Lords of Arms & Armor, Part II

Additional Arms & Armor Attunements

The one wielded cuts a path to a lord's greater glory.

Using a Higher Level Spell

Increasing the Attune Arms & Armor spell's level can grant additional bonuses. For every 2-level increase, one modifier can increase by 1, whether +1 to hit or damage certain foes with a weapon, or +1 to AC or saves against certain foes via armor. 

For example, casting Attune Arms & Armor as a 5th level spell to make an angel sword could grant a +2 to hit and +1 to damage the evil and disorderly, +2 to both as a 7th level spell, or even +2 to hit and +3 to damage as a 9th level spell.

Weapon & Armor Type

Not all weapon & armor shapes are alike. With the Referee's permission, these commonsense modifiers can apply to just attuned weapons & armor, other magic weapons & armor, or even mundane ones too if they aren't being used already.

Axes: +2 when causing a critical hit, hand axes can also be thrown

Bows: attack foes from afar

Clubs & Maces: can be used to subdue instead

Daggers: can be easily hidden or thrown

Hammers: can ignore up to 2 AC of metal armor

Spears: gain a +1 bonus to hit and to damage mounted and/or charging foes, can be hurled too

Slings: can be easily hidden and can be thrown

Swords: +1 to AC vs. one attack from the front per round, thanks to parrying

Helms: +1 AC with a -4 penalty to hearing and sight checks

Body Armor: higher AC bonuses, but also move and/or DEX penalties

Shields: +2 AC vs. attacks from the front, no bonus vs. rear attacks

Additional Lord Attunements

Additional effects, beyond the bonuses listed vs. those of a certain type in Part I (link), can be imbued into arms and armor. These are determined at random unless a 12 is rolled for the magical side-effect (see also Part I).

Angelic Attunements
Along with being used to challenge the evil and the disorderly, they (roll 1d20):
1-8. Have no additional attunement.
9-13. Grant 1/2 the bonus vs. all others, even if they aren't evil or disorderly.
14-17. Glow when those who are innately evil or chaotic are within 1d12 x 10'.
18-19. If a weapon, also grant 1/2 the save or AC bonus vs the evil or chaotic. If armor, also cause 1/2 the damage if touched by the evil or chaotic.
20. Reroll twice.

For example, an angel sword that, along with granting a +1 to hit and +3 to damage the evil and disorderly, had the additional attunement of #9-13 would just have a +1 bonus to damage other alignments too.

Fey Attunements
As well as working against the evil and the orderly, they (roll 1d20):
1-8. Have no additional attunement.
9-13. Grant 1/2 the bonus vs. all others, even if they aren't evil or orderly.
14-16. Allow its wielder to either turn invisible until they attack or alter their form to appear as someone else until revealed as an imposter (determine at random, which one it is then remains the same).
17-18. Can communicate, whether telepathically or verbally, having personalities that are helpful 1d3 x 25% of the time.
19. If a weapon, can hover and fight by itself while its wielder does other things (still using the wielder's combat modifiers). If armor, can float around and be donned on its owner quickly when needed.
20. Reroll twice.

For example, a fey shield that had the additional attunement of #17-18 could talk, assisting 50% of the time. The rest of the time, its chatter wouldn't be helpful, even if it still always protects against those who are disorderly or evil.

Elemental Attunements
In addition to being effective against those who embody two other elements or alignment extremes, they (roll 1d20):
1-8. Have no additional attunement.
9-13. Grant 1/2 the bonus vs. all others, even if they aren't of a certain element or alignment extreme.
14-19. Can cause an additional effect based on what element it is that can be called upon, up to thrice per day:
     Fire: Those hit take +1d3 extra fire damage.
     Water: Produces a light rain, watering plants and extinguishing flames within 1d4 x 30', including lanterns or torches.
     Frost: Those hit must save vs. spell/ make a Will save DC 15 or be slowed to half speed and actions for the next 1d3 rounds.
     Air: Those hit must save vs. death/ make a Will save DC 10 or be unable to act for the next round, whether due to shock or high winds.
     Earth: Those hit also take 50% of that damage the following round too, whether via acid or biting creatures.
20. Reroll twice.

For example, a water axe that had the additional attunement of #14-19 could water plants and extinguish fires within 60' up to three times per day, along with having bonuses to hit those who are fiery or non-neutral.

Demonic Attunements

Harmful to the good and the orderly, they compel their wielders to save vs. death/ make a Will save DC 10 or attack those they first encounter who appear weak or law abiding. They also (roll 1d20):
1-6. Have no additional attunement.
7-10. Grant 1/2 the bonus vs. all others, even if they aren't good or orderly.
11-14. Allow their owners an extra melee attack each round as long as at least 1d6 hit points of blood have been spilled with the first attack.

15-17. Behave per a random demonic blasting special effect, such as not being healable naturally or being especially unsettling (link).
18-19. Drain 1d2 Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, Charisma, or levels from those who they hit and don't save vs. death/ make a Will save DC 10. Determine at random what it drains when the arm or armor is attuned. The wielder gains the drained aspect for the next 1d6 hours, which is then lost (to both the drainer and the drainee) afterwards.

20. Reroll twice.

For example, as well as granting AC and save bonuses against good or orderly attacks (and provoking its wearer to attack those who seem weak or law abiding), a demon helm that had the additional attunement of #18-19 could allow 1d2 Dexterity to be drained from those its wearer hits, granting the wearer that extra Dexterity for the next 1d6 hours, after which time those points of Dexterity will be gone. 

Devilish Attunements
Beyond foiling the good and the disorderly, they compel their wielders to save vs. death/ make a Will save DC 10 or must actively conspire against those who they are first made aware of and are moral or chaotic. Each also grants an additional attunement of Fey, Elemental, or Demonic above (the caster's choice), and what that is can even be rolled twice with the caster picking which one to use. Still, those who acquire the arm or armor must pay a price (roll 1d6):
1. The wielder loses something else of value.
2. Unless the wielder has already harmed another with the help of the arm or armor each day, the arm or armor has a 66% chance of granting its benefit(s) to the next one who would harm the wielder for that combat instead.
3. If an arm, it cannot be removed from its wielder's grasp. If armor, it cannot be removed from their person.
4. Their 'allies' and underlings conspire against them more than usual, likely to acquire the arm or armor for themselves.
5. Upon death, the wielder's soul is made forfeit to some devil.
6. Reroll twice.

For example, a devilish suit of chainmail can be attuned to impersonate a fire elemental effect, granting +1d3 fire damage with each melee hit, along with protection from the good or disorderly (and encouraging its wearer to plot against those who are the same). A result of no additional attunement was rolled first, but #13-19 was rolled a second time and was selected. Still, the armor can no longer be removed since #3 was rolled as a devilish attunement as well, so the wearer will just have to get used to it.

Next week: our series on Lords concludes with Arms & Armor Tests, Divinities & Cults of Arms & Armor, and an Arms & Armor Encounter!