Rod of Mass Destruction (5e Equipment)

Rod, artifact (requires attunement by 4 wizards)

The Rod of Mass Destruction is one of the most destructive magical items ever created. It is a massive cylinder, 15 feet wide and 40 feet tall, weighing over two and a half tons. Should it ever be used, it would plunge the entire tri-state area, or whatever remains of it, into absolute chaos. Campaigns or adventures centered around it primarily involve racing against time to prevent its detonation, or holding off hostile forces long enough to ensure that it does.

Radioactive Magic. The Rod of Mass Destruction has so much destructive magic concentrated within itself that it manifests as uncontrolled magic outbursts. : The cylinder randomly discharges prestidigitation spell effects out to a distance of 5 miles. Magic users automatically detect the presence of the Rod from up to 5 miles away.

Attunement. In order to detonate the Rod of Mass Destruction, four wizards must each spend 3 days attuning to it. Once attuned, all four wizards must use their action simultaneously, while within the distance of 30 feet from the artifact, to detonate it.

Detonation. Upon detonation, the Rod of Mass Destruction unleashes unimaginably destructive magical energy, completely obliterating anything and everything within 250 feet of the Rod. The explosion can be heard from well over 15 miles away.

All objects and creatures within 3 miles of the Rod must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature making this save has advantage if it is further than 1 mile away. On a failed save, the creature or object takes 100d100 force damage, or half as much on a successful save. Any creature or object that is reduced to 0 hit points this way is disintegrated, and turn into piles of flux powder.

The explosion has no effect on creatures or objects inside an antimagic field, or other magic-suppressing area, that is further than 250 feet away from the point of origin.

Destroying the Rod of Mass Destruction. The Rod of Mass Destruction can only be truly disposed of by detonating the thing.

However, it is possible to suppress its effects by submerging it within an antimagical area, such as that generated by antimagic field. If a detonation is attempted while the Rod is within such an area, nothing happens.

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Equipment → Artifacts