Guide The Priory Vault - 10 Homebrewed Artifacts for 5e

Pungent Mutagen

Drinking this mutagen folds your gut. In an instant fever overtakes you and a sickly sweat pours from your skin. The fever lasts 10 minutes, during which time you lose all sense of where you are, lost to hallucinations of a ravenous morphing beast. Gain one point of exhaustion.

You gain a permanent +4 bonus to constitution. Your maximum for constitution is also increased by 4.

Tier 1

Conditions: Drink the mutagen

You gain the Corrosive Bile ability

Corrosive Bile: As an action you may spit the bile on an enemy within 5m. The target must make a dexterity saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your constitution bonus + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save the target takes 1d12 + your constitution bonus + your character level in acid damage and have their armor class reduced by 2 for the remainder of the encounter. You may use this ability multiple times on the same target in an encounter, but their armor class is never reduced more than 2. On a successful save they take half that much damage. You may use this ability an amount of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest. If you’re able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, you may choose for this ability to replace one of them.

Tier 2

Conditions: be at least level 5 and quaff a drought of broth from cappi vine boiled in fetid water.

Slough: Once per encounter, whenever you are affected by a status condition which a saving throw will remove, as a reaction you slough off a coat of skin, instantly removing the condition.

Tier 3

Conditions: be at least level 8 and kill an enemy with a bite attack.

Ungodly Mutation: Once per long rest you can temporarily transform into an Unholy Abomination. Alternatively, Druids may transform by expending a Wild Shape charge. Transforming into an Unholy Abomination functions exactly like the Druid ability Wild Shape, except that you will transform back into your normal form if you go a turn without either attacking or taking damage from an enemy. The Unholy Abomination state is in the appendix below.

Thrasymacheaus – The Last Scion of Samarskhand

You see a large egg with metalic flecks. Attached to the egg with an intricate wax seal is a narrow scroll which details a long lineage of names written in proto-Draconic. (If someone speaks Draconic and passes a DC10 history check they can read it) It is the linage “Samarskhand, God-King of Faalvahzahhofzil.” Every name on the list bears an extravagant title, most referencing events or places now lost to history. It ends with the name “Thrasymacheaus.” Beside the name there is a blank space where a title should be.

The moment the warmth of your hand touches the egg it quivers. The quivering swells to a squirm, then a violent pound from inside which cracks the shell. A reptilian snout pokes through, and you feel its labored breath. You peel away the shell to reveal an infant dragon with shimmering metallic scales. It meets your gaze and coos.

Thrasymacheaus will imprint on whomever carries her the most in the first hour of her hatching. Her imprinted parent must enter a skill contest against her to determine her attitude toward them. Both roll an intimidation check. If the player wins, Thrasymacheaus will generally be obedient. If Thrasymacheaus wins, she will be occasionally defiant and unruly, though never outright disloyal. The player to whom Thrasymacheaus imprints must choose what kind of dragon she is. Consult the list in the appendix below.

In combat, Thrasymacheus is an ally under the control of player to whom she imprints and takes her turn on the same initiative. If Thrasymacheus’s hit point are reduced to zero she rolls death saves in the same way a player character would.

Tier 1

Conditions: attune to Thrasymacheaus

Thrasymacheaus now adds your proficiency bonus to their AC, attack roles, damage roles, and spell DC. She also gets an extra 5 HP for each level your character gains after 1st and has 1d6 hit die per character level. Thrasymacheaus’s attacks count as your attacks for on-hit spell or ability effects like Hex, or Hunter’s Mark. Vice versa, your attacks also count as identical to hers for the same purposes.

Tier 2

Conditions: be at least level 5 and perform an act that earns Thrasymacheus’s loyalty through either love or fear.

Thrasymacheus has grown and is now small instead of tiny. She also gains the Dragon’s Mark ability

Dragon’s Mark: As a bonus action you mark a target with your rage. You deal an extra 1d6 damage to the target whenever you hit it with an attack. The mark lasts for one hour or until you lose concentration.

If the target drops to 0 hit points before this spell ends. You can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn of yours to mark a new creature.

Tier 3

Condition: be at least level 8 and complete the guardian training with Thrasymachaeus

Thrasymacheaus has grown and is now a medium creature instead of small. She also gains a feat depending on the focus of your training. Choose one of the following:

Fury: Thrasymacheaus gains an additional +2 hit points per level of your character and her hit die are now 1d10s instead of 1d6s (11 hp base and +7 per level).

