A mace of disruption was a weapon that could utterly obliterate undead by disrupting the reanimation magic[3] and evil affected beings of the lower planes.[2]
Powers[]
A +1 mace, on impact, could destroy undead and lower-planes beings. Lesser undead such as skeletons, zombies, ghouls and ghasts, shadows, and wights were instantaneously blasted into non-existence. Greater undead could resist this effect, such as wraiths, mummies, spectres, vampires, ghosts, liches, in order of resilience, with evil lower-planes beings hardest to destroy, but even if they resisted, their injuries twice as severe as they would be normally.[2]
The weapon bore a neutral good nature and powerful enchantments. Just touching it caused an evil being harm.[2][6][note 1]
Maces of disruption could be created with varied power levels. Lesser maces of disruption had the ability to slay undead upon a successful hit and produced bright yellow light. [4] Maces of disruption with a +8 enchantment were considered the most powerful variety, they were extremely effective when wielded against the undead and could almost certainly slay them upon a successful strike.[3]
History[]
Maces of disruption were popular among clerics of Lathander for their undead-slaying powers. One such cleric was captured as he attempted to infiltrate Thay. Szass Tam himself flayed the cleric alive as cautionary example for others and reanimated the husk as a zombie servant.[4]
In 1369 DR a mace of disruption could be found within the lair of a vampire Bodhi under Athkatla's cemetery. Same year dwarven smith in Athkatla, Cromwell, knew how to increase the weapon's effectiveness by coating it with illithium, making it a +2 enchanted weapon.[1]
In 1372 DR, maces of disruption of +2 enchantment was created by blacksmith Marrok of Shining Knight Arms and Armor for the Hero of Neverwinter. Later a variation with +5 enchantment was created by Barun Silverblade of Beorunna's Well.[4]
Notable Owners[]
- Astral devas wielded mace-like weapons with the powers of maces of disruption.[7][8][9]
- Chiron Laventhos, a priest of Mystra that worked at The Bandaged Wound in Ravens Bluff owned a mace of disruption.[10]
- Ellesime wielded a mace of disruption when encountered by Abdel Adrian on his bhaalspawn pocket plane.[11]
- Halbenet Soladonel wielded a mace of disruption along with a similarly themed shield during the late 15th century DR.[12]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ In a Sage Advice column for Dragon #245, Skip Williams defines "touching" the mace as "...try[ing] to pick up, handle, or examine the item..." and that "nothing happens if someone pokes the [evil] creature with the item or throws it at the creature."
See Also[]
Appearances[]
Adventures
Video Games
Card Games
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
Gallery[]
External Links[]
Mace of Disruption article at the Baldur's Gate Wiki, a wiki for the Baldur's Gate games.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 BioWare (September 2000). Designed by James Ohlen, Kevin Martens. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. Black Isle Studios.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 slade et al. (February 1995). Encyclopedia Magica Volume II. (TSR, Inc.), p. 676.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 BioWare (December 2003). Designed by Brent Knowles. Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark. Atari.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 BioWare (June 2002). Designed by Brent Knowles, James Ohlen. Neverwinter Nights. Atari.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 179. ISBN 978-0786965622.
- ↑ Skip Williams (March 1998). “Sage Advice”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #245 (TSR, Inc.), p. 17.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (July 1982). “Featured Creatures”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #63 (TSR, Inc.), p. 6.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), pp. 42–43. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
- ↑ Allen Varney, ed. (June 1994). Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix. (TSR, Inc.), p. 6. ISBN 978-1560768623.
- ↑ Steven Kydd (June 1993). “The Living City: The Bandaged Wound”. In Jean Rabe ed. Polyhedron #84 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 8–9.
- ↑ BioWare (June 2001). Designed by Kevin Martens. Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. Black Isle Studios.
- ↑ Ludia (May 2019). Designed by Stephen David Wark, et al. Warriors of Waterdeep. Ludia.