A holy avenger was a rare type of sword[note 1] that were forged to battle evil in all of its forms They were greatly prized by paladins from all across the Realms.[4] They possessed great and magnificent powers that were only fully realized in the hands of a benevolent holy warrior.[5][3]
One paladin famously said his holy avenger was his "best and last friend in any situation".[6]
Powers[]
Prior to the Spellplague a newly-forged holy avenger was merely a sword that had been forged from cold iron. Its true might was released only when it was placed in the hands of a paladin, whereupon it became a more powerful holy cold iron sword. The blade provided significant protection from magical spells and spell-like abilities to its wielder and their allies. When holding their holy avenger, they were capable of casting greater dispelling at will,[5] and inflicting more damage upon malevolent and unlawful foes.[7]
Those weapons forged during the century following the Spellplague delivered radiant energy unto any foe it struck. Any paladin wielding a holy avenger could use it as a holy symbol and once per day, channel its power to bolster their defenses along with any nearby allies.[2][8]
Holy avengers forged after the Second Sundering were particularly deadly when wielded against undead and fiends. Like those crafted during earlier centuries, they radiated a magical aura that benefited the wielder's allies. This radiance emanated out for 10 ft (3 m) except when in the hands of most champions. When it was wielded by the most skilled and veteran paladins, this effect extended out for 30 ft (9.1 m). In addition they only reached their true potential after having been wielded by a specific paladin for some time.[3]
Creation[]
To forge a holy avenger, a craftsman had to have both been of good alignment and have access to the holy aura spell. The creation of such a great holy blade required at least 60,000 gold pieces along with great amount of time and heroic levels of energy.[5]
Notable Owners[]
- Chardath Spulzeer, the last remaining member of his family from Castle Spulzeer in Tethyr.[9]
- Gareth Dragonsbane, the King of the Bloodstone Lands following the Bloodstone Wars.[10]
- Raziel, the celestial paragon.[11]
- Ruben Armand St. James II, a paladin of Tyr and leader of the Golden Gauntlets.[12]
- Shadowdeath, the young shadow dragon that dwelled within the Tower of Ruin.[13]
Notable Holy Avengers[]
A holy avenger was a powerful weapon against hordes of undead.
- Carsomyr, a greatsword that had been hoarded away by the red dragon Firkraag.[14]
- Cera Sumat, this blade was used by Old Duke Ehld to slay the Lost Followers of Bane.[15]
- Clamorour, the sword of Piergeiron Paladinson, Open Lord of Waterdeep.[16][17]
- Crusader, the blessed longsword of Gareth Dragonsbane.[10][18]
- Duty's Bond, the sword of the mortal Torm.[19][20]
- Hill Cleaver, a longsword wielded by Dragonbait.[21]
- Pale Justice, a Tyrran longsword.[22]
- Purifier, the bastard sword carried by the legendary Sir Wediyer.[23]
- Sword of Peredus, a lesser version of a holy avenger, wielded by Peredus the Great.[24]
- Titanslayer, wielded by Gwydion "the Quick", champion of Torm.[25]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ According to the Player's Handbook 4th edition, the holy avenger property could also be added to axes and hammers, along with 'heavy blades'. This contradicts lore about holy avengers in all other editions. With the exception of this detail, all other information regarding the 4e holy avenger property coincides with the 4e iteration of the holy avenger weapon. As such it has been incorporated into this article.
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- The Bloodstone Lands • The Bloodstone Wars • Curse of the Azure Bonds • Four from Cormyr • Undermountain: The Lost Level • Tomb of Annihilation
- Novels
- Azure Bonds
- Video games
- Baldur's Gate series (Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn • Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal) • Icewind Dale series (Icewind Dale (game) • Icewind Dale II) • Neverwinter Nights series (Neverwinter Nights • Neverwinter Nights 2 • Neverwinter Nights: Darkness over Daggerford • Neverwinter Nights: Tyrants of the Moonsea) • Tales from Candlekeep: Tomb of Annihilation • Sword Coast Legends • Warriors of Waterdeep
- Card Games
- AD&D Trading Cards • Magic: The Gathering (AFC)
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (1989). Dungeon Master's Guide 2nd edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 140. ISBN 0-88038-729-7.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rob Heinsoo, Andy Collins, James Wyatt (June 2008). Player's Handbook 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 224. ISBN 0-7869-4867-1.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 174. ISBN 978-0786965622.
