A 5e Player Race by DM Tuz

“I was once wielded; now, I wield my own fate.”

Living Weapons are sentient magical arms that were

once created for battle but have since evolved well beyond
that original notion. Throughout history, countless weap-
ons of renown have been wielded by heroes, tyrants, and
warlords alike, becoming iconic symbols of battle prow-
ess, power, and victory. However, among these enchanted
weapons, only a rare few achieve genuine sentience, and
even fewer reject the notion of being mere tools of war.
These distinct creatures develop their own will, frequently
determining who may handle them or even opting to re-
main unbound and independent as they pursue their own
objectives and personal desires.

Living Weapons have goals as distinct as their creators or

the warriors who once wielded them. Many of these indi-
viduals embark on journeys of their own, seeking worthy
masters, greater power, or simply a better understanding
of their own evolving identity. No matter which direction
they choose, Living Weapons retain their lethal nature,
eternally fashioned by their initial form and purpose, a
persistent reminder of what they once were.

These sentient weapons learned to assume humanoid

forms, perhaps in an effort to become closer to their mas-
ters who wielded them. Their humanoid shape, typically
carries a subtle resemblances to their true weapon form,
enabling them to exist largely unnoticed among the people
of this world. But even in this state, a Living Weapon can
summon any aspect of its actual form, if not a copy of its
true form, to defend itself. Truely, these beings are never
disarmed or defenseless. Cursed Weapon
Artwork by Queen Chikkibug
Because of their rarity, Living Weapons lack a shared cul-
ture or traditions of their own. Instead, they adapt the cus-
toms, conventions, and mannerisms from their place of or-
igin, their creators, or their former masters. In the unlikely gradual progress, brought forth through the its use and the
event of two Living Weapons crossing paths, both feel a deeds of their master. With each battle, each victory, and
strong compulsion to fight and test each other’s strength. each hardship a weapon may inch one step closer towards
This instinct is thought to be intricately linked to a Living becoming truely alive. This process can be hastened through
Weapon’s unique ability to merge with another magical the unique bond between a warrior and their weapon. Al-
weapon, thereby absorbing its unique enchantment and ternatively, a singular act of tremendous weight may spark
making it their own. an awakening. For example, a vile act enacted with a weap-
on can leave it tainted by evil.

A Weapon’s Awakening The circumstance of a weapon’s awakening will greatly im-

pact a Living Weapon, but do not necessarily have to dictate
While some weapons may carry the gift of sentience from its future. While each weapon bears a long distinct history
the moment of their creation, most Living weapons awak- up to their awakening, the choices that they make from that
en long after they are forged over the course of varied and point on will be their own. Thus a Living Weapon’s journey
unpredictable events. A Living Weapon’s awakening is a is as unique as the battles it once fought.

