Six New Magic Flintlocks

It’s been awhile since I’ve written new magic items for this blog, huh? Over a year? No, that doesn’t make any sense. But here we are, I guess. Anyway, this is a collection of magical firearms for an upcoming Tribality release. (Not Under the Seas of Vodari – thankfully that is out of our hands and into the hands of God and the printers!)

Banisher
Weapon (musket or rifle), rare (requires attunement)

The iron or steel barrel of this firearm is engraved with runes of abjuration. You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. As a bonus action when you view a creature in the weapon’s iron sights, you learn its creature Type and whether it is currently conjured or summoned. When you use this property and the creature is an aberration, celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead, you deal an additional 1d8 force damage to it on a hit with this weapon.

Additionally, when you hit an aberration, celestial, elemental, fey, or fiend whose current hit points are less than half its maximum hit points, you can force it to make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw. If it fails this saving throw, it is banished to a featureless demiplane for 1 minute, or to its home plane if you are currently on the Material Plane. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until the next dawn.

Blackpowder Smoker
Weapon (any flintlock), uncommon

Wisps of smoke constantly trail from the barrel of this magic flintlock. When you make an attack with this weapon, you can create a cloud of smoke that heavily obscures a 5-ft cube centered on a point within 5 feet of you. These smoke clouds last until the start of your next turn.

Additionally, when you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks to create a smoke cloud with a 20-foot radius centered on a point you can see within the weapon’s range. The area is heavily obscured for 1 minute or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until the next dawn.

Devil’s Right Hand
Weapon (pistol), legendary (requires attunement)

Infernal symbols that glow like fire cover the barrel and grip of this weapon. You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls you make with this magic weapon, and you deal an additional 1d8 fire damage when you hit with this weapon, or 2d8 if the target is a celestial or a non-devil fiend.

Condemnation. As a bonus action after you hit a creature with an attack using this weapon, a glowing sigil appears on the creature’s body. When the creature uses an action that deals damage, it takes 2d6 necrotic damage. Your condemnation lasts for 1 minute or until you use this property on another creature. If the target of your condemnation falls to 0 hit points during the duration of this effect, its body withers to dust and it dies. Creatures of your choice within 10 feet of it make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking 3d10 necrotic damage on a failure, or half that amount on a success.

Seeking Musket
Weapon (musket), rare (requires attunement)

While you hold this musket in your hand, it gently aims itself toward anyone it has previously hit with a ranged weapon attack. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls you make with this magic weapon. For 1 minute after you hit a creature with a ranged attack using this weapon, ranged attacks using this weapon against the same creature ignore half cover, three-quarters cover, and disadvantage from any condition, including heavy obscurement.

Serpent Pistol
Weapon (flintlock pistol), rare (requires attunement)

The barrel of this pistol resembles a venomous snake striking, and its grip is carved to look like a coiled snake. When it is loaded, there is a pinprick of green light visible by looking down its barrel. When you hit with an attack using this weapon, you deal an additional 1d6 poison damage.

When a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the triggering creature with this weapon. On a hit, you deal 9 (1d10 + 1d6) poison damage. If the triggering attack is an opportunity attack, you attack with advantage, and whether you hit or miss, you can then move up to half your speed as part of this reaction.

Tempest Musket
Weapon (musket), very rare (requires attunement)

The hammer of this flintlock musket sparks and crackles with electricity. When you hit with an attack using this magic weapon, you deal an additional 1d8 lightning damage. This weapon has 8 charges. You can spend 1 charge when you hit with a ranged attack using this weapon; if you do, the target can’t use reactions until the end of your next turn.

While wielding it, you can use an action to expend charges to cast the following spells: gust of wind (1 charge) or lightning bolt (2 charges). The spell save DC for these spells is 14. The musket regains 2d4 expended charges each day at dawn.

Design Notes

The previous version of Banisher was a lot more complicated, taking altogether too much interest in changing its properties based on the relationship between your current plane of existence and your target’s home plane. Too much work for not enough payoff in interesting gameplay. I hope this version adds interesting options.

Devil’s Right Hand has the distinction of being a name I first used in Fallen Earth. I am distinctly pleased that the team that continued development on FE after I was laid off continued to come up with completely over-the-top names for high-level pistols.

Enjoy!