Dienekes
2020-08-05, 11:28 PM
WEAPON DIVERSITY
This was a development from the ideas of this thread:https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?615743-If-every-feat-fighting-style-weapon-did-the-same-damage-how-should-they-be-different
A rework of the basic weapon combat, providing some options other than basic attacks with the goal of not completely negating the use of basic attacks. By providing various Weapon Tricks referred to as Weapon Tricks that are tied to Weapon Groups, Fighting Styles, and a singular Weapon Master feat. The goal is to create multiple different warriors who have to think about what type of weapon they’re using. Rather than just what weapon has the highest damage die.
There is also going to be some minor reworking of how the base combat works.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When wielding two weapons, one in each hand, and you take the Attack Action, you can make one additional attack. This attack must be made with a weapon that has the Light property. This attack only adds half your Ability modifier to your damage roll.
Now you don’t need a feat to use a rapier and a dagger. Actually creates a lot of different weapon combinations. This also allows the player to use their Bonus Attack to do more interesting things, like use Weapon Tricks.
Feats
The following feats are removed:
Defensive Duelist, Dual Wielder, Grappler, Great Weapon Master, Polearm Master, Sharpshooter, Shield Master.
The effects of these feats are either removed or put into various Weapon Tricks.
The feat Weapon Master is renamed to Weapon Training. This isn’t really important, but it has always bothered me.
The feats Weapon Master and Combat Mastery are added, which will be explored bellow.
WEAPON TRICKS
Weapon tricks are gained through Weapon Groups, Fighting Styles and the Weapon Master feat. Unless specifically stated a single attack roll cannot be effected by more than one Weapon Trick at a time. There are no limits on how often a Weapon Trick can be used.
Weapon Tricks can only be used with weapons with which you are Proficient.
Each Weapon Trick is supposed to be used in such a way that they do not completely overshadow basic attacks. There will be fights when a certain Weapon Trick is the optimal option, but not every single attack.
WEAPON GROUPS
Every weapon is now divided into a category called a Weapon Group. Each Weapon Group provides different Weapon Tricks for the wielder to use.
Each of these Weapon Tricks can be used by anyone proficient with the weapon, provided they are using a weapon of the appropriate Weapon Group. If you are wielding multiple weapons of differing weapon groups any Weapon Trick that modifies an attack roll can only be used on attacks made with the appropriate weapon.
Some weapons are considered to be a part of multiple weapon groups. If so they gain access to all Weapon Tricks for each of the listed weapon groups.
The list of Weapon Groups and the associated Weapon Tricks:
Axe: Forceful Blows and Hook
Maul: Knockdown Strike and Crushing Strike
Spear: Lunge and Set
Thrusting Blade: Feint, Precise Thrust, Parry, and Lunge
Striking Blade: Feint, Hamstring, Counter-Attack, and Murder Stroke
Bow: Follow Up Shot
Crossbow: Powershot
These divisions were designed to give each weapon group a niche. Axes and Mauls tend to deal more damage than their Sword and Spear equivalents, so they gain fewer Weapon Tricks. Spears provided additional Reach. While the Thrusting and Striking Blades do a bit less damage, but offer the most Weapon Tricks to demonstrate that there is more things you can do with a sword.
Now I will admit, I had hoped to get two Bow and Crossbow tricks. So I am willing to hear any ideas you might have. But I could not think of any good ones that were exclusive to one or the other. And those tricks I thought of were best put in the fighting styles. Speaking of which.
FIGHTING STYLE
Every class that gains the Fighting Style class feature has that feature replaced with the following:
Fighting Style
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose a Fighting Style from the list of optional features. You can’t take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you get to choose again.
Volley Fighting Style (Replaces Archer): When you are wielding a Ranged Weapon without the Reload ability you gain access to the Multishot and Shot on the Run Weapon Tricks.
Sniper Fighting Style (Replaces Archer): You do not suffer Disadvantage when making attacks at Long Range. When you are wielding a Ranged weapon you gain access to the Aim and Trick Shot Weapon Tricks.
Armored Fighting Style (Replaces Defense): When you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and the use of the Armor Block Weapon Trick.
Einhander Fighting Style (Replaces Dueling): When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapon or shield in your other, you gain access to the Repositioning Strike and Nimble Dodge Weapon Tricks.
Great Weapon Fighting Style: When you are wielding a melee weapon in two hands you gain access to the Cleave and Warding Weapon Tricks.
Shield Fighting Style (Replaces Protection): When you would draw a weapon, you can choose to also don a shield. When you are wielding a shield, you gain access to the Shield Bash and Protector Weapon Tricks.
Two-Weapon Fighting Style: When you would draw a weapon wielded in one hand, you can choose to also draw an additional Light weapon. When you are wielding two weapons, one in each hand, with no penalties as a result of your weapon choice, you gain access to Distracting Strike and Off-hand Parry Weapon Tricks.
Thrown Weapon Fighting Style (added to Ranger and Fighter): After throwing a weapon, you can draw an additional thrown weapon. In addition, you gain access to the Ricochet and Pin Down Weapon Tricks.
