Magic Swords for Swords & Wizardry

Paul Gorman
http://quicklyquietlycarefully.blogspot.com
For Sword & Wizardry Appreciation Day 2013
 http://devilghost.com
Magic Swords for Swords & Wizardry © Paul Gorman 2013
Special thanks to Edward Kickham III

Swords & Wizardry, S&W, and Mythmere Games are trademarks of Matthew J. Finch. This publication is not affiliated with
Matthew J. Finch, Mythmere Games™, or Frog God Games.
Putting the Unique back in Unique Magic Swords
Magic swords played a principal role in the Original Game. Among all magic items found in
gleaming treasure hoards, magic swords accounted for a full twenty percent.
The significance of magic swords in the white box version of the Original Game was even
greater because only fighting-men could use them. The ability to wield such powerful and
prevalent magic items made fighting-men as interesting to play as magic-users and clerics.
Swords & Wizardry lists twenty different Unique Magic Swords. Results from multiple tables
of Original Game’s peculiar subsystem combined to generate a much larger and stranger variety
of magic swords.
Use the tables below instead of those in Swords & Wizardry to generate magic swords for
your game. Give any treasure roll indicating a magic melee weapon a 3 in 6 chance of being a
unique magic sword.

In Dave Arneson’s early games, some magic swords were usable only by magic-users.
Gary Gygax replaced them with magic Staves (e.g.—the Staff of Wizardry and the Staff of
Power).
You could use these tables to generate staves for magic-users.

Cursed Swords
Any magic sword found has a 1 in 10 chance of being cursed. Cursed swords are -d3 to hit,
and always find their way into their possessor’s hand until rendered inert by a Remove Curse
spell. Cursed swords have no alignment, intelligence, or helpful powers. In addition to the to-hit
penalty, 3 in 6 cursed swords bestow one of these:
1. -3 penalty on reaction rolls
2. Never surprise enemies
3. -1 penalty to saving throws
4. Move as if carrying double actual encumbrance
5. Gold turns to lead when wielder touches it
6. For traps with a chance to trigger or not (e.g.—pit traps spring on 2 in 6), the wielder
always triggers the trap
7. Natural healing rate halved
8. -2 penalty to magical healing
9. Wielder suffers -10% penalty to XP earned
10. Wielder must rest twice as frequently or twice as long
11. All wielder ability scores reduced by three points (restored by Remove Curse)
12. Chance of whole party getting lost during wilderness travel doubles

Magic Sword Alignment

Magic swords strongly align with either Law, Chaos, or Neutrality.
d8 Sword Alignment
1–5 Lawful
6–7 Neutral
8 Chaotic

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 Characters who pick up a sword of the opposite alignment suffer 2d6 damage. NPC’s,
henchmen, or monsters forced, tricked, or cajoled into picking up such a sword suffer half
damage.

As an optional rule, instead of dealing damage, a magic sword simply refuses to use any
powers beyond its basic to-hit bonus for a wielder of the wrong alignment. The wielder may
never know he possesses a powerful and unique magic item!

Sword Intelligence, Commutative Ability, Powers, and Ego

Int (2d6) Communication +To-Hit Motivation Powers Ego
2–4 None +1 None None 0
5–6 Empathic +1 Renown only None 1d3
7–8 Telepathic with wielder +1* Roll for Motivation 1 minor 1d6
9 As above and speaks +1* Roll for Motivation 1 minor 1d6
1 language out loud
10 As above and speaks +2** Roll for Motivation 2 minor 2d6
3 languages out loud
11 As above and reads +2** Roll for Motivation 2 minor, 2d6
magic as per the spell 1 major
12 As above and +3 Roll d10+10 on Sword 2 minor, 2d6
telepathic with anyone Motivation table 2 major
within 30"

* +2 versus special foe, if any

** +3 versus special foe, if any

Sword Motivation
All magic swords crave renown. Some have an additional motivation: the slaying of a special
type of foe.

d20 Sword Motivation

1–9 Renown only
10 Kill evil types (devils, demons, elementals, etc.)
11 Kill swimmer types (nixies, sea monsters, dragons turtles, etc.)
12 Kill flyer types (rocs, maticores, balrogs, etc.)
13 Kill undead types (zombies, ghouls, spectres, etc.)
14 Kill lycanthropes (werewolves, werebears, etc.)
15 Kill dragon types (dragons, basilisks, hydras, etc.)
16 Kill giant types (goblins, trolls, giants, etc.)
17 Kill fighting-men
18 Kill clerics
19 Kill magic-users
20 Kill any of opposite alignment

When a magic sword confronts its special foe, apply its bonus to both to-hit and damage rolls.