Whenever you or Thrasymacheus takes damage from an enemy, Thrasymacheus gains a stack of fury up to a max of 10 fury. Her cone breath weapon is no longer once per encounter, but instead can be cast by expending your fury. The DC of the attack is now 10 + 1 per fury expended to cast + your proficiency bonus. The damage of the attack is now 1d10 per fury expended. Thrasymacheus’s breath weapons ignore damage reduction from resistances.

Guile: On its turn, Thrasymacheaus can take the following actions as a bonus action: Dash, Disengage, Help, and Hide.

Thrasymacheaus also gains the Sneak Attack ability. This is identical to the Rogue class feature Sneak Attack, except you roll extra 1d6s equal to your proficiency bonus for damage.

Bond: While within 10 ft of each other, you and Thrasymacheaus may add your proficiency bonus to all Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma saving throws. Thrasymacheaus also gains the Takedown Combo ability

Takedown Combo: (once per encounter) as a bonus action, Thrasymacheaus may attempt a melee attack against an enemy. This attack role has advantage if you are within 10ft of her when she attempts it. If the attack hits, the target is knocked prone and until the beginning of your next turn all attacks made by your character that hit that target count as critical hits.

The Spear Tyranny of the Nine of Kib

The spear he fashioned from a compound of tooth and pale wood, tipped with the point of the serpent’s fang. Bequeathing it unto Yoharneth-Lahai he said “I give thee this spear called Tyranny. Thou wilt lead the Nine, but thou must train to master Tyranny as one among them. If thou master Tyranny thou willst lead as one among them. Woe unto the Kib if thou dost not master Tyranny!”

The Spear Tyranny is a +1 Spear. To wield it, the user must attune to its accompanying Red Shell Necklace. The Necklace grants its wearer a +2 to charisma. While you are wearing the necklace and are attuned to it, your maximum charisma is also increased by 2.

The spear will advance differently depending on whether its wielder labors to master tyranny or embraces it. Upon attuning the spear, the player must declare whether they will master tyranny or embrace it. If they master it, follow the Virtue Route. If they embrace it, follow the Vice Route.

Vice Route

Tier 1

Conditions: attune to the Red Shell Necklace.

When you hit with an attack against targets that are charmed or frightened by you, add your charisma modifier to the damage of the attack.

You gain the Dominating Strike ability

Dominating Strike: Once per long rest, after hitting an attack with the spear Tyranny, you can attempt to charm the target hit. The target must make a wisdom saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your charisma modifier. If the target fails their saving throw, they are charmed for 1 minute.

Tier 2

Conditions: be at least level 5 and exploit someone under your command.

While wielding the spear Tyranny (you must be proficient in spears), you gain the Absolute Domination feat

Absolute Domination: Targets that you charm are now completely under your control. While charmed they count as your ally, you decide their actions on their turn instead of the DM, and they have disadvantage on all saving throws and skill checks made against your DC.

Tier 3

Conditions: be at least level 8 and kill a prisoner who had surrendered to you.

Tyranny is now a +2 Spear. While wielding the spear Tyranny (you must be proficient in spears), you gain the Tyrannical Execution ability

Tyrannical Execution: You may choose to try to execute a target that is under your control. When attacking a target that is either charmed or frightened by you, before rolling any attack rolls, declare that you are trying to execute them. After declaring, all hits against that target are treated as critical hits for calculating damage. At the end of your turn if the target is still alive they are no longer charmed or frightened by you, and are completely immune to being charmed or frightened by you until the end of the encounter.

Virtue Route

Tier 1

Conditions:gain a level while attuned to the Red Shell Necklace.

While wielding the spear Tyranny (you must be proficient in spears), you gain the Lead as One Among Them feat

Lead from Among Them: Once per long rest, as a bonus action, you may lead your allies as one among them. For the next minute, when you make an attack roll against a target they are marked until the beginning of your next turn. All hits against a marked target (including your own) may add your Charisma modifier to the damage of the attack.

Tier 2

Conditions: be at least level 5 or higher and show mercy to an enemy.

While wielding the spear Tyranny (you must be proficient in spears), you gain the Convert ability

Convert: Whenever an enemy hits you with an attack, you may use their reaction to speak to them. Upon hearing your words, they must make a wisdom saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your charisma modifier or switch their allegiance to you. After switching allegiance, they count as your ally, and will be hostile towards your enemies. If the target fails their saving throw you cannot use this ability again until the next time you role initiative.

