Won’t Someone Think of the d100 Polearms?
Inspired by a bit of a joke on the NSR Cauldron Discord, I sat down this week to make a list of d100 polearms. However, after briefly looking and the infinite variety of polearms that have existed, I decided a much more interesting table would be useful/magical polearms, and so this table was born.
The shape of the blade isn’t really important to most of these, so go wild picking a cool one, like one of these in the image below, then roll on the table to find out what it does.
| Result | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Addictive | After using the weapon once, the bearer is drawn to use it increasingly often |
| 2 | Affectionate | Inhabited by a spirit that forms a deep bond with the bearer after being with them for 24 hours. Whispers affirmations to the bearer and refuses to be used by others. |
| 3 | Angry | Inhabited by a rage-filled spirit and often yelling for little to no cause. |
| 4 | Antlered | Blade is bronzed antlers. Stags fear the bearer and begrudgingly obey commands, but will look for a way to get revenge. |
| 5 | Aromatic | Shaft constantly gives off a pleasant scent, a mix of warm fresh bread and rose petals. |
| 6 | Avenging | Deals extra damage to targets that previously harmed the bearer. |
| 7 | Biting | Blade is shaped like an alligator mouth and may bite down on a target at will. Very difficult to remove after biting. |
| 8 | Bristling | Makes the bearer's hair bristle when danger is near. |
| 9 | Brushing | Blade is covered in stiff bristles and may be used as a hard brush. |
| 10 | Cabbage | Blade is a head of cabbage. Effective at bludgeoning but may fall off. Will regrow after one day. May be eaten. |
| 11 | Camouflaged | While holding the weapon, the bearer becomes more difficult to see, blending in with their surroundings |
| 12 | Chiming | Blades makes a pure, bell-like chime every time it strikes a solid surface. |
| 13 | Chopping | Blade may be used effectively as an axe without dulling the edge. |
| 14 | Climbing | Blade is a grappling hook attached to 25 ft. of thin but strong rope inside the shaft. Spring-loaded and may be fired with a button on the shaft. |
| 15 | Complimentary | Inhabited by a kind spirit that loves to give out insightful compliments. |
| 16 | Constrictive | Shaft can turn into a constrictor snake for up to 10 minutes. Obeys simple commands. Requires food while in snake form to be able to shift again. |
| 17 | Cool | Emanates cold, keeping the bearer comfortable in hot conditions. |
| 18 | Cromulent | A perfectly normal and unremarkable weapon that appears incredibly old and valuable. |
| 19 | Dazzling | Blade is set with jewels, causing those looking at it to become dazed if it is reflecting light |
| 20 | Detachable | Blade may be removed from shaft and used as a one-handed weapon |
| 21 | Digging | Blade may be used effectively as a shovel without dulling its edge. |
| 22 | Discombobulating | Targets touched by the blade become incredibly confused for 10 minutes |
| 23 | Divining | Once per day the blade will answer one yes/no question truthfully, glowing green for yes or red for no. |
| 24 | Dowsing | Handle splits, forming a Y shape with the blade at the base. Can find hidden sources of fresh water with 20 minutes spent walking around holding the handles loosely and following their lead. |
| 25 | Dreamy | The bearer has strange and vivid dreams every night after using the weapon. 1-in-6 chance valuable information is revealed in the dream. |
| 26 | Elastic | Shaft may stretch up to twice it's normal length |
| 27 | Energizing | A target cut by the blade is energized and may go up to 36 hours without rest with no adverse effects. Repeated uses less than a week apart require an extended period of recovery after, equal to double the amount of time spent without rest. |
| 28 | Extendable | Shaft may shift in length at will to any length between 1 and 10 ft. |
| 29 | Farspeaking | Amplifies the bearers voice to be heard three times as far away as normal. |
| 30 | Farstepping | Allows the bearer to teleport up to 20 ft. away to a point in sight. |
| 31 | Fast growing | Blade causes any plant it touches to grow the equivalent of 1 year in 10 seconds |
| 32 | Feeding | An item of food touched by the blade is duplicated. The same item cannot be duplicated more than once. Duplicates are nutritious but tasteless. |
| 33 | Finding | Can sense hidden objects, and rumbles slightly when any are present nearby. Rumbles become stronger as the weapon approaches the hidden object. |
| 34 | Firestarting | Blade may generate small magical sparks at will. Enough only to light tinder for a fire or other highly flammable objects. |
| 35 | Flowering | Shaft grows colorful flowers that bloom each sunrise and wilt each sunset. |
| 36 | Fluffy | Shaft is covered in fluffy, fur-like growth. Keeps hand nice and warm. |
| 37 | Flying | May be ridden, flying quickly and as high as you dare, but difficult to hold onto. |
| 38 | Foggy | Blade constantly emits a small amount of fog. Once per day it may release a dense cloud of fog. |
| 39 | Forecasting | Once per hour the mirror-like blade shows images of notable weather to be expected in the next hour. |
| 40 | Friendly | Makes others slightly more friendly to the bearer. |
| 41 | Fruiting | Shaft grows d4 apples (or other fruit of your choice) each sunrise. They rot if not eaten before sunset the same day. |
| 42 | Fungal | Shaft is always a bit damp and sprouts various small fungi. 2-in-6 chance a fungus picked from the shaft is poisonous. |
| 43 | Golddigging | Blade attracts all gold within 10 ft., quickly causing its weight to become unbearable if there is too much gold. |
| 44 | Golden | Very valuable, but not great at holding a sharp edge. |
| 45 | Grabbing | Blade is shaped like a hand. Effective for bludgeoning and may also grab objects at will. |
| 46 | Hydrophobic | Blade repels water. |
