. Your target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Monk save. For the next minute, whenever a target that failed this saving throw makes an attack roll or a saving throw, the target must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll or saving throw. This target may reattempt this saving throw once per turn when they land an attack against you.
Whenever you gain a new minor trick you can choose to replace one you already know with another minor trick you could learn at that level. You gain an additional minor trick at 6th, 11th, and 17th.
Minor Tricks
If a minor trick has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the minor trick at the same time that you meet its prerequisites.
Woopie Cushion. When someone that you can see within 60 ft. of you makes an intimidation, persuasion, or performance check, as a reaction you can conjure or place a woopie cushion carefully on their person. The cushion timing sees them take disadvantage on their intimidation or performance attempt.
Unrighteous Rancour. (6th Level Required; Woopie Cushion.) When a creature that you can see within 60 ft. of you casts a concentration spell, you can use your reaction and 4 ki to force them to make a concentration check on the spell or lose it before the casting is complete. On your turn you can use a bonus action and 2 ki to force a creature concentrating on a spell to make a concentration check.
Granjam’s Bag’o’Tricks. This arcane trickster’s classic bag of tricks allows you to cast Prestidigitation.
Carnival Tool Kit. This performer's kit of tools allows you to cast Thaumaturgy.
Fitzwhizzle’s Fizzbangs. These sputtering, whizzing, dancing firecrackers act like Dancing Lights.
Invisible Fishing Rod. This short crystalline rod and invisible twine acts like the spell Mage Hand.
Pinny Poe’s Travelling One Man Show. Through the use of shadow puppets, real puppets, whistles, firecrackers, noise poppers, and various other tricks and gadgets you can cast Minor Illusion using your Monk DC as your spellcasting DC.
Tumbling. You gain proficiency in Acrobatics.
Street Magician. You gain proficiency in Sleight of Hand.
Prowling Prankster. You gain proficiency in Stealth.
Monkey Business. You gain proficiency in Animal Handling.
Circus Performer. You gain proficiency in Perform.
Commit to the Bit. (6th Level Required) You gain expertise in one skill of your choice that you have proficiency in.
And Another Thing! (6th Level Required) Once per turn you can spend 1 ki to replace an unarmed strike with a single cast of Vicious Mockery. When cast in this way the spell is cast as first level, but the damage dice use your Martial Arts die. This uses your Monk save DC.
All in the Wrist. (6th Level Required) You spend 1 minute sizing up an unattended non-magical object of medium size or smaller, and made of stone or softer. After 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration, you can strike the object, breaking it apart.
Bell Breaker. (11th Level Required; All in the Wrist.) When you use All in the Wrist, it can be a large or smaller object. You can now also break metal or softer objects of size medium or smaller.
Corvid’s Fancy. (11th Level Required; Proficiency in Sleight of Hand) You can replace any Unarmed Strike with a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) attempt to steal an item from a creature or your surroundings within reach. The items can’t be equipped weapons or armour. Any other item is acceptable as long as you know where it is. Actively equipped items impose disadvantage; items worn on belts or stowed in bags or quivers do not count as actively equipped. Once per turn you can spend 2 ki to gain advantage on one of these attempts.
A Drake’s Fortune. (11th Level Required; DM Buy in) When things are most dire, something breaks. Then when things are looking up… something breaks. Declaring Drake’s Fortune alters the current situation in your favour, as something nearby breaks. However once you have declared Drake’s Fortune, it cannot be used again until the DM uses it as a mishap.
Trickster Talent - Novice
At 6th level you develop a trick of exceptional deviousness. Select a trickster talent from the options below. You know the novice version of this talent.
Trickster Talent - Apprentice
At 11th level you learn the apprentice level of your chosen trickster talent.
Trickster Talent - Master
At 17th you learn the master level of your chosen trickster talent.
Trickster Talents
Wave of Hands.
You can manifest a swarm of phantasmal hands that assails and pesters your enemies.
As an action you summon a 10 ft. cube at a point within 60ft. of you. The swarm lasts 1 minute, or until you lose concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell).
Once you use this talent you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
While summoned the cube can be moved to a new location within 60ft. by using 3 ki and an action.
If the swarm is lost due to broken concentration, you can reform it for the remaining duration using 3 ki as an action.
Novice. The hands swarms enemies in the cube, poking, prodding, tickling, and otherwise harassing your foes. Any foe that starts its turn in the swarm must succeed on a wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on attacks this round.
