Vine Whip
1d4S·Martial·Flail·One-handed
Runes +1, striking
This +1 striking whip is crafted from the vine of a dangerous plant creature. It deals bludgeoning or slashing damage, according to the vine attack of the creature it was harvested from. For example, collecting a vine from an assassin vine would result bludgeoning damage, while one from a mandragora or viper vine would deal piercing damage.
Activate ◆◆◆ (concentrate, manipulate)
Requirements You have soil or sand within your reach
Effect You Release the weapon and plant it in the ground, where it takes root and fights on its own against the last enemy you attacked or the nearest enemy to it if your target has been defeated.
The weapon has a space of 5 feet, acts on your initiative, and gains two actions. It doesn't block or impede enemies attempting to move through that space, nor does it benefit from or provide flanking. The weapon can't use reactions, and it acts on your turn.
While Activated, a vine whip makes Strikes with an attack modifier of +22 plus its item bonus to attack rolls (normally +24 total). It uses the weapon's normal damage but has a +0 Strength modifier. The whip's abilities that automatically trigger on a hit or critical hit still function, but the weapon can't be Activated or benefit from any of your abilities while rooted.
Each round, when the vine whip is finished using its actions, attempt a DC 6 flat. On a failure, the Activation ends and the vine whip becomes inanimate. You can't Activate the item again for 10 minutes. Removing the vine whip from the ground takes an Interact action.
While rooted, the vine whip gains fast healing 1.
Craft Requirements The initial raw materials must include the vine from a plant creature with a vine attack.
Traits
You can use this weapon to Disarm with the Athletics skill even if you don't have a free hand. This uses the weapon's reach (if different from your own) and adds the weapon's item bonus to attack rolls (if any) as an item bonus to the Athletics check. If you critically fail a check to Disarm using the weapon, you can drop the weapon to take the effects of a failure instead of a critical failure. On a critical success, you still need a free hand if you want to take the item.
You can use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls using this melee weapon. You still use your Strength modifier when calculating damage.
Attacks with this weapon are nonlethal, and are used to knock creatures unconscious instead of kill them. You can use a nonlethal weapon to make a lethal attack with a -2 circumstance penalty.
Natural attacks with this trait can be used to attack creatures up to the listed distance away instead of only adjacent creatures. Weapons with this trait are long and can be used to attack creatures up to 10 feet away instead of only adjacent creatures. For creatures that already have reach with the limb or limbs that wield the weapon, the weapon increases their reach by 5 feet.
You can use this weapon to Trip with the Athletics skill even if you don't have a free hand. This uses the weapon's reach (if different from your own) and adds the weapon's item bonus to attack rolls as an item bonus to the Athletics check. If you critically fail a check to Trip using the weapon, you can drop the weapon to take the effects of a failure instead of a critical failure.
The target is knocked prone.