D&D 5E Weapons You Miss

[Azzy]

5e is great, don't get me wrong. In simplifying things, though, the weapon list was reduced significantly from earlier editions. Some of the weapons (like broadswords, many polearms, dire flails, etc.) were deservedly put on the chopping block, but there are others that are missed.

So, my EN Fam, what weapons from earlier editions that aren't in 5e do you miss the most?

For me, it's garrotes, scythes, long spears, whip-daggers, bolas, chakram, repeating crossbows, and specialty arrows (sheaf, flight, et al.).

 

[CleverNickName]

I miss the spiked shield.

 

[Mistwell]

I definitely want more reach weapons. It's a neglected category in 5e.

Throwing daggers which use Dex instead of Strength and which can use ranged weapon feats would be nice as well.

 

[Undrave]

Composite bows can just cost more and have Finesse

...Why though? they already use DEX.

Well, yes, but they’re martial. What I really want out of a “long spear” by whatever name is a simple reach weapon. And preferably not heavy.

There's probably a balance reason why that's not a thing...

Throwing daggers which use Dex instead of Strength

Daggers are a finess weapon, they already use DEX????

 

[ECMO3]

The Lucerne Hammer/Bec de Corbin/Pollaxe - a weapon designed as a can opener, and in D&D terms its "thing" would be that it could pick damage types dep. Also the dwarf "urgrosh" which in real life was a pollaxe with a butt-spike, and real world techniques also made use of that (meaning it was a rare example of a double weapon)
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Pick your damage type?

Meh. You can say the same for a longsword, scimitar, dagger, greatsword or halberd. They all can do more than one (in most cases all three) types of damage.

 

[GuyBoy]

Has to be the propensity of pole arms from OD&D. Wonderful names such as glaive, guisarme, voulge, bardiche, lochaber axe, Lucerne hammer. What’s not to like?

 

[ECMO3]

...Why though? they already use DEX.

IF they had the finnesse property it would mean you can use it as an improvised melee weapon and use dexterity maybe???

 

[Neonchameleon]

...Why though? they already use DEX.

Because finesse ranged weapons can use STR

 

[Charlaquin]

...Why though? they already use DEX.

So you can use them with Strength.

There's probably a balance reason why that's not a thing...

I would be astounded if a simple 1d8 reach weapon broke anything at all.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Kusari-gama, because I like the idea of using a double weapon with some utility to it.

Khopesh. It's a really distinctive weapon from history, and it really should blend properties of axes and swords.

Falchion. I personally think it's a cool sword, and it could be used to fill in some moderately interesting mechanics (e.g. offering a 2d4 weapon option).

Others have covered scythe and spiked shield already.

Katar. I've always liked this "punching dagger" since Diablo II introduced me to them, though fitting them into 5e's narrower band of weapon design options might be tough.

Shuriken. It's super thematic, especially for Shadow Monks. I honestly don't really know why 5e left these out, but included the entirely superfluous trident.

 

[Mistwell]

...Why though? they already use DEX.


There's probably a balance reason why that's not a thing...


Daggers are a finess weapon, they already use DEX????

Which cannot use strength, and which can use ranged attack feats. A strictly ranged weapon which is it's own ammunition. So if you have four attacks you can draw and throw four throwing daggers, all using (for example) the sharpshooter feat.