PATREON |DMTUZ
 Living Weapon Traits attunement conditions (such as requiring attunement by a
spellcaster). When you do so, you instantly attune to the
As a Living Weapon, you possess innate traits and capa-
magic weapon if it requires attunement. Once you absorb
bilities.
the weapon, it merges with your body. As long as the magic
Ability Score Increase. Increase one ability score by 2 weapon is merged with you, any properties the magic weap-
and increase a different one by 1, or increase three different on has (such as magical bonuses or traits that can be used per
ability scores by 1. day), other than its weapon type, are applied to the weapon
Creature Type. Your creature type is humanoid shape- you manifest or your true form. You can only absorb one
shifter. weapon like this at a time. If you attempt to absorb anoth-
Size. Your size is Medium. er weapon you automatically eject your previous absorbed
Speed. You have a walking speed of 30 feet. weapon which lands in your space and you lose all proper-
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, and ties you gained from it.
another language of your choice. Subraces. Choose one of the following subraces: Arma-
Living Weapon. Your true form is that of a weapon ment, Cursed Weapon, or Spirit Weapon.
which is a Tiny Object. When you create your character,
choose your form from the ones below and choose whether
the weapon deals bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing dam-
age. Once you choose your weapon form, you can’t alter it.
As an Action, you can transform into your weapon form or
back into your humanoid form. You choose whether your
equipment falls to the ground in your space if you transform
into your weapon form or merges into it. When you die,
you return to your true form and all your equipment and
any weapon you absorbed falls to the ground in your space.
While you are in your weapon form, you retain your senses
but can’t speak, and you are unable to Move, perform Ac-
tions, Bonus Actions, or Reactions other than transforming
into your humanoid form.
Weapon Type Damage Properties
Battle 1d8 (1d10) Versatile
Heavy 2d6 Heavy, Two-Handed
Polearm 1d10 Reach, Two-Handed
Grace 2d4 Finesse
Swift 1d6 Finesse, Light
Projectile 1d8 Range 120/240, Two-Handed
Slinger 1d6 Range 60/120, Light
Additionally, while you are in your weapon form, you are
a martial magical weapon with a bonus to attack and damage
equal to half of your proficiency bonus (rounded up).
Limited Telepathy. While you are in your weapon form,
you can telepathically communicate with creatures that
carry or wield you in a language you
know.
Manifest Weapon. You can man-
ifest your weapon in your hand or
body as an item interaction or as part
of your attack Action, allowing you to
use it as if equipped and can dismiss
the manifestation at will. Only you
are considered proficient with
your manifested weapon.
Your manifested weapon is
unable to be disarmed and
is automatically dismissed
if you manifest it again or
change into your weapon
form.
Weapon Absorption.
Over the course of one hour of interrupted focus or as a part
of a Short Rest, you can absorb the powers of a non-sen-
tient magical weapon you touch. You can’t absorb a weap- Armament
on if it has the attunement property and you don’t fulfill its Artwork by Queen Chikkibug

PATREON |DMTUZ
 Armament Cursed Weapon
Armaments are Living Weapons awoken through the Cursed Weapons are Living Weapons that were born from
deep relationship between warrior and weapon. Each arma- darkness, awakened by the malevolent power of a curse and
ment began its existence as a mundane weapon, a tool to imbued with sentience. This curse typically stems from vile
be used by their master. Over countless battles, conquests, acts committed by their former wielders, such as slaying in-
and hardships, the bond between them and their master nocents, betraying sacred bonds, or even murdering a divine
was strengthened. Throughout this process, an at first min- creature of good. These vile deeds taint the weapon, infusing
ute consciousness sparked within the weapon, which then, it with dark energies that lead to its sentience. As a result, a
through further trials in which the weapon understands its pervasive influence of wickedness runs through their very
own nature and duty towards its master, experiences a true essence, shaping both their view of the world and attitude.
awakening. Despite this, Cursed Weapons are not necessarily bound to
Befitting for a weapon, Armaments value martial prowess, their dark origins. After all, they are creatures of free will,
honor, and discipline. They are fiercely loyal to their mas- able to reject their dark past and chart a path of their own.
ters, serving them with unwavering dedication with little Cursed Weapons tend towards ruthlessness and are fierce-
desire for independence. They pride themselves in their role ly independent, driven more by personal ambition than loy-
as the extension of their master’s will. However, as it is the alty or morals, causing many of them to leave their masters
cruel nature of war, some Armaments find themselves sep- after they awaken. They rarely desire to serve as a master’s
arated from their master eventually. Severed from the only tool, unless doing so aligns with their goals. Even then,
master they knew, Armaments commonly find themselves those alliances are likely to be short lived and discarded at
in the throes of grief and confusion, and worst of all: left the weapon’s earliest convenience. Anyone attempting to
without purpose. wield a Cursed Weapon must either earn their respect or
Masterless Armaments roam the world in search for a new establish dominance through sheer force of will—those who
meaning, commonly struggling with their newfound indip- fail risk being controlled by the weapon itself.
endance. Still, they maintain their nature as weapons, ex- Despite their origin, Cursed Weapons are not inherently
celling in combat and filled with a profound sense of duty. evil beings. They can align with good and even develop a
While they might retain their subservient nature at first, strong moral code of their own, striving to overcome the
through this journey of self-discovery many come to under- taint that created them. However, as all living weapons
stand that their destiny must not be necessarily tied to the they still bear an innate appreciation for strength and glo-
service of a new master, but is theirs to choose. ry. Whether choosing to follow paths of darkness or light,
Protective Skin. If you are not wearing heavy armor, you Cursed Weapons seek power and freedom, determined to
have a +1 bonus to your AC. forge their own destiny on their own terms.
Direction. When you are in your weapon form, you can Protective Skin. If you are not wearing heavy armor, you
use an Action to grant a creature that wields you advantage have a +1 bonus to your AC.
on its next attack roll using you. You can still use this Action Compulsion. When you are in your weapon form you can
while you are in your weapon form. use an Action to force a creature that holds you to make a
Decisive Strike. You can use a Bonus Action to observe Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save the creature uses a
a target that you can see and get advantage on your next Reaction to make a single attack with you against a target of
attack roll you make against it before the end of your next your choice. The DC is equal to 8 + your Strength or Charis-
turn. When you use this trait and both rolls of your advan- ma modifier + your proficiency bonus. You can still use this
tage roll would hit the target, your next attack roll against Action while you are in your weapon form.
it before the end of your turn also has advantage. You can Manic Strike. Once per turn, when you attack a creature
use this bonus action an amount of times equal to your pro- and miss with a weapon attack, you can make another weap-
ficiency modifier before you have to finish a Long Rest to on attack targeting the creature with disadvantage on your
use it again. attack roll. You can use this trait an amount of times equal to
your proficiency modifier before you have to finish a Long
Gymnast. You are proficient in Acrobatics or Athletics. Rest to use it again.
Bully. You are proficient in Athletics or Intimidation.

