Legacy Weapons

Legacy weapons are magic weapons or items that increase in power as the characters progresses in level. With a legacy weapon, a character can have a family weapon throughout the whole campaign. This provides characters an opportunity to keep a weapon and grow with it, instead of throwing away their family's heirloom sword for the first +1 weapon you find - only to throw that away when a +2 is found. Instead, you can own a named weapon and add to the extensive life and legacy this item has already had.

Legacy weapons are comprised of 5 features: Backstory, Power Progression, Attunement, Sentience, and Balance.

BACKSTORY

These are special items. They have a story. Have lived a life of their own. It's more elaborate than what is the item is. The item's heritage poses multiple questions. What is the item? What does it look like? Why does it look that way? Why was it created? Who created it? Who was the item created for? When was it created? Did it fulfill its purpose? Were there other notable wielders? Was the item lost. The backstory of the item is integral into defining the item. Without a rich backstory, the item becomes mundane and ultimately unimaginative. 

It is mostly likely that the character has some sort of connection to the item. It could be as simple as a blood-line connection to the item or perhaps its mantle and ownership was thrust upon the character after a series of events. Either way, the connection of the item to the player is key to fostering a player and character 'buy-in' to the weapon.

POWER PROGRESSION

Legacy weapons levels up and progress at the same rate as their owner. This can be facilitated through level upgrades or, what is more common, is the progression to be defined at the same rate as the character's proficiency bonus (i.e. level 1, 5, 9, 13, and 17), Each of these levels will correspond to a level of magic item rarity (Common, Uncommon, Rare, Very Rare, and Legendary)

Character Level	Weapon/item Rarity
1	Common
5	Uncommon
9	Rare
13	Very Rare
17	Legendary

Following guidance from the Dungeon Master's Guide, it suggests that a magic item at Common Rarity is +0, Uncommon +1, Rare +2, Very Rare +3, and Legendary +4. Each rarity has a maximum spell level for any abilities it may have as well. This is 1st level for Common, 3rd level for Uncommon, 6th for Rare, 8th for Very Rare, and 9th for Legendary. 

The progression is designed to be tied to the narrative development of the weapon. Perhaps an unlocking of repressed power within the item. The common traits may start off small and be quirks or minor properties; however, they build into making the item something of legend.

ATTUNEMENT

Some magic items require a creature to form a bond with them before their magical properties can be used. This bond is called attunement, and certain items have a prerequisite for it. If the prerequisite is a class, a creature must be a member of that class to attune to the item. (If the class is a Spellcasting class, a monster qualifies if it has Spell Slots and uses that class’s spell list.) If the prerequisite is to be a spellcaster, a creature qualifies if it can cast at least one spell using its traits or features, not using a magic item or the like.

Without becoming attuned to an item that requires attunement, a creature gains only its non magical benefits, unless its description states otherwise. For example, a magic Shield that requires attunement provides the benefits of a normal Shield to a creature not attuned to it, but none of its magical properties.

Attuning to an item requires a creature to spend a Short Rest focused on only that item while being in physical contact with it (this can’t be the same short rest used to learn the item’s properties). This focus can take the form of weapon practice (for a weapon), meditation (for a wondrous item), or some other appropriate activity. If the Short Rest is interrupted, the attunement attempt fails. Otherwise, at the end of the Short Rest, the creature gains an intuitive understanding of how to activate any magical properties of the item, including any necessary Command words.

An item can be attuned to only one creature at a time, and a creature can be attuned to no more than three magic items at a time. Any attempt to attune to a fourth item fails; the creature must end its attunement to an item first. Additionally, a creature can’t attune to more than one copy of an item. For example, a creature can’t attune to more than one Ring of Protection at a time.

A creature’s attunement to an item ends if the creature no longer satisfies the Prerequisites for attunement, if the item has been more than 100 feet away for at least 24 hours, if the creature dies, or if another creature attunes to the item. A creature can also voluntarily end attunement by spending another Short Rest focused on the item, unless the item is cursed.

SENTIENCE

Legacy weapons, although not universally, are great candidates for sentience. A sentient item is a NPC under the DM's control and has attributes, personality, quirks, ideals, and flaws. This could be a feature built into the backstory of an item, or a trait that develops as the item progresses. The sentience could be as comical as a bow that criticizes your shooting whenever your miss or perhaps something more passive as a weapon that will seek you out if it become separated with you; perhaps influence the environment around you if it grows frustrated. Either way, sentience can become either a blessing or a curse for the wielder of a legacy weapon in that sometimes the ideals of the owner and those of the item may not align. 

BALANCE

As a character progresses, legacy weapons become vastly powerful. For that reason, they may seem a tad underwhelming at the beginning. The strength of a legacy weapon lies in the culmination of its qualities and not one single one. Balancing a legacy weapon is tricky but a well planned legacy weapon can often provide a character the edge to turn the tides in their favor.

BOARSNOUT

Weapon (War Hammer) Legacy Weapon (Requires Attunement)  

Backstory  

Clan Rockswine is not the most prestigious of the dwarven clans.  After all, swine ranching is not mining, crafting, or smithing.  It is a necessary part of society, but it is not glamorous.  It was a great surprise to the other clans when Cletus Rockswine went to war and met with distinction.  As Cletus’ fame grew, he did not abandon his heritage; he road into battle upon his warpig, Tuskie.  Later, he commissioned a war hammer named Boarsnout.  Cletus had very specific aesthetics in mind for Boarsnout.  The hammer head would be two boar snouts with tusks facing outwards meeting together at the handle.   The handle would be covered in magical runes and end in curly pig’s tail.  When attacking with Boarsnout the air passing through the nostrils on the hammer face would make swine sounds.  These swine sounds helped coin Boresnout’s colloquial name of the “Oink Hammer.” Boarsnout helped Cletus survive many battles and wars; its powers were undeniable.  Cletus continued to champion the dwarves for one hundred years until retired to the family business raising swine.  Over the centuries Clan Rockswine forgot the glory of Cletus Rockswine and his hammer, Boarsnout.  All is powers forgotten, except possessing it makes handling and finding all types of swine easier.

Character Level/Rarity	Abilities
1/Common	The wielder has advantage on Animal Handling checks that involve swine.  The wielder may use the Locate Animals or Plants spell three times per day to locate swine.  Loud Quirk:  Boarsnout makes swine noise when wielded.
5/Uncommon	The wielder has +1 to attack and damage rolls.  The wielder must attune to Boarsnout at this rarity and higher.
9/Rare	The wielder has +2 to attack and damage rolls.
13/Very Rare	The wielder can cast the Grease three times per day.
17/Legendary	The Wielder summons a phantom herd of swine that rampages through the battle.  The phantom swine fill an area around the wielder for a radius of 50 feet.  Foes within in 20 feet of the wielder must make a DC 15 Dexterity savings throw. Any creature that fails the savings throw takes 4d6 bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone.  This ability can be used once per day.