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Holy Avenger

Holy Avenger
  • Category: Weapon (Any Simple or Martial)
  • Rarity: Legendary (Requires Attunement by a Paladin)

You gain a +3 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. When you hit a Fiend or an Undead with it, that creature takes an extra 2d10 Radiant damage.

While you hold the drawn weapon, it creates a 10 -foot Emanation originating from you. You and all creatures Friendly to you in the Emanation have Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. If you have 17 or more Levels 1n the Paladin class, the size of the Emanation increases to 30 feet.

Tactical Applications​

Combat Strategy: Requires attunement by a paladin; +3 weapon that deals extra radiant damage to fiends and undead. Creates aura of spell resistance and enhances paladin abilities. Legendary weapon for righteous champions.

Class Synergies:

  • Paladins: Exclusive attunement restriction makes this a paladin-only weapon
  • Divine Champions: Perfect for characters dedicated to fighting evil and protecting the innocent
  • Anti-Undead Specialists: Devastating effectiveness against undead and fiendish creatures
  • Spell Resistance Builds: Aura provides magical protection for entire party

Build Considerations: Paladin-only restriction limits accessibility but provides unmatched power for divine champions. Spell resistance aura benefits entire party.

Acquisition Methods​

Crafting Requirements: Requires divine blessing, celestial materials, and legendary craftsmanship. Creation cost 75,000+ gp and takes 6 months by master artificers with divine approval.

Common Sources:

  • Divine gifts from good-aligned deities and celestial beings
  • Ancient temples and holy sites of legendary paladins
  • Rewards from gods for completing epic quests against evil
  • Commission from the greatest divine smiths with celestial approval
  • Found in the deepest vaults of celestial kingdoms

Alternative Acquisition: Sometimes discovered in planar rifts or obtained through trials of divine worthiness.

Value & Trade​

Estimated Value: 100,000-200,000 gp - considered priceless by most standards and rarely available for purchase.

Trade Considerations: Artifact-level rarity means most acquisitions involve divine favor or epic quests rather than monetary exchange.

Character Integration​

Roleplay Elements: Suggests legendary paladin status, divine favor, or completion of epic quests worthy of artifact-level rewards from good deities.

Character Concepts:

  • Legendary champion of good with divine mandate
  • Paladin blessed by celestial beings and good deities
  • Hero of epic campaigns against fiendish and undead threats
  • Guardian of ancient holy sites and divine artifacts

Adventure Hooks​

The Fiend War: Epic campaigns against demonic invasions where legendary weapons become necessary for survival.

The Divine Trial: Celestial quests to prove worthiness for wielding weapons of divine power.

The Artifact Hunt: Legendary treasure expeditions seeking weapons capable of affecting world-changing events.

The Undead Rising: Apocalyptic scenarios where only divine weapons can harm primordial undead threats.

Variants & Customization​

Greater Holy Avenger (Artifact): Enhanced radiant damage and additional divine abilities.

Celestial Avenger (Artifact): Blessed by specific good deities with unique divine powers.

Primordial Light Blade (Artifact): Forged from pure positive energy with reality-altering effects.

Specialized Variants:

  • Demon Bane: Specifically enhanced against demonic creatures and fiendish threats
  • Undead Scourge: Optimized for destroying undead with enhanced turning abilities
  • Divine Protector: Includes healing and protective abilities for party support

Lore & History​

Origins: Forged by celestial beings during the dawn wars between good and evil, when weapons capable of harming divine beings were necessary.

Historical Significance: This blade has shaped the outcome of legendary battles between good and evil and prevented multiple apocalyptic events.

Cultural Impact: Represents the ultimate achievement in divine weaponsmithing and the power of mortal champions to wield celestial tools.

Magical Craft: Demonstrates the highest possible mastery of divine enchantment and the binding of celestial radiance.

Balancing Notes​

Introduction Timing: Appropriate for levels 15-20 when legendary items become accessible and epic threats emerge.

Campaign Impact: Game-changing artifact that should be the focus of major campaign arcs and epic adventures.

Power Level: Requires careful campaign integration due to its immense power and divine significance.

Encounter Design​

Recommended Challenges:

  • Epic encounters with demon lords, archdevils, and legendary undead
  • Climactic battles where divine power affects multiple powerful enemies
  • Legendary conflicts requiring artifact-level power to resolve
  • World-threatening scenarios where divine weapons are essential

Tactical Adjustments: Encounters must be scaled to challenge wielders of legendary divine artifacts.

Divine Weapons: Other artifact-level items of comparable power and divine significance.

Anti-Evil Equipment:

  • Items specifically designed for epic combat against fiendish and undead threats
  • Equipment for legendary warfare against evil forces
  • Tools for wielding and supporting artifact-level divine weapons

Complementary Equipment: Items that enhance paladin abilities or support divine weapon usage.

Roleplay Opportunities​

Divine Champion: Characters become legendary figures whose deeds are remembered across generations and planes.

Celestial Recognition: Wielding such weapons creates relationships with gods and celestial forces.

Epic Responsibility: The power to affect world-changing events comes with proportional moral obligations and divine expectations.