D&D 5E A quick guide to Homebrewing any weapon concept

So I've been playing around with this idea for a while because I've been building a heavily reflavoured campaign setting where, at some point I'm sure, someone is going to want to have a crazy weapon concept like a laser scythe, or a pneumatic wrist blade, or a Combat Frisbee (.......ok fine, it's a Chakram). Anyway, it got me thinking about how you would put things together in a way that matches the flavour of the weapon you want to create, and how the PHB weapons balance out when you pull the properties apart and put them back together in strange combinations (Such as wielding a finesse reach weapon in two hands)

I found some interesting things when you start analysing the PHB, and aside from a few exceptions, I've managed to recreate the majority of the PHB using this system exactly (the exceptions being the weapons most people get annoyed with - Trident, whip, blowdart etc etc).

So here it is http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/r1X4J7QOPe

The only tweaking I've had to do with the rules is to eliminate "2-handedness", and beef up the disadvantages associated with the Heavy property. I think I've managed to get it to work well and balanced, so it'll be interesting to see what everyone thinks of the pros and cons, and if they offset the tweaks I've done with Two-Handed weapons.

If you have any suggestions for alternative weapon attributes and how those rules would work, I'd love to hear them! I've added in half a dozen or so myself at the end, but I'm always interested in more that might help would-be weapon designers get the weapon properties they want.


Also please note, this isn't supposed to be a min-maxing guide. Rather its a way to use existing rules, to build those weapons that you think fundamentally define your character, but don't fit anything in the existing PHB.

Thanks for reading!

I did something even more basic for new weapons. I looked at the weapons in the PHB and condensed it down so that you could create any weapon you would like by comparing what you wanted it to do. For instance, if you wanted to create a warpick, a versatile martial melee weapon you would look at the martial melee weapons, find the line which has the versatile property and note that it does 1d8/1d0 damage. Since it is a warpick then you would add piercing as the damage type ending up with the final weapon: Warpick, 1d8 piercing, Versatile (1d10).

cbwjm said:

I did something even more basic for new weapons. I looked at the weapons in the PHB and condensed it down so that you could create any weapon you would like by comparing what you wanted it to do. For instance, if you wanted to create a warpick, a versatile martial melee weapon you would look at the martial melee weapons, find the line which has the versatile property and note that it does 1d8/1d0 damage. Since it is a warpick then you would add piercing as the damage type ending up with the final weapon: Warpick, 1d8 piercing, Versatile (1d10).

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Hey ya,

Got a link to that table? Would be interested in taking a look......

Hillsy7 said:

Hey ya,

Got a link to that table? Would be interested in taking a look......

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Sure, I have uploaded a copy to my drive folder https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KxLgl6k1ZWWcMYFWSLJjHNSxpCO54C52i80umI-p9RE

It's an easy way to quickly come up with a new weapon by comparing it to the current weapon properties and can also be used as a comparison if you want to add in new properties.

Its interesting, although I do find the the concept of being able to create a Heavy, Finesse weapon amusing.

Off the top of my head, however, I can't think of a weapon that couldn't be represented by an existing entry in the current weapons table, with a change of damage type if needed.

cbwjm said:

Sure, I have uploaded a copy to my drive folder https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KxLgl6k1ZWWcMYFWSLJjHNSxpCO54C52i80umI-p9RE

It's an easy way to quickly come up with a new weapon by comparing it to the current weapon properties and can also be used as a comparison if you want to add in new properties.

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Ah I see.

Yeah I was interested in how WOTC put their weapons together and why stuff like the Trident existed and was essentially rubbish. I also wanted proper rules to build a 2-handed finesse weapon (Katana!), or a heavy thrown weapon.....basically something where you could come up with anything - a Battle Squid!!!! - and it would be balanced and fair. I got sick of looking at the PHB weapon table and never seeing a mechanical reason to take a Flail as a weapon over a longsword, as the Longsowrd is mechanically better....I get punished for my narrative choices. That and constantly reskinning Rapiers grrrrr......

Plus of course there is how to build a heavy spear, or a thrown weapon with reach, or a Martial Light Hammer......so yeah, I just built the rules so you don't have to wonder what a weapon is like, you just have to apply whatever traits fit the concept (God of war Blade on a string anyone!?!?)

Hillsy7 said:

Ah I see.

