D&D 5E 5e Bastard Sword

[Mercule]

I kind of like that bit. The fighter emerges from the orcs' caves into a tremendous cavern heaped high with gold coins. Atop the coins lies a red dragon, eddies of noxious vapor rising from its mouth. "Looks like I'll need the big sword for this one," he says.

I don't really have a problem with the "damage vs. size" table, but it's been long since dropped from D&D. Without that, the bastard sword is kind of an odd duck. It's not really enough bigger than the long sword to justify a damage bump, but there's a history of differentiation.

 

[cmad1977]

It's called a long sword. Use it two handed if you like. The range in my party does so. At first I thought it was kind of silly, but it provides him with flexibility and has been an effective tool for him/us. No need to make up rules for an time which already has rules

 

[Mouseferatu]

Fact is, these categories have been largely artificial since day one, anyway. "Longsword" is a remarkably broad descriptor. (Insert, "No, that's a broadsword!" joke here.) Anything that we could call a bastard sword could just as readily be called a longsword in most historical contexts.

In 5E, the game doesn't require a separate bastard sword entry, any more than it requires a separate broadsword entry. They're both covered by "longsword." The differences are entirely narrative.

(And for the record? The katana really isn't any more or less a Dex weapon than the longsword. IRL, both traditions had lots of tricks and quick moves. There's just no reason for the katana to be anything other than a longsword in 5E.)

 

[Mishihari Lord]

(And for the record? The katana really isn't any more or less a Dex weapon than the longsword. IRL, both traditions had lots of tricks and quick moves. There's just no reason for the katana to be anything other than a longsword in 5E.)

But ... but ... what about those videos showing a katana cutting through tank armor?

 

[jgsugden]

I'd just call my longsword a bastard sword. There is no 'gap' that needs to be filled. They'll eventually release an official bastard sword that will probably require some ability or feat to be able to use that does d10 (versatile), but there is no real need for it.

 

[ExploderWizard]

They'll eventually release an official bastard sword that will probably require some ability or feat to be able to use that does d10 (versatile), but there is no real need for it.

I doubt it. Feats are fewer but more powerful in 5E. A feat that just grants proficiency in a non-standard weapon is kind of weak and not up to scratch compared to other feats.

 

[LapBandit]

I allow the dueling style bonus damage for any versatile weapon used with either one or two hands. As long as the character is fighting with a single weapon I see no reason to limit the bonus to one hand. Seems kind of silly to give a bonus to damage from using a bastard sword one handed but as soon as you put a second hand on it your damage bonus goes away.

As far as DEX use goes, in my campaign, one property I gave to mithril weapons was that any sword made of mithril can be treated as a finesse weapon.

This explicitly makes dueling the best fighting style.
1d10 + 2 + str bonus = avg 8 + str bonus > 2d6 (reroll 1,2) + str bonus = avg 7.66 + str bonus > 1d12 9(reroll 1,2) + str bonus = 7.33 + str bonus. Why would anyone ever use great weapons then?

 

[Staffan]

This explicitly makes dueling the best fighting style.
1d10 + 2 + str bonus = avg 8 + str bonus > 2d6 (reroll 1,2) + str bonus = avg 7.66 + str bonus > 1d12 9(reroll 1,2) + str bonus = 7.33 + str bonus. Why would anyone ever use great weapons then?

Your math is off. 1d6 with rerolls on 1 and 2 has an average of 4 1/6, so two of them have an average of 8 1/3, which is more than the 7 1/2 you get from d10+2. Plus, it's better on crits because you don't double the +2.

It does however make two-handed longsword with dueling style better than a greatsword without it, which may or may not be weird. It's a fairly marginal difference anyway (7 1/2 vs 7).

 

[jgsugden]

I doubt [they'll have a fat granting proficiency with a d10 versatile bastard sword]. Feats are fewer but more powerful in 5E. A feat that just grants proficiency in a non-standard weapon is kind of weak and not up to scratch compared to other feats.

They already have a feat that grants proficiency with 4 weapons that seems like it would grant access to any added weapons (if one of the 4 chosen). They could introduce the d10/versatile bastard sword without giving any class base proficiency in it and then introduce a Kensai (calling back to prior edition prestige/etc...) as a fighter archetype that gets it for free. There are lots of options...

 

[Shiroiken]

I have no problem with the Bastard Sword as is (Longsword). If you really feel the need to add the Bastard Sword, give it 2d4 Slashing Damage with Versatile (1d6+1d4). This is the approximate of 1d12 vs. 2d6, overall.