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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Revised Weapon Generator



Composer99
2020-09-13, 12:10 AM
Further to the weapon generator (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?615554-Weapon-Generator) I did up a few months back, here's a hopefully slightly cleaner, more elegant version.

This runs off the same basic idea as the original version, but with less ability to throw together weapon properties. It also acknowledges the fundamental distinctiveness of melee vs ranged weapons by splitting them up a bit, rather than lumping their properties together.

Extra-Special Weapons: This weapon generator, much like the previous version, doesn't handle blowguns or whips very well. Basically, if they appear in the weapon table, it's by designer fiat. (I get around nets by making them equipment rather than a weapon.)

Cut Out (for Now?): For the time being, I've taken out the concept of exotic and double weapons. Double weapons might come back in, being a property that can be assigned to melee weapons with a -1 step to the damage die and needing to be wielded in two hands. Exotic weapons... we'll see.


Base Damage
The base damage for a melee weapon is 1d8 and for a ranged weapon is 1d6.

Die Steps
1 - 1d4 - 1d6 - 1d8 - 1d10 - 1d12

Melee Weapon Properties
You can assign one property to a melee weapon, except as follows:
- Some properties automatically assign other properties as part of their effect. The automatically-assigned properties' effect on the damage is already incorporated into these weapons' effects.
- Some properties allow you to also assign up to one other property if you wish. Any additional property so added modifies the weapon's damage die as per its own description.



Property
Description
Damage


Finesse
As per PHB
+0 steps


Heavy
As per PHB; automatically also assigns two-handed
+2 steps


Lance
This automatically assigns the reach, heavy (thus also two-handed), and mounted property to the weapon. In addition, a creature wielding this weapon while mounted can wield it with one hand, so long as it is not wielding a weapon in its other hand.
+1 step


Light
As per PHB, except automatically also has finesse
-1 step


Mounted
When wielding this weapon while mounted, the damage increases by one step (from 1d8 to 1d10, for instance).
+0 steps


Reach
As per PHB, except automatically also has two-handed. If you assign this property to a weapon, you may also assign either or both of the heavy or spear properties to it as well.
+0 steps


Simple
You can use this weapon as long as you are proficient with simple weapons. If you assign this property to a weapon, you may also assign any one of the light, mounted, thrown, or two-handed properties to that weapon.
-1 step


Spear
This weapon deals piercing damage. It has the brace property, allowing characters with the appropriate build choice to use their reactions to attack creatures coming into their reach.
+0 steps


Thrown
As per PHB
-1 step


Two-Handed
As per PHB
+1 step


Versatile
As per PHB
+0 steps



Note that the brace property is not, by default, assignable on its own. I suppose it could be, but would leave that to DM discretion. The general idea is that it should be reserved for spears and polearms, and not just any weapon dealing piercing damage (such as a shortsword).

Ranged Weapon Properties
You must assign either the ammunition or thrown property to a ranged weapon. You may assign up to one other property to the weapon, or up to two other properties if the weapon has the ammunition property and one of the two additional properties is the loading property.



Property
Description
Damage


Ammunition
As per PHB. Weapon range depends on other properties.
+0 steps


Heavy
As per PHB; automatically also assigns two-handed
+1 step


Light
As per PHB
-1 step


Loading
As per PHB
+1 step


Simple
You can use this weapon as long as you are proficient with simple weapons. If you assign this property to a weapon, you may also assign the two-handed property
-1 step


Thrown
-
+0 steps


Two-Handed
As per PHB. You
+1 step



The heavy property for ranged weapons doesn't boost damage as much as it does for melee weapons. That's because, as we shall soon see, of how it interacts with weapon range.

The long-range property is not assignable on its own.

Weapon Range Categories
- Any thrown weapon has close range.
- Any one-handed ammunition weapon has short range.
- Any two-handed ammunition weapon has medium range.
- Any heavy ammunition weapon (which by default is also two-handed) has long range.

Range Category Table


Close
Short
Medium
Long


30/60
60/150
90/300
150/600




Sample Weapons & Notes

This generator does mean there's a difference between a dagger (melee chassis; 1d4 piercing; properties - simple, light) and a throwing knife (ranged chassis; 1d4 piercing; properties - simple, thrown). The latter is basically a dart by any other name.

Likewise, the trident can be divided into a thrown version (1d6 piercing; properties - thrown) and a heavier melee version (1d8 piercing; properties - versatile).

In fact, the generator does put a barrier between mixing light and thrown weapons. That's not a problem for weapon-using characters, who will have access to a build resource letting them dual-wield thrown weapons (as well as draw them more efficiently compared to the PHB/SRD). Speaking of dual wielding/two-weapon fighting, I intend for that to be gated behind a build resource so that it can scale up better compared to PHB/SRD, in keeping with the design goals I noted in the previous version of this generator.

This generator handles crossbows in a more elegant fashion than the previous version. (Linking weapon ranges to certain other properties, rather than being able to mix and match ranges and other properties, cleans things up considerably for ranged weapons, I feel.)
- Hand crossbow (ranged chassis; 1d6 piercing; properties - ammunition (60/150), light, loading)
- (Light) crossbow (ranged chassis; 1d8 piercing; properties - ammunition (90/300), loading, two-handed)
- Heavy crossbow (ranged chassis; 1d10 piercing; properties - ammunition (150/600), heavy (therefore two-handed), loading)

Let's look at a fewswords (all melee chassis)
- The shortsword is pretty straightforward (1d6 piercing; properties - light)
- So is the longsword (1d8 piercing; properties - versatile (1d10))
- So is the greatsword (1d12 piercing; properties - heavy (therefore also two-handed))
- Although not a sword, as such, the sickle is... er... "sword-adjacent" (1d4 slashing; properties - light, simple)
- If we wanted, we could have a sword specced for use on horseback (a sword with the mounted property), or a two-handed sword that isn't a greatsword (dealing 1d10 damage), although that niche is covered by the longsword already.