Today we’re going to take a look at another unique magical item for an uncommon weapon choice within the pages of Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. Furthermore, today’s entry reminds us that not every magical weapon is created with adventurers one hundred percent in mind…
A harvest sickle is a prized family (and oftentimes community) heirloom that is passed down through generations, ensuring that the community will never go hungry. Unlike many magical devices, these tools are created by druids and are often a reward or payment for some service done. They are created through a ritual that binds a minor nature spirit within the tool. With the powers granted by this tool, a farmer can ensure that they know exactly what is going on with their crops as well as knowing the best time to plant and harvest. Furthermore, they know when to shelter crops and livestock (and community members) from inclement and dangerous weather.
This weapon is another one like the trickshot darts that is quite a bit more powerful than the uncommon rarity would suggest. But again – most of the abilities that would actually benefit an adventurer are pretty tame. Its “most powerful” abilities are a pair of 3rd-level spells that can be cast once per week and once per month respectively, and the latter is limited only to a utility version of the spell that isn’t very useful for an adventurer engaged in combat with a bloodthirsty monster deep underground in a dungeon. Furthermore, it’s combat capabilities are limited to a creature type that isn’t commonly encountered – there are I believe less than 50 official plant creatures within the pages of 5th edition, so it’s not something that a hero is going to encounter every session or even every adventure. (That said – if you’re going to include this item in your campaign, take a look at these creatures, because while they are small in number, they are large in variety and you can certainly find some great inspiration for an adventure or three amongst their number.)
But more importantly, an adventurer with this weapon finds themselves blessed with some unique roleplaying opportunities. How do you use these non-combat abilities in the game world? Are you the kind of player that will use the monthly plant growth to help as many people as possible? Will you auction it off to the highest bidder? Or will you simply ignore any calls for help that may come from struggling farming villages? And what do you do when the ability is expended and a true need becomes known? There’s a deep well of ethical quandaries that a good DM can put his players into by putting this kind of weapon into their players’ collective hands.
So how would you use this weapon in your game? And furthermore, what uncommon weapon choices do you think deserve unique items?
Ben Erickson
