D&D 5E How often do you use the versatile property?

[SHAFFSTER]

Like the title says, I was wondering how often the versatile property is used. I don't think it's ever come up at my table and I can't think of a reason to use it regularly. So what sort of character would want to use the versatile property, have any of you played as/with such a character and how did it work out? What am I missing?

 

[jaelis]

Never, for one of my characters or someone I play with.

But I think a low level monk would be sensible to wield a spear or staff in two hands.

 

[Abciximab]

Yep, Monks & I had a sword & board paladin caught without his shield utilize it.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I would imagine that mostly the value of the versatile property comes from different styles of characters being able to make use of the same weapon; if you want to play a sword and shield fighter, you can use a longsword, and if you want something more thematically like a 3e or earlier bastard sword wielder, you still just need a longsword. The same weapon can be used by different kinds of characters.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

Throughout the campaigns my group has going now, and have planned to come up soon, quite a few characters (a monk, two wizards, two warlocks, and a fighter) utilize the versatile property of a weapon in some way. Only the fighter frequently changes between one-handed and two-handed usage, the rest usually only use the weapon two-handed and are using a versatile weapon rather than a two-handed weapon due to proficiency or size limitations (though one of the wizards is using a longsword rather than a greatsword while proficient with both because she has a magic longsword - she'll likely trade to a greatsword if she finds one that is at least as useful as her current favored sword).

 

[iserith]

I think I've seen a character use a Versatile weapon two-handed once or twice, typically because they didn't have their shield or the like for some reason and you may as well get the extra damage.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

Druid in my party has shield and quarterstaff. I have to keep reminding him to roll 1H damage unless he wants retrospective damage for not wearing his shield...

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Once, when the paladin was awoken in the middle of the night, and did not want to spend an entire action to equip a shield.

 

[Ganymede81]

I have a Halfling paladin that uses a longsword two-handed as a mini greatsword.

 

[Rhogar_Rarr]

I most often see it on monks using a quarterstaff. Similar to AaronOfBarbaria's experience, I have a character with a magical longsword that uses it two handed because he has the Great Weapon Fighting Style. He certainly could use a bigger, greater sword, but we tend to fight a lot of things with resistance to non-magical weapons. In that case: 1d10+Magic & half str > (2d6)/2 .