D&D 5E 2-Hander Style and Extra Dice

[Runny]

Does a Vengeance Paladin re roll 1s and 2s for Smite damage and Hunter's Mark damage when using a maul?

 

[SilverfireSage]

Edit: after reading some of the other posts in this thread I change my opinion. Soun like its. A reasonable option to let them do it.

 

[Runny]

I would rule the same, in a vacuum. If it would cause a fight with my player, I would go the other way to avoid drama. The RAW sure do point to applying to all dice. Sorta like Rogues sneak attack crits.

 

[jadrax]

Does a Vengeance Paladin re roll 1s and 2s for Smite damage and Hunter's Mark damage when using a maul?

It effects all Damage Dice for the attack, in the same way that a Critical Hit doubles damage dice.

So anything that adds extra Damage Dice (Divine Smite, Hunter's Mark) you would get to re-roll. Of course if you Crit, you get to double your extra dice and re-roll them on a 1 or 2, which is exceedingly nasty. A lot of people favour holding back on using Smite until you get a crit for that reason.

This was also put forward as one of the reasons you will never see two-handed finesse weapon, because the designers do not want players using the re-roll 1s and 2s with Sneak Attack.

 

[Runny]

Jadrax -- are you positive thus is the "official" ruling?

 

[Paraxis]

Does a Vengeance Paladin re roll 1s and 2s for Smite damage and Hunter's Mark damage when using a maul?

Yes, all damage dice.

 

[jadrax]

Jadrax -- are you positive thus is the "official" ruling?

I can't find any word of god pronouncements, but it is certainly the accepted ruling on the majority of message boards I read based upon the wording.

However, given the variation between the wording in the book and how the designers have interpreted things on twitter recently, I would not bet any money right now. It may well be the official answer will be 'it should be decided upon a table by table basis'.*



* which I don't have an issue with tbh.

 

[Paraxis]

Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can re-roll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

"damage die" much like with critical hits applies to all dice rolled for damage, I don't see how it could be read any other way.

It use to be in 3rd editon you wanted big modifiers and didn't care to much about the dice, now you want as many extra damage dice as you can.

 

[Juriel]

The style just says 'damage die', which is pretty damn clear. And crits double all dice, so there's plenty of other precedent.

Also, the style needs to affect all damage dice, or Great Weapon fighting style is pointless, as Dueling will always get you more damage (and allows a shield).

 

[Runny]

The style just says 'damage die', which is pretty damn clear. And crits double all dice, so there's plenty of other precedent.

Also, the style needs to affect all damage dice, or Great Weapon fighting style is pointless, as Dueling will always get you more damage (and allows a shield).

Really good point. It starts weaker and gets better with goodies. I'm sold. I my gut instinct is to be a restrictive DM, so I tend to take the narrower ruling. I should prolly be more permissive with 5ed considering how much relies on damage / lots of HP.