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 In the Original Game, and elf armed with a magic sword added +1 to damage rolls against
any enemy. Elves are just cool like that.

Forged By Minor Powers

d20 Forged By 1–12 Detect within 30’:

1 Ancient aliens 1 Gems or jewelry
2–10 Mad wizard 2 Gold
11 Demon
3 Undead
12 Godling
13–15 Dwarfs 4 Invisibility
16 Elves 5 Shifting rooms or passages
17–18 Technomancers of a lost 6 Traps
continent 7 Secret doors
19 Visitors from the future 8 Opposite alignment
20 An extra-dimensional
13–14 Damage dealt counts as cold damage
entity of pure
against enemies sensitive to cold dam-
energy/thought
age
15–16 Damage dealt counts as fire damage
against enemies sensitive to fire dam-
Blade Made Of age
17–18 Damage dealt counts as lightning dam-
d20 Blade Made Of
age against enemies sensitive to light-
1 Obsidian
ing damage
2 Iron
3 Bronze 19–20 Emits Light on command, as per
4 Ceramic magic-user spell
5 Flint 21–22 Never accidentally dropped (during sur-
6 Gold prise, for example)
7 Glass 23–24 4 in 6 chance to chop down a missile
8 Wood in mid flight
9 Energy 25–26 Wielder immune to Charm and Hold
10–20 Steel spells
27–28 Breaks opposing (non-magical)
weapons on a to-hit roll of 18–20
Grip Made Of 29–40 Place sword on the ground for 1 turn,
and it will point in the direction of the
d8 Grip Made Of nearest:
1 Bone
1 Party member
2 Emerald
2 Stairway
3 Copper
4 Bronze 3 Dungeon exit
5 Ruby 4 Secret door
6 Wood 5 Treasure
7 Horn 6 Potable water
8 Stone 7 Town, village, or city

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 8 The lair (treasure) of the wan- 73–74 Silence 10’ radius whenever drawn
dering monster it most recently from scabbard
killed 75–76 Once per week, sword can reveal
41–42 It floats unharmed in any liquid whether a rumor known to the wielder
43–44 When drawn, lightning strikes the is true or false
blade (descending from the heavens 77–80 Cure Light Wounds once per day
or the ceiling) with a deafening ZWAK!
81–82 Sword warns against cursed magic
This causes a morale check in crea-
items (for items already identified as
tures of 2HD or less, but also triggers
magical by Detect Magic or similar
a wandering monster check.
means)
45–46 Casts a glow under which wielder can
Reads Languages as per the spell 83–84 Never get lost in the wilderness
47–48 Every time the sword kills an opponent, 85–86 Reveal ninja types hidden within 60’
a random opponent (including those 87–88 Tip of blade glows hot enough to brand
who are already dead) will start mut- flesh or ignite flammable liquids
tering uncontrollably about how much 89–90 Wielder immune from level/energy
the magic sword terrifies them ("That drain
Maxkillibur is *so* terrible and awe-
91–92 Sword swims like an eel, and can
some! Maxkillibur’s going to kill all of
pull its wielder through the water at
you. There’s no help for it. Oh, Maxkil-
the wielder’s normal land-based move-
libur. The spatter! The gore!"). An en-
ment rate
emy spellcaster so targeted can’t cast
while muttering. This incessant verbal 93–94 De-active robot-types for d6 turns
cowering may trigger a morale check. (Save allowed)
49–50 A successful hit severs the target’s 95–96 Affinity for dwarven wielder (dwarfs get
shadow extra +1 to hit)
51–52 The sword knows what’s around the 97–98 Affinity for elven wielder (elves get ex-
next corner (clairvoyance 30’) tra +1 to hit)
53–54 Can project brief auditory illusions up 99-00 The breath of a lie never condenses on
to 60’ this sword’s blade (i.e.—a lie detector)
55–56 Control one animal at a time
57–58 Wielder takes half damage from fire-
based attacks Major Powers
59–60 Wielder takes half damage from
lighting-based attacks 1–2 Continuous Protection from Evil for
61–62 Wielder takes half damage from cold- wielder, as per magic-user spell
based attacks 3–4 Dispel Magic up to 3 times per day as
63–64 Sword exists invisibly in a pocket di- a 6th level magic-user
mension until called forth by its appar-
5–6 Continuous Detect Magic within 30’
ently unarmed wielder
7–9 +3 bonus on reaction checks to the
65–66 Wielder need never rest
wielder
67–68 Wielder movement rate doubled during
combat 10–15 Wielder gains Strength once per day,
as per magic-user spell
69–70 Sword can be set against a charge to
deal damage like a pike 16–19 Renders wielder invisible once per day,
71–72 Any ESP attempt directed at the as per magic-user spell
wielder detects only the thoughts of the 20–22 Causes Fear once per day, as per
sword magic-user spell

