D&D 5E 2-handed weapons: damage delimma

dave2008 · Jan 25, 2020

Slit518 said:
Should two-handed weapons be 2d8 instead of 1d12 (or 2d6)?

You could, but I prefer adding str bonuses to represent increased effectiveness. I like the die to represent the heft of the weapon and the str bonus represents the players contribution. With that approach I don't think raising the damage dice makes sense. If anything I would lower them as noted in the OP.

Slit518 · Jan 25, 2020

dave2008 said:
You could, but I prefer adding str bonuses to represent increased effectiveness. I like the die to represent the heft of the weapon and the str bonus represents the players contribution. With that approach I don't think raising the damage dice makes sense. If anything I would lower them as noted in the OP.

I see your point.

Fenris-77 · Jan 25, 2020

Slit518 said:
Should two-handed weapons be 2d8 instead of 1d12 (or 2d6)?

That's a 50%-ish damage increase from 6.5 to 9, or 10.5 and 13 with 18 strength, so it'd help. I'd agree with the point upstream that the damage increase should probably be more directly tied to character strength. If you wanted to go way off piste you could vary the damage die for some weapons by STR tier, so a strong character gets better dice, but that's a lot more crunch than just changing the static mod. Simpler is probably better.

Shiroiken · Jan 25, 2020

While it may no simulate reality well, the setup currently gives an overall balance to the three main melee fighting styles (sword and shield, two weapon, two handed). Once you start fiddling with that, you start to move player choices towards one of those options. In a game without feats, these three are used in roughly equal numbers (IME), but with feats two handed is way more common due to GWM and PAM. Adding additional modifiers to two handed weapons is going to push almost every non-finesse melee build into using it.

Nebulous · Jan 25, 2020

Shiroiken said:
While it may no simulate reality well, the setup currently gives an overall balance to the three main melee fighting styles (sword and shield, two weapon, two handed). Once you start fiddling with that, you start to move player choices towards one of those options. In a game without feats, these three are used in roughly equal numbers (IME), but with feats two handed is way more common due to GWM and PAM. Adding additional modifiers to two handed weapons is going to push almost every non-finesse melee build into using it.

That's also a good point; what would the ripple effect be overall.

dave2008 · Jan 25, 2020

Shiroiken said:
While it may no simulate reality well, the setup currently gives an overall balance to the three main melee fighting styles (sword and shield, two weapon, two handed). Once you start fiddling with that, you start to move player choices towards one of those options. In a game without feats, these three are used in roughly equal numbers (IME), but with feats two handed is way more common due to GWM and PAM. Adding additional modifiers to two handed weapons is going to push almost every non-finesse melee build into using it.

I am generally not overly concerned with balance. That being said, if it was an issue I would rather bolster sword and board.

Fenris-77 · Jan 25, 2020

Playing w/out feats I'd do this and not worry about balance. With feats the issue is more that Shield master is subpar compared to GWM and PAM. Personally, I might just allow sword and board access to the -5/+10 and be done with it. If an arrow can do it there's no reason a sword can't. Just rename the feat Melee Master or something and allow it on any non-finesse, non-light weapons.

GMMichael · Jan 25, 2020

dave2008 said:
I have often wandered about why we don't add strength modifiers twice to damage with 2-handed weapons. I mean, if I get a +4 when swinging a longsword one-handed, why not +8 when I use it 2-handed. I realize the dice jumps a bit, but from my own experience with swords it doesn't seem enough to me.

I believe that in 3.0 you did get double strength modifier. So, wander about why you're not playing that game, too.

I'd say double damage is fair, if you double the consequences of not using a shield. AC goes down by (at least) 2 points when using a two-handed weapon.

Tony Vargas · Jan 25, 2020

DMMike said:
I believe that in 3.0 you did get double strength modifier.

x 1.5

It coincidentally gave an 18 STR two-hander fighter the same +6 damage bonus an 18/00 had enjoyed previously.

dave2008 · Jan 25, 2020

DMMike said:
I believe that in 3.0 you did get double strength modifier. So, wander about why you're not playing that game, too.

We went from 1e to 4e and then to 5e. We skipped 2e and 3e completely.

D&D 5E 2-handed weapons: damage delimma

dave2008

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Slit518

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Fenris-77

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Shiroiken

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Nebulous

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dave2008

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Fenris-77

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GMMichael

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Tony Vargas

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dave2008

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