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

[Oofta]

DDB has been great for my online group - everyone's taken to it.

Of the 6 players 4 like to roll on DDB and 2 insist on physical dice, which I don't mind (Though, for one of the players I jokingly tease him he may want to switch to digital dice, his physical dice roll, statistically significantly, terribly!)

I like my physical dice because I can blame them if I'm making stupid decisions that will only work if I roll high.

 

[Mort]

I like my physical dice because I can blame them if I'm making stupid decisions that will only work if I roll high.

I prefer physical dice but, for my online group, use the digital DDB ones so it's easy for everyone to see my rolls.

 

[FrogReaver]

Huh. You know, I wasn't thinking about the fact that you had to go after the same target. That is somewhat limiting, which is good for balance.

But given the bag o' hit points nature of D&D, it seems pretty pretty pretty good against a lot of the big fellas.

This might help. Advantage adds about +2 DPR to a 1d6+5 attack with weapon (can be a little less if your base chance to hit is really low or really high).

However, vex advantage doesn’t apply every turn, you have to hit first. With an advantage hit that lowers DPR increase to about 1.7. Without advantage it increases to about 1.2. (per attack).

For 2 attacks it would be maybe +3 DPR. Probably does a little more than an extra +1 on your weapons in most scenarios.

That said there’s also a major limitation of targeting the same creature.

Strong group tactics of AOE and focus fire generally mean enemies fall much quicker than if you alone were attacking them. Meaning the style works less well the more tactically the group plays together.

 

[ezo]

I'm surprised I haven't seen more about damage on a miss being snuck in with Graze.

It already came up months ago with the release and people complained about it then.

I would guess most of those people might not be playing 2024 rules now.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

agree 100%

but any class/sub-class feature that gives martial weapons or extra attack should give one weapon mastery slot.

Nah. I like that it is as limited as it is (which isn't a lot, to be honest). Those classes already have so many toys. Let them take the Feat if they want Weapon Mastery.

 

[Cadence]

I just added a second weapon of the same type then customized it to rename and add the extra damage.

View attachment 388836

But having it (and a few other things) automated would be nice. Like a "reckless" toggle so I wouldn't have to do the right-click-check-advantage every single roll.

Thank you for the idea!

 

[abirdcall]

I have a question for anyone who has been playing for a while.

I have not used 5e24 yet, but I am about to start a PbP game (well, continue, changing the character over from the old rules) and my character has weapon mastery in vex. Which provides advantage on subsequent attacks.

Has anyone seen how this plays out in practice? Specifically, the character has 2 attacks a round with the vex weapon, and almost always goes first with advantage (three levels in assassin, high dex, etc.) and is pretty good at dealing damage. In the prior version, he sometimes had advantage, but it seems like this weapon mastery would almost always result in advantage, every single attack, allowing other features (more damage from sneak, etc.) to come into play.

I know that 5e24 "upped" a lot of the power level, and I am happy that they are providing martials with some cool stuff, but it feels ... like a lot. Would like to know how vex works in practice.

I know that advantage is often overrated, but I am so used to the old 5e I am having trouble understanding how this will play out.

For your situation Rogues are already expected to get adv. each turn. That was previously for 1 attack and used your bonus action so now that isn't needed.

I've noticed in 2024 there are a lot of ways to get adv. (as well as move enemies) so I expect them to actually overlap quite a bit.

If another PC knocks them prone for example then everyone will have adv. with melee anyway.

I am waiting for the new MM to see how things are going to shake out.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

I have a question for anyone who has been playing for a while.

I have not used 5e24 yet, but I am about to start a PbP game (well, continue, changing the character over from the old rules) and my character has weapon mastery in vex. Which provides advantage on subsequent attacks.

Has anyone seen how this plays out in practice? Specifically, the character has 2 attacks a round with the vex weapon, and almost always goes first with advantage (three levels in assassin, high dex, etc.) and is pretty good at dealing damage. In the prior version, he sometimes had advantage, but it seems like this weapon mastery would almost always result in advantage, every single attack, allowing other features (more damage from sneak, etc.) to come into play.

I know that 5e24 "upped" a lot of the power level, and I am happy that they are providing martials with some cool stuff, but it feels ... like a lot. Would like to know how vex works in practice.

I know that advantage is often overrated, but I am so used to the old 5e I am having trouble understanding how this will play out.

I've found that it isn't quite as good as it would first appear (although a Rogue with multiple attacks is pretty much the ideal scenario.
It only grants you advantage, not your teammates, and a significant amount of the time you're not getting the benefit. Unless you're beating on a boss, you will often hit something, but it dies before you get a subsequent hit, either from your damage, or someone else in the party's.

 

[Sulicius]

Huh. You know, I wasn't thinking about the fact that you had to go after the same target. That is somewhat limiting, which is good for balance.

But given the bag o' hit points nature of D&D, it seems pretty pretty pretty good against a lot of the big fellas.

What’s this big bag ‘o hit points nature?

 

[Stalker0]

Yeah, it's been quiet. And this is the EXACT same ability that, in 4e (renamed, but still), caused a huge amount of upheaval and promises of rage quitting.

I think there are a few reasons:

1) 4e was coming out of 3e which had a much more "detail oriented" approach. Everything was ruled out and documented, everything between NPCs and PCs had to be the same and consistent. So these more narrative mechanics didn't sit as well. People in 5e are used to looser rules and things just "winging it" and so I think the narrative is just easier for them to swallow.

2) 4e used the mechanic more prevalently, across a range of powers. So far at least we have it on one weapon mastery.

3) With 4e removing a lot of other flavor elements from the game in favor of a more sterile rules system (I think 4e had a lot of great mechanics but the loss of presentation is notable, and I think a major weakness of the system)....its just one more straw on that camel's back.

4) There was a time that mocking 4e was teh cool thing to do, and so it was another weapon in the gun.