Grappler (added to Paladin and Fighter): As long as you have at least one free hand, or are currently grappling an opponent you gain access to the Quick Grab and Constrictor Weapon Tricks.
Fighting Styles serve the same purpose they do in the base game really. They let the player really focus in on how they want to fight. Only now, instead of a passive bonus of wildly differing quality (it is not a secret Archery is just mathematically better than Great Weapon Master for example) they're provided more things to do that fits the fantasy of the fighting style. In addition, this is where I added some minor course correction to get the the fighting styles to function appropriately. Donning a shield with your weapon for a Shield focused player. Drawing both your weapons for a dual weapon focused player. These are things that streamline the game. Especially since some of these issues are fixed in feats and Unearthed Arcana anyway.
On the same token I divided Archery into two different styles. One almost exclusively for bows the other for bows and crossbows. I figured it would be nice to allow more diversity in what I consider to be the most boring fighting style in the game.
Einhander, once Duelist, I changed to not work with a shield. The musketeer is a popular fantasy to want to play. Unfortunately, there's really nothing that having only one smaller weapon does better than anyone else in reality. So I instead chose to focus on mobility, to get that swashbuckling agile swinging from the chandeliers feel.
And finally Grappler, and Thrown. Throwing and unarmed combatants have always been a glaring omission in my opinion. Now the many attacking unarmed striker role is taken by the Monk, and while I think a boxer Fighter would be fun, I'm not trying to take the Monk's shtick. So I focused on grappling, which is something that Monk doesn't really do all that much.
NEW FEATS
Weapon Master
Choose one Weapon Group. Attacks made with weapons from that group are made with a +1 bonus. You gain additional damage on all damage rolls made with weapons from that group. +2 for One-handed weapons and +3 for two-handed weapons.
You can take this feat multiple times, each time you do so you must select a different Weapon Group.
It’s a sad truth that the most efficient way to play martials in 5e is largely to get a fighting style that provides a Bonus Action attack. I’m removing just about all of them, which dramatically lowers the damage potential of a lot of builds. This is supposed to make up for that a little.
Combat Mastery
Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, up to a maximum of 20.
Upon selecting this feat, you can select three of the following Weapon Tricks. You can use these Weapon Tricks for all weapons that meet the requirements.
Sweeping Attack, Bleed, Find Weakpoint, Run Through, Dazing Strike, Sunder, Giant Grappler, and Restrain.
This feat is designed to allow the player to really hone in on their combat style. Providing three Weapon Tricks was a specific choice as it allows the player to get two for the damage type of their favored weapon, while allowing one additional one to keep as a secondary style.
This was a development from the ideas of this thread:https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?615743-If-every-feat-fighting-style-weapon-did-the-same-damage-how-should-they-be-different
A rework of the basic weapon combat, providing some options other than basic attacks with the goal of not completely negating the use of basic attacks. By providing various Weapon Tricks referred to as Weapon Tricks that are tied to Weapon Groups, Fighting Styles, and a singular Weapon Master feat. The goal is to create multiple different warriors who have to think about what type of weapon they’re using. Rather than just what weapon has the highest damage die.
There is also going to be some minor reworking of how the base combat works.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When wielding two weapons, one in each hand, and you take the Attack Action, you can make one additional attack. This attack must be made with a weapon that has the Light property. This attack only adds half your Ability modifier to your damage roll.
Now you don’t need a feat to use a rapier and a dagger. Actually creates a lot of different weapon combinations. This also allows the player to use their Bonus Attack to do more interesting things, like use Weapon Tricks.
Feats
The following feats are removed:
Defensive Duelist, Dual Wielder, Grappler, Great Weapon Master, Polearm Master, Sharpshooter, Shield Master.
The effects of these feats are either removed or put into various Weapon Tricks.
The feat Weapon Master is renamed to Weapon Training. This isn’t really important, but it has always bothered me.
The feats Weapon Master and Combat Mastery are added, which will be explored bellow.
WEAPON TRICKS
Weapon tricks are gained through Weapon Groups, Fighting Styles and the Weapon Master feat. Unless specifically stated a single attack roll cannot be effected by more than one Weapon Trick at a time. There are no limits on how often a Weapon Trick can be used.
Weapon Tricks can only be used with weapons with which you are Proficient.
Each Weapon Trick is supposed to be used in such a way that they do not completely overshadow basic attacks. There will be fights when a certain Weapon Trick is the optimal option, but not every single attack.
WEAPON GROUPS
Every weapon is now divided into a category called a Weapon Group. Each Weapon Group provides different Weapon Tricks for the wielder to use.
Each of these Weapon Tricks can be used by anyone proficient with the weapon, provided they are using a weapon of the appropriate Weapon Group. If you are wielding multiple weapons of differing weapon groups any Weapon Trick that modifies an attack roll can only be used on attacks made with the appropriate weapon.
Some weapons are considered to be a part of multiple weapon groups. If so they gain access to all Weapon Tricks for each of the listed weapon groups.
