Rod of Lordly Might 5e

Rod of Lordly Might 5e

Rod, legendary (requires attunement)

This rod has a flanged head, and it functions as a magic mace that grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. The rod has properties associated with six different buttons that are set in a row along the haft. It has three other properties as well, detailed below.

• Six Buttons. You can press one of the rod's six buttons as a bonus action. A button's effect lasts until you push a different button or until you push the same button again, which causes the rod to revert to its normal form.

  • If you press button 1, the rod becomes a Flame Tongue, as a fiery blade sprouts from the end opposite the rod's flanged head (you choose the type of sword).

  • If you press button 2, the rod's flanged head folds down and two crescent-shaped blades spring out, transforming the rod into a magic battleaxe that grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it.

  • If you press button 3, the rod's flanged head folds down, a spear point springs from the rod's tip, and the rod's handle lengthens into a 6-foot haft, transforming the rod into a magic spear that grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it.

  • If you press button 4, the rod transforms into a climbing pole up to 50 feet long, as you specify. In surfaces as hard as granite, a spike at the bottom and three hooks at the top anchor the pole. Horizontal bars 3 inches long fold out from the sides, 1 foot apart, forming a ladder. The pole can bear up to 4,000 pounds. More weight or lack of solid anchoring causes the rod to revert to its normal form.

  • If you press button 5, the rod transforms into a handheld battering ram and grants its user a +10 bonus to Strength checks made to break through doors, barricades, and other barriers.

  • If you press button 6, the rod assumes or remains in its normal form and indicates magnetic north. (Nothing happens if this function of the rod is used in a location that has no magnetic north.) The rod also gives you knowledge of your approximate depth beneath the ground or your height above it.

• Drain Life. When you hit a creature with a melee attack using the rod, you can force the target to make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target takes an extra 4d6 necrotic damage, and you regain a number of hit points equal to half that necrotic damage. This property can't be used again until the next dawn.

• Paralyze. When you hit a creature with a melee attack using the rod, you can force the target to make a DC 17 Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target is paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. This property can't be used again until the next dawn.

• Terrify. While holding the rod, you can use an action to force each creature you can see within 30 feet of you to make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, a target is frightened of you for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. This property can't be used again until the next dawn.

Commentary by Sam West, Twitter: @CrierKobold

The Rod of Lordly Might is my favorite legendary weapon. It’s a swiss-army-knife on a mystical mace capable of doing tons of different things depending on your needs. I’m a huge fan. 

• On top of the six buttons that transform it into three weapons, a battering ram, a climbing pole, or a compass, it gets three additional effects all weapon modes can use.

• You can opt to use any number of the final three abilities independently or together on the same attack.

• Flame Tonguse can be any sword- the options typically are greatswords, longswords, rapiers, scimitars, and shortswords, offering you five different weapon properties as you need with a bonus 2d6 fire damage on hit.

• Including the flame tongues forms, a Rod of Lordly Might can represent eight unique weapons.

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