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Sun Blade

Sun Blade
  • Category: Weapon (Longsword)
  • Rarity: Rare (Requires Attunement)

This item appears to be a sword hilt.

Blade of Radiance. While grasping the hilt, you can take a Bonus Action to cause a blade of pure radiance to spring into existence or make the blade disappear. While the blade exists, this magic weapon functions as a Longsword with the Finesse property. If you are proficient with Longswords or Shortswords, you are proficient with the Sun Blade.

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this weapon, which deals Radiant damage instead of Slashing damage. When you hit an Undead with it, that target takes an extra 1d8 Radiant damage.

Sunlight. The sword's luminous blade emits Bright Light in a 15 -foot radius and Dim Light for an additional 15 feet. The light is sunlight. While the blade persists, you can take a Magic action to expand or reduce its radius of Bright Light and Dim Light by 5 feet each, to a maximum of 30 feet each or a minimum of 10 feet each.

Tactical Applications​

Radiant Combat: Functions as versatile longsword/shortsword with radiant damage and sunlight creation. Exceptional against undead, light-sensitive creatures, and for providing battlefield illumination with holy damage.

Class Synergies:

  • Paladins: Perfect for holy warriors combining divine magic with radiant weapon damage
  • Clerics: Essential for divine casters wanting enhanced undead combat capabilities
  • Undead Hunters: Excellent for characters specializing in undead combat and holy damage
  • Any Melee Class: Outstanding for versatile weapon users needing radiant damage and illumination

Build Considerations: Requires attunement but provides ongoing radiant enhancement with light creation. Most valuable against undead and in campaigns featuring light/darkness themes.

Acquisition Methods​

Crafting Requirements: Requires radiant magic, holy enchantments, and solar essences. Creation cost 15,000-30,000 gp and takes 25 weeks.

Common Sources:

  • Holy weapon specialists and radiant enchanters
  • Treasure hoards of legendary paladins and undead hunters
  • Commission from enchanters specializing in holy weapon magic
  • Found in the collections of divine champions and radiant weapon experts
  • Sometimes discovered in holy sanctuaries or obtained from celestial creature encounters

Alternative Acquisition: Often found in locations with strong connections to divine magic and holy combat.

Value & Trade​

Estimated Value: 20,000-40,000 gp, with extremely high demand among undead hunters and divine champions.

Trade Considerations: Extremely valuable among holy warriors and anyone facing undead threats regularly.

Character Integration​

Roleplay Elements: Suggests experience with divine combat, undead hunting, or professional roles requiring holy weapons and radiant damage.

Character Concepts:

  • Divine champion with holy weapon expertise and undead hunting experience
  • Radiant warrior using sunlight magic for combat advantage and darkness banishment
  • Character with extensive experience in undead environments requiring radiant weapon capabilities
  • Holy combatant combining radiant magic with traditional weapon techniques

Adventure Hooks​

The Undead Plague: Scenarios where radiant damage provides crucial advantages against undead hordes and necromantic threats.

The Darkness Banishment: Adventures requiring light creation where sunlight magic enables progress and safety.

The Holy Crusade: Divine missions where radiant weapons determine success against unholy enemies and dark forces.

The Light Investigation: Exploration missions where illumination advances discovery in dark and dangerous locations.

Variants & Customization​

Greater Sun Blade (Legendary): Enhanced radiant power and additional solar abilities with improved holy capabilities.

Blade of Solar Mastery (Artifact): Includes comprehensive radiant magic and ultimate sunlight control.

Paladin's Holy Blade (Very Rare): Optimized for divine combat with enhanced holy bonuses and undead destruction.

Specialized Variants:

  • Undead Slayer Blade: Enhanced for undead combat with improved radiant damage and holy destruction
  • Dawn Warrior Blade: Optimized for light creation with enhanced illumination and darkness banishment
  • Divine Champion Blade: Specialized for holy combat with enhanced divine bonuses and celestial favor

Lore & History​

Origins: Created by ancient divine champions who needed reliable radiant weapons for their crusades against darkness and undead threats.

Historical Significance: These blades enabled crucial victories against undead armies and the banishment of darkness throughout history.

Cultural Impact: Represent the triumph of light over darkness and the divine power granted to worthy champions.

Magical Craft: Demonstrates master-level understanding of radiant magic and the most complex holy weapon enhancement processes.

Balancing Notes​

Introduction Timing: Appropriate for levels 8-16 when undead encounters become frequent and radiant damage provides significant advantages.

Campaign Impact: Provides powerful anti-undead capabilities balanced by attunement requirement and specific damage type focus.

Holy Focus: Most valuable in campaigns featuring undead threats and light/darkness themes.

Encounter Design​

Recommended Challenges:

  • Undead scenarios where radiant damage enables superior combat effectiveness against undead enemies
  • Darkness encounters where light creation provides illumination advantages and environmental control
  • Holy combat situations where divine weapons determine tactical effectiveness and spiritual superiority
  • Light challenges where sunlight magic advances progress through dark obstacles and shadow barriers

Radiant Adjustments: Encounters may need to account for significant anti-undead capabilities and enhanced illumination.

Holy Items: Other items that enhance radiant damage and provide divine capabilities.

Divine Equipment:

  • Items that improve holy combat effectiveness and radiant magic capabilities
  • Equipment for undead hunting and divine magic enhancement
  • Tools for radiant magic and holy weapon development

Complementary Equipment: Items that enhance divine abilities or provide additional holy combat benefits.

Roleplay Opportunities​

Divine Mastery: Characters develop expertise in holy combat and radiant magic techniques.

Holy Leadership: Radiant capabilities create opportunities for leading divine missions and undead hunting expeditions.

Light Excellence: Holy magic enables impressive demonstrations of divine favor and radiant combat mastery.