Weapons of Athas



Some of the substitute materials used in Athas will impact the qualities of the weapons that they comprise. It is important to note that the below substitute materials will always be used unless noted otherwise in-game.

Stone - Various kinds of stone are readily available in the desert worlds of Athas. Obsidian, flint, chert, and other volcanic glasses and glass-like stones make excellent axeheads and spearpoints, while granite, marble, and similarly hard stones make for adequate mauls, maces and hammers. Stone is the most abundant and cheapest material for weapons. Because of this, the costs listed below will be for wood/bone and stone weaponry.

Aside from daggers and widow's knives, stone-headed weapons lose the Light property if they would have it normally.

Bone - While Athas is home to several species of megafauna, though the only real source of living wood is the distant and dangerous Forest Ridge. Because of this, it's not uncommon to see bone being used as a replacement for wood; it also happens to be hard enough to be a functional replacement head material for weapons as well. As a haft, bone has no mechanical changes attached as it is worth roughly the same as wood. If a bladed weapon has a bone head instead of stone weapons may retain their Light descriptor. The weapon will be worth roughly 3x as much as a stone equivalent.

Shell - Some carapaces of the above-mentioned large creatures have very sharp edges when broken. They may be used to make the heads or blades of some weapons as well. They would likely be more easily acquired from specialists in certain herding trades, but shell-bladed weapons may possess the Light property, unlike similar weapons made from Stone. These weapons are roughly 3x Stone weapon prices due to their comparative scarcity. Tortoise Blade - The Tortoise Blade is a katar that is set within the shell of a giant tortoise. It is a main-hand weapon that grants a +1 to AC. This +1 will stack with a shield. This +1 will deny the benefits of feats such as Unarmored Defense that are negated by the usage of a shield, as well as prevent the Thri-Kreen from making use of its Alien Anatomy.

Talid - The Talid is a leather-and-sharp-stuff gauntlet that is worn like a glove. The Talid adds 1 point of piercing damage to an unarmed strike. It's bulky, so neither a weapon or a shield can be wielded in a hand equipped with a Talid. Dejada - The dejada is a jai-alai-like scoop-glove, with a crescent basket arm extension that is used to throw materials further and harder than with a bare hand. Because of its open scoop nature, the weapon, which is almost functionally identical to the sling, may throw slightly larger and/or irregular-shaped objects, unlike the sling, which needs crafted bullets. Lance - You have disadvantage when you use a lance to attack a target within 5 feet of you. Also, a lance requires two hands to wield when you aren’t mounted. Net - A Large or smaller creature hit by a net is restrained until it is freed. A net has no effect on creatures that are form less, or creatures that are Huge or larger. A creature can use its action to make a DC 10 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. Dealing 5 slashing damage to the net (AC 10) also frees the creature without harming it, ending the effect and destroying the net. When you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to attack with a net, you can make only one attack regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make.

Exotic Weapons

I'm reintroducing non-simple, non-martial weapons that require specific themes, backgrounds, or race selections to grant proficiency with. Cahulaks - Cahulaks are the bastard children of nunchaku, grappling hooks, and bolas. Two hafted grappling hooks are set upon opposite ends of a length of rope; they are wielded one in each hand, and may be used to make a primary and offhand attack as though the wielder were using a one-handed light weapon in their primary hand and offhand. If the wielder makes a successful attack with both ends of the cahulaks, he may also make a free grapple attempt as a bonus action. This grapple attempt is subject to the same restrictions as standard grapple attempts. This grapple attempt may also be made as a bonus action if the wielder successfully makes a ranged attack with the cahulaks. Chatkcha - The chatkcha is a Kreen weapon designed for throwing. When thrown, the chatkcha will return to it's thrower at the end of the thrower's following turn. A chatkcha can also be used as a melee weapon. On a roll below 5 on the die, the chatkcha will not return, and must be retrieved.