D&D 5E What fighting styles would you add?

[Horwath]

I'm not fond of GWF, but I do have players who take that style. It would be nice if everything was equally awesome, but don't try to speak for everyone's preferences.

well, you should warn them that there is a lot of better options or at least buff it a little:
+1d6 damage per attack sounds nice. to compete in comparison to +2 dueling

 

[Crimson Longinus]

It bugs me how incoherent some of the fighting style bonuses are. Why does duelling give flat bonus to damage but the great weapon style gives dice manipulation? I also dislike duelling, as it just destroys the whole point of versatile weapons.

But in general, I think the fighting styles, at least as they were implemented, were a mistake. They mostly give some boring small but significant bonus that pigeonholes you into specific subset of weapons, but they mostly don't do anything interesting. If we need to have these, they should be more like the protection style, that actually gives you a new tactic to use.

 

[Stormonu]

well, you should warn them that there is a lot of better options or at least buff it a little:
+1d6 damage per attack sounds nice. to compete in comparison to +2 dueling

They know. They don't care. For them it is a "feel good" rerolling the 1's and 2's. There are just some people you can expend hours of explaining how this option or that math is better and they'll just give you blank stares and go do their own thing. As long as their having fun, and it isn't ruining mine, its not my business to police them.

 

[Horwath]

It bugs me how incoherent some of the fighting style bonuses are. Why does duelling give flat bonus to damage but the great weapon style gives dice manipulation? I also dislike duelling, as it just destroys the whole point of versatile weapons.

But in general, I think the fighting styles, at least as they were implemented, were a mistake. They mostly give some boring small but significant bonus that pigeonholes you into specific subset of weapons, but they mostly don't do anything interesting. If we need to have these, they should be more like the protection style, that actually gives you a new tactic to use.

it's because originally 5E didn't want feats, but really they did want feats, but only some, so fighting styles are kind of 3E combat feats, but really bad. And now they are priced as a full feat, while most are not worth half a feats and none are worth full feat. Yeah, even +2 archery is not worth a full feat.

as for giving something new, there is battle maneuver style, but OFC, it's beyond bad, only worth taking as 2Handed battlemaster as GWF is horrible and you get more if you combine it with your already present maneuvers from subclass.

 

[Horwath]

They know. They don't care. For them it is a "feel good" rerolling the 1's and 2's. There are just some people you can expend hours of explaining how this option or that math is better and they'll just give you blank stares and go do their own thing. As long as their having fun, and it isn't ruining mine, its not my business to police them.

I can agree to rerolling d20 on limited terms, but constantly rerolling damage die...that rule slows the game so much and it should burn in hell.

just add +1 damage per die roll,
same as sorcerers empower spell, hmm, how many and what dice to reroll..? Just add +1 per damage die and spend a sorcery point upfront. Done.

 

[ezo]

Yes, with a shield. If the shield is designed with arm & wrist straps (usually as a targe or target shield) and allows the hand to float free (useful for holding a torch), when striking you grasp the weapon with both hands for the lunge/swing. In the case of the spear, there's often a cutout (such as on roman shields) to allow you to use a two-handed thrusting lunge while still gaining the protection of the shield.

Even with those shields you need to have your hand grasping the shield when you're using it for angling it, etc. Otherwise, when struck the shield would shift/rotate around the arm, making it less effective, if effective at all.

At best, you might be able to rationalize wielding a shield but only gaining a +1 AC bonus instead of +2. Using a guige (the strap that the shield was slung from) would free up the second hand, but then the shield cannot be moved in defense as effectively.

 

[Stormonu]

it's because originally 5E didn't want feats, but really they did want feats, but only some, so fighting styles are kind of 3E combat feats, but really bad. And now they are priced as a full feat, while most are not worth half a feats and none are worth full feat. Yeah, even +2 archery is not worth a full feat.

as for giving something new, there is battle maneuver style, but OFC, it's beyond bad, only worth taking as 2Handed battlemaster as GWF is horrible and you get more if you combine it with your already present maneuvers from subclass.

5E's Feats reminds me of Non-Weapon Proficiencies in 2E. They came from the tail end of 1E (Wilderness and Dungeoneer's guide) and they really, really wanted people to use them but gave the 1E grognards an out by stamping "optional" on them. Meanwhile, the design team went full-bore into using them and designing for them.

I think 5E's fighting styles should sit adjacent and complement feats. Styles and Stances should be the Schools of Magic of the martials, and combat feats/maneuvers the spells themselves, and designed thusly. A feat that grants you a fighting style should give you the same looks as if you made a Necromancer feat that gave your spellcaster access to the spells from the school of Necromancy.

 

[Horwath]

Even with those shields you need to have your hand grasping the shield when you're using it for angling it, etc. Otherwise, when struck the shield would shift/rotate around the arm, making it less effective, if effective at all.

At best, you might be able to rationalize wielding a shield but only gaining a +1 AC bonus instead of +2. Using a guige (the strap that the shield was slung from) would free up the second hand, but then the shield cannot be moved in defense as effectively.

That is how we added buckler to the game.
tied to light armor proficiency.
+1 AC if you do not use that hand to attack this round, if you do you lose +1 bonus until the start of your next turn.
you can still carry a torch/lantern of use a spell focus/material components or hold a weapon without attacking.

 

[Horwath]

5E's Feats reminds me of Non-Weapon Proficiencies in 2E. They came from the tail end of 1E (Wilderness and Dungeoneer's guide) and they really, really wanted people to use them but gave the 1E grognards an out by stamping "optional" on them. Meanwhile, the design team went full-bore into using them and designing for them.

I think 5E's fighting styles should sit adjacent and complement feats. Styles and Stances should be the Schools of Magic of the martials, and combat feats/maneuvers the spells themselves, and designed thusly. A feat that grants you a fighting style should give you the same looks as if you made a Necromancer feat that gave your spellcaster access to the spells from the school of Necromancy.

yeah, I love Book of nine swords also

 

[Stormonu]

Even with those shields you need to have your hand grasping the shield when you're using it for angling it, etc. Otherwise, when struck the shield would shift/rotate around the arm, making it less effective, if effective at all.

At best, you might be able to rationalize wielding a shield but only gaining a +1 AC bonus instead of +2. Using a guige (the strap that the shield was slung from) would free up the second hand, but then the shield cannot be moved in defense as effectively.

Well, remember that each round is events over several seconds. It's not a blow by blow (even though I've seen a lot of tables treat it as such). There could be ongoing swaps between favoring the shield to block some blow then adjusting your grip to counterstrike. There are even some non-European shields that employ a bracer or half-glove apparel to allow freedom for the hand (and, as always, fantasy versions to boot).

As an aside, I use multiple shield types in my own game (bucker is +1 AC, round is +2 AC, kite is +3 AC, tower is cover). I'd like to do bracers (without them having to be bracers of defense) as well, but haven't really thought out a system for them.