Check out these other Player Races!

Aside from the Living Weapons, I also have
created many other monster girl inspired
player races such as the Lamia, ambitious
snake folk who are so often misunder-
stood, and the Holstaur, the gentle giants
who traverse the land to foster the meak.

PATREON |DMTUZ
Spirit Weapon When you use this trait, you can choose to expend addi-
tional uses of it to increase the additional damage of your
Spirit Weapons are enigmatic entities, gaining sentience
weapon attack by 1d6 for each use you expend.
through a bound spirit rather than awakening on their own.
The origin of these spirits varies greatly, making each Spir- Observant. You are proficient in Insight or Perception.
it Weapon distinct in nature. Some weapons house the es-
sence of ancient beings, such as the life force of an ancient
tree used for the weapon’s frame. Others may be inhabited
by the spirit of a warrior long dead, still seeking battle, or an
entity once trapped within the weapon as a prison. Regard-
less of how they were bound, the weapon serves as both host
and vessel, tethering the spirit to the material world.
Spirit Weapons are driven by the nature of their spirit,
with personalities that can range from eerily human to com-
pletely otherworldly. Some spirits adapt well to their new
existence, finding strength in their bond with the weapon,
while others resent their imprisonment, constantly seek-
ing release. A Spirit Weapon’s goals and desires are entirely
shaped by the entity within, whether that means searching
for freedom, revenge, or redemption.
One trait that sets Spirit Weapons apart is their ability to
influence the world beyond the physical form of the weap-
on that binds them. These spirits may manifest powers that
transcend simple combat, such as manifesting their spiritual
energy to impressive results. But as all living weapons, they
can still assume a humanoid form which typically reflects the
spirit’s origin.
Spirit Nature. When you choose this subrace choose
among the following damage types: Acid, Cold, Fire, Light-
ning, Necrotic, Poison, Psychic, Radiant, Thunder. You gain
Resistance against the chosen damage type, and the type
will determine the damage type of your Release and Infused
Strike trait, and the creature’s saving throw against your Re-
lease trait (see table below).
Energy Type Saving Throw
Acid Dexterity
Cold Constitution
Fire Dexterity
Lightning Dexterity
Necrotic Constitution
Poison Constitution
Psychic Wisdom
Radiant Constitution
Thunder Constitution
Release. When you are in your weapon form and a crea-
ture wields you, you can use an action to force a creature
within 30 ft. of you to make a saving throw. On a failed save
a creature takes 1d6 + your Intelligence/Wisdom/Charisma
modifier + your proficiency bonus damage of your chosen
energy type. The DC is equal to 8 + your Intelligence, Wis-
dom, or Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. If you
target the the creature that wields you, the creature has dis-
advantage on the saving throw. You can still use this Action
while you are in your weapon form.
Infused Strike. Once per turn, when you hit with a weap-
on or spell attack, you can choose to infuse your strike. If
you do so, the damage type of your attack becomes your
chosen damage type. If the attack is a weapon attack it also
deals an additional 1d6 damage of the same type. You can use Spirit Weapon
Artwork by Queen Chikkibug
this trait an amount of times equal to your proficiency mod-
ifier before you have to finish a Long Rest to use it again.

