snickersnax
Explorer
Sure, I mostly just interested to see in there is any consensus out there for these edge cases.
Also I'm considering house ruling that quarterstaves and spears are reach weapons when used two handed.
Is it possible to use an object as an improvised reach weapon?
Sure, I mostly just interested to see in there is any consensus out there for these edge cases.
Also I'm considering house ruling that quarterstaves and spears are reach weapons when used two handed.
Swarmkeeper
Hero
I agree with this. Why not - if you invested in that feat, wet rope it up! Conversely, however, I would probably rule a PC without the Tavern Brawler feat who is not proficient with martial weapons generally (or whips specifically) cannot use a wet rope as a whip. They just wouldn't have the skill to make it work. In other words, kinda the opposite of this rule:
[SECTION]PHB p147At the DM's option, a character proficient with a weapon can use a similar object as if it were that weapon and use his or her proficiency bonus.[/SECTION]
So... a character not proficient with a particular weapon cannot use a similar object as if it were that weapon.
Hmmm... but if the PC I described found an actual whip, I suppose they could use it without adding their proficiency bonus... so... yes to wet rope? Nah, still don't like it. It's still once removed from an actual whip... at best it distracts the opponent but no damage.
What a second... this isn't how this is supposed to work, is it? I'm debating with myself here... is it the weekend yet?
Satyrn
First Post
Oh. That's simple! There is no consensus.
Also, you should go right ahead and give them reach. It won't harm anything . . . except the trident's feelings.
LordEntrails
Hero
No. Not long enough. Think about what it takes to make a reach attack. At an absolute minimum, you have to span a 5 foot gap. Then you have to hold the weapon, and you have to proceed at least halfway into the opponents square, and you can't assume you are at the very edge of your square. Hence a center to center distance is reasonable, 10 feet, plus length to hold it minus the length of your arms.
If something is not at least 10 feet long, it doesn't get reach, imo.
So, I would give an ax strapped to a quarterstaff an improvised weapon (1d4), but not reach.
Sure, but i suspect it would result in better average damage to just use it without proficiency as a halberd with reach (i.e. 1d8 right?) I guess at high levels your proficiency bonus may be worth a decrease in damage, but not at low levels.
I mean something much longer than a PHB spear. Lance is fine.
Nope, even worse, now you have a 6' shaft that you have to use about 3' of just to hold. And, since both arms have to hold it, now your backhand is even farther from your opponent and holding the weapon, so you have something like a 3' reach, not the needed 10 feet.
billd91
Not your screen monkey (he/him)
It’s a pike.
I
Immortal Sun
Guest
It's still worse than using a not-improvised weapon?
But I mean, have fun hitting someone with a ridiculously cumbersome object that does pitiful damage.
But I mean, have fun hitting someone with a ridiculously cumbersome object that does pitiful damage.
Bawylie
A very OK person
Please stop judging my weekend plans.
snickersnax
Explorer
I've always thought of a halberd as in the 6' - 7' range. When I wiki them they say 5'-6'
If you can hit something in an adjacent square with a fist (zero length), then you should be able to get reach out of a 6' weapon, don't you think?
LordEntrails
Hero
Nope. But reality has little to do with it. After all a greatsword is in the 5-6' range too. Maybe even the great ax is that long.
If making all these mechanical tweaks make you and your players happy, go for it. But is it worth the hassle? Not for me (if it was, I might have stuck with 3.5)
Paul Farquhar
Legend
I've seen lots of real halbards, and they are pretty much all around 6' long. It may be that the wiki is measuring the length of the shaft rather than to the tip of the spear.
The length is really the key factor. you can whip someone with a wet towel (if correctly folded) but it will be about 2'-3' long. A bull whip is something like 10-12 feet long. A chain is more likely to be long enough for reach.
The 5e spear is a bit of an oddity, and appears to be limited to "shortspear" from other editions. The 5e lance appears to cover pikes and longspears.
On the whole, I would follow the genre trope and be generous when heroes try to use improvised weapons. If they have the Tavern Brawler feat, even more so.
Drunken Masters really aught to be proficient in all improvised weapons too.
The length is really the key factor. you can whip someone with a wet towel (if correctly folded) but it will be about 2'-3' long. A bull whip is something like 10-12 feet long. A chain is more likely to be long enough for reach.
The 5e spear is a bit of an oddity, and appears to be limited to "shortspear" from other editions. The 5e lance appears to cover pikes and longspears.
On the whole, I would follow the genre trope and be generous when heroes try to use improvised weapons. If they have the Tavern Brawler feat, even more so.
Drunken Masters really aught to be proficient in all improvised weapons too.
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