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Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
An issue with the Tavern Brawler feat
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<blockquote data-quote="ccooke" data-source="post: 6499567" data-attributes="member: 6695890"><p>I get into a bind with this one.</p><p></p><p>The basic (non-Tavern Brawler) improvised weapon rules say that if you're wielding something that is similar to an actual weapon, you can treat it as the actual weapon. The rules also say that if you're proficient with something that's similar to the thing you're wielding, the GM can allow you to treat it as the thing you're proficient in.</p><p></p><p>I take that to mean that the rules entirely support me saying "Sure, you don't know how to use a greatsword, but you know how to use a greatclub. You can use it as a greatclub that does slashing damage, if you like, and get proficiency".</p><p></p><p>The problem is, where is the dividing line between something that looks like a greatsword and something that <strong>is</strong> a greatsword? Because the way the Tavern Brawler feat interacts with the improvised weapon rules would allow a character without proficiency with a greatsword to use something that looked <strong>like</strong> a greatsword as a greatsword with proficiency... but the same character would not be able to use an <em>actual</em> greatsword with proficiency. </p><p></p><p>This is clearly a ridiculous situation, but it's the end result of the rules <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>After some discussion elsewhere, I've come to the conclusion that the best way to rule it is to say that when a character with the Tavern Brawler feat uses a weapon they are not otherwise proficient in, they can get the full damage from it (ie: They do not have to treat a greatsword as a greatclub) and add their proficiency, but only if they make no use of the <em>reach</em> or <em>finesse</em> properties and treat <em>versatile</em> as <em>two handed</em>.</p><p></p><p>Basically, Tavern Brawler gets you the simplest melee usage of the weapon but not the uses that would actually require training with that specific weapon.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ccooke, post: 6499567, member: 6695890"] I get into a bind with this one. The basic (non-Tavern Brawler) improvised weapon rules say that if you're wielding something that is similar to an actual weapon, you can treat it as the actual weapon. The rules also say that if you're proficient with something that's similar to the thing you're wielding, the GM can allow you to treat it as the thing you're proficient in. I take that to mean that the rules entirely support me saying "Sure, you don't know how to use a greatsword, but you know how to use a greatclub. You can use it as a greatclub that does slashing damage, if you like, and get proficiency". The problem is, where is the dividing line between something that looks like a greatsword and something that [B]is[/B] a greatsword? Because the way the Tavern Brawler feat interacts with the improvised weapon rules would allow a character without proficiency with a greatsword to use something that looked [B]like[/B] a greatsword as a greatsword with proficiency... but the same character would not be able to use an [I]actual[/I] greatsword with proficiency. This is clearly a ridiculous situation, but it's the end result of the rules :-) After some discussion elsewhere, I've come to the conclusion that the best way to rule it is to say that when a character with the Tavern Brawler feat uses a weapon they are not otherwise proficient in, they can get the full damage from it (ie: They do not have to treat a greatsword as a greatclub) and add their proficiency, but only if they make no use of the [I]reach[/I] or [I]finesse[/I] properties and treat [I]versatile[/I] as [I]two handed[/I]. Basically, Tavern Brawler gets you the simplest melee usage of the weapon but not the uses that would actually require training with that specific weapon. [/QUOTE]
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An issue with the Tavern Brawler feat
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