PhoenixPhyre
2021-10-17, 08:05 PM
I'm considering suggesting the following house rules at my tables (although I'll clean up the wording later):
1. Add the following features to the noted classes at the levels indicated:
Barbarian
At level 9, gain your choice of the (current) Great Weapon Master feat or the Crusher or the Slasher feat.
Fighter
At level 9, gain your choice of the Sentinel or the (current) Polearm Master feat.
Rogue
At level 6, gain your choice of the (v2) Dual Wielder or the (current) Crossbow Expert feat (plus the following edit: the third bullet now reads "when you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed melee weapon,you can also attack with a hand crossbow you are holding as part of that action". You can reload the hand crossbow with the hand wielding the melee weapon).
Ranger
At level 9, gain your choice of the (v2) Dual Wielder or the (current) Sharpshooter feat.
2. Modify the following feats to produce the v2 versions:
a. Crossbow Expert v2: removal of melee disadvantage only applies with ranged weapon attacks (not all ranged attacks). Remove the bonus action attack. Add "you gain +1 DEX".
b. Dual Wielder v2: Add bullet point "instead of spending a bonus action to make the additional attack, you now make that attack as part of the Attack action itself."
c. Great Weapon Master v2: remove the -5/+10 bullet point, add "you gain +1 STR".
d. Polearm Master v2: remove the bonus action attack, add "you gain +1 STR".
e. Sharpshooter v2: instead of removing the penalty from 1/2 cover, merely reduce 3/4 cover to light cover. Remove the -5/+10 bullet point. Add the second bullet point of Elven Accuracy, but with ranged weapons and Dexterity only.
3. Remove the Elven Accuracy feat entirely.
Intent:
1. Each of the mostly-martial (plus rangers, just because) get thematic "big combat numbers" feats rolled into their core kit toward the end of T2 (which is about when they, by all accounts, start really wanting them). This is high enough that dippers ain't gonna go that far for those. Generally.
2. Anyone else who picks one up only gets the reduced-potency versions. Which makes a big great-axe barbarian better than anyone else wielding a great-axe in a notable way.
3. Buff Dual Wielder to remove the bonus action contention.
4. Make the Crossbow Expert feature for rogues actually match the intended "sword and crossbow" image without eating bonus actions or juggling weapons to reload.
1. Add the following features to the noted classes at the levels indicated:
Barbarian
At level 9, gain your choice of the (current) Great Weapon Master feat or the Crusher or the Slasher feat.
Fighter
At level 9, gain your choice of the Sentinel or the (current) Polearm Master feat.
Rogue
At level 6, gain your choice of the (v2) Dual Wielder or the (current) Crossbow Expert feat (plus the following edit: the third bullet now reads "when you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed melee weapon,you can also attack with a hand crossbow you are holding as part of that action". You can reload the hand crossbow with the hand wielding the melee weapon).
Ranger
At level 9, gain your choice of the (v2) Dual Wielder or the (current) Sharpshooter feat.
2. Modify the following feats to produce the v2 versions:
a. Crossbow Expert v2: removal of melee disadvantage only applies with ranged weapon attacks (not all ranged attacks). Remove the bonus action attack. Add "you gain +1 DEX".
b. Dual Wielder v2: Add bullet point "instead of spending a bonus action to make the additional attack, you now make that attack as part of the Attack action itself."
c. Great Weapon Master v2: remove the -5/+10 bullet point, add "you gain +1 STR".
d. Polearm Master v2: remove the bonus action attack, add "you gain +1 STR".
e. Sharpshooter v2: instead of removing the penalty from 1/2 cover, merely reduce 3/4 cover to light cover. Remove the -5/+10 bullet point. Add the second bullet point of Elven Accuracy, but with ranged weapons and Dexterity only.
3. Remove the Elven Accuracy feat entirely.
Intent:
1. Each of the mostly-martial (plus rangers, just because) get thematic "big combat numbers" feats rolled into their core kit toward the end of T2 (which is about when they, by all accounts, start really wanting them). This is high enough that dippers ain't gonna go that far for those. Generally.
2. Anyone else who picks one up only gets the reduced-potency versions. Which makes a big great-axe barbarian better than anyone else wielding a great-axe in a notable way.
3. Buff Dual Wielder to remove the bonus action contention.
4. Make the Crossbow Expert feature for rogues actually match the intended "sword and crossbow" image without eating bonus actions or juggling weapons to reload.