D&D (2024) New One D&D Weapons Table Shows 'Mastery' Traits

The weapons table from the upcoming Unearthed Arcana playtest for One D&D has made its way onto the internet via Indestructoboy on Twitter, and reveals some new mechanics. The mastery traits include Nick, Slow, Puncture, Flex, Cleave, Topple, Graze, and Push. These traits are accessible by the warrior classes.

 

[OldSchoolGamerGirl]

Maybe rephrase that to 'interesting and engaging to play'.

That is what I mean.

When I play a fighter, and I loved to in older editions, I want to stand out. I want to be able to have mechanics that match my characters fighting style and personality

 

[CleverNickName]

Damage isn't the issue with the fighter. I can make a fighter that out damages everyone at my table., what I can't do is make one that feels interesting and engaging

Yeah, Fighters are harder to play than I expected.

Whenever I roll up a Fighter, I have to put a lot more thought into my character than I do with other classes. Having a class that's built entirely around Fighting is all fine and good when everyone is fighting, but the rest of the time I struggle with finding something to do. If I don't plan the character well enough, I'm going to end up just standing around waiting for combat to start while everyone else disarms traps, searches treasure chests, haggles with merchants, sneaks past the guards, literally everything except fighting. And that's just...boring.

Starting with the ability scores: I don't want to be great at just one thing, if it means I'm going to be bad at everything else, so I like to spread my bonuses out, and avoid penalties if I can. I prefer to roll my stats instead of using the Point Buy, because I don't want to start with an 8 (and thus, a penalty) if I can help it.

The right Background helps a lot. I try to avoid the trap of just picking Soldier because it's the most obviously "fighty" choice. From the name alone I know that my character is already going to be Fighty McFightingMan, so I don't need to compound it. So I like a background that breaks the mold just a little bit: Investigator from SCAG was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed Acolyte a lot more than I expected.

My DM allows feats, so I'll grab one or two that will give me other options in the game. Fighters get more feats and ASIs than most characters, so I'm not afraid to spend one on my favorite, Magic Initiate. I'm not really concerned about my fighter "looking too magical," either, I like to reflavor stuff to match my character's idiom. ("When I cast cause fear, I brandish my sword and shout fiercely at my opponent. Whenever I cast eldritch blast, it looks like I'm throwing daggers." Or whatever.)

But I do love me some combat feats, too. Especially the ones like Defensive Duelist and Sentinel, that give me interesting tactics instead of a math boost to attack/damage.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Reduce hp for monsters across the board and give more interesting abilities and attacks.

More interesting abilities like what? And how does that make "condition = dead" not the most effective?

 

[Chaosmancer]

I’m assuming you mean interesting and engaging outside of combat? As someone who does play fighters, I would have thought interesting and engaging are character traits, not mechanics. Personally, mechanically, I’ve never had a problem getting a fighter to engage with non-combat aspects of the game. They might not have the breadth of skill as some classes, but with the right background it’s easy enough to have the right skills to be a non-combat asset.

Well, even in combat, most Warriors don't have... choices.

I'm currently playing a Barbarian. In combat the only decision I really make is "who do I hit with my melee attacks". I usually rage, that usually isn't a choice. Reckless isn't a choice. And I don't HAVE any other abilities.

Many fighters also don't have many actual choices.

 

[Reef]

Well, even in combat, most Warriors don't have... choices.

I'm currently playing a Barbarian. In combat the only decision I really make is "who do I hit with my melee attacks". I usually rage, that usually isn't a choice. Reckless isn't a choice. And I don't HAVE any other abilities.

Many fighters also don't have many actual choices.

Fair enough. Now that I think about it, I'm coming from a position of Battlemaster, so my perception will be skewed a little.

 

[billd91]

When I play a fighter, and I loved to in older editions, I want to stand out. I want to be able to have mechanics that match my characters fighting style and personality

I have to ask: which older editions and what did they have that's lacking now with the fighters you're playing? What got lost?

 

[Chaosmancer]

I have to ask: which older editions and what did they have that's lacking now with the fighters you're playing? What got lost?

I can't speak to there,experiences but there are two angles to take here.

1) Fighters lost quite a few things in defensive abilities over the years, and if we go far enough back, the inclusion of the rogue carved out a lot of the skill-based things the fighter used to do.

2) It is also important to recognize what other classes gained. The ability to leap 8 ft in the air, or 20 ft across a gap isn't as useful when every caster has a remote flying drone that they can send anywhere, to interact with anything, and without major penalties. And, every class is good in a fight. Fighters might, mathematically, barely, with feats and magic items, eek out ahead as the best at fighting, but if you play RAW with no feats and no magic items... they aren't even the best at fighting anymore.

Even if fighters lost nothing (and they did lose somethings) everyone else has GAINED a lot, which still creates a problem. After all, you don't play an AD&D fighter in a 5e game.

 

[Incenjucar]

I can't speak to there,experiences but there are two angles to take here.

1) Fighters lost quite a few things in defensive abilities over the years, and if we go far enough back, the inclusion of the rogue carved out a lot of the skill-based things the fighter used to do.

2) It is also important to recognize what other classes gained. The ability to leap 8 ft in the air, or 20 ft across a gap isn't as useful when every caster has a remote flying drone that they can send anywhere, to interact with anything, and without major penalties. And, every class is good in a fight. Fighters might, mathematically, barely, with feats and magic items, eek out ahead as the best at fighting, but if you play RAW with no feats and no magic items... they aren't even the best at fighting anymore.

Even if fighters lost nothing (and they did lose somethings) everyone else has GAINED a lot, which still creates a problem. After all, you don't play an AD&D fighter in a 5e game.

This. The context the fighter exists in has changed so much.

Every class has a pretty strong contribution to combat even if they use up all of their limited resources. Off-turn actions are all over the place. Non-warriors keep getting better defenses and HP for some reason. Limitations to spellcasting keep getting removed. "Name Level" is no longer a thing. XP differences are no longer a thing. Percentile magic resistance and like 1/4 monsters having anti-caster psionic abilities are no longer a thing.

 

[WanderingMystic]

I don't mind the concept of weapon masteries and until we actually get to see the play test I don't want to jump the gun.

1: I think that if nick was make an extra offhand attack as a bonus action and they keep the light property the same as the other play test then I will be happy with that.

2: If, like expertise you get a couple of weapon masteries as you level up that will be good.

3: For the love of God just give all fighters access to battle master maneuvers then the fighter would be fine. Expecialy if they added some of the out of combat ones from Tasha's inot the core book.

4: Let give a mastery for unarmed for monks at least.

5: Fix monks Ki problems and stunning blow.

I think that if they do these then your warrior classes will feel better out of combat and have a more dynamic in combat feeling. I could also see just adding an extra die of damage at higher levels to help them keep up with spell casters.

 

[Minigiant]

Knocking thungs down is useful regardless of the DM, and forced movement is great when needed, and okay the rest of the time. Slow too, tbh.

Knocking prone and lowering speed is useful in common occurrences. However those occurrences often require DM assistance to matter.

And in those situations, the shove action already exists.