PATREON |DMTUZ
 Living Weapon Mourning Blade
Unique Feats Prerequisite: Living Weapon (Any),
Level 4+, Wisdom or Charisma 13+
Living Weapon characters
have access to unique feats You experienced the loss
when they level up in a of a master or a dear loved
class. Some DMs al- one. This experience trig-
low the use of feats gered a strong protective
to further customize instinct in you. You have
a character, see chap- sworn to yourself: never
ter 6, “Customization again. You gain the following
Options”, of the Player’s benefits.
Handbook. Ability Score Increase. In-
The following special feats crease one ability score by 1, to a
allow your character to expand maximum of 20.
upon their innate abilities, as each Mourning Wail. When the crea-
feat represents an evolution of your ture that wields you in your weapon
character’s nature and traits. form becomes bloodied, you can use
a reaction to release a wail in a 20 ft.
Soul Eater radius. Any creature other than your
wielder and yourself in the radius
Prerequisite: Living Weapon (Any) that can hear the wail must succeed
As you were used to cutting down a Wisdom saving throw or have dis-
your foes, you developed a taste for advantage on attack rolls until the end
the life that leaves the bodies of your of its next turn. The DC is equal to 8 +
victim. Now with each enemy you strike your Wisdom or Charisma modifier +
down, you sense energy surging through your proficiency bonus.
you. You gain the following benefits. Never Again. In your humanoid form,
Ability Score Increase. Increase one abil- when an allied creature within 30 ft. of
ity score by 1, to a maximum of 20. yourself that you can see drops to 0 hit points
Thirsting Blade. The first time in a turn when or a critical hit is scored against it, you can use
you kill a creature within 5 ft. of yourself, choose one a reaction to move up to your speed towards the
of the following: allied creature and make a weapon attack against a hostile
• You can expend one of your Hit Point Dice, roll the dice target in range. That movement can end at any point within
and regain a number of Hit Points equal to the roll or 10 ft. of the allied creature.
the maximum hit points of the creature, whichever is
lower. Eldritch Edge
• You gain a bonus use of your Decisive Strike, Manic Prerequisite: Living Weapon (Spirit Weapon), Level 4+, Spellcast-
Strike, or Infused Strike trait until the end of your next ing or Pact Magic Feature
turn. You can only have one bonus use at a time. With the mastery over spellcasting you find your own
innate powers grow, allowing you to release potent magic
Flying Weapon even in your weapon form. You gain the following benefits.
Prerequisite: Living Weapon (Any), Level 4+, Dexterity 13+ Ability Score Increase. Increase one ability score by 1,
You are no longer immobile in your true form as the pow- to a maximum of 20.
ers that have bestowed awoken you evolved and allow you Empowered Release. You can now use your Release trait
to fly while you are a weapon and move freely without a in your humanoid form, and the damage of your Release
wielder. You gain the following benefits. trait increases by 1d6 if you reach levels 5 (2d6), 11 (3d6),
Ability Score Increase. Increase one ability score by 1, and 17 (4d6).
to a maximum of 20. Spell Conduit. You can now cast spells while in your
Float. While you are in your true weapon form, you have weapon form to a maximum spell level equal to your profi-
a magical flight speed equal to your movement speed. ciency modifier. If the spell requires Somatic or Vocal com-
ponents, the creature that wields you must perform these
Sting. While you are in your true weapon form and you components (this does not require a reaction by them) while
are not held by anyone, you can use an Action to make a Material components can be provided by either you (and
single weapon attack using yourself as the weapon. your merged equipment) or the creature that wields you.

PATREON |DMTUZ
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