Steppen's Custom Darkstalker Tools
Custom Darkstalker Tool Development
Creating a New Tool
History
The Darkstalkers did not begin with the 6 now-standard tools in their arsenal right away and each is the result of different methods of research and experimentation to find the most easily repeatable magical formulas and techniques for the target output. Every Darkstalker initially begins as a researcher for a reason; specifically to ensure a reliable understanding of alchemy, herbalism, and arcane application with the expectation of not only learning the developed tool formulas, but also an intent of developing their own in the field. There are estimated to be at least 30 different known Darkstalker tools, but only the currently taught 6 have been proven enough to see widespread use, with the rest of them private use or only in use for small groups while they are being refined in the field.Development
While it falls to each individual Darkstalker, excepting in rare instances of collaborative design, to procure their own resources and experiment with their own ideas to make their own tools, the actual process is fairly unified and every Darkstalker receives a course in how to approach it.Procurement
The first core step is to find new or uncommon resources that stand to provide unique benefits or assets. These most commonly fall under 3 categories: Botanical, Biological, and Metallurgical. Each of them requires a specific process of distilling, dissecting, or extracting the component elements from them through arcane processes. Only components with potent arcane, divine, or biological properties make fitting basis for new Darkstalker tools.Processing
Once a suitable component has been acquired, a Darkstalker will need to spend an appropriate amount of time experimenting and processing it in order to confirm the viable elements and functionality of it that can be extracted via the Darkstalker’s arcane formulas. Each of the three categories requires a specific method, in most cases, and set of tools.Production
Once a component has been thoroughly processed, a small set of viable options for an end-result can be clearly defined by the Darkstalker. Once a final design has been chosen, the Darkstalker must spend time and resources creating the first prototypes of their new tool. Armed with the completed research of the original material, the Darkstalker should be capable of expending their own arcane energies via their Darkstalker training to emulate the desired effects. Once 3 full prototypes have been created, the arcane expenditures are no longer required and the new tool can be added to the list of options available after a Long Rest.Note:Each prototype recipe’s time to create, DC, Check, and Spell Slot cost will vary by the nature of the target.
Propagation
This is the least commonly completed step, as it requires record of succesful field usage, validation by at least one additional Darkstalker, preferably of higher rank, and demonstration before 2 Instructor level or higher Darkstalkers. Once completed, the designing Darkstalker works with an advanced research team to refine the design further before a final decision on whether or not to include it in the ongoing curriculum.In Development Schematics
Wyrd Wood Nut: Mahelli Seed
Category: Botanical
Progress: ☐ ☐ ☐
DC: 12
Tools: Herbalist's Kit (Nature)
Option #1 - Adrenaline Mist
Description - As a Bonus Action, you release an infused mist in a 10ft radius burst centered on you. Each creature within the burst gains the following bonuses until the end of its next turn: its speed is doubled, it gains a +2 bonus to its AC, it has Advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws, and it gains an additional Bonus Action that can be used to Dash, Disengage or Hide. When these bonuses expire for a creature, it must make a DC 14 Constitution Saving Throw or its speed drops to 0 and its AC is reduced by 2 until the end of its next turn.
Prototype Formula - DC 13 | Arcana | 2 Spell Slots | 1 Hour
Option #2 - Focus Mist
Description - As an Action, you release an infused mist in a 10ft radius burst centered on you. Each creature within the burst makes their next Initiative Check within 1 hour with Advantage. Any creature that is already in an Initiative Order when they are effected by this tool instead immediately increases their Initiative Score result by 5 for the rest of the encounter, taking effect the next time their new position comes around.
Prototype Formula - DC13 | Perception | 1 Spell Slot | 1 Hour
Option #3 - Retort Draught
Description - As an Action you may drink this potion to gain its benefits for the next 1 minute. Whenever you use your Reaction while under the effects, you may immediately make a DC 15 Athletics Check. On a success, your Reaction for that round is not used up.
Prototype Formula - DC 14 | Athletics | 1 Spell Slot | 2 Hours
Ixitxatchitl Frost Spike
Category: Biological
Progress: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
DC: 13
Tools: Alchemist's Kit (Arcana)
Option #1 - Frigid Lock
Description - As an Action, you may throw this prepared bottle of water and infernal ice at a space you can see within 30ft of you. It detonates on impact, releasing a blast of stygian ice, and each creature within 10ft must make a Dexterity Saving Throw using your Spell Save DC. On a failure, a creature becomes restrained for 1 minute. On its turn, a creature can use its Action to free itself from the ice, ending the Restrained condition
Prototype Formula - DC 13 | Dexterity | 1 Spell Slot | 1 Hour
Option # 2 - Stygian Shell
Description - As an Action, you may pour a small measure of arcane force into this refined spike of Stygian ice. For the next minute, you are cloaked in a shell of stygian cold that grants you resistance to Fire Damage. Once active, you may use your Reaction to amplify the effect. The protection extends out in a 10ft aura, affecting up to 5 allies in range. At the end of your next turn after amplifying the effect, the effect ends early for everyone.
