D&D 5E Lance is not a heavy weapon - Ergo halflings with lances. :D

Ragmon · Aug 12, 2014

So, I think the title says it all, the Lance is not noted as a heavy weapon.
Meaning, halflings, gnomes and all small races can use the lance without disadvantage.

I see a Stout Halfling Barbarian running around with a Lance dealing d12 (with reach, I know) dmg to all who oppose him/her.

Keep an eye out for this potential abuse.

kerbarian · Aug 12, 2014

I had been thinking of lances as essentially jousting lances and kinda silly to use on foot. Reading over the rules, though, they're perfectly reasonable mechanics for pikes: two-handed, reach, disadvantage attacking within 5'.

They'd need some special rule to actually make them effective, though. If an enemy moves adjacent to you, you'd provoke an opportunity attack if you try to back up and attack from reach. Even though the weapon isn't heavy, a 3' halfling trying to wield a 10' spear would still have some issues being effective in combat -- I think they'd be better off with a d10 versatile weapon.

Sacrosanct · Aug 12, 2014

Good thing 5e also stresses how not to take every single rule RAW and to modify as you and your group sees fit. This will be one of those rules.

SigmaOne · Aug 12, 2014

Ragmon said:
So, I think the title says it all, the Lance is not noted as a heavy weapon.
Meaning, halflings, gnomes and all small races can use the lance without disadvantage.

I see a Stout Halfling Barbarian running around with a Lance dealing d12 (with reach, I know) dmg to all who oppose him/her.

Keep an eye out for this potential abuse.

[-]If they're not mounted[/-], they have disadvantage once their opponents close in on them.

Anyway, if they can hold their massive heads up, they can carry anything.

Edited: Fixed after [MENTION=177]Umbran[/MENTION]'s correction.

Umbran · Aug 12, 2014

SigmaOne said:
If they're not mounted, they have disadvantage once their opponents close in on them.

No, they have disadvantage once opponents close in on them, period. Mounted or not doesn't matter.

They require two hands to use if you are not mounted.

Tony Vargas · Aug 12, 2014

The one-handed-only-on-horseback thing always stuck me as unnecessary. It's not like spears haven't been used - in combination with shields, as well as alone - for their reach advantage, since antiquity.

One set of stats covering two or more weapons has never been an issue, either.

Mistwell · Aug 12, 2014

Umbran said:
No, they have disadvantage once opponents close in on them, period. Mounted or not doesn't matter.

They require two hands to use if you are not mounted.

There are several things that address that issue. The main problem is you have to back off five feet to hit most things, which provokes an opportunity attack. So anything that stops that provocation, or makes the opportunity attack a lot harder, addresses the issue.

Two levels of rogue, to get cunning action so you can disengage as a bonus action (this matches the Halfling well);
Three levels Barbarian Totem Warrior (Eagle), which gives disad on opp attacks against you (this matches the Original Posters Stout Halfling Barbarian well);
Seven levels of Ranger (Hunter), also disad on opp atks against you (interesting for Beast Masters that choose an animal you can ride).

jadrax · Aug 12, 2014

Pretty much I think I will be using the Pike as a Long Spear and the Lance as a Pike.

Umbran · Aug 12, 2014

Tony Vargas said:
The one-handed-only-on-horseback thing always stuck me as unnecessary. It's not like spears haven't been used - in combination with shields, as well as alone - for their reach advantage, since antiquity.

Yes, but you have spear as a separate weapon, with different qualities - the spear is versatile (so, the idea of using two hands on a spear is already there), and can be thrown. The lance doesn't have those qualities.

The basic idea is this - if you are on foot, you must provide the thrust of the weapon with your own muscle - that takes two hands on something as long as a lance/pike. If you are on a mount, you can hold it with one hand, and have the mount shift to provide the thrust, and your arm merely aims the thing. That motion is lost in the abstract movement of D&D, and that's okay.

Capricia · Aug 12, 2014

kerbarian said:
Even though the weapon isn't heavy, a 3' halfling trying to wield a 10' spear would still have some issues being effective in combat -- I think they'd be better off with a d10 versatile weapon.

You know what else would have issues being effective in combat? A trained fighter trying to kill a dragon by swinging a club at a 600 ton dragon's feet. The idea that DnD combat needs to follow any kind of realism when you have sickly wizards who are fine with being riddled with a half dozen arrows and fighters who kill dragons, demons, and worse by poking them with sharp sticks is baffling.

Also:

D&D 5E Lance is not a heavy weapon - Ergo halflings with lances. :D

Ragmon

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kerbarian

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Umbran

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