This is not a magical effect. It does not require concentration and will not wear off. After the encounter, the target whose allegiance is switched will leave your party but will remain loyal to you if you encounter them again. The DM may decide that some enemies would never switch allegiance (perhaps important story antagonists) and can overrule this ability at their own discretion.

Tier 3

Conditions:Be at least level 8 and risk your life to save an ally.

Tyranny is now a +2 spear

While wielding Tyranny you gain the Triumph of the Crusaders feat

Triumph of the Crusaders: This feat modifies the Lead as One Among Them feat. In addition, whenever you or an ally that can see you kills an enemy, they will gain 25 temporary hit points that lasts until the end of the encounter.

The Shield of Welleran

Finally a better plan was made, and it was decided that two men who had by chance been condemned to death should be given a pardon if they went down into the plain at night and discovered whether or not Merimna’s heroes lived. At first the two prisoner’s dared not go, but after a while one of them, Seejar, said to his companion, Sajar-Ho: “See now, when the King’s axemen smites a man upon the neck that man dies.”

And the other said that this was so. Then said Seejar: “And even though Welleran smite a man with his sword no more befalleth him than death.”

Then Sajar-Ho thought for a while. Presently he said: “Yet the eye of King’s axemen might err at the moment of his stroke or his arm fail him, and the eye of Welleran hath never erred nor his arm failed. It were better to abide here.”

- The Sword of Welleran by Lord Dunsany

The Shield of Welleran is a +1 shield.

Tier 1

Condition: gain a level while attuned to The Shield of Welleran

While wielding The Shield of Welleran you gain the Shield Throw ability

Shield Throw: Once per long rest you may throw your shield at your enemies. As an action make an attack as if your shield was a weapon with the thrown property with a normal range of 30 feet and a long range of 60 feet. Add your proficiency bonus to the attack role if you are proficient in shields plus the enchantment bonus of the shield (for example, a +1 shield would add +1 to your attack role). The weapon damage of the shield is equal to 1d4 per AC bonus the shield gives you (for example, a +1 shield gives +3 to AC, so its weapon damage would be 3d4). The shield magically returns to the thrower and grants them temporary hit points equal to the damage it dealt on the throw.

Tier 2

Condition: be at least level 5 and study The Six Knights of Merimna.

You gain the Bouncing Shield feat

Bouncing Shield: This feat modifies the Shield Throw ability. Now when you throw your shield it can bounce to hit multiple targets. After hitting a target, if there is another enemy target within 10 feet the shield bounces to them, making another attack. The shield can strike a number of times equal to your strength or dexterity modifier but will only bounce if its attack hits. If at any point it misses, it terminates the bouncing chain and returns to the thrower. If there are multiple targets the shield could bounce to, the thrower decides between them. It may bounce to the same target twice (though never twice in a row). After resolving all attacks, the shield returns to the thrower and grants them temporary hit points equal to the damage it dealt on all its attacks.

Tier 3

Condition: be at least level 8 and slay at least 5 enemies in a single encounter

The Shield of Welleran is now a +2 shield. Furthermore, while wielding it you gain the Billow of Glory ability

Billow of Glory: As an action, you strike with all the glory of your heroism. Select a target within 5 feet. That target must make a charisma saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your strength or dexterity modifier. If they fail, they take radiant damage equal to your current amount of temporary hit points. On a successful save they take half as much damage. You lose temporary hit points equal to the damage you dealt with this attack.

Wode Plate

Heaped in the corner of the vault is a suit of plate armor, unpolished, dented, and overgrown with vibrant moss and thin, braided vines.

The Wode Plate can be either full plate or half-plate at the discretion of the first player who attunes to it. Shortly after it is donned, the character will notice that the armor is growing; its moss and vines rooting into their flesh. If they continue wearing it, it will fully take root and cannot be removed without divine intervention, or a ritual of removal performed by an agent of the Aether Wode. The player is now counted as attuned to the plate and is proficient in the Wode Plate’s armor type for as long as it is rooted to them.

Any spell, ability, or effect which would permanently damage the armor will instead last for a maximum of one minute, the time it takes for the armor to regrow itself.

The Wode Plate has a +1 enchantment.

