Grimveil, the Saint's Sorrow
Grimveil was carved from the rib of a martyred inquisitor who spent his last breath condemning both his killers and his god in equal measure. The bowyer who shaped it never slept again after completing the work, claiming the wood whispered names of the dead each night. Holy orders that know of the bow call it an abomination — not because it lacks sacred power, but because it uses that power with something that feels uncomfortably like grief.
Mechanics
A cursed holy longbow that burns its targets with searing radiant light while slowly scarring its wielder with the weight of every kill.
Saintslayer's Draw
This longbow grants a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. Arrows fired from Grimveil deal an additional 1d6 radiant damage on a hit. This radiant damage manifests as scorching white light that chars flesh black before fading — it has no visual warmth, only ruin.
Harrowing Bolt
As a bonus action, you can expend 1 charge to infuse the next arrow you fire before the end of your current turn with condemned light. On a hit, the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be Blinded until the end of its next turn as searing radiance floods its vision. On a failed save, the target also takes an additional 2d8 radiant damage. This effect has no save against the extra damage — the blindness is the only contested roll.
Arcane Arrow Conduit
Whenever you use the Arcane Shot feature and the chosen Arcane Shot option deals damage or imposes a condition, you may expend 1 charge as part of the same attack (no additional action required) to add 1d8 radiant damage to that shot's total damage. This damage applies even if the target succeeds on any saving throw the Arcane Shot requires.
The Sorrow's Brand
Grimveil keeps a grim tally. Each time you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with an attack using this bow, you gain one Sorrow Mark (maximum 3). While you have any Sorrow Marks, your hit point maximum is reduced by 3 per mark. All Sorrow Marks fade at dawn when the bow's charges recharge, lifting the reduction. If you are reduced to 0 hit points while bearing 3 Sorrow Marks, you must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion upon regaining consciousness.
4 charges
Recharges at dawn
DM Notes
Balance consideration: The Sorrow's Brand drawback is meaningful but manageable at level 5–7. With roughly 45–60 HP at this tier, a -9 maximum HP reduction is roughly 15–20% of a fighter's total — noticeable but not crippling for a single adventuring day. The dawn recharge ties the drawback cleanly to the rest cycle. Watch for players deliberately avoiding killing blows to game the mechanic; rule that 'reduces to 0 hit points' applies to any creature, including minions, so active combat naturally accumulates marks. The Arcane Arrow Conduit is the primary subclass synergy — it rewards the Arcane Archer's limited-use feature without replacing it, adding roughly 4.5 average radiant damage per Arcane Shot expended alongside a charge. Total nova output (Harrowing Bolt + Arcane Arrow Conduit + base radiant on one attack) costs 2 charges and is high but limited to 2 such turns per day. Suggest placing the bow in the hands of a fallen or corrupted holy warrior to reinforce the dark-holy tension in its origin.
Generated with: Level 6 · Fighter · Arcane Archer · Weapon · Any · Dark / Gritty · Radiant / Holy · Rare