Offense, defense... a third option? Could TWF be rewritten for a unique niche?

[Greywander]

Two-handed weapons are already the "more damage" build. Is there some other niche that TWF could be rewritten to handle? The best I can think of is versatility: being able to switch between offense and defense (e.g. an extra attack with the Attack action, but an AC bonus if you don't use it), or having access to both but with an action economy cost (e.g. BA attack as normal, but also reaction AC bonus).

Part of the problem is that TWF was pretty terrible historically. It never really had a niche in real life. The two common dual-wielding cases you see historically are the rapier and dagger, which was pretty much confined to duels, and sword and pistol, where a single-shot pistol is very different from actual TWF. In fact, it's more akin to simply holding two weapons and choosing which one to attack with.

I just don't see much point in TWF and two-handers competing for "more damage". And sword'n'board is already the defensive build. Is there something else TWF could do, that would fit thematically?

[ImproperJustice]

Net and Spear

Tomahawk and Knife

Chain and Dagger


In those instances one weapon was typically used to entangle or entrap a foe or their weapon, to allow for a killing strike with spear or knife.
Reach, good footwork and grappling would be employed against an opponent who might wield a single weapon with greater reach or damage potential and two weapons were being used to distract and disable.

Perhaps applying Tavern Brawler in some fashion to TWF, or add a damage bonus when grappling and allowing grappling with a weapon?

Or some combination thereof?

[Schwann145]

Unfortunately, the HP system tends to make stabbing a foe to death with a knife a very long and drawn out process that is likely to get you killed by your entangled foe before you can kill them. ;(

[Leon]

The style certainly could be better utilized, a small bonus to One attack isn't worth it, more so when there ae many more useful ones to choose from now but even in core its not great (i chose it in a core only game and not long after regretted not picking up the +1AC Style)

[MoiMagnus]

Is there something else TWF could do, that would fit thematically?

I suggest "Whenever you fail an attack with your primary weapon, you can immediately make an attack with your secondary weapon against the same target (if you have the reach to do so)". No action cost. Work with opportunity attacks too. Not limited at once per turn.

The idea is to give an advantage to all your attack roll, that stacks with regular advantages, and in a way that really use the fact that you have two weapons (so if only one of them is magical, your secondary attack will worse than the first).

[Thematically, if your first attack get blocked, you have a window for attacking with your second weapon. It's a little more complex to explain why if your first attack lands you cannot try to attack with your secondary weapon, since that restriction is mostly for balance purposes. It could be a feat to make it so that you always attack with both.]

[Salmon343]

There's nothing wrong with having more high damage builds. As well as mechanical fantasy (like high DPR), people also have roleplaying fantasy - they may want to dual wield, just because it's cool and fits the aesthetic they have in their head.

To me dual wielding feels like it should be a multi-attacking kind of thing. High DPR through multiple attacks. This is better for reliability and per-attack buffs, but worse for magic items, handling, and single attack buffs (like, advantage for one attack scales better for attacks that deal more damage).

[Saelethil]

Base TWF:
You can wield a weapon in each hand as long as the base damage dice for the weapons add up to 12 or less (1d8 + 1d4 (rapier & dagger) or 1d6 + 1d6 (short sword & hand crossbow)). While doing this you can make an additional attack with your offhand weapon as a bonus action.

TWF Fighting style (inspired by MoiMagnus):
Once per turn (not round) while you are Two Weapon Fighting, when one of your attacks miss you can make an additional attack with the other weapon.

Duelist Feat (replacing Defensive Duelist):
-When you are wielding melee weapon with which you are proficient and another creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you.
-While you are Two Weapon Fighting, when a melee attack against you misses you can use your reaction to make an AoO against the attacker.
-If the attack you deflected misses and you are TWF, you can use the same reaction to make the AoO. As this is a taxing maneuver you can only combine the two a number of times equal to your PB.

Duel Wielder (new bullet point):
-You gain a +1 bonus to AC while you are wielding a separate melee weapon in each hand.
-You can use two-weapon fighting with any one-handed melee weapons.
-You can draw or stow two weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one.
-If you have the TWF fighting style you can make the additional off hand attack after any miss, not just once per turn.

[heavyfuel]

The third option is usually "Utility"

I'd love to see TWF as a build that forces Saves. Say you have a weapon that forces a DC 12 Wis save against Frightened on every hit. The extra hit from TWF would be more valuable. But 5e is very much not designed with this in mind (with good reason, as this kind of mechanic brings the game to a halt)

Could work with something like "If you hit an opponent with both a main hand and an off-hand attack in the same turn, you can do X", but I really don't see what X could possibly be without magic being directly involved.

You, the DM, could just give TWF-players a pair of weapons that if you manage to hit them both at once (ie, main and off-hand attacks in the same turn), you get to force a DC against some condition? But that seems wonky