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Nerdarchy > Dungeons & Dragons  > ThunderCats Ho! Sword of Omens D&D-ized
The Sword of Omens in both forms: as a dagger with the Eye of Thundera closed, and a longsword with the Eye of Thundera activated.

ThunderCats Ho! Sword of Omens D&D-ized

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As a follow-up to Nerdarchists Dave and Ted’s video where they D&D-ized the legendary Sword of Omens from the ThunderCats cartoon, I’ve been tasked with taking a shot at the crunch for this incredibly powerful artifact. You won’t need Sight Beyond Sight to watch that initial video, which I’ve included for you here:

Before delving into this further, I have to admit research for a project that involves watching a  beloved 1980s cartoons and reading associated wiki pages really gives that feeling that you’ve made it as a nerd. Like Dave and Ted, my attention is primarily focused on the 80s version of the cartoon. There are some differences in the 2011 iteration of the ThunderCats, most of which scale back the power of the Sword of Omens.

And whoa, is this thing powerful.

Dave and Ted hit most of the points in the video, but I was astonished to discover how many powers this artifact contains. Some of the abilities are simply too strong to include mechanically in any practical sense, like firing an energy beam through half of a planet. That being said, if you’re a DM and choose to include the Sword of Omens in your campaign, feel free to instill the weapon with additional powers as you see fit.

The most notable thing about the Sword of Omens is that there are two distinct artifacts working in symbiosis that generate its immense power. There is the Sword of Omens itself, a nearly-indestructible blade capable of cutting through metal and stone, levitating, flying, firing energy blasts and more. Coupled with the blade is the Eye of Thundera, a sentient artifact and the source of all Thunderan life.

The Sword of Omens

Weapon (dagger, longsword), artifact (requires atunement by the Lord of the ThunderCats)

Believed to be the source of the ThunderCats’ power, the Sword of Omens is passed down from one Lord of the ThunderCats to their successor. The nearly-indestructible blade is incredibly strong, resilient and sharp enough to slice through steel and stone. At rest, the Sword of Omens takes the form of a dagger. When activated, the blade grows in length to the size of a longsword. Embedded in the hilt is the Eye of Thundera, a red jewel with a cat eye image in the center.

On very rare occasions, the Sword of Omens will allow a creature of pure spirit to wield it or access one of its powers. How the Sword of Omens determines if a creature is pure of spirit is unknown. Individuals have been known to wield the sword in defense of the ThunderCats when the Lord of the ThunderCats is in grave danger, for example.

Variable Weapon. The Sword of Omens at rest is in the form of a dagger. By speaking the command words, “Thunder … thunder … thunder … ThunderCats Ho!” the dagger transforms into a longsword.

Magic Weapon. The Sword of Omens is a magic weapon that grants a +3 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with it. The sword also functions as a cube of force with the chosen effect selected mentally rather than requiring a button push, a weapon of warning, winged boots while held and acts as a siege weapon doing double damage to objects and structures.

Random Properties. The Sword of Omens has the following randomly determined properties:

  • 2 minor beneficial properties
  • 1 major beneficial property

Recall to the Hand. If the Sword of Omens is on the same plane of existence, you can summon it as a bonus action on your turn, causing it to teleport instantly to your hand.

Stunning Blast. If you are holding the Sword of Omens, you can use your action to release a stunning blast. Target a creature you can see within 30 feet.  The target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn. Once this power is used, it may not be used again until the next dawn.

Electrical Blast. If you are holding the Sword of Omens, you can use your action to fire a bolt of lightning, forming a line 5 feet wide that extends from the blade to a target within 120 feet. Each creature in the line must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d6 lightning damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. Once this power is used, it may not be used again until the next dawn.

Danger Sense. While holding the Sword of Omens, you can use an action to activate this ability. For the next minute, you know the direction of the nearest creature hostile to you within 60 feet, but not its distance to you. The Sword of Omens can sense the presence of hostile creatures that are ethereal, invisible, disguised, or hidden, as well as those in plain sight. The effect ends if you stop holding the Sword of Omens. This ability may be used a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier. After all the uses have been expended, this ability may not be used again until the next dawn.

Sword of Omens


Curse of Balthas.
If the Sword of Omens is ever used to attack a ThunderCat, the sword breaks and loses all of its powers. The only way to restore the sword’s power is by reforging it in star fire.

Eye of Thundera

Wondrous item, artifact (requires atunement by the Lord of the ThunderCats)

Embedded in the hilt of the Sword of Omens, the Eye of Thundera is a red jewel with a cat eye image in the center. When activated, the eye “opens” and transforms into the head of a cat. The Eye of Thundera is the source of the ThunderCats’ power, and like the Sword of Omens is passed down from one Lord of the ThunderCats to the next.

The Eye of Thundera is a sentient artifact that is committed to fighting evil, in particular evil magics. As the source of the ThunderCats’ power, its primary objective is to aid them in defending Thunderian culture and protecting those in danger from the forces of evil. It gives the Lord of the ThunderCats mighty tools to aid in meeting these objectives as well as empower all ThunderCats.

