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Nine Lives Stealer

Nine Lives Stealer
  • Category: Weapon (Any Simple or Martial)
  • Rarity: Very Rare (Requires Attunement)

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

Life Stealing. The weapon has 1d8 + 1 charges. When you attack a creature that has fewer than 100 Hit Points with this weapon and roll a 20 on the d20 for the attack roll, the creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be slain instantly as the sword tears its life force from its body. Constructs and Undead succeed on the save automatically. The weapon loses 1 charge if the creature is slain. When the weapon has no charges remaining, it loses this property.

Tactical Applications​

Combat Strategy: +2 weapon that can instantly kill enemies by stealing their life force, with limited charges that regenerate over time. Exceptional for high-stakes combat and eliminating dangerous foes.

Class Synergies:

  • Melee Combatants: Perfect for fighters, paladins, and other weapon-based classes
  • Assassins: Essential for characters specializing in elimination and instant kills
  • High-Stakes Fighters: Excellent for characters facing life-or-death combat scenarios
  • Any Class: Universal utility for weapon users wanting instant kill capabilities

Build Considerations: Limited charges require strategic deployment against the most dangerous enemies. Most valuable for characters facing powerful single targets.

Acquisition Methods​

Crafting Requirements: Requires life-stealing magic, soul enchantments, and death-infused materials. Creation cost 50,000-100,000 gp and takes 6 months.

Common Sources:

  • Ancient battlefields and sites of legendary conflicts
  • Treasure hoards of legendary assassins and death dealers
  • Commission from master enchanters with necromantic expertise
  • Found in the collections of death magic specialists and soul researchers
  • Rewards from entities associated with death and life force manipulation

Alternative Acquisition: Sometimes discovered in necromantic sites or obtained through death-related trials.

Value & Trade​

Estimated Value: 75,000-150,000 gp, considered extremely valuable due to instant kill capabilities.

Trade Considerations: Artifact-level rarity and necromantic nature make most acquisitions involve dark quests or death-related bargains.

Character Integration​

Roleplay Elements: Suggests connection to death magic, willingness to use lethal force, or completion of dark quests involving life force manipulation.

Character Concepts:

  • Legendary warrior with death-dealing capabilities and necromantic connections
  • Character who has made bargains with death entities for ultimate power
  • Assassin specializing in instant elimination and life force manipulation
  • Dark champion wielding artifacts of death and soul stealing

Adventure Hooks​

The Death Dealer: Combat scenarios where instant kill capabilities determine survival against overwhelming odds.

The Soul Harvest: Adventures involving life force themes where death magic advances the plot.

The Dark Bargain: Quests involving entities of death where soul-stealing weapons represent power and corruption.

The Final Strike: Climactic battles where instant kill abilities provide the only path to victory.

Variants & Customization​

Greater Nine Lives Stealer (Artifact): Enhanced instant kill chances and additional death-based abilities.

Soul Reaper's Blade (Legendary): Includes soul manipulation capabilities beyond simple life stealing.

Death Lord's Weapon (Artifact): Blessed by death entities with ultimate killing power and necromantic abilities.

Weapon Types:

  • Nine Lives Stealer Sword: Classic blade form with elegant death-dealing capabilities
  • Nine Lives Stealer Axe: Heavy weapon variant with brutal execution potential
  • Nine Lives Stealer Dagger: Subtle assassin's weapon for covert elimination

Lore & History​

Origins: Forged in ancient times when the boundaries between life and death were more fluid and manipulable.

Historical Significance: This weapon has ended the lives of legendary figures and shaped the course of history through strategic eliminations.

Cultural Impact: Represents the ultimate expression of death magic and the power to end life with a single strike.

Magical Craft: Demonstrates mastery of necromancy and the complex enchantments required for life force manipulation.

Balancing Notes​

Introduction Timing: Appropriate for levels 12-18 when instant kill effects become acceptable and death themes are prominent.

Campaign Impact: Provides major combat advantages that should be balanced against equally powerful enemies and challenges.

Death Magic: Necromantic nature may conflict with good-aligned characters and create moral dilemmas.

Encounter Design​

Recommended Challenges:

  • High-level combat where instant kill capabilities provide tactical advantages
  • Boss encounters where eliminating powerful enemies determines success
  • Death-themed adventures where necromantic abilities are particularly relevant
  • Climactic battles where ultimate weapons determine campaign outcomes

Tactical Adjustments: Encounters must be scaled to challenge wielders of instant-kill weapons.

Death Items: Other necromantic weapons and items that manipulate life force and death magic.

Necromantic Equipment:

  • Items that enhance death magic and necromantic abilities
  • Equipment for soul manipulation and life force control
  • Tools for professional assassination and elimination work

Complementary Equipment: Items that enhance weapon combat or provide additional necromantic capabilities.

Roleplay Opportunities​

Death Mastery: Characters develop connections to death entities and necromantic organizations.

Moral Complexity: Wielding death magic creates ethical dilemmas about the use of lethal force and soul manipulation.

Dark Power: Life-stealing capabilities mark characters as individuals of extraordinary and potentially dangerous power.