D&D 5E I hate rapiers. Do you?

Do you like the way 5e has handled rapiers?

  • Absolutely not! I hate, hate, hate the way 5e has handled rapiers.

    Votes: 50 21.6%
  • I dislike 5e rapiers so much I have houseruled a nerf on them.

    Votes: 17 7.4%
  • I like rapiers, and I eat paste.

    Votes: 89 38.5%
  • I only participate in polls with leading questions.

    Votes: 75 32.5%


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Mercule

Adventurer
I rather like rapiers. Probably because I prefer more overland/town adventures, so the "stab Orcus with a fencing weapon" isn't really a problem. Also, my players tend to go with a concept and the mechanics are secondary, so a functional rapier just means that their swashbuckler doesn't suck down the rest of the party.

Now, do I love the 5E handling of the rapier? No. But I don't hate it, either. It's a dex-based long sword. The end. I don't actually see it as a fencing weapon (in the modern sense). It's still a big-boy weapon, whether that means an elven blade or just a broadsword. I'd actually use the long sword stats for a katana.
 

werecorpse

Adventurer
I don't object to a one handed d8 finesse weapon that isn't light, in fact I would like there to be one that is slashing and one that is piercing (can't see one that is bludgeoning?). I just really dislike the name rapier as it feels anachronistic as compared to the other weapons and my concept of the game.

I'm thinking of renaming the current scimitar as a "cutlass" and making the scimitar a one handed d8 weapon that isn't light and that does slashing damage.

I'm less certain what to call "the piercing weapon" - rapier makes some sense but I dislike it. Maybe longsword and call the current longsword a broadsword? Feels a bit more AD&D ish.
 


The rapier is only a symptom. The issues driving it's popularity are the dominance of Dex, the need for a finesse weapon to do Sneak Attack damage and the fact that it's the sole finesse weapon that does d8 damage. Hell, I've got a Strength-based barbarian/swashbuckler that uses a Rapier because A) he's a swashbuckler! and B) he can do Sneak Attack damage with it. Don't blame the playa, blame the game.
 



Tales and Chronicles

Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix
Yeah, the idea of having a dueling weapon against heavy armored foes, mindless beast, creature as large as a barn is laughable. I did a lot of fencing once and I can tell you that the main reasoning behind the finess weapon being able to to as much damage as a heavier weapon against an armored adversary; that your PC hits between the plates, is strange. There's no way a fighter with a rapier is able to pinpoint 4 times in 6 seconds the small breach in the armor while the foe is defending himself.

Anyway, in my head canon Scimitars are Sabers and Rapiers are Broadswords, longswords are Arming sword, two-handed swords are Longsword.
 

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