The list of Weapon Groups and the associated Weapon Tricks:
Axe: Forceful Blows and Hook
Maul: Knockdown Strike and Crushing Strike
Spear: Lunge and Set
Thrusting Blade: Feint, Precise Thrust, Parry, and Lunge
Striking Blade: Feint, Hamstring, Counter-Attack, and Murder Stroke
Bow: Follow Up Shot
Crossbow: Powershot
These divisions were designed to give each weapon group a niche. Axes and Mauls tend to deal more damage than their Sword and Spear equivalents, so they gain fewer Weapon Tricks. Spears provided additional Reach. While the Thrusting and Striking Blades do a bit less damage, but offer the most Weapon Tricks to demonstrate that there is more things you can do with a sword.
Now I will admit, I had hoped to get two Bow and Crossbow tricks. So I am willing to hear any ideas you might have. But I could not think of any good ones that were exclusive to one or the other. And those tricks I thought of were best put in the fighting styles. Speaking of which.
FIGHTING STYLE
Every class that gains the Fighting Style class feature has that feature replaced with the following:
Fighting Style
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose a Fighting Style from the list of optional features. You can’t take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you get to choose again.
Volley Fighting Style (Replaces Archer): When you are wielding a Ranged Weapon without the Reload ability you gain access to the Multishot and Shot on the Run Weapon Tricks.
Sniper Fighting Style (Replaces Archer): You do not suffer Disadvantage when making attacks at Long Range. When you are wielding a Ranged weapon you gain access to the Aim and Trick Shot Weapon Tricks.
Armored Fighting Style (Replaces Defense): When you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and the use of the Armor Block Weapon Trick.
Einhander Fighting Style (Replaces Dueling): When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapon or shield in your other, you gain access to the Repositioning Strike and Nimble Dodge Weapon Tricks.
Great Weapon Fighting Style: When you are wielding a melee weapon in two hands you gain access to the Cleave and Warding Weapon Tricks.
Shield Fighting Style (Replaces Protection): When you would draw a weapon, you can choose to also don a shield. When you are wielding a shield, you gain access to the Shield Bash and Protector Weapon Tricks.
Two-Weapon Fighting Style: When you would draw a weapon wielded in one hand, you can choose to also draw an additional Light weapon. When you are wielding two weapons, one in each hand, with no penalties as a result of your weapon choice, you gain access to Distracting Strike and Off-hand Parry Weapon Tricks.
Thrown Weapon Fighting Style (added to Ranger and Fighter): After throwing a weapon, you can draw an additional thrown weapon. In addition, you gain access to the Ricochet and Pin Down Weapon Tricks.
Grappler (added to Paladin and Fighter): As long as you have at least one free hand, or are currently grappling an opponent you gain access to the Quick Grab and Constrictor Weapon Tricks.
Fighting Styles serve the same purpose they do in the base game really. They let the player really focus in on how they want to fight. Only now, instead of a passive bonus of wildly differing quality (it is not a secret Archery is just mathematically better than Great Weapon Master for example) they're provided more things to do that fits the fantasy of the fighting style. In addition, this is where I added some minor course correction to get the the fighting styles to function appropriately. Donning a shield with your weapon for a Shield focused player. Drawing both your weapons for a dual weapon focused player. These are things that streamline the game. Especially since some of these issues are fixed in feats and Unearthed Arcana anyway.
On the same token I divided Archery into two different styles. One almost exclusively for bows the other for bows and crossbows. I figured it would be nice to allow more diversity in what I consider to be the most boring fighting style in the game.
Einhander, once Duelist, I changed to not work with a shield. The musketeer is a popular fantasy to want to play. Unfortunately, there's really nothing that having only one smaller weapon does better than anyone else in reality. So I instead chose to focus on mobility, to get that swashbuckling agile swinging from the chandeliers feel.
And finally Grappler, and Thrown. Throwing and unarmed combatants have always been a glaring omission in my opinion. Now the many attacking unarmed striker role is taken by the Monk, and while I think a boxer Fighter would be fun, I'm not trying to take the Monk's shtick. So I focused on grappling, which is something that Monk doesn't really do all that much.
NEW FEATS
Weapon Master
Choose one Weapon Group. Attacks made with weapons from that group are made with a +1 bonus. You gain additional damage on all damage rolls made with weapons from that group. +2 for One-handed weapons and +3 for two-handed weapons.
You can take this feat multiple times, each time you do so you must select a different Weapon Group.
It’s a sad truth that the most efficient way to play martials in 5e is largely to get a fighting style that provides a Bonus Action attack. I’m removing just about all of them, which dramatically lowers the damage potential of a lot of builds. This is supposed to make up for that a little.
Combat Mastery
Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, up to a maximum of 20.
Upon selecting this feat, you can select three of the following Weapon Tricks. You can use these Weapon Tricks for all weapons that meet the requirements.
Sweeping Attack, Bleed, Find Weakpoint, Run Through, Dazing Strike, Sunder, Giant Grappler, and Restrain.
This feat is designed to allow the player to really hone in on their combat style. Providing three Weapon Tricks was a specific choice as it allows the player to get two for the damage type of their favored weapon, while allowing one additional one to keep as a secondary style.