Apprentice. Foes that start their turn inside the cube lose half their movement speed. Unarmed attacks gained from Martial Arts or Flurry of Blows can target any creatures within the swarm. The cube grows to 15 ft.
Master. Unarmed attacks gained from Martial Arts or Flurry of Blows can target all hostile creatures within the swarm. Make a single roll for each attack and the attacks hits any target inside the cube whose AC is beaten by the roll. The cube grows to 20 ft.
Double Trouble.
As an action, you create a perfect illusion of yourself that lasts for 1 minute, or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). The illusion appears in an unoccupied space that you can see within 30 feet of you.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the illusion up to your speed to a space you can see, but it must remain within 120 feet of you.
Once you use this talent you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
If the illusion is lost due to broken concentration, you can reform it for the remaining duration using 3 ki as an action.
Novice. When both you and your illusion are within 5 feet of a creature that can see the illusion, you have advantage on attack rolls against that creature, given how distracting the illusion is to the target.
Apprentice. Unarmed attacks gained from Martial Arts or Flurry of Blows can be performed by your illusion instead. Damage is dealt as if you had placed the attacks, and your illusion also gains the benefits of being within 5 feet of the same creature as you.
Additionally you can spend 3 ki to switch places with your illusion as an action. As a reaction to taking damage from an attack, it only costs 1 ki to switch positions with your illusion.
Master. You create 2 illusions instead of 1. When you use flurry of blows, each of your illusions can also make an additional unarmed attack. Additionally you can now spend 3 ki to switch places with one of your illusions as a reaction to being attacked, before damage is dealt.
Path of the Rolling River.
You sprint, jump, and tumble your way through enemy forces, throwing punches as you go.
You can dash as a bonus action with no ki cost. While dashing, you can spend 1 ki to double your jump distance. Furthermore, if an opportunity attack made against you misses, you may take an unarmed attack in retaliation by spending 1 ki.
Novice. You can activate Rolling Punches as a bonus action and when you do, you gain the following benefits until the end of your turn:
- You Dash.
- You activate Flurry of Blows with double the number of unarmed strikes (4).
- You can move through enemy squares as difficult terrain, this movement still provokes attacks of opportunity.
- When an enemy’s opportunity attack misses you, you can take an unarmed attack against them by spending 1 ki.
Once this ability is used you must complete a short or long rest before it can be used again.
Apprentice. Enemy attacks of opportunity have disadvantage against you. When dashing you ignore difficult terrain.
Apprentice Rolling Punches. When activating Rolling Punches the number of unarmed strikes gained from Flurry of Blows is tripled (6) and your jump distance is doubled.
Master. You have resistance to all damage from attacks of opportunity.
Master Rolling Punches. When activating Rolling Punches the number of unarmed strikes gained from Flurry of Blows is quadrupled (8).
Flaring Fists.
Your stunning strikes are powerful showers of sparks and dazzling colours.
You can activate Flaring Fists as a bonus action. When you do, the next attack that hits is a stunning strike that the opponent has disadvantage to resist, and you cast Color Spray at a level equal to half your monk level (max 9th), with an altered range of self (15-foot radius). This spell ignores allies.
Once this ability is used you must complete a short or long rest before it can be used again.
Novice. When you activate a stunning strike as part of your attack action you can use a bonus action to give your opponent disadvantage on the save.
You can activate this ability a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, you must complete a short or long rest before it can be used again.
Apprentice. Enemies blinded by Flaring Fists are blinded for a number of rounds equal to your wisdom modifier.
Master. Enemies blinded by Flaring Fist or Stunned by Stunning Strikes have disadvantage on all saves while afflicted by those conditions.
Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class 17 (Half-Plate barding)
Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36)
Speed 40ft.
STR - 20 (+5)
DEX - 14 (+2)
CON - 16 (+3)
INT - 3 (-4)
WIS - 12 (+1)
CHA - 8 (- 1)
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +6
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages -
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Keen Smell.The tiger has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Heavy Pounce. If the tiger moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target has disadvantage to the saving throw to avoid getting knocked down.
Man Eater. This tiger has been trained to hunt and kill humans for more than food. It hunts and attacks with extreme prejudice. Its damage dice are doubled against humanoids. (As calculated into the attacks below)
Armour Rune - Horrific Appearance. The tiger’s barding has been enchanted with a fear rune. Any humanoid that starts its turn within 30 feet of the tiger must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if the tiger is within line of sight, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the tiger's Horrific Appearance for the next 24 hours.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The tiger can make two attacks; one with its claw and one with its bite.
Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage.
Claw.Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 20 (4d6 + 6) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.