Cap'n Kobold
Hero
What did you think about the Fighting Style suggestions that we were discussing earlier in the thread?
D&D 5E The best solution for longswords
Ancalagon
Dusty Dragon
Well, only +1 to AC is not good enough because it's strictly more limited than defensive style. However you can't add too much to that because then it's too good! +1 to AC, +1 to hit for example to me is too good, as +1 to hit is a pretty big deal in 5e.
I really, really liked the element of "disadvantage imposed on someone trying to do a special maneuver on you" (like shoving) but I'm a bit concerned that it's much too situational/campaign specific. One GM might be doing that sort of stuff all the time, while another may not.
Maybe a parry as a reaction?
Laurefindel
Legend
For me, an ideal fighting style would wield an advantage for both 1h and 2h uses of the weapon. If the weapon is versatile, so should the fighting style.
I'd suggest the following: +1 to hit when wielded 1-handed, and +1 AC when wielded 2-handed. In addition, the weapon may count as "heavy" when wielded 2-handed.
IIRC, a +1 to hit (or a +1 AC) equals +2 damage(ish), or at least it does when target number on the d20 is between 5 and 15. So the +1 to hit more or less equals the +2 damage from duelist style, and the +1 AC gives a not-quite-shield-bonus to the not-quite-2h-sword wielder. With the heavy property, the weapon can legitimately be used with GWM feat (without the +1 to hit that would skew the math in favour of GWF). The heavy quality needs to be optional to allow halflings (and gnomes?) to use a versatile weapon 2-handed.
As for longsword and elves, my favourite "fix" is a controversial one: get rid of racial stat adjustments and give higher points-buy budget, or allow a +2 to one stat at choice and +1 to another.
I'd suggest the following: +1 to hit when wielded 1-handed, and +1 AC when wielded 2-handed. In addition, the weapon may count as "heavy" when wielded 2-handed.
IIRC, a +1 to hit (or a +1 AC) equals +2 damage(ish), or at least it does when target number on the d20 is between 5 and 15. So the +1 to hit more or less equals the +2 damage from duelist style, and the +1 AC gives a not-quite-shield-bonus to the not-quite-2h-sword wielder. With the heavy property, the weapon can legitimately be used with GWM feat (without the +1 to hit that would skew the math in favour of GWF). The heavy quality needs to be optional to allow halflings (and gnomes?) to use a versatile weapon 2-handed.
As for longsword and elves, my favourite "fix" is a controversial one: get rid of racial stat adjustments and give higher points-buy budget, or allow a +2 to one stat at choice and +1 to another.
Cap'n Kobold
Hero
+1 to hit and +1 on grappling and shoving checks seems a bit lacklustre.
Maybe +1 to hit and when succeeding on a check or save to resist or apply a grapple or shove, may deal d8 damage?
The issue with versatile weapons, and the reason that we're mostly looking at buffing their 2-handed use, is that they already have a big bonus when wielded one-handed: the +2 AC from a shield.
A versatile fighting style to encourage using the weapon 2-handed is competing against +1 damage and +2 AC - the bonuses the character would get just taking Duellist style and using a shield.
Laurefindel
Legend
I believe what the Cpt'n meant is that once you factor in the dice increase (from d8 to d10), there's only a +1 to damage net difference in favour of 1h + duelist. In addition to the +2 AC that a shield would grant.
Yaarel
He Mage
Yeah, allowing the elf to choose where the +2 goes, solves *every* problem relating to the elf.
In this case, the sword-centered elf has +2 Strength.
But the bard singing elf has +2 Charisma.
The wizard elf has +2 Intelligence.
The hunter archer elf has +2 Dexterity.
When there is a choice, with easy customizability, the same elf race can serve various archetypes. The DM can easily create different elf cultures using the same template.
TheCosmicKid
Hero
What about just bumping the two-handed damage up to d12 (and possibly bumping the greataxe up to 2d6 to be equal to the greatsword)? Given how situational the versatile ability seems to be, making the weapon almost the equivalent of an obligate two-hander seems fair. It is, after all, already almost the equivalent of obligate one-handers.
BookBarbarian
Expert Long Rester
As I thought on this some more, while I think it has been demonstrated that Elven culture could have a fine reason to have one of the four weapon proficiencies they get be a strength based weapon it wouldn't hurt to introduce "Elven Longswords" as a common magic item into the game.
High Elves could have magically reduced the weight of their longswords, or used a secret metallurgy technique. Wood Elves might have used a magical Hardwood that keeps an edge as well as steel.
It's thematic, wouldn't really break anything, and be pretty cool for an Elf or Rogue to find.
High Elves could have magically reduced the weight of their longswords, or used a secret metallurgy technique. Wood Elves might have used a magical Hardwood that keeps an edge as well as steel.
It's thematic, wouldn't really break anything, and be pretty cool for an Elf or Rogue to find.
jaelis
Oh this is where the title goes?
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