Sight Beyond Sight. Speaking the command words allows the wielder to peer at distant locations. As an action, the wielder may cast scrying. When Sight Beyond Sight is used, it may not be used again until the next dawn.

Call of the ThunderCats. The Eye of Thundera can be used to call, motivate and strengthen the ThunderCats. As an action, the wielder may speak the command word and the Eye of Thundera projects the ThunderCats symbol into the sky. Any ThunderCats on the same plane of existence will know exactly where the wielder is and gain the benefits of beacon of hope and freedom of movement. Once this feature is used, it can’t be used again for 7 days.ThunderCats

Spells. While attuned to and holding the Sword of Omens and the Eye of Thundera, the wielder can use an action to cast one of the following spells (DC 16) from it: counterspell, dispel magic or heal. Once you use the Eye of Thundera to cast a spell, you can’t cast that spell again from it until the next dawn.

Sentience. The Eye of Thundera is a sentient neutral good item with an Intelligence of 12, Wisdom of 18 and Charisma of 15. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The Eye of Thundera communicates by transmitting emotion to the creature carrying or wielding it. If it perceives danger to itself or any ThunderCat, it sends a tingling sensation throughout the wielder’s body.

Personality. The Eye of Thundera seeks above all else to preserve Thunderian culture and protect ThunderCats. The item’s purpose is to uphold the Code of Thundera, which embodies speaking the truth at all times, loyalty to family and friends, honor and respect to superiors, and striving to help others with fairness and goodness in all acts. Along with the Sword of Omens, the Eye of Thundera is meant only for the Lord of the ThunderCats. However, on rare occasions the Eye of Thundera will allow others to utilize its powers if they exemplify the Code of Thundera and wield the item in defense of the ThunderCats.

If you think that’s a lot of powers …

… then check this out! For posterity, I’m including a list from Thundercats.org that references the many fantastic powers of the Sword of Omens along with the episode name where those powers are used:

  1. Summon the ThunderCats
  2. Shoot energy beams
  3. Sight Beyond Sight
  4. Warn Lion-O of danger to himself and the other TCats
  5. Come to Lion-O when called
  6. Turn into a pole vaulter’s pole (“Tower of Traps”)
  7. Form a temporary bridge (“Doom-Gaze”)
  8. Banish someone (“Shadowmaster”)
  9. Fight on its own (“Excalibur”)
  10. Cause rain (“Helpless Laughter”)
  11. Fly Lion-O from one place to another
  12. Press buttons
  13. Create an eclipse (“Day of the Eclipse”)
  14. Repair broken objects (“Chain of Loyalty”)
  15. Reverse physical alterations, meaning bringing the TCs back to normal from whatever alteration they had suffered (“Return of the ThunderCubs,” “Out of Sight”)
  16. Turn stone into flesh (“Mossland Monster”)
  17. Give the TCs the strength needed to get free (in many episodes the TCs were fighting a battle, sometimes even losing it, and as soon as Lion-O summons them, they seem to get brains or strength necessary to get out of trouble.)
  18. Stop a boulder from sealing the cave at ThunderStone Mountain (“Malcar”)
  19. Turn Screwloose from evil to good (“Screwloose”)
  20. Form an energy panther that saves all the Cat’s Lair ThunderCats from certain doom (“Runaways”)
  21. Rescue the ThunderCats from Mumm-Ra’s magic paintings (“Fond Memories”)
  22. Become gigantic (“The Ghost Warrior,” “The Mossland Monster”)
  23. Create a thunderstorm to destroy Baron Tass’s guardsmen, which are made of clay (“Well of Doubt”)
  24. Guide Cheetara and Tygra in the Feliner to safety (“Trapped”)
  25. Create force fields (“Berbils,” “All That Glitters,” “Out of Sight,” “Shadowmaster”)
  26. Creating a laser bridge (“Locket of Lies”)
  27. Controlling the other TCs’ weapons and turning them against their owners (“Chain of Loyalty”)
  28. Convert Thundrillium pieces into one perfect block (“Malcar”)
  29. Record video and play it back later (“Safari Joe”)
  30. Electrocute unworthy wielders (”Pumra”)
  31. Reverse malnutrition (“Crystal Canyon”)

I had a ton of fun D&D-izing this legendary weapon and coming up with interesting ways to portray some of its powers. In particular, the Sword of Omens’ mimicking of a Cube of Force I thought was a neat way to include some of the weapon’s defensive capabilities.

How would you D&D-ize the Sword of Omens? Would you like to see D&D versions of more ThunderCats stuff, or characters and items from other sources? Leave a comment below and let us know. And, of course, stay nerdy.

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Doug Vehovec

Nerditor-in-Chief Doug Vehovec is a proud native of Cleveland, Ohio, with D&D in his blood since the early 80s. Fast forward to today and he’s still rolling those polyhedral dice. When he’s not DMing, worldbuilding or working on endeavors for Nerdarchy he enjoys cryptozoology trips and eating awesome food.

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