Demon Weapon (3.5e Class)

Artwork by Atsushi Ōkubo

Demon Weapon

"A sound Soul, dwells within a sound Mind, and a sound Body."

Origin

The first Demon Weapons were created 8000 years ago, a powerful Witch named Arachne following instructions found within the Book of Eibon, a powerful tome with knowledge that out matches even the gods. To create a Demon Weapon she murdered a fellow Witch to use as a sacrifice. Using the Witch's soul, which has the power of transformation, Arachne joined together an inanimate weapon and a human soul to create a Demon Weapon which had the ability to transform from Human to Weapon form. This act of killing a witch made every Witch want to kill Arachne and demon weapons alike. The Demon Weapons, despite their unplanned creation, were accepted into the world, at least somewhat after many years.

Demon Weapon Discrimination

Demon Weapons who are still young and inexperienced in utilizing their abilities are known to accidentally hurt the people around them when their transformation goes wrong. Therefore, they are often feared and discriminated against by normal society, although they pretend to admire them. This is one of the reasons why some weapon academies are built and sometimes even complete towns and cities are formed for them such as the DWMA, a large academy set in the center of a desert surrounded by a town full of weapons that are all training under skilled teachers and commanded by The Grim Reaper, to take in these Demon Weapons and train them to have full control of their ability with the help of a wielder so that they can be accepted and respected in society. However some weapons feel this discrimination more harshly than others and decide to take on some more unsavory habits from thievery, to straight out murder. Some become heroes to the people to prove themselves and their kind to be a good people, while others decide that the world doesn't want them, so they're going to do the best they can to be a thorn in its side until the end.

Throughout the rest of this format the wielder of a Demon Weapon will be written as a Meister

Demon Weapon levels stack with the prestige classes Kishin and Death Scythe for all abilities except Bonus Feats

Making a Demon Weapon

You are able to harness your soul to transform your body into a living weapon. Another player is able to use you as a weapon, but the higher your level the less you actually need a Meister.

Abilities: Depending on what weapon you want to be (Ranged needs high Dexterity, Melee needs high strength), High Wisdom will help with additional damage values

Races: Any race, it is a bloodline trait that could lie dormant for many generations or be dominant and present for just as many.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 2d10x10.

Starting Age: Young.

Deity: Demon Weapons tend to worship a single deity liked with death such as the Grim Reaper due to their natural abilities that are used specifically for killing and in a way, reaping souls. Some even partner up with actual Reapers [1] and help souls! Or rather help them into their stomach.

Table: Demon Weapon   Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Demon Weapon Form, The Contract
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Demonic Skill, Demonic Reflexes
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Bonus Feat
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	First Release
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+5	Bonus Feat
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+5
8th	+8/+3	+5	+3	+5
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+6	Bonus Feat
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+7	Second Release
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+4	+7
12th	+12/+7/+2	+7	+4	+7	Bonus Feat
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+8
14th	+14/+9/+4	+8	+4	+8
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9	Bonus Feat, From Demon to Devil
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+9	+5	+9
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+9	+5	+9
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+9	+5	+9	Bonus Feat
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+9	+5	+9
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level) x 4 Climb, Concentration, Disguise, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (pick 3), Move Silently, Search, Spot, Survival, Swim, Use Rope

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Demon Weapon.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Demon Weapons Gain Light Armor Proficiency and Simple and Martial Weapon Proficiency and Proficiency with all shields except for Tower Shields.

1st Level ONLY: This class can only be taken at first level as the starting class. Demon Weapons are immune to all enchantments.

The Contract(Ex):Demon Weapons forge contracts with those that they want to use them, naming them a meister. A contract can be a long winded speech, a formally written agreement, or simply a mutual nodding of heads to kill something. Demon weapons can grant or deny anyone a contract with them. If you have a Contract with the Demon Weapon you are using, you are proficient with that Demon Weapon and gain all benefits of that Demon Weapon, like the Weapon Adaptations.

