Price: +1 bonus
Property: Weapon
Caster Level: 8th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 19) conjuration
Activation: —
A bane weapon excels at attacking one type or subtype of creature. Against its designated foe, its effective enhancement bonus is +2 better than its normal enhancement bonus (so a +1 longsword is a +3 longsword against its foe). It deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against the foe.
Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the bane quality upon their ammunition.
To randomly determine a weapon’s designated foe, roll on the following table.
| d% | Designated Foe |
|---|---|
| 01–05 | Aberrations |
| 06–09 | Animals |
| 10–16 | Constructs |
| 17–22 | Dragons |
| 23–27 | Elementals |
| 28–32 | Fey |
| 33–39 | Giants |
| 40 | Humanoids, aquatic |
| 41–42 | Humanoids, dwarf |
| 43–44 | Humanoids, elf |
| 45 | Humanoids, gnoll |
| 46 | Humanoids, gnome |
| 47–49 | Humanoids, goblinoid |
| 50 | Humanoids, halfling |
| 51–54 | Humanoids, human |
| 55–57 | Humanoids, reptilian |
| 58–60 | Humanoids, orc |
| 61–65 | Magical beasts |
| 66–70 | Monstrous humanoids |
| 71–72 | Oozes |
| 73 | Outsiders, air |
| 74–76 | Outsiders, chaotic |
| 77 | Outsiders, earth |
| 78–80 | Outsiders, evil |
| 81 | Outsiders, fire |
| 82–84 | Outsiders, good |
| 85–87 | Outsiders, lawful |
| 88 | Outsiders, water |
| 89–90 | Plants |
| 91–98 | Undead |
| 99–100 | Vermin |
Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, summon monster I.
Cost to Create: Varies.
Source: Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 224.
Carved into the handle of this weapon is a single rune in the Gnome language representing the foe the weapon is dedicated to slaying.
A fiercebane weapon excels at attacking one type or subtype of creature. It acts as a bane weapon against the creature type (and subtype, if relevant) to which its synergy prerequisite ability was attuned. Whenever it strikes its designated bane enemy, it begins to emit a low, eager hum, as if it were actually feeding off the victim’s life blood.
A fiercebane weapon glows when a designated foe comes within 60 feet, even if you cannot see or detect it. In addition, the weapon deals extra damage on every successful critical hit. The amount depends on its critical multiplier, as follows.
| Critical Multiplier | Extra Damage |
|---|---|
| ×2 | 1d10 |
| ×3 | 2d10 |
| ×4 | 3d10 |
Projectile weapons bestow this property upon their ammunition.
Lore: Few rangers acquire the skills needed to create magic items, but the gnome ranger Tir Hearthand learned to hate orcs at an early age. Unsatisfied with normal orc bane weapons, he devoted the last half of his life to creating the ultimate weapon for slaying orcs (Knowledge [arcana] or Knowledge [history] DC 20).
The first fiercebane weapon was an orc bane scimitar sized for a gnome and named Hearthand, after its creator. Tir Hearthand wielded this weapon for many years, and it eventually achieved a near-legendary status. Gnomes with an interest in weaponcraft now believe it to be a potent artifact capable of striking dead any orc that even sets eyes upon it. The original weapon is believed to have been lost in the dark hills near the long-dead orc kingdom where Tir Hearthand met his end (Knowledge [arcana] or Knowledge [history] DC 30).
Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, summon monster I.
Cost to Create: Varies.
Source: Magic Item Compendium, page 35.