Yeah I was interested in how WOTC put their weapons together and why stuff like the Trident existed and was essentially rubbish. I also wanted proper rules to build a 2-handed finesse weapon (Katana!), or a heavy thrown weapon.....basically something where you could come up with anything - a Battle Squid!!!! - and it would be balanced and fair. I got sick of looking at the PHB weapon table and never seeing a mechanical reason to take a Flail as a weapon over a longsword, as the Longsowrd is mechanically better....I get punished for my narrative choices. That and constantly reskinning Rapiers grrrrr......

Plus of course there is how to build a heavy spear, or a thrown weapon with reach, or a Martial Light Hammer......so yeah, I just built the rules so you don't have to wonder what a weapon is like, you just have to apply whatever traits fit the concept (God of war Blade on a string anyone!?!?)

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Yeah, the trident I think should be a d8/versatile d10 weapon in my opinion. Otherwise I don't really see the point of making it a martial weapon.

Your way definitely works, it's a decent system for combining properties and creating weapons. I was mainly after something basic which would let me quickly look at a table and say that X weapon has these properties.

Cap'n Kobold said:

Its interesting, although I do find the the concept of being able to create a Heavy, Finesse weapon amusing.

Off the top of my head, however, I can't think of a weapon that couldn't be represented by an existing entry in the current weapons table, with a change of damage type if needed.

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Heavy finesse.....yeah does seem a bit oxymoronic. I guess you could rename "Heavy" to mean "Unweildly"....so a ten foot rapier could count as a Heavy/Unwieldly weapon. Mechanically, they are just tricky to use and too big for small races.

Well, there are no light Thrown Martial weapons (Throwing Glaive), no finesse weapons you can wield in 2 hands (Build Katanas WotC, NOW!), no non-heavy, reach weapons other than the whip (Scythe, spiked chain), the only Thrown Ranged weapon is a dart, and not Martial (Shuriken/Chakram/Boomerang).....so yeah I was kinda seeing builds that were sort of lacking the weapons to support them, and people were having to homebrew specific ideas, and kinda guessing.....And I found I was reflavouring everything because I felt I was being punished for wanting a narrative weapon......So I just took everything apart, deleted the names, and built rules on how everything went back together. Also with the alternative rounding, 2d4 is back!!!

Which actually kinda reminds me: Do you have any suggestions for other weapon attributes (I've modified my original post to include this request). Now I've got a structure and system that addresses the non-core (Type and weight) weapon attributes, I can start brainstorming more!!!

cbwjm said:

Yeah, the trident I think should be a d8/versatile d10 weapon in my opinion. Otherwise I don't really see the point of making it a martial weapon.

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Because its not an easy weapon to use, and requires a bit more training than for example, a spear. Its damage is low because tridents aren't a very good weapon.
The designers didn't balance all weapons against each other. Some weapons are included because they have a place in the world, rather than because they are an optimal choice for a player character to use.
If you wanted to play a character that used a trident, and weren't willing to take the couple of HP damage less for the sake of character, you could ask your DM if you could just have a triple-pointed spear, and use spear stats for example.

Hillsy7 said:

Heavy finesse.....yeah does seem a bit oxymoronic. I guess you could rename "Heavy" to mean "Unweildly"....so a ten foot rapier could count as a Heavy/Unwieldly weapon. Mechanically, they are just tricky to use and too big for small races.

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Finesse in the game terms means that grace and balance can be used to wield it rather than requiring athleticism and force. A ten foot rapier probably wouldn't be finesse because of the effort required to move it around. A low-str character like an infirm old man or graceful but out-of-shape child is going to have similar issues using some weapons as an athletic but small character.

Well, there are no light Thrown Martial weapons (Throwing Glaive)

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Does there need to be?

no finesse weapons you can wield in 2 hands (Build Katanas WotC, NOW!),

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Finesse 2-handed weapons are kinda counterintuitive as well: if the control and power of the weapon attacks are irrespective of the force you can exert on the weapon, why do you need another hand on it? Extra leverage is the entire point of putting your other hand on a weapon: it multiplies the force you can exert on it, increasing swiftness and control.

no non-heavy, reach weapons other than the whip (Scythe, spiked chain), the only Thrown Ranged weapon is a dart, and not Martial (Shuriken/Chakram/Boomerang)

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Shuriken are considered darts (making them martial would prevent monks from using them effectively). Traditional chakram would probably count as well: just change the damage type to Slashing. For the more fantasy Frisbee/Xena-sized chakram, or warcraft/krull glaive perhaps use Javelin stats with Slashing damage again. Likewise spiked chain can use whip stats.

