Mike Mearls: so here’s the first part of my two-weapon fighting house rule

[Inchoroi]

What book is Double-Bladed Scimitar in?

Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron. I'm not sure of its balance, since I only glanced at it briefly (my guess is its probably a little too good).

 

[Yunru]

What book is Double-Bladed Scimitar in?

Eberron.

 

[bedir than]

Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron. I'm not sure of its balance, since I only glanced at it briefly (my guess is its probably a little too good).

Cool, thanks.

I wouldn't permit a setting specific gimmick weapon in my home campaign. I don't think any standard/core rules should be balanced versus a specific setting either.

 

[SkidAce]

I think Mearls is tinkering with TWF cause he doesn't like bonus actions.

I like the fact that the bonus action causes trade offs and decisions.

 

[Azzy]

Mike Mearls discusses his two-weapon fighting house rule here: https://www.sageadvice.eu/2018/10/2...st-part-of-my-two-weapon-fighting-house-rule/.

-So here’s the first part of my two-weapon fighting house rule. Note that at this stage I’m ignoring the effect of feats, will get to those later:

-If you wield two light weapons you gain +1 AC and you can make one extra attack. All your attacks on your turn take a -4 penalty. Penalty drops to -2 if you have the Extra Attack feature, -1 if that feature gives you 2 more attacks, 0 if it gives you 3.

-You can forgo the extra attack to increase the AC bonus to +2 and ignore the attack penalty.

Meh, there's a good idea here, but I don't like the execution. I'd simplify it to

-If you wield two light weapons you may choose to either make one extra attack or increase your AC bonus by +2 each turn.

 

[Satyrn]

Meh, there's a good idea here, but I don't like the execution. I'd simplify it to

-If you wield two light weapons you may choose to either make one extra attack or increase your AC bonus by +2 each turn.

I'd consider dropping the AC bonus down to 1, because otherwise I don't see a reason for players to use a shield.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

I'd consider dropping the AC bonus down to 1, because otherwise I don't see a reason for players to use a shield.

This is probably ok for a game without feats. But with feats, it reduces the strength of the dual wielder feat.

 

[Satyrn]

This is probably ok for a game without feats. But with feats, it reduces the strength of the dual wielder feat.

I'm not seeing how my modification to Azzy's idea weakens the feat any more than his original does.

But I do think that his idea requires the feat being changed in some way, though the need for such a change kinda goes without saying since it's part of the whole TWF package.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

[MENTION=6801204]Satyrn[/MENTION] Oh totally agree. Sorry for not making it clear. Both versions do indeed weaken the feat, and I agree that [MENTION=6563]Azzy[/MENTION]'s idea also eliminates the need for a shield. Personally, I don't know that TWF needs to be changed all that much. I especially don't think it requires changing the math of the attack bonus or including advantage/disadvantage. Just a tweak to allow unarmed strikes and natural weapons to be used with it, and changing the bonus action requirement. I think there needs to be some action economy investment since you are making an additional attack over what you would normally be allowed, but I think the bonus action is just too steep a price to pay when there are SO many other things competing for that spot.

Edit: Actually, this whole thing also get me thinking about that other thread using a shield as an improvised weapon. I am now thinking that allowing it to be used improvised and off-handed is too good. I think one would need the Shield Master feat to use a shield with proficiency as a weapon, and Dual Wielder since a shield should not be considered a light weapon. This helps ensure some kind of trade-off / balance between choosing a shield or a weapon for the off-hand.

 

[Satyrn]

Yeah, scrapping the bonus action requirement might have solved my only complaint about Two Weapon Fighting.

From my experience with a fighter, the only thing I didn't like about two weapon fighting was that it didn't play nice with Action Surge. That is, the benefits of Great Weapon fighting, Archery and Duelist styles all get used during that extra action, but TWF doesn't because it needs a second bonus action.

(Although really my preferred fix for that is top have Action Surge simply grant another turn)