PDA

View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Fighting Style: Cleaving



traskomancer
2021-10-06, 03:53 AM
Fighting Style: Cleaving (available to Fighters and Paladins)
When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack and reduce it to 0 hit points, you may cleave into another creature within range. If the initial attack roll would hit the second creature's armor class, you can spend your reaction to deal the weapon's damage to that creature.


----

Thoughts? I feel like it's swingier than, say, dueling, but has the capacity to be better or worse depending on the situation. Also, the intent is to have the cleave damage be a second roll that wouldn't include, say, smites or maneuver dice. I'd like to know how clear that is as written.

JNAProductions
2021-10-06, 11:47 AM
Fighting Style: Cleaving (available to Fighters and Paladins)
When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack and reduce it to 0 hit points, you may cleave into another creature within range. If the initial attack roll would hit the second creature's armor class, you can spend your reaction to deal the weapon's damage to that creature.


----

Thoughts? I feel like it's swingier than, say, dueling, but has the capacity to be better or worse depending on the situation. Also, the intent is to have the cleave damage be a second roll that wouldn't include, say, smites or maneuver dice. I'd like to know how clear that is as written.

It's clear.

It's also not something I would ever use. Even if you're in a fight with tons of mooks, it's a little worse than +1 attack per round, assuming every single turn you kill a mook.

What I would do is make it so you can use your reaction to Cleave into another target REGARDLESS of if you killed them, and make it not require a reaction if you did kill them.

Yakk
2021-10-06, 02:16 PM
In 5e, things like Feats and Fighting Styles should have both a mechanical hook and a narrative one.

I don't see a good narrative hook here. Just mechanics.

BerzerkerUnit
2021-10-09, 09:12 AM
So like
Dervish Dance
Once per turn when you hit a target with a one handed weapon that deals slashing damage, you can deal 2 damage to another target within reach.