| 47 | Illuminating | Blade can cast light equivalent to a torch at will, but it is extinguished the moment it is used in combat. |
| 48 | Imaging | At will the blade may capture an image of whatever it is reflecting. That image will remain on the blade for 24 hours. |
| 49 | Immaculate | Remains perfectly clean at all times regardless of any substances it comes in contact with. |
| 50 | Immovable | Once the blade is stuck into a surface it cannot be moved except at the will of the bearer. |
| 51 | Improbable | Odds of rare events increase within 100 ft. of the weapon |
| 52 | Inquisitive | Inhabited by a curious spirit that asks questions frequently, perhaps too frequently. |
| 53 | Intoxicating | Blade turns any liquid it touches into alcohol the strength of wine but tasting of copper. |
| 54 | Invisible | May be difficult to find if dropped. |
| 55 | Jumping | Allows the bearer to jump twice their normal jumping height. |
| 56 | Ladder | Twisting the blade extends small hand and footholds on either side of the shaft. May be used as a ladder if properly secured. |
| 57 | Loathesome | Incites disgust in all creatures within 50 ft. |
| 58 | Lockpicking | Blade has a set of embedded and detachable lockpicking tools. Tools are generally safe during combat, but could be knocked out in unfortunate circumstances. |
| 59 | Loud | Screams loudly if separated from the bearer more than 5 minutes. |
| 60 | Magnetic | Blade may become strongly magnetized at will. |
| 61 | Magnifying | Blade has a magnifying glass set in the center. Glass is hardened and generally safe in combat, but could shatter under unfortunate circumstances. |
| 62 | Melodic | Blade sings a beautiful melody when being used for violent means. |
| 63 | Messenger | The blade may speak but only to repeat a phrase of up to 20 words whispered to it. If desired, it may be limited to one recipient of the message |
| 64 | Misting | Blade constantly sheds a light mist of water. May direct a stronger spray for a few seconds at will. |
| 65 | Opening | Once per day may open a door struck by the blade, even if locked |
| 66 | Oxygenating | Shaft emits oxygen directly into the bloodstream of the bearer, allowing them to stop breathing with no adverse effects. |
| 67 | Phasing | Can phase through an object or creature to strike a target on the other side. |
| 68 | Prismatic | Blade is an unknown crystal that acts as a prism, a rainbow shining from one side when exposed to light |
| 69 | Prying | Blade can pry open any stuck container. |
| 70 | Purifying | Blade magically purifies any liquid it is placed into, removing poisons or other harmful compounds. |
| 71 | Quiet | Always makes all sounds caused by the bearer slightly more quiet than normal. Once per day it may silence all sounds caused by the bearer for up to 10 minutes. |
| 72 | Reeking | Shaft constantly gives off a wretched smell, a mix of feces and vinegar. |
| 73 | Regal | Very nice looking blade makes the bearer appear to others as a higher social status. |
| 74 | Remembering | A message of up to 20 words whispered to the blade will be displayed in text on the blade until replaced with a new message. |
| 75 | Returning | Flies back to the bearer after being thrown, most of the time. 1-in-20 chance it will fly off in a random direction instead. |
| 76 | Scholarly | The bearer has a 1-in-6 chance of knowing any piece of information regardless of if they learned it previously. |
| 77 | Seafaring | Broad blade may be used as a paddle in watercraft. |
| 78 | Seasonal | Blade changes shape and color to match the current season. |
| 79 | Seasoning | Blade adds perfect seasoning to any food it touches. |
| 80 | Sending | An identical pair of weapons. Words spoken to one are emitted from the other regardless of the distance separating the two. |
| 81 | Shadowcasting | When casting a shadow, the blade may take on any shape wished by the bearer. |
| 82 | Shiny | Very, very shiny |
| 83 | Shrewd | Provides shrewd advice in tense business transactions |
| 84 | Signaling | A flag attached to the shaft may change colors at will. Very tough fabric is difficult, but not impossible, to remove or damage. |
| 85 | Slicing | When wielded carefully, blade may slice objects as thin as a hair in half. |
| 86 | Soporific | Targets touched by the blade instantly fall asleep, waking up 5 minutes later. |
| 87 | Steadfast | When used as a tentpole, the tent cannot collapse under any circumstances. |
| 88 | Surefooted | When used as a walking stick, the bearer will not slip or fall, regardless of the terrain. |
| 89 | syzygal | Deals extra damage when three celestial bodies in the area are aligned |
| 90 | Thorny | Shaft may turn into a thorny vine, which may be commanded to wrap around a nearby target |
| 91 | Throwing | Blade is shaped like a bowl and may be used to throw small objects. |
| 92 | Timekeeping | Blade displays numerals tracking the current time. |
| 93 | Translating | Blade can translate the speech of any creature to be understandable to the bearer, but only if that creature's blood is on the blade |
| 94 | Twirling | If spun at any angle with part of the weapon touching a solid surface it will remain spinning at that angle indefinitely at the same speed. |
| 95 | Unanticipated | Targets never expect they will be struck by this weapon |
| 96 | Warding | A line drawn on a surface by the blade blocks passage to any creatures intending to harm the bearer for up to one hour. |
| 97 | Warm | Emanates warmth, keeping the bearer comfortable in cold conditions. |
| 98 | Wayfinding | After naming a destination, the bearer may throw the weapon and it will fly 50 ft. in the direction of the easiest path to the named destination. |
| 99 | Wise | Inhabited by a wise spirit that likes to give sage life advice, perhaps too often and at the wrong hours, and not always accurate. |
| 100 | Wooden | Blade and shaft are one piece carved from a hard, dark red wood. As sharp as metal. |