D&D (2024) 3 Months in - Weapon Mastery

[SkidAce]

Why? How does using DDB beyond digital dice slow things down? If playing in person, I wouldn't allow it because we agree that everyone rolls physical dice out in the open. But, if anything, I would think rolling on DDB would speed things up.

Dice animation and output can be very slow.

 

[Sulicius]

I’ve been playing through the Sunless Citadel with some 2024 characters, and the weapon masteries make a huge difference. Nick freeing up the rogue and paladin bonus actions have made them a lot more powerful.

So far it does slow down the game a tiny bit, but I don’t think that will stay.

We also switched in our 12th level game, where only one character even has weapon masteries. Either they have less effect, or the player forgets to apply the effect.

Right now I am not 100% convinced, but I am happy the impact feels lower at high level.

 

[Oofta]

Why? How does using DDB beyond digital dice slow things down? If playing in person, I wouldn't allow it because we agree that everyone rolls physical dice out in the open. But, if anything, I would think rolling on DDB would speed things up.

Maybe it's just my players but every time they have to roll they have to hunt around, remember how to do it, slowly set it up and eventually roll. It's primarily an issue for anyone that do anything other than straight than weapon damage. So the rogue's sneak attack, various spells that require save instead of an attack. Takes several minutes instead of oh, just rolling a handful of dice all at once.

 

[Oofta]

Dice animation and output can be very slow.

It helps if you don't use the animated exploding dice as well, but the rolls can still take quite a bit of time.

I wish there was a way to say "roll damage with the attack" and "add these dice to my weapon damage", along with a quick way to do spell damage for spells that require a save.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

It helps if you don't use the animated exploding dice as well, but the rolls can still take quite a bit of time.

I wish there was a way to say "roll damage with the attack" and "add these dice to my weapon damage", along with a quick way to do spell damage for spells that require a save.

There is. Just roll the 'to hit' button. When the result shows up, underneath is a 'roll damage' button and you just click it

 

[Oofta]

There is. Just roll the 'to hit' button. When the result shows up, underneath is a 'roll damage' button and you just click it

For whatever reasons, with one of my players there's at least a half a minute of hemming and hawing before that happens. Every. Single. Time.

For other players, if you have sneak attack damage or similar (flame tongue weapon for example), you have to roll that separately.

 

[MerricB]

I'm mostly noticing it in the realms of "This one effect gets added to every attack the character makes". As in - for a given character, little variety in how it plays at the table.

It's a far cry from the interest of the (multiple) at wills in 4E where there was a decision to make each turn. While there are few situations where a decision needs to be made, it feels quite repetitive at this stage.

It's not noticeably slower once the players know what they're doing. But still early days.

Cheers!

 

[Chaltab]

Because of them, my Nick is getting replaced for an ability that lets the 1d4 weapons be paired with nonlight weapons for TWFing, so people can do Rapier/Dagger right away, and Scimitar is gonna get a new mastery as soon as I go look at what all the other blades get to make it different so all finesse weapons don't have Vex.

Really wish I had this on my Swords Bard but alas we're not even using 2024 rules.

 

[abirdcall]

I think they are doing the job of adding mechanical weight to the different weapons which stops them from being interchangeable.

I agree that it is a bit weird for shortsword and scimitar to be the best 2-weapon combo but is also fine.

 

[Distracted DM]

To answer the actual OP.

Players are really liking it so far. The barbarian player REALLY likes the addition.

I'd think that most players would like it! It's added power to their characters and adds more options to choose from