D&D 5E Melee Weapons and Proficiency Reimagined - Homebrew

[Lanliss]

I think I realize the problem I had before. I couldn't put words to it, but I slept on it, and realized that 1d4 is half of 1d8. The average of 1d4 might only be a couple points lower than the d8 (2-3 vs 4-5), but a d4 will never reach 5-8, and that is why it is obviously worse. Man, I must have been out of it last night.

 

[Ganymede81]

I think I realize the problem I had before. I couldn't put words to it, but I slept on it, and realized that 1d4 is half of 1d8. The average of 1d4 might only be a couple points lower than the d8 (2-3 vs 4-5), but a d4 will never reach 5-8, and that is why it is obviously worse. Man, I must have been out of it last night.

While it is quite true that 1d4 (avg 2.5) is "obviously worse" than 1d8 (avg 4.5), the question is whether that loss of two points of damage is "obviously worse" than losing +2 to hit.

The game mechanics in the book generally agree that +1 to hit is simply better than +1 to damage.

 

[Ganymede81]

Then again, I'm not exactly married to that particular mechanic.

I'm tempted to revert a lack of proficiency so that you use Simple Weapon damage but don't get your proficiency bonus.