D&D 5E Thoughts on this weapon feat

[trentonjoe]

Whip Master

• Once per turn when you hit with an attack using a whip, the target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier) or be tripped and knocked prone.
• On your turn, you can use your reaction to use the whip to deflect blows, provided you have the weapon in hand. Doing so grants you a +1 bonus to your AC until the start of your next turn or until you’re not holding the weapon.
• When you make an opportunity attack with the weapon, your threatened range is 10' .

 

[TwoSix]

Seems decent. I’d probably say the saving throw DC should be based on Dex or Str, depending on the attack stat that the whip wielder uses.

I think the second item seems a little fiddly, I’d prefer it if the feat was a half-feat (+1 Str or Dex) instead of that.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I think it sounds fine for the most part.

The third part is unnecessary. You already get reach so it is built in.

As an alternative to the feat, this is what we've done with whips (not a feat, just the way the weapon works):

If you use a whip in this way, you don't deal damage.

 

[DemoMonkey]

The main problem with any weapon feat, is it makes it so much harder to find shoes.

 

[trentonjoe]

Thanks for the input!

I made a few changes:

Added a size restriction on the trip and changed the DC calculation based on attack. Thanks Larry!

Made the second part even more complicated, making the bonus better but more limited (only attacks that start within the whips reach).

Changed the third part (because it was a core rule I didn't know) and gave a different advantage on opportunity attacks using a mechanic similar to shocking graps. Thanks 6E.

1. Once per turn when you hit a creature no more than one size larger than you with an attack using a whip, the target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your attack ability modifier) or be tripped and knocked prone.

2. You can use your reaction to use the whip to deflect blows provided you have the weapon in hand. Doing so grants you a +2 bonus to your AC against attacks that originate within the whip's reach until the start of your next turn as long as you’re holding the weapon.

3. Opportunity attacks with a whip are made with advantage if the opponent is not wearing metal armor.

 

[Ancalagon]

I really don't like the deflect blow thing, because a whip is not a good defensive weapon - a sword or staff would be far superior.

 

[embee]

Whip Master
• On your turn, you can use your reaction to use the whip to deflect blows, provided you have the weapon in hand. Doing so grants you a +1 bonus to your AC until the start of your next turn or until you’re not holding the weapon.

I'd change it to deflecting incoming missiles only. Otherwise, the whip is deflecting a maul. Plus, the act of whipping an incoming arrow out of the air is pretty wicked. And if you roll a 20, you could deflect the missile at the sender.

 

[Ancalagon]

I'd change it to deflecting incoming missiles only. Otherwise, the whip is deflecting a maul. Plus, the act of whipping an incoming arrow out of the air is pretty wicked. And if you roll a 20, you could deflect the missile at the sender.

I'm not a huge fan but... it's much better than deflecting swords!

 

[NotAYakk]

Whip Master

• Once per turn when you hit with an attack using a whip, the target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier) or be tripped and knocked prone.
• On your turn, you can use your reaction to use the whip to deflect blows, provided you have the weapon in hand. Doing so grants you a +1 bonus to your AC until the start of your next turn or until you’re not holding the weapon.
• When you make an opportunity attack with the weapon, your threatened range is 10' .

• Forcing a saving throw every round on top of an attack seems tedious.
• I don't like the "expend reaction" for constant benefit mechanics. Reactions should be reactions.
• I'm not certain what you think the point does. "Threatened range" isn't a thing in 5e. Your weapon already has a 10' reach. If you intend to extend sentinal's range, then (a) feats shouldn't be designed to require other feats to function, and (b) sentinal has a 5' range to ensure you are a valid target for the other creature's attacks in the first place.

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What can a whip do? Well, indiana jones is pretty up there. He basically uses it to grapple, pull, climb, disarm, swing.

A grapple rider might be interesting, and grapple is strong; getting out of it requires the enemy give up an action.

"When you hit a creature no more than 1 size larger than you with a whip, you can choose to grapple instead of deal damage. They can attempt to avoid the grapple by beating your attack roll with an acrobatics or athletics check; on a failure, they are pulled 5' towards you and grappled by the whip".

The whip is a low damage weapon. Adding more damage could help make it more viable (2d4)? That also makes the above grapple a bit less tempting (giving up damage).

So how about
Whip Master
You are an artist with a whip.

• You roll 2d4 instead of 1d4 for damage with the whip.
• When you hit a creature no more than 1 size larger than you with a whip, you can choose to attempt to grapple instead of dealing damage. They are pulled towards you 5', and then if not incapacitated, they may roll their strength(athletics) or dexterity(acrobatics) against your attack roll to avoid being grappled.
• When you make a dexterity or strength check when using the whip to climb or swing, you may add your proficiency bonus twice to your ability check.

 

[Ancalagon]

I know that some people have a thing for the whip because of Indiana Jones, but for other people, it has... different connotations.