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23–25 Dragging the point of the sword in 78–81 Shoots dragon breath once per day,
earth leaves a trail of mud (with slightly for damage equal to half the sum of
lesser effect than Transmute Rock to the sword’s Intelligence + Ego (Saving
Mud). The trail remains muddy, reduc- Throw allowed)
ing travel of anyone following wielder
82–86 Flying swordsman. Wielder can "fly"
to 10% of normal, for d6 days.
(leap) up to 20’, over the heads of up to
26–29 Up to 3 time per day, dragging the point two ranks of enemies. Those enemies
of the sword across the ground leaves can’t attack the leaping wielder, unless
a wall of fire up to 60’ long (as per Wall armed with missile weapons or long
of Fire) that lasts as long as the sword polearms.
is unsheathed, up to 6 turns
30–33 Makes wielder immune to paralysis 87–90 Hit opponents must Save or be enven-
and petrification omed for an additional d6 damage.
34–38 On a damage roll of 1, opponent is bi- 91–93 Confuses wandering monsters of 3 HD
sected (to death, typically) or fewer for 1d6 minutes, with the effect
39–41 Turns undead up to 3 times per day as re-rolled every minute (see Confusion
a 6th level cleric table for the Magic-User spell of the
42–45 Grants a Wish at the cost of the same name)
wielder’s permanent loss of one 94–96 Tracing a circle in sand with the sword’s
Strength point tip open a portal to another world
46–49 Teleport wielder once per day, as per
the spell 97–00 A successful hit has a 1–2 in 6 chance
50–53 Sword unfolds in to a (1d6)HD monster of permanently withering part of the tar-
(stickman or mantis) that fights on its get’s body (effects revered by Remove
own [for some period of time... check Curse). Roll for body part and effect:
dancing sword].
1 Shrunken head reduces Intelli-
54–58 Any living thing cut apart by this blade gence by d6 points
(beheading, limb lopped off, trunk bi-
sected, etc.) can be stuck back to- 2 Withered left leg halves move-
gether, unharmed. ment rate
59–62 Any living thing cut apart by this blade 3 Withered right leg halves move-
(beheading, limb lopped off, trunk bi- ment rate
sected, etc.) will grow into an auto-
4 Withered left arm can’t carry
homocidal clone/doppelganger of the
anything or use a shield
original in d6 days.
63–65 Sword pits its ego against any other 5 Withered right arm can’t carry
magic sword it encounters, causing the anything or swing a weapon
other magic sword to attack its wielder
6 Wasted torso reduces Constitu-
if successful
tion by d6 points
66–69 Reincarnates as per the magic-user
spell, but requires the sacrifice of one
of the creatures listed on Reincarna-
tion by Magic-Users table True Names (Optional)
70–72 On a successful hit, target is Slowed
(move and attack a half usual rate) for There are no non-unique magic swords. How-
d6 rounds ever, any power beyond the basic +1/+2/+3
73–77 Sword bats out of the air any (non- bonus requires knowledge of the sword’s true
magical) missiles aimed at the wielder name.