If you do not have a Contract with the Demon Weapon you are trying to use, you are counted as not proficient with that Demon Weapon, and do not gain the bonuses of using a Demon weapon other than a fancy looking stick. The Demon weapon Can Try to possess anyone without a contract holding it forcing a Will Save, the Dc being 10 + Will + Intelligence Modifier, lasting one hour. They can try to free themselves once every hour after, and any self inflicted damage is an automatic success.

Ex: A Demon Weapon Great-axe gives a Wizard a contract. Even though Wizards are not proficient in Great-axes, as long as it is the Demon Weapon they are considered proficient. If a Fighter who does not have a contract tries to use the Demon Weapon Great-axe, he is counted as not being Proficient in it, even though Fighters are normally Proficient with Great-axes, and gets no benefits.

Demon Weapon Form(Ex):

At 1st level, a Demon Weapon may choose a weapon they are proficient with and become it, physically, all of their possessions changing with them into their weapon form. They retain the same damage, critical hit range, weight, and type as the chosen weapon and it's size matches his size in his normal state (i.e. A Large character would become a Large weapon and therefore their damage dice would increase in size) as well as retain their AC, including their Dex. bonus to AC. Ranged weapons do not need ammunition, as they shoot projectiles that they magically produce through means of their soul and therefore do not need to be reloaded. These projectiles are infinite, however normal ammunition may be used in substitute if desired as the ammunition fired by the Demon Weapon can't be enchanted or enhanced in anyway unless by a feat or ability that qualifies.

Weapon Characteristics: The form's Hardness is equal to the players AC, and when the Demon Weapon's hit points are forced to 0 they immediately turn back to their natural form. In addition, the Demon Weapon adds their Wisdom Modifier to any attack roll made by the user. The player is able to move as a weapon (hopping along the ground, or rolling if possible in their form) at half the player's normal speed. Shields of all types, including spiked are also available as a Demon Weapon Form. The damage the demon weapon form deals increases by 2 every even level.

Partial Form: Demon Weapons have the ability to change a portion of their bodies into their Demon Weapon Form. (i.e. A Longsword Demon Weapon would be able to change his arm, leg, or forearm into a blade, pommel or guard.) All attacks made using this method are treated as if they are a dice size lower than the actual weapon forms size (i.e. A medium sized weapon strike using this method would count as a small weapon strike.) This enables the weapon to fight on their own unarmed, however it is still advised that they have a Meister available to use them.

Soul Perception: A Demon Weapon has the ability to sense souls around them. This ability allows the Demon Weapon to see any living being within 20 ft.+5 ft./level. At 5th level, a Demon Weapon Can tell a soul's Alignment and if it's higher or lower level/Cr, at 10th level a Demon Weapon can discern the soul's race, and at 15th level a Demon Weapon Can Determine the soul's class and exact level/Cr.

Enhanced Weapon:At 1st level Demon weapon also chooses one of four Adaptations, listed in the table below, and their Demon Weapon Style, listed at the bottom.

Characteristic
Elemental	Allows the Demon weapon to choose a single element from the following list, Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Poison. Elements effects are as followed, Acid lowers the enemy's AC by 1d3 for 1d4 turns after a successful strike, Cold slows the enemy's speed by 10 ft for 1d4 turns after a successful strike (Will save negates), Fire burns the enemies for 1d6 damage for 1d3 turns after a successful strike (Reflex save negates), Lightning has a chance to paralyze the enemy for one turn if the player rolls a 80 or higher on a 1d100 check (Fort save negates), Poison deals 1d3 damage for 1d6 turns after a successful strike (Fort save negates.)
Polymorphosis	Allows the Demon Weapon to have multiple weapon forms, chosen at first level equal to their starting Wisdom Modifier. The weapon still must be proficient with the weapon that was picked. If taken at 15th level you only get additional forms equal to your Wisdom. At 5th, 10th, and 15th level, the Demon weapon may select another form to change into that they are proficient with.
Pin Point Shifter	Allows the Demon Weapon to use their partial change ability once they get it to change any amount of their body into their weapon form instead of larger portions, this is especially useful to Shield Weapons as they can change their skin into scaled (whatever material shield chosen) that's color matches their shield form, if they take this form their weight does not increase and they gain a +2 Natural Armor bonus. If the shield form is Spiked, they are treated as if they are wearing Armor Spikes. Light weapons and only light weapons that take this ability can use this to change their fingers or something smaller into their form and use it to pick locks in place of a proper lock pick, though they will take a -2 penalty on an Open Lock check