- ↑ Obsidian Entertainment (October 2006). Designed by Ferret Baudoin, J.E. Sawyer. Neverwinter Nights 2. Atari.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams (July 2003). Dungeon Master's Guide v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 226. ISBN 0-7869-2889-1.
- ↑ BioWare (December 2003). Designed by Brent Knowles. Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark. Atari.
- ↑ Rick Swan (1994). The Complete Paladin's Handbook. Edited by Allen Varney. (TSR, Inc), p. 16. ISBN 1-5607-6845-2.
- ↑ Rob Heinsoo, Andy Collins, James Wyatt (June 2008). Player's Handbook 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 234. ISBN 0-7869-4867-1.
- ↑ Scott Haring (1988). Empires of the Sands. (TSR, Inc), p. 14. ISBN 0-8803-8539-1.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 R.A. Salvatore (1989). The Bloodstone Lands. Edited by Elizabeth T. Danforth. (TSR, Inc), p. 49. ISBN 0-88038-771-8.
- ↑ James Wyatt, Darrin Drader, Christopher Perkins (October 2003). Book of Exalted Deeds. (TSR, Inc), pp. 132–133. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ John Terra (November 1997). Four from Cormyr. Edited by Kim Mohan. (TSR, Inc.), p. 33. ISBN 0-7869-0646-4.
- ↑ John Terra (November 1997). Four from Cormyr. Edited by Kim Mohan. (TSR, Inc.), p. 107. ISBN 0-7869-0646-4.
- ↑ BioWare (September 2000). Designed by James Ohlen, Kevin Martens. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. Black Isle Studios.
- ↑ Black Isle Studios (August 2002). Designed by J.E. Sawyer. Icewind Dale II. Interplay.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, et al (1989). Hall of Heroes. (TSR, Inc), p. 92. ISBN 0-88038-711-4.
- ↑ Dale Donovan, Paul Culotta (August 1996). Heroes' Lorebook. (TSR, Inc), p. 96. ISBN 0-7869-0412-7.
- ↑ Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson (1987). The Bloodstone Wars. (TSR, Inc), p. 30. ISBN 0-8803-8398-4.
- ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 163. ISBN 978-0786903849.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 253. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, et al (1989). Hall of Heroes. (TSR, Inc), p. 23. ISBN 0-88038-711-4.
- ↑ Black Isle Studios (June 2000). Designed by Matt Norton. Icewind Dale. Interplay.
- ↑ BioWare (June 2001). Designed by Kevin Martens. Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. Black Isle Studios.
- ↑ Ossian Studios (June 2018). Neverwinter Nights: Darkness over Daggerford. Beamdog.
- ↑ Dale Donovan, Paul Culotta (August 1996). Heroes' Lorebook. (TSR, Inc), p. 56. ISBN 0-7869-0412-7.
Connections[]
Shields
animated • arrow catching • arrow deflection • bashing • blinding • reflecting
Body Armor
cooling • fire resistance • glamered • halfweight • illithidwrought • invulnerability • malleable • sailing • shadow • spell resistance • xorn movement • warming
All Armor
acid resistance • anchoring • blinking • blending • blueshine • blurring • cold resistance • comfort • death ward • drowcraft • electricity resistance • etherealness • everbright • fortification • freedom • ghost touch • gnashing • healing • hideous • magic eating • masking • menacing • mirror image • negative energy protection • nimbleness • ocular • proof against enchantments • proof against transmutation • sanctuary • sonic resistance • strength • undead controlling • vermin controlling • wary • wild
Ammunition
radiant holding
Ranged Weapons
distance • precise • returning • quick-loading • seeking • splitting
Melee Weapons
defending • flying • harmonizing • mighty cleaving • powerleech • sacrifical smiting • speed • stalactite • sundering • sweeping • tentacle • throwing • valorous • vicious
All Weapons
acidic burst • anarchic • axiomatic • bane • berserker • blindsighted • bloodthirsty • corrosive • dancing • disarming • diseased • dismisser • dispelling • disruption • domineering • doomwarding • doomstrike • drowcraft • elemental aura • enervating • everbright • exhausting • finder • flaming • flaming burst • force • frost • ghost touch • holy • holy avenger • homeland champion • hornblade • icy burst • illithidwrought • impact • jumping • keen • knockback • light burst • merciful • metalline • morphing • paralyzing • ravenous • rusting • screaming • sending • sizing • shock • shadowscourge • shattermantle • shocking burst • smoking • speed • spellblade • spell storing • spellstrike • sure striking • thundering • unholy • vampiric • venemous • viper • virulent • vorpal • warning • weakening • wounding