Writhing Star (3.5e Equipment)
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Writhing StarEdit
| Price: | 11,900g |
|---|---|
| Body Slot: | Held |
| Caster Level: | 11th |
| Aura: | Moderate Abjuration and Transmutation |
| Activation: | Use-activated and Standard |
| Weight: | 15 |
This seemingly living ball & chain was used to fight eldritch cultists in the past, yet due to its bloody work or perhaps by intent of its creator it seems the weapon is a product of eldritch arts itself. It hungers for supernatural energy to feed upon.
This +1 elderein ball & chain can be used as a martial weapon for characters without any spellcasting, manifesting, or similar abilities. Beyond its typical powers for this type of item, the weapon seems to writhe and move its chain on its own as if a living snake, always coiling and uncoiling in sync with the attacks made by the user. It provides the user with the following options in battle:
Constricting Serpent: The writhing star can be used in a grapple with no penalty as the weapon gains a mind of its own, and it can be used to start and maintain a grapple. Grappled creatures are subject to Constrict dealing the weapon damage + Str modifier and 1/2 on a successful grapple check.
Defending Serpent: Whenever the wielder of the writhing star makes no attacks (that is, anything that would break invisibility) in a round, as a free action the weapon can strike out on its own using your highest attack modifier and dealing base weapon damage without any modifiers from Strength or abilities like sneak attack or Power Attack. This still counts as an attack for the purposes of interacting with spells and other effects, and may do this even if the wielder is unable to make attacks such as by becoming paralyzed or dazed.
Draining Hunger: If you have grappled a spellcaster or manifester you can make a special grapple check. The head of the ball & chain sinks into the target and begins to drain one random spell of the highest level they can cast or an amount of power points equal to 1/2 their manifester level (minimum 1). The power points are lost, and the spell is spent as if it were cast. Whenever the writhing star has fed its appearance takes on that of a living creature of scale and steel, and opens up the release the serpent's wrath ability.
Release the Serpent's Wrath: When the weapon has fed via Draining Hunger, the weapon can release a special attack as a standard action. Make a melee attack roll which targets any creature within Long range (400 ft + 40 ft/lvl). The weapon extends outward with a mind of its own ignoring cover (but not total cover or concealment) and dealing the weapon damage plus an additional 1d6 points of damage per character level. Even if it misses you can maintain concentration on it and try again next round. You gain the point of view from the ball end of the ball & chain, though it is a questionable scouting method being both somewhat obvious and requiring to target a known creature. Once it has made a successful attack it returns to its normal appearance and must feed again to activate this ability.
Creatures with dark insight and at least 5 HD may spend 1 point of insight to charge release the serpent's wrath for 1 minute without discharging.
Raiments of the Serpent King Collection BenefitsEdit
The Writhing Star is part of an magic item setMIC called the raiments of the serpent king. Wearing and using multiple parts of this set increases the overall power of the items.
| Piece | Body Slot | Price | Ability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ouroboros Circuit Periapt | Throat | 70,000 gp | Things |
| Scales of the Warped Serpent | Body | 13,800 gp | Things |
| Serpent's Eye of Providence | Head | 10,000 gp | Things |
| Writhing Star | Held | 11,900 gp | Things |
| Pieces Worm | Benefit |
|---|---|
| 2 pieces | Gain spell dampening 2. |
| 4 pieces | Gain spell dampening 4. |
Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, animate objects, antimagic field.
Cost to Create: 6900 gp, 400 EXP, 11 days.
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Equipment → Wondrous Items
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