Greatsword of Life Stealing
D&D 5e · 2024·Weapons·Rare·Requires attunement
Base weapon damage before your ability modifier. Use the calculator to include hit chance and critical hits.
Damage calculator
Hit chance
55%
Expected damage / attack
5.85
Attack bonus
+5
Average normal hit: 10 · Average critical hit: 17 · Critical chance: 5%.
- Category
- Martial weapon
- Damage type
- Slashing
- Reach
- 5 ft.
- Magic attack bonus
- +0
- Weight
- 6 lb
- Attunement
- Required
- Rarity
- Rare
- Price
- Not specified
Magic: Displayed damage is before applicable ability modifiers. Conditional extra damage applies only when its trigger and target requirements are met.
Calculator assumptions & rules
One attack against a creature. Natural 1 misses; natural 20 hits and doubles damage dice, not flat modifiers. Expected damage includes misses and critical hits. Advantage uses the higher of two d20s; Disadvantage uses the lower. Magic bonuses shown on the item are counted once.
Uses only the weapon’s ordinary hit and the listed on-hit extra dice, when enabled. Class features, Sneak Attack, fighting styles, mastery effects, damage on a miss, special critical-hit effects, ongoing damage, resistance and immunity are excluded. Check the full rules below for additional effects.
Changing calculator inputs does not change the item’s rules or create a new page URL.
What Greatsword of Life Stealing does
- Strength can drive this martial weapon’s attack and damage rolls. Add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll only if you are proficient.
- The base 2d6 weapon damage averages 7 before your ability modifier and extra effects. Hit chance matters too: compare expected damage per attack rather than the die alone.
- This weapon needs two hands when you attack, so a wielded shield conflicts with that attack setup.
- The extra damage is conditional: Target is not construct or undead. Enable it only when that condition is met; otherwise compare the weapon’s ordinary hit.
- This item uses one of your attunement slots. Compare its benefit with the other items you want to keep attuned.
When you attack a creature with this magic weapon and roll a 20 on the d20 for the attack roll, that target takes an extra 15 Necrotic damage if it isn't a Construct or an Undead, and you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to the amount of Necrotic damage taken. This is the Greatsword variant.
Full item details & properties
Magic properties
- Activation
- Attack a creature and roll a 20 on the attack d20.
- Consumable
- No
- Conditions & limits
- Displayed damage is before applicable ability modifiers. Conditional extra damage applies only when its trigger and target requirements are met. Graze on a miss uses only the applicable ability modifier; it does not trigger on-hit or attack-d20-20 effects.
- Life Stealing
- A 20 on the attack d20 adds 15 Necrotic damage against creatures other than Constructs and Undead. Expanded critical range does not trigger this.
- Temporary Hit Points
- Equal to the Necrotic damage the target actually takes; not automatically 15 and not healing.
Weapon details
- Damage
- 2d6 slashing
- Weapon class
- Martial Melee
- Damage on qualifying d20 roll of 20
- Normal Critical Hit damage + 15 necrotic
Properties
Heavy
You have Disadvantage on attack rolls with a Heavy weapon if it's a Melee weapon and your Strength score isn't at least 13 or if it's a Ranged weapon and your Dexterity score isn't at least 13.
Two-Handed
A Two-Handed weapon requires two hands when you attack with it.
Weapon mastery
Graze
If your attack roll with this weapon misses a creature, you can deal damage to that creature equal to the ability modifier you used to make the attack roll. This damage is the same type dealt by the weapon, and the damage can be increased only by increasing the ability modifier.
You need a feature, such as Weapon Mastery, that unlocks this property for you.
Tags & related references
Compare alternatives
Same edition, using your calculator inputs above. Special properties and character features can change the choice.
Same base weapon; compare its bonuses and rarity
Greatsword of Wounding10.05 expected damage / attack55% hit chance2d6 slashing + 2d6 necrotic · +0 magic attack · 5 ft. reachNot specified · 6 lbSame base weapon; compare its bonuses and rarity
Flame Tongue Battleaxe4.35 expected damage / attack55% hit chance1d8 slashing · +0 magic attack · 5 ft. reach · Conditional extra damage; see rulesNot specified · 4 lbUses the same attack ability; compare handling and damage
Flame Tongue Club3.15 expected damage / attack55% hit chance1d4 bludgeoning · +0 magic attack · 5 ft. reach · Conditional extra damage; see rulesNot specified · 2 lbUses the same attack ability; compare handling and damage
Ordinary attacks only. Matching extra-damage conditions follow your input; alternatives keep their default bonus allocation.
Greatsword of Life Stealing FAQ
Does Greatsword of Life Stealing require attunement?
Yes. You need to attune to this item to use the properties that require attunement.
Is the listed price a guaranteed purchase price?
The source does not specify a price for this entry. Ask your GM about availability and cost.