Stake Thrower

A large, exquisitely crafted crossbow, the Stake Thrower is specially outfitted to shoot thick wooden stakes rather than typical crossbow bolts. It also has a secondary chamber into which potions and bombs can be loaded. The original prototype for the Stake Thrower was drawn up by Joana Harker, and the weapon itself was crafted by Herb Richard in the town of Broken Shield.

Base Stats

DEX or INT Weapon, Two-Handed, Ammunition*, Unwieldy

Range: Ranged 500 ft

APC: 3

Damage: 1d10 sharp

The Stake Thrower has the stats of a heavy crossbow. This crossbow can fire normal bolts, but is specially outfitted to fire stakes as well. It has +1 to attack and damage rolls.

Stakes have a +2 crit range against vampires. When you crit with a stake, if the target creature has the fiend or undead tag, it takes +1d10 radiant damage. Stakes fired from the Stake Thrower break immediately upon being fired.

Each time you Take a Rest, you may craft a number of stakes equal to your INT x5 and a number of normal bolts equal to your INT x20. These stakes and bolts can only be used with the Stake Thrower and they become feeble and unusable 24 hours later.

You also have 2 “Projectile Slots.” You have the following specialty ammunition.

Smoke Bomb: Cast the Billowing Fog spell innately without using SP. This cannot be upcharged when cast this way.

Holy Water Vial: Targets REF of every creature within a 5 ft radius. A creature may choose to be hit automatically. On a hit, the creature gains 1d4 Shield HP, unless it has the fiend or undead tag, in which case it takes 1d10 radiant damage.

Firing a projectile costs 3 AP and consumes a Projectile Slot. It allows you to deploy the relevant effect anywhere within 1⁄2 your Stake Thrower’s typical range.

Enhancements

Each time you gain an enhancement for this artifact, choose from the following list of enhancements. Note that some have prerequisites, such as being a certain character level or having another enhancement feature already.

Bolt Sprayer

In addition to equipping your crossbow to shoot a rapid flurry of small bolts, enhancements from this track also boost your weapon’s damage output and range.

Bolt Sprayer
Enhancement	PreReq	Description
Bolt Spray		You produce +20 bolts each time you Take a Rest. By expending 20 bolts and spending 5 AP, you may make an attack with your Stake Thrower against the REF of each creature in a 30 ft cone. On a hit, deal 2d10 sharp damage. On a miss, 1⁄2 damage.
Distant Shot		Your stake thrower’s range becomes 1,000 ft.
Efficient Design		Other enhancement abilities from this grouping that cost 5 AP now cost you 3 AP instead.
Hail of Bolts		You produce +20 bolts each time you Take a Rest. By expending 10 bolts and spending 5 AP, you may make an attack with your Stake Thrower against the REF of each creature in a 10 ft radius from a point that you choose within 1⁄2 the range of your Stake Thrower. On a hit, deal 2d10 sharp damage. On a miss, deal 1⁄2 damage.
Line of Fire		You produce +20 bolts each time you Take a Rest. By expending 20 bolts and spending 5 AP, you may make an attack against the REF of each creature in a 60 ft line originating from a point adjacent to you. On a hit, deal 2d10 sharp damage. On a miss, deal 1⁄2 damage.
Piercing Ammunition	Character Level 9	The Stake Thrower becomes +2 to attack and damage rolls.
Piercing Ammunition II	Piercing Ammunition, Character Level 17	The Stake Thrower becomes +3 to attack and damage rolls.
Suppressing Fire		You may spend 2 Reactive AP to expend 5 bolts and give a creature the Suppressed condition when it would begin to move within 1⁄2 the range of your Stake Thrower.

Grenadier

Enhancements from this grouping offer you more options for the kinds of bombs, potions, and other secondary projectiles you can fire from the Stake Thrower.

Grenadier
Enhancement	PreReq	Description
Antiviral Gas		Gain +1 Projectile Slot. You also gain a new type of specialty ammunition. Antiviral Gas: Creatures within 20 ft of a point within range gain Immune Toxic and Immune Sickened until the start of your next turn. Creatures that were already Sickened do not gain this ability. Creatures then gain Resist Toxic +5 and Resist Sickened +5 for the next 1 minute.
Bolas		Gain +1 Projectile Slot. You also gain a new type of specialty ammunition. Bolas: Make an attack against the REF of a creature within range. On a hit, it falls Prone and is Restrained (making the escape DC 10 + the attribute you use for the stake thrower). On a miss, it only falls Prone.
Firebomb		Gain +1 Projectile Slot. By expending 2 Projectile Slots at once, you may use the following specialty ammunition. Firebomb: Cast the Fireball spell on a point within range. You do not spend SP when casting it in this way, but must still observe the conjuring restrictions. You may not upcharge this spell.
Flamethrower		When you expend a Projectile Slot, if you use a projectile that would typically affect an area as opposed to a single target, you may change the area to a 30 ft cone originating from a point adjacent to you.
Flashbang		Gain +1 Projectile Slot. You also gain a new type of specialty ammunition. Flashbang: Make an attack roll against the ANT of each creature in a 20 ft radius of a point within range. On a hit, the creature is Blinded and Deafened until the end of its next turn. On a miss, the creature is only Deafened until the end of its next turn.
Greater Capacity		Gain +4 Projectile Slots. When you Recoup, regain +3 expended Projectile Slots (1/Rest).

Utility Arsenal

Enhancements from this grouping grant you access to a wide variety of utility equipment and abilities to aid you in exploration.

Utility Arsenal
Enhancement	PreReq	Description
Bolt Crafter		You may use AWR or INT when determining the number of stakes and bolts that you can craft upon Taking a Rest. The number of stakes you craft is now that attribute x15, and the number of bolts you make is now that attribute x30.
Grappling Hook		When you Take a Rest, you may combine five of your stakes to create a clawed grappling hook. Provided that you have rope, you may affix the rope to the hook. You may choose to load the grappling hook onto the bolt thrower, firing it for 6 AP at a point within range. Provided that there is a reasonable edge, bar, hook, or the like on which the grappling hook can affix itself, it does so. Each time you use the grappling hook, make a DC 12 LUCK check. On a failure, the grappling hook breaks after use and cannot be used again until you Take a Rest and make a new one.
Luminous Formula		When you Take a Rest, you may produce a slow-burning formula of combustible powder contained in a small vial. This formula can be expended for 1 AP, casting the Light arcane cantrip. (2/Rest)
Stake Pitons		You produce +10 stakes when you Take a Rest. You may use your stakes as though they were pitons to aid in climbing. Each time you do, make a DC 5 LUCK check. On a failure, the stake breaks after being used in this way.
Utility Compartments		Each time you Take a Rest, your Stake Thrower magically provides you with some gear that you can utilize on your next day’s adventure. This can be 50 ft of nonmagical rope or any survival equipment besides a map or a spyglass. This gear functions for 24 hours, then deteriorates.