D&D 5E [5e] Weapon Damage Option

[Wulffolk]

Look - if you don't like the way Attack Actions work in D&D, then by all means go and play. You don't need to justify it by coming up with some odd reason concerning Conan's golf bag of weapons and DPR optimisers. Just rewrite the rules you want to and playtest to your hearts content, or at least be brazen about your intentions in the first place.

Thank you [MENTION=6689191]Hillsy7[/MENTION], I had not realized until you pointed it out to me that what I have actually been missing for the last 4 decades of house-ruling this game was your permission to do so. /sarcasm

Let me help you understand the purpose of this thread.
- I read something about another game's mechanics that could be an interesting house rule for 5e
- I posted this thread to get constructive feedback from other players, perhaps even players that were familiar with the system that I had read about.

At no point did I attack D&D or YOUR One True Way of playing it. How much more "brazen" can I be than openly broaching a subject on this forum and asking for constructive feedback? There was no subtle intent to "justify" why this option should become your New True Way.

You have made it clear that you do not like this idea. It is so noted. If you choose to help me explore this idea and see what comes of it, then that is awesome. If your only purpose is to "win" an internet debate by proving me wrong, then I concede. You have "won". Please let me and others carry on discussing this idea in the shadow of your glory. Thank you. I am sincerely humbled.

 

[mrpopstar]

I advocated for this same thing during the 5e playtest!



Ultimately, It’s an elegant system tweak that removes player choice in favor of mechanical aesthetic. I’m in love with the simplicity, but diversity and variation in weapon choice is some sacred beef.

 

[Nevvur]

I'm pretty sure the game you referred to is 13th Age. Check out the SRD, specifically the classes if that serves to refresh your memory.

I think it's a pretty cool way to handle weapon damage, but not something I would implement in DnD just because I'm a house rules-lite kind of guy.

 

[Wulffolk]

I'm pretty sure the game you referred to is 13th Age. Check out the SRD, specifically the classes if that serves to refresh your memory.

I think it's a pretty cool way to handle weapon damage, but not something I would implement in DnD just because I'm a house rules-lite kind of guy.

Thanks for letting me know which game this idea originated with. I will definitely check out the SRD. Maybe it would be a simple thing to transfer.

 

[Wulffolk]

Well, at a quick glance it appears that 13th Age is quite a bit different than what I am proposing here. It looks like 13th Age has the damage dice based on simplified weapon categories, but the dice are multiplied by the character's level to determine damage. For example, a 3rd level character with a Long Sword would roll 3d8 + mod for damage.

That is not quite what I am looking for. It seems like escalating the damage every level would just lead to an arms race between HP and damage.

13th Age could very well have been what I had read about a Long time back, and I just didn't remember it accurately. Anyways, thanks again for mentioning it.

 

[Nevvur]

The weapon damage is still based on class. For instance, rogues do a d8 with small weapons, whereas fighters do d4.

I don't think you can implement a "weapon damage by character class" concept without including weapon categories to distinguish them. Otherwise a dagger does the same damage as a greatsword, with the added benefit of only requiring one hand and the granting the ability to be thrown.

As for the level multiplier, that's obviously inappropriate for DnD. I wasn't suggesting you implement the 13th Age damage system wholesale, only to show an example of something similar to what you wanted and hopefully to identify the system which inspired your idea, so you could more easily reference it as you refine your idea.

 

[Wulffolk]

Ah, I see. 13th Age was probably what that old post was talking about, and what got this idea stuck in my head

 

[patwil]

I like the simplicity of the idea as well as the fact that it should practically eliminate the habit of choosing weapons just because of the damage they do.

I don’t like the idea of all weapons doing the same amount of damage, so I’d suggest something like this:

All fighter types (barbarian, fighter, paladin, ranger) - 2 handed weapons do 3d4, 1 handed weapons do 2d4, light weapons do 1d6.

All your 1d8 classes - 2 handed weapons do 2d4, 1 handed weapons do 2d3, and light weapons do 1d4

All your 1d6 classes - 2 handed weapons do 2d3, 1 handed weapons do 1d4, light weapons do 1d2.

I have no idea on how you would handle ranged weapons though. Would a rogue be that much less efficient than a barbarian shooting a bow?


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[Satyrn]

Thanks for letting me know which game this idea originated with. I will definitely check out the SRD. Maybe it would be a simple thing to transfer.

I think Dungeon World does this sort of thing, too. Its rules wouldn't be as easy as 13th Age to adapt to 5e, but it might inspire some ideas.

 

[Damian Henderson]

I believe the weapons should stay the same. A sword causes the same amount of damage, the difference is how good the wielder can hit.