D&D 5E Rethinking weapons categories and proficiencies: Using strength as requirement instead of class proficiencies.

[Horwath]

With this idea weapon attack and damage would use str or dex for all melee weapons and dex for attack and damage for ranged weapons.

All character are proficient with all weapon but suffer penalties(disadvantage) if they do not meet minimum strength requirement for a given weapon.

The bigger the weapon(damage die), more str will be required to use.


1Handed weapons and bows:
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]Minimum str required[/TD]
[TD]weapon damage[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7 or lower[/TD]
[TD]1d4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]1d6[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]1d8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]1d10[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]1d12[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

2Handed weapons:
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]Minimum str required[/TD]
[TD]weapon damage[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9 or lower[/TD]
[TD]1d8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]1d10[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]1d12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]2d6[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]2d8[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

If weapon has reach or thrown property, reduce the damage dice by one step.

If you wield 1handed weapon in two hands, reduce min str by 2.

"racial weapons" could have their minimum str reduced by 2 as that race trains with them from childhood.

1handed weapon used in off-hand have their str requirement raised by 4(minimum 12 str). Dual wielded feat removes this penalty.

2handed melee weapon can be used with one hand, but increase minimum str by 8(minimum 18 str).

"small race": If you want penalty for a small race due to lack of leverage because of smaller arms/hands, increase min str for 2handed weapons and bows by 2(minimum str 10).

 

[Coroc]

Sounds good to me except the 2 handed weapon in one Hand which is absolute munchkinism.

I use a houserule on strength requirements for armor in my campaign . Full plate requires 18 str (But it is also houseruled AC19 )

 

[5ekyu]

So wizard gets automatic proficiency bonus with glaives but not with alchemy tools or arcana skill?

Not fitting my setting so, no thanks.

So, the finesse idea of getting damage by hitting vulnerable spots instead of hitting harder no longer exists for dex fighters?

Not fitting my setting so no thanks.

Not interested in going back to strength for all weapons days.

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[Wulffolk]

Not bad. I don't think I would allow the two-handed weapons to be wielded in one hand. Wielding them is more about leverage than just strength.

I have some further thoughts on this, but need to sleep. I will post my ideas later. They still need some consideration and refinement before posting them anyways.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

I'm not sure what the benefit of this is supposed to be. It looks like added complexity with no real gain.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Everyone proficient in all weapons sounds a little wonky. I would expect martial classes to be trained in the use of more weapons that a wizard for example.
If you really wanted to remove weapon proficiencies, I'd suggest reducing the die size a bit but adding a class feature to martial classes that increases their effective Strength on the tables.

Actually, just to clarify, are you suggesting keeping the 5e weapon table, or is this a complete revamp, and a Str 16 character wielding a d10 weapon could call it anything from a sword to a club?
If so, you would at least need a modifier for Heavy.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

So, the finesse idea of getting damage by hitting vulnerable spots instead of hitting harder no longer exists for dex fighters?

With this idea weapon attack and damage would use str or dex for all melee weapons and dex for attack and damage for ranged weapons.

Doesn't look like it.

 

[5ekyu]

Doesn't look like it.

Then you should learn to read beyond the distraction.
Rapier 1h needs 12 str
Shortblade two weapons needs 12 str
Even dagger two hand needs 12 strenght.

Ie the effective finesse weapons setups get shifted to require more than 10 strength to use... Non-finesse setups already require str to use effectively.

Net results dex gets more SAD for fighting requirements and str not.

Since GWF is so underpowered and hardly used, likely many will see this as a good thing.

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Oops error dagger off hand is also 12 since you need d6 due to thrown property then +4 for off hand.

 

[Horwath]

Everyone proficient in all weapons sounds a little wonky. I would expect martial classes to be trained in the use of more weapons that a wizard for example.
If you really wanted to remove weapon proficiencies, I'd suggest reducing the die size a bit but adding a class feature to martial classes that increases their effective Strength on the tables.

Actually, just to clarify, are you suggesting keeping the 5e weapon table, or is this a complete revamp, and a Str 16 character wielding a d10 weapon could call it anything from a sword to a club?
If so, you would at least need a modifier for Heavy.

well, you will not see many wizards walking around with 16+ str.

And this is a buff to odd combinations of classes and abilites.

Like a halforc wizard with 16 str and 14 int.

Also class features to damage aren't needed as they come from extra attack, smite, sneak attack, multi attack or similar class features.

 

[Horwath]

Sounds good to me except the 2 handed weapon in one Hand which is absolute munchkinism.

I use a houserule on strength requirements for armor in my campaign . Full plate requires 18 str (But it is also houseruled AC19 )

Well, I set the str requirement at +8 from base for such a thing.

So only one that can get some little benefit is 20th level barbarian with 24 str who can wield 2d6 2hander in one hand. Improvement from 1d12 1hander by 0,5 damage.
It is just a versatility stuff, that if you are very strong you can improvise if you dont have your favorite 1hander around.