Tier 1

Conditions: The Wode Plate must be rooted to you.

You gain the Raveled Vines ability

Raveled Vines: Vines twist out from your armor and entwine an enemy. Once per turn, whenever you hit with an attack on a target within 5 feet of you, you may take another attack for free which you can only use to grapple the target hit. When you grapple with Raveled Vines you may ignore the requirement of having at least one hand free. Creatures that are smaller than you have disadvantage on their escape check.

After Tier 1, the player attuned to the Wode Plate must decide whether the armor flourishes or rots. Their decision will determine its Tier 2 and 3 improvements.

Rot Route

Tier 2

Conditions: be at least level 5 and be revived from death while wearing the Wode Plate.

The vines which wind through your armor are now sticky with an acrid, numbing sap. Clusters of slimy fungus sprout from the gaps between plates.

You receive the Leeching Vines ability

Leeching Vines: Enemies who start their turn grappled by you receive a -2 penalty to strength and dexterity until the beginning of their next turn. You are simultaneously healed 1d6 hit points each time leeching vines.

Tier 3

Conditions: be at least level 8 and sacrifice a living being on a stone altar in the heart of a wode.

The Wode Plate now has a +2 enchantment instead of +1. You receive the Overwhelming Leech feat.

Overwhelming Leech: This feat modifies the Leeching Vines ability. Leeching Vines can now stack. Enemies who start their turn grappled by you receive a stack of Overwhelming Leech up to a maximum of 5 stacks. The stacks last for as long as they remain grappled. If a creature begins their turn and are not grappled by you all stacks are immediately removed. Each stack imposes -2 penalty to strength and dexterity and heals you for 1d6 hit points at the beginning of their turn.

Blossom Route

Tier 2

Conditions: be at least level 5 and earnestly swear the Oath of the Green

A colony of extramundane bees have built a hive inside your armor and busily fly in and out of the mossy gaps between plates. After finishing a long rest, you and your allies who rested with you may sup on golden honeycomb plucked from the plate. When a player eats the honey, it grants a +2 bonus to an attribute (strength, constitution, intelligence, etc) of their choice which lasts until the end of their next long rest. These +2 bonuses can exceed the typical maximum of that attribute. Only player characters may receive this bonus.

Furthermore, you gain the Swarm ability:

Swarm: Enemies that hit you with an attack or begin their turn grappled by you are swarmed by bees. They remain swarmed for as long as they are within 10 feet of you; as soon as they move more than 10 feet away from you the swarm will return to your armor. A swarmed creature receives a -1 penalty to attack rolls and saving throws and takes 1 point of poison damage at the end of each turn that they are swarmed. Only one target can be swarmed at a time. If one target is swarmed, and another target becomes eligible to swarm, you may decide as a free action whether the swarm remains on its current target or switches to the new target.

Some creatures, like undead, can be immune to swarm. Which creatures are is up to your DMs discretion.

Tier 3

Conditions: be at least level 8 and nourish a wode with your own blood.

The Wode Plate now has a +2 enchantment instead of +1. You gain the Overwhelming Swarm ability

Overwhelming Swarm: This ability modifies the Swarm ability. Swarm can now stack. Targets receive a stack of swarm whenever they hit you with an attack or begin their turn grappled by you, up to a maximum of 5 stacks. Each stack imposes a -1 penalty to attack rolls and saving throws and deals 1 point of poison damage to the target at the end of their turn. A target who begins their turn with 5 stacks of swarm must make a wisdom saving throw against a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your wisdom modifier or become incapacitated as they drop to the ground, flailing at the overwhelming swarm of stinging bees. They may reroll the wisdom saving throw to resist whenever they take damage that is not from Overwhelming Swarm or at the start of their next turn

Exacritas - Sword of Sorrows

In the priory vault, this oversized greatsword hangs on the wall like a cross, framed by a fading tapestry. It’s 6ft long blade is narrow and ends in a keen point like an estoc. It bears an intricate and long cross hilt with second guard 8 inches up the blade. The space between the hilt and the second guard is wrapped in a wispy cloth. When you hoist the blade you are surprised at its lightness, it is as if it is half-phantom half-steel.

The embroidered tapestry identifies it as Exactritas, the Sword of Sorrows, the dreaded brand of Petrus the Corsair Knight, a fanatical pirate crusader who fought in the War of Gods. It is said that Petrus drowned but returned to life in a dark deal with the Depths, a pact sealed with this very sword. For 200 years he haunted the supply routes of the Saints Sea with his ship – The Hope – and, of course, Exacritas, Sword of Sorrows.

