Editor's note: The following article contains spoilers for Episodes 4 to 6 of The Legend of Vox Machina.Season 2 of The Legend of Vox Machina introduces new villains, the ancient dragons of the Chroma Conclave. To fight this new menace, our heroes must upgrade their gear, so they go after Vestiges of Divergence, powerful weapons, and pieces of armor created with the help of the gods themselves. In the new batch of episodes just released on Prime Video, Vax'ildan (voiced by Liam O'Brien) gets hold of the mythical Deathwalker’s Ward armor, the first Vestige found by Vox Machina. However, while Episode 4 showcases Vax’s impressive dodge skills after he puts on the armor, there’s still no direct explanation of how the Deathwalker’s Ward works. Fortunately, looking at Critical Role’s Exandria history and Dungeons & Dragons rules gives us a clear idea of what the powers of Vax’s new Deathwalker’s Ward armor are.
Why the Deathwalker’s Ward Was Created
To understand where the Vestiges of Divergence come from, we must first learn how the world of Exandria came to be. Many millennia ago, the lands that are known as Exandria were inhabited by Primordials, elemental creatures that thrive in chaos. Then came the Creator Gods, who brought life to the world and created the many species that now inhabit the lands, from the gnomes to the mighty dragons. The Primordials were not happy to share their lands, so they waged war against the new species.
At this moment, Exandria’s deity split into two factions. The Prime Deities decided they would fight to keep their creations alive. On the other hand, the Betrayer Gods thought it was a mistake to destroy the Primordials and wanted to leave the world and start anew elsewhere. The Betrayer Gods would ally with the Primordials, making them enemies to all living things. The Primordials would eventually be defeated, and the Betrayer Gods locked away in other planes, which ushered in an era of peace and prosperity in Exandria. However, once the Betrayer Gods escaped their planal prisons, another war began, a conflict that lasted for centuries and was called the Calamity.
During the Calamity, gods choose champions to fight alongside them and help turn the conflicts' tides. Great weapons were forged for these champions, imbued with magic like no other. Eventually, the Prime Deities were victorious and led the Betrayer Gods outside the Material Planes. This moment, also known as the Divergence, marks the end of the Calamity. During the Divergence, the Prime Deities created the Divine Gate, a barrier preventing the gods from returning to the material plane. As for the mortal champions left in Exandria, their equipment would become legendary, known forever as the Vestiges of Divergence.
In the Deathwalker’s Ward case, the magic leather armor set was forged for Purvan Suul (voiced by Matthew Mercer), a follower of the Prime Deity known as the Mother of Ravens. The Champion of the Goddess of Death was a fierce warrior, and after his death, he was laid to rest in a tomb forever while wearing the Deathwalker’s Ward. That’s where Vox Machina finds the Vestige, although the price they pay for it is too high.
How Vax Gets the Deathwalker’s Ward in 'The Legend of Vox Machina'
While exploring the tomb of the Champion of the Raven Queen, Vex'ahlia (voiced by Laura Bailey) accidentally activates a deadly trap. The whole party does what they can to save Vex’s life, but there’s no magic available to bring her back to life. However, Vax sees the Matron of Ravens snatching Vex’s soul during the failed resurrection ritual. Eager to save his sister, Vax offers his life in exchange for hers. The Raven Queen accepts his sacrifice, but instead of killing Vax, she involves him with the Deathwalker’s Ward.
Vax is not aware of the conditions of the pact he just sealed, but he soon realizes he cannot take the armor off. Worst, he starts to get visions where Purvan Suul attacks him. At first, Vax tries to fight for his life. But soon, he gets a revelation and decides that he shouldn’t fear death while being blessed by the Matron of Ravens. So, when Purvan lands the killing blow on Vax, inside his vision, he officially becomes the new Champion of the Goddess of Death. The blessing could prove to be a curse in the future, as Vax inadvertently swore an oath to do his goddess’ bindings. However, for the moment being, the Deathwalker’s Ward is a powerful tool in the fight against the Chroma Conclave.
What Are the Deathwalker’s Ward Powers in 'The Legend of Vox Machina'?
While The Legend of Vox Machina doesn’t list the powers of the Deathwalker’s Ward, the series makes it evident that Vax is a lot more agile after he got the armor set. That’s because the main power of the Deathwalker’s Ward is to give its wearer a bonus in his Armor Class. In Dungeons & Dragons, an Armor Class is the representation of how well a character can evade or block a hit. That means the higher the Armor Class, the harder it is for an enemy to land a blow on a creature.
Other less obvious powers of the Deathwalker’s Ward are giving its wearer extra protection against a chosen element, such as fire or lightning. And when the armor reaches its ultimate level of power, the Deathwalker’s Ward can even grow dark feathered wings that grant its wearer the power of flight. It’s still too soon for The Legend of Vox Machina to reveal the full power of the Deathwalker’s Ward. However, by wearing it, Vax has already improved his survivability, which will prove handy when Vox Machina faces the Chroma Conclave and takes the dragons down, once and for all. Before that, the adventurers will have to gather more Vestiges of Divergence, each with their unique set of powers.
New episodes of The Legend of Vox Machina come to Prime Video every Friday.