Prototype Formula - DC 14 | Arcana | 2 Spell Slots | 1 Hour
Option 3 - Uncaring Cold
Description - As an Action, you may use your injector to administer a dose of this serum extracted and refined from the psychic emanations of the Stygian Ice to yourself or another creature you can touch. When injected, the target is immediately, but temporarily, overcome by the inherent apathy of the Stygian waters, becoming immune to all forms of Fear, Charm, or other strong emotions for the next 1 hour, at which time their emotions return to normal. Additionally, any of these effects they are currently under end immediately and all Persuasion or Intimidation checks made against them automatically fail for the duration.
Prototype Formula - DC 14 | Insight | 1 Spell Slot | 2 Hours
Blueglow Moss
Category: Botanical (Expert)
Progress: ☐ ☐ ☐
DC: 15
Tools: Herbalist's Lab (Religion)
Option #1 - Dreamfog
Description - By applying this refined liquid essence to a censer and igniting it, a thin blue smoke, almost a mist, emits from it for the next minute. Any creature within 10ft of the smoke that breathes it in for the full minute falls unconscious, as if a deep sleep. If not disturbed, the creatures return to consciousness 10 minutes later, gaining the full effects of a Short Rest. A creature can only be effected by this smoke once per moonrise.
Prototype Formula - DC 14 | Nature | 2 Spell Slots | 1 Hour
Option #2 - Amplifier Formulae
Description - By mixing an application of this stabilized formula into an already created Potion of Healing as an Action, its potency is temporarily amplified. A potion is considered to be one tier more powerful when granting healing after being amplified. This effect lasts for up to 8 hours, after which time the healing potion itself is rendered inert and tasteless, losing its healing effects entirely. This does not function on Supreme Healing Potions.
Prototype Formula - DC 14 | Arcana | 1 Spell Slot | 2 Hours
Option #3 - Deep Sleep Toxin
Description - By spending 1 minute applying this toxin to a weapon, for the next hour it is considered a poisoned weapon. On hit with the poisoned weapon, the target must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your Spell Save DC. On a failure, the target becomes Poisoned for the next hour. While poisoned in this way, the creature cannot easily awaken from a sleeping state and must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your Spell Save DC whenever something would normally wake it from sleep, be it noise, another creature's action, or taking damage. On a failure, the creature remains asleep. If the creature makes the save, the poisoned effect ends as well.
Prototype Formula - DC 14 | Nature | 1 Spell Slot | 1 Hour
High Toxicity Potion
Category: Botanical
Progress: ☐ ☐ ☐
DC: 12
Tools: Herbalist's Kit (Arcana)
Option #1 - Negative Flow Toxin
Description - As an Action, this toxin can be applied to either one weapon or up to 10 pieces of ammunition and remains active for up to 1 hour. When a creature is hit by an attack coated in this toxin, it must make a Consitution Saving Throw against your Spell Save DC. On a failure, within the next hour, the next time the creature would regain hit points from any source, it instead loses that many hit points as the flow of positive energy from the healing is reversed by the toxin.
Prototype Formula - DC 14 | Arcana | 1 Spell Slot | 3 Hours
Option #2 - Adrenaline Eater Toxin
Description - As an Action, this toxin can be applied to either one weapon or up to 3 pieces of ammunition and remains active for up to 1 hour or until the first time that weapon hits a creature. When a creature is hit by a weapon coated with this toxin, it must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your Spell Save DC. On a failure, the creature is affected by the toxin for the next minute, during which time any time it uses a Move action or makes an Attack, it takes 1d6 poison damage. If the creature takes 10d6 damage from the toxin in total before the minute has expired, it expires early.
Prototype Formula - DC 15 | Sleight of Hand | 2 Spell Slots | 2 Hours
Option #3 - Deceiver's Toxin
Description - As an Action, an application of this colorless, odorless, and tasteless toxin can be applied to any food or drink within touch range. After 10 minutes, the food or water becomes toxic for the next hour. If the food or drink is cleansed before the 10 minutes, the toxin can be removed. If a creature ingests the toxic food or drink they must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your Spell Save DC. They are unaware of this save being made. On a failed save, for the next 4 hours the target has trouble discerning what is true accurately. Any attempt they make to discern an illusion is made with Disadvantage, as is any Insight check they make, any Deception check made against them is made with Advantage, and if they enter combat they are unable to fully discern friend from foe, having to make a DC 15 Intelligence Check at the start of each turn, being unable to count any creature as its ally for that round on a failure.
