Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Serow_Darkstar Aug 27, 2014 0:47:49	So what's the word on monster equipment after a fight? Not necessarilly the standard stuff, but things that just don't have standard rules - Like the Bone Devil. http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/excerpt-bone-devil   Variant: Bone Devil Polearm Some bone devils have the following action options. Multiattack. The devil makes two attacks: one with its hooked polearm and one with its sting. Hooked Polearm. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d12 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a Huge or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the devil can't use its polearm on another target.   What happens after the fight to this weapon? Can the players take it? Use it? If so, what are the stats? If we look at the description itself, we'd get something like this...   Bone Devil Polearm (Martial? Or Simple? Melee Weapon) Cost: -- Damage: 2d12 Weight: --? Properties: Reach, special, two-handed Special: A huge or smaller creature hit by a bone devil polearm is grappled.  I would probably also apply a keyword like Heavy against Medium creatures that try and use the weapon, call it "Super Heavy" or "Massive" or "Oversized" - I dunno, just brainstorming. In any case, the weapon is clearly not meant to be in player hands, but I imagine any fighter that gets hit by a 2d12 weapon is going to want to take a few swings with it himself!
#2 Alynn Aug 27, 2014 3:34:16	This item to me would be an exotic weapon. So no mortal has profiency in it. It's also a Large weapon (hence the 2d12) so no normal PC is big enough to wield it.
(Reply to #2) 2Chlorobutanal	I'll try to locate the source, but I seem to recall reading somewhere in the rules the general supposition that monster equipment is not usually serviceable or valuable to PCs.   Here we go:   DM Basic Rules p. 6 wrote:
#4 Alynn Aug 27, 2014 3:40:29	That said, there is sure to be a necromancer somewhere somehow that really would pay top coin for such a find. Which is a new plot hook. Little do the PC's know that this is the last thing he needs for some dire ritual which causes other problems, which is another plot hook.   So while the item itself isn't usable by the PC, it may still have tons of monitary and story value.
#5 Hailrobonia Aug 27, 2014 6:02:56	For most monsters "disappearing items" is kind of cheesy, but for extraplanar things like devils I think it's perfectly reasonable to say that after the death of the bone devil, its polearm rots away into sulfurous-smelling ooze, perhaps with little ghostlets evaporating out of it saying "freedom...at...last..." (fragments of the souls of beings the devil has killed).
#6 Sword_of_Spirit Aug 27, 2014 12:35:50	Luke-Lightning wrote:
#7 Saelorn Aug 27, 2014 13:23:57	Serow_Darkstar wrote:
#8 Mechatarrasque Aug 27, 2014 13:26:18	Sword_of_Spirit wrote:
#9 shivafang Aug 27, 2014 13:29:53	Alynn wrote:
#10 Kattahn Aug 27, 2014 13:43:29	Best way i could think of to try and houserule it would be to classify it as an exotic weapon, which would require burning a feat for proficiency in(i dont think the "gain proficiency with weapons" feat specifies that it must be a martial or simple weapon).    But yeah, thats about all i got.
#11 James_the_True Aug 27, 2014 16:10:59	Be prepared for things like this in advance. On the hit that kills the Bone Devil - "you swing your sword, the fiend tries to block but you cleave right through its weapon and into its head killing it instantly." You render the weapon useless and make the PC look cool at the same time.
#12 zgrose Aug 27, 2014 16:28:11	Seems appropriate that demonic weaponry would inflict some kind of soul-searing curse on mortals foolish enough to wield one. I think post #4 is on the right track.
#13 ForumFerret Aug 29, 2014 6:35:55	James_the_True wrote:
#14 Chameleon-X Sep 02, 2014 18:55:59	definitely bump down the dice size to 1d12, and make it a heavy weapon that has the ability to attempt to trip a creature as a bonus action when the wielder hits with an attack. I wouldn't penalize a character for trying to use it by giving disadvantage or something, because that seems kind of a douchey move to me. Like, "Sure, you can use this awesome weapon I had themonster drop, but you'll look like a loser when you trip and stab the wizard with it! Great job thinking outside the box, NERD!"
#15 Kalani Sep 02, 2014 21:03:41	Excuse me if this has been said already, but IIRC, weapons and equipment recovered from fallen NPCs and monsters are typically too damaged to be usable. In AL, this is addressed specifically, with such items lasting the remainder of the session before becoming useless, however it is also mentioned briefly in the DM Basic rules.   DM Basic Rules wrote:
#16 Angel7 Sep 13, 2014 20:26:29	When I read the first part of this thread, I thought you were considering using a Bone Devil's tail as a martial weapon. My first thought was, "ya, sure you are.."  lol A devil's polearm would be an exotic weapon at the very least, if not completely unusable. Assuming you have your DMs consent, would you not simply have to use a large one handed weapon as a two-hander since it's one size category larger?
#17 Plaguescarred1 Sep 14, 2014 4:57:26	Serow_Darkstar wrote:
#18 Psikerlord Sep 15, 2014 0:45:24	2Chlorobutanal wrote:
#19 Danny_Montanny Sep 15, 2014 7:28:48	Since it's not RAW, I'd say post #6 is on the right track. I'd go...   Bone Devil Polearm: Exotic Melee Weapon 1d12 piercing damage large, reach, two-handed, special Large: this weapon was made to be wielded by a Large creature. However, a creature of Medium size may wield it with disadvantage. Special: a creature proficient with this weapon may use it's bonus action to initiate a grapple (escape DC 8 + Strength modifier + proficiency bonus) when it hits with this weapon. Until the grapple ends, the weapon can not be used to attack another target.   This would give you disadvantage and no proficiency bonus without a feat. You also wouldn't be able to use the grapple without the feat. A feat, a spell (Enlarge while not holding the weapon, otherwise it gets bigger too), and a bonus action to use it like the devil does, while not having a tail to stab your target with while grappled? Sure... if you really want to. *shrugs*   Edit: Heck, without proficiency it's an improvised weapon anyways. So you can lower the damage even further.
#20 jonathonhawke Sep 15, 2014 21:43:21	I don't understand why people are saying that the weapon has the Reach property.  The Bone Devil, being a large creature, has reach.  The Polearm does not extend its reach any further.   I would suggest that the 2d12 damage is due to the Polearm being a Large weapon.  And that Large weapons cannot be wielded by Medium or smaller creatures.