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 d6 The Sword’s True Name Is • Wielder attempts to discard, sell, or
1–2 Inscribed or inlaid on sword give away the magic sword
blade in known language • Fight against another magic sword
3 Inscribed or inlaid on sword • A more desirable wielder is at hand, as
blade in forgotten or enciphered is a means of disposing of the current
language (requires Read wielder
Languages or consultation with
sage)
4 Lost to mortal men (requires Ego Burnishing
successful Contact Higher Plane
After a major victory, treasure haul, or from
or Wish)
time to time at the discretion of the Referee,
5 Revealed under special
a magic sword demands one of the following:
condition (e.g.—under light of full
moon, when bathed in blood of 1. Commission of jeweled scabbard
righteous, sensible to the touch worth 10% of wielder’s XP in gold
of a maiden, etc.), which may be 2. Composition and public performance
indicated by the decorative motif (in front of a sizable audience) of ballad
on the sword or only discovered glorifying sword
by accident/experimentation 3. Strop made from the hide of extremely
6 Revealed after completion of a rare and dangerous beast
Quest laid upon the wielder by 4. A trapped storage place
the sword itself 5. A magically protected storage place
6. To always be introduced as a member
of the party
Ego Checks
7. A magical tune-up (of no appreciable
First, sum the sword’s Ego and Intelligence. value in terms of game mechanics)
Next, sum the wielder’s Strength and Intel- by a Magic-User of 6th level or higher,
ligence. Reduce this number by the ratio of costing d6 × 1,000 gp
the wielder’s current hit points to their total hit 8. To be extensively polished by d6 dox-
points. For example, a fighter with a Strength ies of the highest caliber, at double
of 16, and Intelligence of 8, and 10 current their nightly rate
hit points our of a maximum of 20 hit points, Failure to suitably sooth the sword’s ego
ends up with 12 ( (16 + 8) × 10/20 ). enrages it, giving the sword a +2 advantage
Finally, the higher total prevails on a roll of during its next Ego check (which will be trig-
1–5 in 6, and imposes its will on the other. gered at the next inopportune moment).
Chronically unhappy swords may seek to
change owners (to a more powerful character
Ego Check Triggers more suitable to the sword’s magnificence, or
to a weaker-willed and more easily control-
The Referee decides when a sword chooses
lable character) by leading the wielder into
to assert itself by overriding the will of its
danger.
wielder. Some of these actions may trigger
an ego check:
Rumors
• Wielder uses another magical melee
weapon Your players should hear rumors about other
• Wielder acquires another magic melee magic swords—both those lost swords they
weapon might seek as treasure, and the exploits of
• Wielder runs away from a fight actively wielded swords. For example:

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 1. Maxkillibur has been found in the the wielder must willfully trigger the sword’s
Depths of Disagreeableness after five powers, but in other cases the sword auto-
centuries. matically uses its powers at an appropriate
2. Maxkillibur tasted the flesh of the moment.
dragon Fearsome Fred.
3. Maxkillibur can behead a man at 60’. Handling Ego
4. The magic sword Shizona is offer-
ing its share of the Gublun Mines Swords are fickle, and want renown above all
treasure in exchange for the present else. If the sword is not happy (i.e.—not get-
whereabout of the Treacherous Wizard ting its share of treasure), a more controllable
Scrollshanks. or high profile potential wielder is present, and
5. Lately, Shizona’s wielder has been grave peril is at hand, then a sword should
heedless of danger, even reckless. make an attempt to kill off the player charac-
6. On the 5th level of Crawling Canyon, ter.
the Merry Bravoes adventuring com- The Original Game has the Referee should
pany were cut down to a man, includ- take control of a character that loses an ego
ing the wielder of Shizona. The fate of test. That may not be fun for the player.
this storied blade is unknown. Keep the take-over brief, just long enough
to change or make one decision. If you think
the player would dig acting against his own
Discovering Sword Powers character’s interests as a megalomaniacal
magic item, let the player run the sword.
How much do players initially know about the If neither of these ideas work for you, and
sword? Some powers might be discoverable you can’t think of a more fun way to handle
through experimentation, but the sword may ego take-overs, just drop it. Have the sword
only reveal its powers little by little, as the sit- brag and make demands, but don’t totally re-
uation and its mood dictate. In some cases, move player agency.

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Legal Appendix

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If you want to publish your own Swords & Wizardry adventures or other gaming resources, you can! First of all, if you are interested in submitting your
materials to Frog God Games for consideration, contact Bill Webb at bill@talesofthefroggod.com. If they are accepted, your work will get published as
part of the Swords & Wizardry product line!
If you want to be your own, independent publisher of Swords & Wizardry resources, and you comply with the terms of the Swords & Wizardry
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Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2000–2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker,
Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax
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Swords & Wizardry Core Rules, Copyright 2008, Matthew J. Finch.
Swords & Wizardry Complete Rules, Copyright 2010, Matthew J. Finch
Art and illustrations in Magic Swords for Swords & Wizardry Copyright 2013, Paul Gorman

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