Prototype Formula - DC 14 | Nature | 2 Spell Slots | 1 Hour
Devil Ray Barb
Category: Biological
Progress: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
DC: 13
Tools: Alchemist's Kit (Arcana)
Option #1 - Drain Spike
Description - As a Bonus Action, you may draw this reinforced spike and make a melee weapon attack using your Strength or Dexterity. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 Piercing damage and you regain hit points equal to half of the total damage dealt.
Prototype Formula - DC 13 | Sleight of Hand | 1 Spell Slot | 1 Hour
Option #2 - Striking Whip
Description - As an Action, you manifest a vestige of the original tail the spike was part of, extending a length of black leather from the back of the spike. For the next 4 hours this device functions as a Whip with a range of 15ft, 1d8 Piercing damage on hit, and the Finesse and Light properties. Another creature wielding this tool in whip form is considered Proficient if they have proficiency in Alchemist's Supplies, even if they lack proficiency with Martial Weapons.
Prototype Formula - DC 12 | Arcana | 1 Spell Slot | 4 Hours
Option #3 - Demon Ray's Glide
Description - As an Action, you may infuse a small bit of your arcane force into the spike and gain a measure of its original source's power, granting yourself a Swim Speed. When activated you may choose to gain a Swim Speed of 30ft for 1 hour or a Swim Speed of 60ft for 1 minute.
Prototype Formula - DC 14 | Nature | 1 Spell Slot | 2 Hours
Option #4 - Black Barb Bracers
Description - Once prepared, this tool creatures a pair of forearm bracers that adjust to the size of the wearer. While wearing these bracers, when a creature within 6ft misses with an attack, the wearer may use their Reaction to discharge the dozens of tiny sharp fragments of hooked barbs stored in the bracer. The attacking creature must immediately make a Dexterity Saving Throw against your Spell Save DC. On a failure, roll 1d4 and consult the results below:
- Head - The target is Blinded until the end of its next turn.
- Vitals - The target becomes Vulnerable to the next source of damage it takes before the end of its next turn.
- Upper Appendage - The target loses the ability to take REactions until the end of its next turn.
- Lower Appendage - The target is Restrained until the end of its next turn.
Prototype Formula - DC 14 | Deception | 2 Spell Slots | 1 Hour
Planar Obsidian Gargoyle Shards
Category: Metallurgical
Progress: ☐ ☐ ☐
DC: 15
Tools:Tinker's Tools (Arcana)
Option #1 - Blackout Powder
Description - After refining the planar obsidian down to a fine enough powder that it can briefly hang in the air, dispersing a handful of it at once can create a thick enough cloud to create a visual disruption for a short while. Due to the inherent negative refraction property of the obsidian, the powder suppresses light for a the affected area, effectively creating a darkening effect. As an Action you can throw an application of this powder at a point within 15ft of you. It immediately expands to fill a 15ft radius cube from that point and will hang in the air for up to 1 minute, but can be dissipated earlier by a mild gust of wind. While the cloud is present, any creature within it is Blind as all light is suppressed and creatures outside of it cannot see into or through it.
Prototype Formula - DC 14 | Arcana | 1 Spell Slot | 2 Hours
Option #2 - Jagged Shadow Whetstone
Description - By using your own arcane force to reinforce the normally brittle edge of obsidian, you have created a unique whetstone that can both enhance a weapon and transfer a portion of its planar properties to it. By expending a use of this tool and spending 10 minutes, you may sharpen up to 3 weapons, or replace one weapon in the sharpening with up to 10 arrows, bolts, or sling bullets. A honed weapon remains honed for 4 hours, or until used in the case of ammunition. While honed, a weapon that deals Slashing or Piercing damage on a hit can bypass resistances to those damage types. Additionally, any creature that takes damage from a weapon honed in this way takes an additional 1d4 damage at the start of its next turn as the impact leaves lacerating shards beyond.
Prototype Formula - DC 14 | Nature | 1 Spell Slot | 1 Hour
Option #3 - Jagged Black Coating
Description - By reducing the obsidian down to a liquid and stabilizing within an oil-based solution, an expressable spray can be produced that rehardens on contact with the air when sprayed on a surface. By spending 1 minute and one use of this spray, you can coat an entire set of armor or outerwear in this concoction. 10 seconds after application, it hardens and forms a thin semi-flexible layer of unstable jagged shards all over the armor. For the next 8 hours, the affected armor automatically deals 1d6 slashing damage to any creature within 5ft of it when hit by an attack. Each time this retaliation goes off, roll 1d20 with a DC of 5. On a failure, the impact reverberates, shattering the coating and ending the effect. Each subsequent retaliation after the first increases this DC by 1.
Prototype Formula - DC 15 | Nature | 2 Spell Slots | 1 Hour
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