Exacritas is a +1 Greatsword with the Finesse and Reach properties.

Tier 1

Conditions: attune to Exacritas

While wielding Exacritas you gain the Phantom Haze ability

Phantom Haze: With a point of your sword, a thick, clammy fog rolls up from the ground. Those poor souls who move through it find themselves wading in two feet of brackish water which does not spill out beyond the borders of the cursed cloud.

Once per long rest, as a bonus action, you summon a 20-foot-radius sphere of fog centered on a point within 120 feet. The sphere spreads around corners and its area is both heavily obscuring and difficult terrain. It lasts for up to one hour or until you dismiss it as a free action. So long as you wield Exacritas you can see and move through the cloud without impediment, ignoring both the heavy obscurement and difficult terrain.

Tier2

Conditions: be at least level 5 and kill an enemy by drowning them.

You gain The Depth’s Fickle Favor feat

The Depth’s Fickle Favor: When you take the attack action while standing in at least two feet of ocean water (your Phantom Haze counts) you can make an extra attack.

Tier 3

Conditions: be at least level 8 and be revived from drowning.

Exacritas is now a +2 Greatsword.

You are now the Champion of the Depths! You gain the Champion of the Depths feat and the Grasp of the Drowned ability.

Champion of the Depths: You may now use Phantom Haze once per short rest instead of once per long rest.

Grasp of the Drowned: Whenever a creature attempts to move out of your Phantom Haze a mass of hands reach from the water and pull them down. They must make a Strength saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + either your strength or dexterity modifier (whichever is higher) or their movement is reduced to 0 and they are knocked prone. At the beginning of their next turn, they may reroll the saving throw to remove the effects. Creatures who move out of the Phantom Haze by flying, climbing, or teleporting are not affected by this ability.

Prophetic Spirit

You are visited by the voice of a mystical spirit who opens your eyes to eternity.

When you attune to the Prophetic Spirit you gain +2 to your wisdom. Your maximum for wisdom is also increased by 2.

To gain further benefits from the prophetic spirit you must foster a correspondence with it. This correspondence costs the player one of their attunement slots and can only be maintained through regular mystical practice of a Ritual and Rule (see below).

First, the character must determine what the nature of their prophetic spirit is. It could be the spirit of an ancestor, a spirit of nature, a saint, a demon, an angel, a star, a forgotten god, themselves from the future, or anything else that the character prefers.

Once the nature of their character is determined, the player must also select a Ritual and Rule through which they maintain and develop their connection to the spirit.

Ritual: A ritual is an act that you must perform regularly which connects you to the prophetic spirit. Some possible options are prayer, meditation, fasting, hallucinogens, or animal sacrifice. Regardless of what you select, this ritual is performed as part of your long rest.

If you ever take a long rest without practicing your ritual you will lose your connection to the prophetic spirit and thus lose all its benefits, regaining the attunement that you spent on it. If you neglected your ritual voluntarily the spirit will leave you permanently. If you didn’t practice it because circumstances involuntarily prevented you from being able to, you will regain all benefits the next time you perform the ritual.

Rule: A rule is something you must sacrifice that increases your mystical connection to the realm of the spirit. For example: you might never cut your hair, or drink alcohol, or speak out loud (only sign language), etc.

If you ever break your rule you will lose your connection to the prophetic spirit and thus lose all its benefits, regaining the attunement that you spent on it. If you break your rule voluntarily the spirit will leave you permanently. If you break your rule involuntarily you will regain all benefits the next time you perform your ritual.

Tier 1

Conditions: attune to the Prophetic Spirit

You gain the following benefits:

Unarmored Defense: While you are wearing no armor your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.

Visions of your Near Future: You are now immune to being surprised in combat and may add your wisdom modifier as well as your dexterity modifier to ability checks made to determine initiative.

Furthermore, once per long rest, you may enter a prophetic trance in combat. For the next minute, all attacks against you have disadvantage and you may add your wisdom modifier to your attack roles.

Tier 2

Conditions: be at least level 5 and complete a task chosen by your spirit

You gain the Six Seconds Before ability:

Six Seconds Before: Once per long rest, you can take two turns on the first round of combat. Whenever initiative is rolled, you will role initiative but will also take a bonus turn before any other combatant acts. After taking that turn, resume working through initiative as normal.