Soul Eater(Su): All things have souls, good, bad, and the ugly. However a Weapon can only eat Humanoid's souls. At 1st level, a Demon Weapon that kills causes the victim's soul to become physical and take the shape of a floating orb and has the ability to absorb/consume souls of their killed enemies toward a counter by eating them . This counter is necessary to keep track of if the player wishes to advance to the Prestige Class, Death Scythe, or the Prestige Class Kishin. (Both coming soon.) This counter requires two different kinds of souls depending on the alignment of your character. If you are a Good aligned character you must consume 99 Evil Aligned souls, and 1 Witches soul as well as meet the other requirements to becoming a Death Scythe to become one. If you are an Evil Aligned character you must consume 99 Good aligned souls, and one Witches soul as well as meet the other requirements to becoming a Kishin, to become one. Neutral Aligned Demon Weapons can collect as many souls of any alignment as they wish, but cannot become either a Death Scythe, or Kishin unless they change alignments to become Good or Evil at some point. If for some reason a Demon Weapon consumes a soul that shares the alignment Good or Evil with them, all souls they have consumed up to that point are forfeit and the counter resets. Neutral Demon weapons are also subjected to this, however slightly different, they can only collect one kind of soul if they wish for their counter to rise, if they collect the opposite kind their counter also resets as if they were either side.

Bonus Feats: At 3rd level and every 3rd level after a Demon Weapon may select a bonus feat.

Demonic Skill: Demon Weapons begin to transfer some of their innate skill to their Meister. Only while in weapon form and being held, the Meister gains the Demon Weapons Ability Modifier to their Skill Checks.

Demonic Reflexes: At 2nd Level, a Demon Weapon may add their Dexterity Modifier to the Meister's AC. Ex. A Meister that wields a Demon Weapon with a Dexterity Modifier of 2 adds +2 to their Dexterity bonus to their AC if the Meister's current armor allows it. So if the Meister already has +4 Dexterity bonus and is wearing a Chain Shirt, they cannot increase their Dexterity bonus.

First Release: By synchronizing with your Meister, your weapon transforms to a new form. The effect of this depends on your Style. To start First Release is a standard action, maintaining requires a concentration check from both Meister and Demon Weapon every round, the Dc 15 + 5 for every step apart on the Alignment Table. This means the total between the two of them must add up to the total, and even if one fails the roll individually. The concentration check is always done on the Demon Weapon's Turn immediately. First form can be used a number of times equal to your Wisdom Modifier.

I.E. The Demon Weapon Axe and the Wizard, one Chaotic Good and one Neutral Good, make a concentration check. Since they are one step away on the Alignment Table, the Dc is 20. The Axe rolling 7+5 getting a 12; the Wizard though Rolls a 19+8, getting a 27. Combined that equals a 37, more than 20 and high enough to maintain the form.

Second Release: Using the Souls you have collected and synchronizing with your Meister, you create a weapon of demonic proportions. The effect depends on the previously selected style. To start Second Release, you must be in First Release and take a full action. The concentration Dc to maintain is 30 + 10 for every step apart on the Alignment Table.

From Demon to Devil: At 15th level the Demon Weapon and his Meister are as one. The Meister adds 10 ft. to his speed and gains the Demon Weapon's Dexterity modifier to their BAB as long as the Demon Weapon is in the Meister's hands. First & Second Release Dc goes down by 10.

Demon Weapon Styles

Demon Weapons don't just have differing ways of killing things, but also enhancing their Meister's ability to use them, called styles. There are three major styles, reflecting the three main types of combat they are used in, such as the Bloody Armament encasing users behind layers of metal and magic, the Dark Buster that tears through the enemies, armor and anything unfortunate enough to be in front of you; and the Hexed Weapon, increasing the Meister's magical prowess.

Bloody Armament

While in Demon Weapon form, small bits of armor form around your Meister, granting a bonus according to the table.

