Wooden Spears and Shillelagh

[JumboWheat01]

So one of my fellow players lost their character, and decided to be a druid, and wants to know if he could use Shillelagh on a spear made entirely of wood (or in laymen's terms, a pointed stick.) My DM buddy's letting it slide, but I was curious what you all thought of that.

I think it's kinda silly to go into battle with a giant toothpick, but then again, I play halflings in weird ways, so maybe I'm not one to talk.

[RickAllison]

It's not RAW, but it is absolutely fine to do so. The only advantage the spear has over the quarterstaff is the Thrown quality; that quality, however, is useless in this case as Shillelagh ends if you let go of the weapon. He is actually taking a nerf compared to a quarterstaff since he can't use Polearm Master.

[Knaight]

So one of my fellow players lost their character, and decided to be a druid, and wants to know if he could use Shillelagh on a spear made entirely of wood (or in laymen's terms, a pointed stick.) My DM buddy's letting it slide, but I was curious what you all thought of that.

I think it's kinda silly to go into battle with a giant toothpick, but then again, I play halflings in weird ways, so maybe I'm not one to talk.

The spear made entirely of wood - which is somewhat more than a typical pointed stick, as it is at the very least likely carefully shaped from the trunk of a tree or similar, fire hardened, etc. - has a very long, very illustrious history. People fought with it routinely, and while it was generally improved by sticking something on the end (initially stone, then metal), if you have a spell to enhance it instead that makes just as much sense.

[Flashy]

The spear made entirely of wood - which is somewhat more than a typical pointed stick, as it is at the very least likely carefully shaped from the trunk of a tree or similar, fire hardened, etc. - has a very long, very illustrious history. People fought with it routinely, and while it was generally improved by sticking something on the end (initially stone, then metal), if you have a spell to enhance it instead that makes just as much sense.

Yeah, it's actually way on point with the overall ethos of Shillelagh, to my mind. I too would totally allow a druid to use it this way.

[lebefrei]

The PHB makes it clear that druids are not just keepers of nature, but also natural hunters. Using a spear harkens back near as far as a club-like weapon to our origin. It is also a much more successful tool for such a purpose, generally.

Spears fit very well into a primal concept of druidism, and they also get no real mechanical benefit. In fact bludgeoning is less resisted than piercing. There is no real reason not to allow it houseruled unless the DM just doesn't like it.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?379165-MM-Resistances-Immunities-Vulnerabilities-and-Damage

[SharkForce]

original source material (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shillelagh_%28club%29) says probably not.

but i don't think it would be unbalanced to allow it.

[Sir cryosin]

I don't fined it weird but I working on a campaign were there are elf that live in the wild forest that have carved wood swords and when they fight with them they use shillelagh. To enhance strengthen the wooden swords. The thing is that they don't use any metal whatsoever.

[JoeJ]

I don't fined it weird but I working on a campaign were there are elf that live in the wild forest that have carved wood swords and when they fight with them they use shillelagh. To enhance strengthen the wooden swords. The thing is that they don't use any metal whatsoever.

Stone tools to carve the wood then?

[hymer]

Pointed stick? Oh, oh, oh. We want to learn how to use Shillelagh with pointed sticks, do we? Getting all high and mighty, eh? Fresh fruit not good enough for you eh? Well, let me tell you something my lad. When you're walking home tonight and some great homicidal maniac comes after you with a bunch of loganberries, don't come crying to me!

MP aside, I'm with the people above in that it won't be unbalancing, as long as you don't allow it to be used thrown or the like. The cantrip wouldn't be unbalancing if it let you fight bareknuckled using those stats, although it would be two hair's breadths better than it is now.

[Sir cryosin]

Stone tools to carve the wood then?

Creating the wood swords are part of a ritual of becoming a warrior were you spend time focusing magic in to the raw wood through focusing magic and meditation your blade comes to shape no blade is the same.

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Pointed stick? Oh, oh, oh. We want to learn how to use Shillelagh with pointed sticks, do we? Getting all high and mighty, eh? Fresh fruit not good enough for you eh? Well, let me tell you something my lad. When you're walking home tonight and some great homicidal maniac comes after you with a bunch of loganberries, don't come crying to me!

MP aside, I'm with the people above in that it won't be unbalancing, as long as you don't allow it to be used thrown or the like. The cantrip wouldn't be unbalancing if it let you fight bareknuckled using those stats, although it would be two hair's breadths better than it is now.

I was waiting for someone to say that. I was not disappointed.

[JumboWheat01]

Pointed stick? Oh, oh, oh. We want to learn how to use Shillelagh with pointed sticks, do we? Getting all high and mighty, eh? Fresh fruit not good enough for you eh? Well, let me tell you something my lad. When you're walking home tonight and some great homicidal maniac comes after you with a bunch of loganberries, don't come crying to me!

I'm not entirely sure what grumpy old man speech I just received, but it was glorious. I'll definitely let my friend know that others thought the idea was okay. Should make my DM's mind a little clearer too.

I might even keep that in mind if/when I make a druid for myself. I think next on my docket is a barbarian after playing around with one in the party often enough. I dunno, I just like martial classes.

[SharkForce]

I'm not entirely sure what grumpy old man speech I just received, but it was glorious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnUOdgrZj7g

;)

[Slipperychicken]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnUOdgrZj7g

;)

You can actually embed the videos now. There's a little bluish button for "insert video", right between the ones for quotes and images. It creates tags "video= [insert URL here]" and "/video".


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnUOdgrZj7g

[JoeJ]

Creating the wood swords are part of a ritual of becoming a warrior were you spend time focusing magic in to the raw wood through focusing magic and meditation your blade comes to shape no blade is the same.

That sounds very cool; every blade is uniquely tied to a particular warrior. But apart from this, I do think that, if they don't use metal, they'll probably still need stone tools for a lot of mundane tasks.