Tier 3

Condition: be at least level 8 and learn your spirit’s true name

Now, whenever you are in your prophetic trance, as a reaction you may take a special action as if you had readied it on your turn. Each time you use this reaction you may do one of the following:

• Make a single attack
• Cast a spell or cantrip
• Move up to half your movement
• Hide
• Or interact with an object

When you do this you must declare what condition you had readied according to the ready action rules in the Players Handbook.

The Heart of Ebnon

A crystalline dagger of amaranthine hue. Gripping its intricate gold handle you can feel a light but steady pulse. In the heat of combat, that pulse syncs with that of your own heart.

The Heart of Ebnon is a +1 dagger with a normal throw range of 30 feet and a long range of 90 feet. The dagger returns to the wielder's hand after being thrown.

Tier 1

Conditions: attune to The Heart of Ebnon

You gain the embed ability.

Embed Whenever you hit an attack with The Heart of Ebnon the blade will embed into its target and can only be removed by you or by a powerful healer performing a 1-hour ritual. You may will the dagger back to your hand as a free action.

While the dagger is embedded into a creature, you may target that creature from any range as if they are adjacent to you. The first attack, ability, or spell that you use against them in this way is called an embedded action. If your embedded action is an attack you will have advantage on the attack role. If your embedded action is a spell or ability that requires a saving throw they will have disadvantage on the save. The Heart of Ebnon returns to your hand immediately after resolving the embedded action.

Tier 2

Conditions: be at least level 5 and aid a Tiefling without demanding reward or repayment

Select one of the following abilities:

Sync Whenever The Heart of Ebnon is embedded you may impose one of the following effects as a bonus action:

• Equalize your ACs, either by replacing your armor class with theirs or theirs with yours.
• Equalize a condition or spell effect (again, you may equalize either by taking one from them or giving them one of yours).

Only one of these effects can be imposed at a time. This effect lasts until The Heart of Ebnon is no longer embedded or you choose to replace one effect with another by using another bonus action.

Wrath of a Mad God: Once per long rest you may make the target vulnerable to all damage you deal with your embedded action.

Tier 3

Conditions: be at least level 8 and speak with Helbah about Ebnon

The Heart of Ebnon is now a +2 dagger. You gain the remaining ability from Tier 2.

Liber Trium Malarum - Book of Three Evils

A dusty grimoire made of a weird, soft vellum. It is not calkskin. Perhaps, lamb? Its postscript warns that it was translated from the skulls of the Sish Rua and that its translator, the man penning these very words, would take his own life for the vile greatness of it. A splash of blood on the margins suggests it was no vain threat.

The Book of Three Evils is a +1 spell focus. While holding it, you gain a +1 bonus to your Spell DC and Spell Attack Bonus.

Tier 1

Conditions: attune to the Book of Three Evils

You gain the Black Sacrament feat.

Black Sacrament: The player can now gain temporary bonuses from eating the flesh or drinking the blood of other humanoid creatures. On a long rest the player can perform The Black Sacrament. They add +1 to their proficiency bonus until the end of their next long rest.

Tier 2

Conditions: be at least level 5 and study the two remaining forbidden grimoires.

While attuned to the Book of Three Evils you gain the Vitalis Magica ability

Vitalis Magica: Once per long rest, as a bonus action feast on the flesh of the living. Select a humanoid creature within 5m of you whose current hit points are above zero. You bite a piece off of them, consuming a portion of their vital essence. They take 1d4 piercing damage and for the next minute all spells that you cast are cast as if they are one spell level higher.

Tier 3

Conditions: be at least level 8 and take the life of someone pure of heart

While attuned to the Book of Three Evils you gain the Havest feat.

Harvest: Whenever you kill a target with a Necromancy Spell its spell slot cost is refunded.

Arbalest Mechanicus

Leaning against the dias is this masterwork mechanical marvel, a double-grooved, double-limbed crossbow with a clockwork wind-up key like might be found on a dwarven pocket-watch. A few simple twists of the key wind up some obscure energy storage device which will automatically re-draw the bow after it is fired.

Arbalest Mechanicus is a +1 crossbow (either light or heavy). It has all the same properties of a standard crossbow of its kind except that it does NOT have the loading property.