Level	Armament Bonus
1st-4th	+1 Ac, Demonic Resilience
5th-8th	+2 Ac, Fiendish Armor
9th-12th	+3 Ac, Demonic Immunity, The Risen Demon
13th-16th	+4 Ac
17th-20th	+5 Ac, Demonic Healing

Demonic Resilience: Pick one Type of Magical Damage. You, and your Meister while wielding you, gain resistance to that type of Damage. You are always resistant to this damage, in weapon form or not.

Fiendish Armor: While in First Release, the Ac bonus Doubles. Anytime you are attacked in melee, you split the damage between you and the attacker.

Demonic Immunity: Your previous resistance becomes immunity.

The Risen Demon: While in Second Release, you cannot be moved against your will by any means, physically such as pushing or magically such as teleportation spells. Any magic attack that hits you is split between the caster as Vile Damage (For those who don't know, vile damage can only be healed on consecrated ground) Any melee attack that misses you is reflected back at the user.

Demonic Healing: Your previous immunity becomes absorption, healing instead of taking damage.

Dark Buster

As the edgy name implies, this form is only for killing. None of that petty defense or magic, just good old fashioned slaughtering. As you level up, you gain bonuses listed on the table.NOTE: This style is very dangerous to both allies and enemies. Please Consult DM and Party before picking this option.

Level	Buster Skill
1st-5th	Blood Lust
6th-10th	Splatter-Zone, Splatter House
11th-15th	Terrible Power
16th-20th	Executioner

Blood Lust: Your Weapon form adds your Dexterity Modifier to your Damage.

Splatter-Zone: While First Release, your size counts as One Size Larger,and has a range based on the table. Anything, ally or enemy, within this range is hit by your attack while in either Release. You cannot be Knocked Prone.

Splatter House: While in Second Release, your size counts as an Additional Size Larger than First Release. Any Attempt to Knock you prone invokes an Attack of Opportunity, which if hits, knocks them prone.

Terrible Power: Your Critical Multiplier and Range both go up by one, and when rolling a critical or in a release anything hit by your attacks must make a Fortitude Save (Dc:10 + Damage Dealt + Weapon Size Mod) or be knocked Prone. If they are already prone, you automatically crit. if you hit them.

Executioner: In combat, you can mark a single opponent to be personally slaughtered. Against this opponent, you take a -10 penalty to hit them (-5 penalty in first release, no penalty in second release), and every time you hit them is counted as a critical hit. This can only be done once per long rest.

Weapon Size	Area of Effect
Large	10 Ft (Line for Piercing, Cone for Slashing/Blunt)
Huge	15 Ft
Gargantuan	20 Ft
Colossal	25 Ft

Hexed Weapon

A Hexed Weapon is often wrapped in strange sigils and runes, often that not even the Demon Weapon itself knows. It gains bonuses based on the table below.

Level	Hex Bonus
1st-4th	Whispers of Madness
5th-8th	Hunger Pangs
9th-12th	Focused Fury, Release the Horror
13th-16th	Power through Pain
17th-20th	Touch of Madness

Whispers of Madness: For Purposes of Spell DC, Add Half your level to any Spell cast while being held. Any 1 rolled on a damage dice is treated as a 2.

Hunger Pangs: When in First Release, You & your Meister heal when casting any Damaging Spell equal to Double the Spell Level. Anyone within 5 feet of you takes damage equal to the Spell Level, though this can be suppressed.

Focused Fury: One opponent, that you must choose before rolling, physically cannot dodge your next spell and takes full damage, regardless of evasion, damage reduction or resistance. Immunity is treated as Resistance, and Absorption as Immunity. This can be done an amount equal to your Wisdom Modifier per long rest.

Power Through Pain: By you taking Spell Level X 10 Damage, your Meister can restore one spell slot. This cannot be done for cantrips.

Release the Horror: While in Second Release, You take half damage from Power through Pain. Anytime you cast a spell, you & your Meister heal equal to Triple the Spell level. You add all your Levels to Spell Dc.

