Ironleaf Impaler (Patreon)

Weapon (a javelin or spear), rare (requires attunement)

This wooden weapon is sprouted from a roughly fist-sized seed that's still attached to its base. A large, red thorn creates the weapon's pointed tip. Dense, thorny vines coil around the top and bottom of the haft, with small, glowing splits appearing in the wood beneath them. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

In addition, this weapon has 5 charges and regains all expended charges daily at dawn. When you make a ranged attack with the weapon, you can choose to expend 1 of its charges. Hit or miss, the weapon explodes into thorny shrapnel after it reaches the target. The target and each creature within 10 feet of it must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. A creatures takes 1d8 piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the target was hit by the attack, it automatically fails the saving throw. Immediately after the weapon explodes, the seed reappears at your location and regrows the weapon into your hand.

The druids knew better than to cut back the ironleaf briars. If you trimmed one, another would simply grow up in its place—scraping and pulling at your flesh and clothes with its countless thorns. To the druids, 'cutting the thorns' became synonymous with foolhardiness, pointless struggle, and certain—painful—failure.