Tier 1

Conditions: attune to the Arbalest Mechanicus

Arbalest Mechanicus now gains the Double-Bowed and Alchemical Transubstantiation properties.

Double-Bowed: Hits with this weapon do not add your ability modifier to damage, but instead roll double the damage dice.

Alchemical Transubstantiation: Hit with this weapon deal an additional 1d6 acid damage (2d6 with Double-Bowed).

Tier 2

Conditions: be at least level 5 and synthesize either a Purple Worm or Wyvern Poison.

You gain the Wind-Up Alchemy ability

Wind-Up Alchemy: Once per long rest, as a bonus action you may enhance your Alchemical Transubstantiation ability. On your next hit, Alchemical Transubstantiation will deal 2d12 acid damage instead of 1d6. The target must also make a DC15 Constitution save or be Paralyzed for 2 turns. If they succeed on the saving throw they are instead Poisoned for 2 turns.

Tier 3

Conditions: be at least level 8 and take the life of someone pure of heart

Arbalest Mechanicus is now a +2 crossbow. While wielding Arbalest Mechanicus, you gain the Overclock Ability.

Overclock: Once per long rest, you may use the Action Surge ability. This is identical to the Fighter class ability Action Surge.

Appendix

Thrasymacheaus Tiny dragon

Armor Class: 13 Hit Points: 7 Speed: 15 ft., fly 60 ft.

STR: 6 (-2)

DEX: 15 (+2)

CON: 13 (+1)

INT: 10 (+0)

WIS: 12 (+1)

CHA: 10 (+0)

Skills: Perception +3, Stealth +4 Senses: Blindsight 10 Ft., Darkvision 60 Ft., passive Perception 13 Languages: Understands Common And Draconic But Can't Speak

Draconic Ancestry: Choose the type of dragon from the Draconic Ancestor table. Your choice affects your Breath Weapon and Damage Resistance traits.

Black - Acid

Blue - Lightning

Brass - Fire

Bronze - Lightning

Copper - Acid

Gold - Fire

Green - Poison

Red - Fire

Silver - Cold

White - Cold

Keen Senses: Thrasymachaeus has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight, hearing, or smell.

Damage Resistance: Thrasymacheus has resistance to the damage type corresponding to its ancestry.

Limited Telepathy: The pseudodragon can magically communicate simple ideas, emotions, and images telepathically with the creature to whom it is imprinted within 100 ft. of it.

Actions

Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d4 + 2 piercing damage.

Breath Weapons: The damage type of all breath weapons is determined by Thrasymacheus’s Draconic Ancestry.

Shoot: Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/100, one target. Hit: 1d10

Cone: (Once per Encounter) Thrasymacheaus breaths their element in a 15ft cone. Enemies in the cone must make a saving throw against DC 11 (+ your character’s proficiency bonus) or take 1d10 damage

Unholy Abomination Medium Abomination

Armor Class: 16 Hit Points: 86 Speed: 50 ft.

STR: 20 (+5)

DEX: 14 (+2)

CON: 17 (+3)

INT: 10 (0)

WIS: 10 (0)

CHA: 4 (-3)

Skills: Athletics +8, Perception +3, Senses: Darkvision 60 Ft., passive Perception 13

Warp Spasm: The Unholy Abomination is the very embodiment of chaotic rage. They are perpetually under the effects of a 1st level Barbarian Rage. A Barbarian who magically transforms into an Unholy Abomination may gain the full effects of their own Rage instead of that of a 1st level Barbarian.

Additionally, while below half of its total Hit Points, the Unholy Abomination will heal an amount of HP equal to their Rage Damage Bonus each time they hit an attack.

Warp Spasm does not prevent the Unholy Abomination from concentrating on spells.

Extra Attacks: When the Unholy Abomination uses their action to make either a Bite or Claw attack, they may make two additional Bite or Claw attacks.

Actions

Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 1d8 +5 (+ Rage) piercing damage

Claw: Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 1d8 +5 (+ Rage) slashing damage.

Ram: Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 5 ft, one target. Hit: 1d10 +5 (+ Rage) bludgeoning damage, push target 10ft backwards if they are large or smaller.

Tail Sting: Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 5 ft, one target. Hit: 1d10 +5 (+ Rage) piercing damage, the target is inflicted with Contagion identical to the spell Contagion and will contract the Flesh Rot disease if they accumulate three failed Constitution Saves against DC 14.