Living Weapon by

# Living Weapon
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Those who temper their inborn shapeshifting powers with martial discipline and training are known as Living Weapons. To such fighters, the body is simply another weapon to be mastered. Through their tradition, the sudden and violent manifestations of other shapeshifters become careful, controlled, and deliberate, more closely resembling the forging of a blade than a momentary descent into feral abandon.

#### Unarmored Defense

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the ability to reflexively project metallic spurs from your body, which ensnare and deflect incoming attacks. While you aren't wearing armor, your AC is equal to 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Strength modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

#### Primal Blade

Also at 3rd level, you can use your bonus action to manifest a weapon of tempered steel. This weapon replaces one of your arms, and has the statistics of any one-handed martial melee weapon. It lasts until you are reduced to 0 hit points, become incapacitated, manifest a new weapon, or use your bonus action to retract it.

By spending 1 hour engaged in a ritual with a magical melee weapon, you can absorb it into your body. Weapons you manifest gain the magical features of the absorbed weapon. You can only absorb one weapon at once, and the weapon reappears by your side if you die or use your action to release it.

#### Visceral Strength

Starting at 3rd level, when you manifest your primal blade, you can choose to transform your entire body into a finely tuned weapon. For the next minute, you add your Dexterity modifier to damage on attacks made using Strength, and visa versa. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

#### Grasping Spurs

Starting at 7th level, you learn to control the movement of the metallic spurs you manifest through your unarmored defense. While you aren't wearing armor, you have a climb speed equal to your walking speed, and you can climb without using your hands.

#### Ensnaring Mesh

Starting at 10th level, when a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to attempt to disarm or grapple that creature.

#### Tempered Resolve

Starting at 15th level, you can use your Visceral Strength feature twice before finishing a rest, instead of once.

#### Intuitive Strike

Starting at 18th level, you use your weapons with a natural and intuitive grace unattainable with manufactured tools. Attacks you make with your manifested weapons can't have disadvantage.

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> #### Modular Weapons
> While the ability to freely switch weapons in combat can be exciting and flavorful, it doesn't offer much in the way of tangible benefits. The [Modular Weapons](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-LKSfOTqZXP5nBPM652j) supplement is a simple, one-page overhaul of the core weapon weapon rules which adds unique benefits to each weapon archetype. If one of your players is using the Living Weapon, consider using these rules to add a little mechanical weight to their flexibility.

<div class='footnote'> <b>Image by serenity2200</b> </div>