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[Shadow] Weapon - Bat 'Til Axe
🕑 Added 2023-10-30 14:00:05 +0000 UTCKyropti folktales say this winged axe is made of misbehaving bat familiars, permanently polymorphed into an enchanted object by a vengeful mage. Though never verified, kyropti elders continue to repeat this story to coerce young kyropti into good behavior.
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Bat 'Til Axe
Weapon (battleaxe), uncommon (requires attunement)
While you hold this magic weapon, you have darkvision out to a range of 30 feet if you don't already have it. The weapon has 3 charges for the following properties and regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dusk.
Echolocate. While you hold this weapon in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use an action to expend 1 charge, gaining blindsight out to a range of 15 feet. This blindsight has a duration of 1 minute, and you must maintain concentration on this sense (as if concentrating on a spell). This blindsight is suppressed while you are deafened or in an area of bright light. As normal, this blindsight does not reveal creatures Hidden from you behind total cover.
Bat Glide. When you begin to fall in an area of dim light or darkness while you hold this weapon, you can use a reaction to expend 1 charge, transforming the weapon into a pair of bat wings. The wings allow you to safely glide, moving 60 feet horizontally and descending 10 feet every round. The wings last for 1 minute, or until you land, let go of the weapon, enter an area of bright light, or hit an obstacle. While the weapon is in winged form, you can't make attacks with it.
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Rare Variant. The rare version of this weapon also grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it, and the range of its blindsight benefit increases to 30 feet.
Very Rare Variant. The very rare version of this weapon has 5 charges and regains 1d4+1 expended charges instead. It also grants a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it, and the range of its blindsight benefit increases to 30 feet.
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DESIGN COMMENTARY
Probably the most groan-inducing pun name.
Blindsight tends to be very powerful, hence its several limitations on range, duration, and concentration. A dagger of blindsight is a rare item with constant blindsight, so those limitations feel appropriate for an uncommon item. The increased rarity allows for additional uses and grants attack bonuses, to keep it competitive.
The visual design of the weapon was not far off from what I had imagined: bat wings that would splay out to form the same silhouette as an axe. The blade design still went through a couple iterations, experimenting with more curved or rigid designs. The final rigid design felt much sturdier than a curved one (and more axe-like); the "bat"ness was instead represented by actual bat figures in the core and handle. Bat wings, though impractical, help make the grip look and read more interesting than a conventional grip.
![[Shadow] Weapon - Bat 'Til Axe](https://img5.patrefans.com/storage/10/pf/cp/563145-019e84be-868d-7dd1-944e-217cd2e5ee0b.jpg)
![[Shadow] Weapon - Bat 'Til Axe](https://img10.patrefans.com/storage/3/ot/ah/563145-019e84be-8696-76ce-8645-ae44eaa221fa.jpg)
![[Shadow] Weapon - Bat 'Til Axe](https://img5.patrefans.com/storage/4/ad/da/563145-019e84be-86a5-7199-8bbb-e337e095a362.jpg)