Touch of Madness: Once per long rest, you can turn a spell into an Ancient Spell. The dice size goes up by one, the Dc increases by 10, and any area effects or duration (only one, not both) are doubled. All creatures weak to the damage are paralyzed (Fort Save the Ancient Spell Dc), All creatures not resistant are counted as weak, all resistant creatures take damage normally, all immune creatures are treated as resistant, and all creatures with absorption are treated as being immune. This can stack with Focused fury to lower a creature further.

Playing a Demon Weapon

Demon Weapons take on more of a supportive role until they become a Death Scythe, or Kishin as they will gain abilities in those two fields that allow them to cause serious damage to creatures of an opposite alignment. So it is highly recommended that at level 15 you take your levels in one of these two prestige classes once you get the chance as the final five levels aren't that worth striving for

Campaign Information

Playing a Demon Weapon

Religion: Good aligned Demon Weapons usually if not always follow The Grim Reaper, while Evil aligned Demon Weapons acknowledge him, they typically favor themselves as the better being, and sometimes even end up challenging him to fights.

Other Classes: Demon Weapons don't always go through with their training, preferring to live the lives of a normal human instead of embracing their natural abilities, while others seek to get the best of both worlds, using both the skills from their Demon Weapon heritage, and whatever endeavor they choose. Being able to shift into a weapon form at any given time has its perks, whether it's to hide or give an ally greater power is up to them. Rogues, Fighters, and Paladins tend to go well with Demon Weapons as a secondary class. Rogues benefit from the special bonus to their hide ability as well as the improvised lock picking possibility, Fighters, while they already gain a decent amount of feats as it is, won't suffer much at all and Paladins that like to use really heavy armor can be easily transported across the battlefield by fast moving units without a problem while in weapon form, then change back to cause massive damage.

Combat: Never without a weapon, Demon Weapons can fight nearly endlessly until they die, and obviously they are a physical based class. An extra perk to fighting with a Demon Weapon is when the Meister is incapacitated, the weapon can change back to their normal form and continue combat without a problem. This is beneficial as if a rogue is killed or disabled in battle, the weapon can change and protect them until they have the chance to escape, due to the fact that their hardness is above most typical weapons they won't have likely taken any damage during the preceding fight anyway.

Advancement: At level 15 it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to get the 99 souls and 1 Witch Soul and prestige to a Death Scythe or Kishin, as there is nothing left to gain other than one last feat past level 15.

Demon Weapons in the World

“	Watch it, or I'll take your soul!.	”
—Maka Albarn, Human Meister as she drew her Demon Weapon Soul Eater=

Demon Weapons are engines of War, Enforcers of Balance, misunderstood kids, abused, and power. While some have wanted nothing but to be a normal part of society, others strive for greatness, or power.

Daily Life: After graduation from Academies, either by becoming Death Scythes, or finishing their schools, they are practically trained leaders and enforcers. Many become politicians, bodyguards, police, etc. Others live lives of crime, never seeking help from academies and figured out their powers for themselves. Then there are the ones that are just there.

Notables: Justin Law is the only known Demon Weapon to achieve Death Scythe status without a Meister. Being a Guillotine there's not much room to wield him anyway.

Organizations: The DWMA is a big hot spot for Good Demon Weapons and Meisters alike to to gather and join forces, while Evil Demon Weapons tend to stick to themselves, occasionally joining together and forming criminal organizations.

NPC Reactions: Some embrace Demon Weapons into their lives, while others fear or even hate them. Racial problems like this are common however it is getting better. If a Demon Weapon wishes not to be harassed it's best not to change in towns that aren't known for their hospitality, or in rural areas.

Demon Weapon Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge: Arcane or Knowledge: History can research Demon Weapons to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (Arcane) or Bardic Knowledge

DC	Result
12	Demon Weapons are usually pretty dangerous as kids, both to themselves and others unintentionally
17	When trained well, Demon Weapons are extremely efficient fighters with or without their Meister
22	(Give the name and description of a Demon Weapon notable), How Demon Weapons came to be.

Demon Weapon in the Game

Like [[UA:Fighter|Fighter]

---

Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Base Classes

-->