.....so yeah I was kinda seeing builds that were sort of lacking the weapons to support them, and people were having to homebrew specific ideas, and kinda guessing.....And I found I was reflavouring everything because I felt I was being punished for wanting a narrative weapon......

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Have you looked at the UA feats article? The designers generally took the approach that special maneuvers were a function of the user rather than special properties of specific weapons. Even if you don't take that approach though, some of the capabilities of the weapon-specific feats might be things that you'd like to use as weapon properties.

Which actually kinda reminds me: Do you have any suggestions for other weapon attributes (I've modified my original post to include this request). Now I've got a structure and system that addresses the non-core (Type and weight) weapon attributes, I can start brainstorming more!!!

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Possibly some sort of property for the lighter throwing weapons that allows multiple ones to be drawn/readied, or that allows them to be drawn as part of the attack? Currently throwing builds are generally limited by only being able to draw one or two weapons a round.

If you're intending to be adding separate stats for all sorts of weird and wonderful weapons, (and dependent on the level of possible weaboo infestation), you may also need a designation for weapons that monks can use as part of their "martial arts" feature.

Cap'n Kobold said:

Finesse in the game terms means that grace and balance can be used to wield it rather than requiring athleticism and force. A ten foot rapier probably wouldn't be finesse because of the effort required to move it around. A low-str character like an infirm old man or graceful but out-of-shape child is going to have similar issues using some weapons as an athletic but small character.

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I Mean that's probably true - but the point of a concept first method of building weapon does mean that if, somehow, someone comes up with something that would fulfill a particular mix of attributes the capacity is there to design it.

Cap'n Kobold said:

Finesse 2-handed weapons are kinda counterintuitive as well: if the control and power of the weapon attacks are irrespective of the force you can exert on the weapon, why do you need another hand on it? Extra leverage is the entire point of putting your other hand on a weapon: it multiplies the force you can exert on it, increasing swiftness and control.

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I think I watched a program where they beheaded a load of ballistic jelly "people" using samurai swords, and they actually said that the real skill was in holding the sword in both hands but quite wide apart so when swinging, you could lever action your hands which would, somehow, create a really insane cut. So a possible application of skill over brawn. Meh - this is D&D not mythbusters - personally I'm quite comfy with finesse and heavy - though agree for that specific combo, you're going to need a banging weapon concept.

But anyway, the rules I have actually just allow any non-light weapon to be versatile. So a "katana" is just a Balanced, Martial, Slashing Melee weapon with the Finesse property.....and the rules I have just allow that to be codified into a weapon Dice-size.

Cap'n Kobold said:

Shuriken are considered darts (making them martial would prevent monks from using them effectively). Traditional chakram would probably count as well: just change the damage type to Slashing. For the more fantasy Frisbee/Xena-sized chakram, or warcraft/krull glaive perhaps use Javelin stats with Slashing damage again. Likewise spiked chain can use whip stats.

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Well - this is kinda my point. You're reskinning existing "Best-fits", so it's partly a fudge. WotC themselves have a pretty robust system inbuilt once you un-pick it.....so why not just build it from the ground up? A Chakram is a balanced thrown Ranged weapon (not melee like a javelin) that isn't finesse and perhaps has the loading property (too heavy to throw more than one per turn)...why not use the rules WotC use to build it (a 1d6 thrown ranged weapon)?

Cap'n Kobold said:

Have you looked at the UA feats article?

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Ooooo....no I haven't....I'll have a look at them now. Cheers!

Cap'n Kobold said:

Possibly some sort of property for the lighter throwing weapons that allows multiple ones to be drawn/readied, or that allows them to be drawn as part of the attack? If you're intending to be adding separate stats for all sorts of weird and wonderful weapons, (and dependent on the level of possible weaboo infestation), you may also need a designation for weapons that monks can use as part of their "martial arts" feature.

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Ah yes - definitely (though personally I houserule draw and throw for darts and daggers). Maybe have a half-loading property or something that nullifies the thrown penalty on ranged weapons......hmm....I'll look into it.

As for Monk weapons - which is a valid point - I'm not majorly sure what the criteria were for selecting which weapons were monk weapons. But it feels more like something the class would identify rather that a specific weapon property....I'll have to have a think on that....

Cheers for the ideas though dude!!