D&D 5E Are Improvised Weapons Simple?

[KahlessNestor]

I believe improvised weapons do d4 damage (unless DM fiat).

I think a torch is enough like a club to count as a club, so I wouldn't gove it the proficiency penalty. I think it works just fine. Don't forget the 1 point of fire damage.

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[Hawk Diesel]

What if the Monk was named Jason Bourne? He's killed people with pens and magazines! Quick, what are the stats for pens and magazines as improvised weapons?!

 

[Satyrn]

Specifically I have a player with a Monk and Tavern Brawler that wants to use a torch as a monk weapon a la firedancer.

Man, I got only response to this:

Make it so, Mr Yunru.

 

[Bardbarian]

If this is your home game there is no game mechanics reason not to allow it. The torch at your option can have some additional mechanic like fire damage either 1 point or 1d6 and it will not affect your game in any real way other than add fun as long as you as the DM are ok with that in your campaign. if you find it does create some unforeseen balance issue, you as a DM have all sorts of powers behind the scenes to correct it without the knowledge of the group. This is why many DMs use screens to hide notes.

 

[Arial Black]

'Improvised weapons' are, by definition, not 'weapons' at all, in terms of game mechanics.

An object is either a 'weapon', or it is an 'improvised weapon'; it cannot be both.

It is only a 'weapon' if it is an object designed to be a 'weapon'. If it is an object not designed to be a weapon, then it cannot benefit from anything that requires a 'weapon', like the magic weapon spell or fighting styles.

In fact, the only thing that lets you belt someone upside the head with a 'not-weapon' are the 'improvised weapons' rules. They show how you can use a 'not-weapon' to attack and damage a foe.

Sometimes an object that is a 'weapon' (an object designed to be one) can be used as an 'improvised weapon' (an object that was not designed to be one) by using it to attack in a way that was not designed, like using your longbow to bash someone's head in, or throwing a pistol at a foe after you run out of bullets. "If a character uses a ranged weapon to make a melee attack, or throws a melee weapon that does not have the thrown property..."

It is also possible to treat a 'not-weapon' as if it were a 'weapon'; "At the DM ’s option, a character proficient with a weapon can use a similar object as if it were that weapon and use his or her proficiency bonus". This doesn't mean that the 'not-weapon' is a 'weapon'; it just means that it can be wielded as if it were one. So spells which target 'weapons' would still not be able to target a table leg, but if the DM rules the table leg is enough like a club then you can add your proficiency bonus to your attack rolls with it (assuming your are proficient with clubs) and even use it in TWF (which is restricted to 'weapons').

 

[Rollforpotato]

I have to agree with Arial Black. Improvised weapons are given its own category because it is not intended to be a designed weapon and the fact that a feat "tavern Brawler" is needed to use it with proficiency reinforces that.

 

[Caliban]

I have to agree with Arial Black. Improvised weapons are given its own category because it is not intended to be a designed weapon and the fact that a feat "tavern Brawler" is needed to use it with proficiency reinforces that.

...Pretty much everyone else has said that as well.

It's just that most of us also feel that it's not imbalanced to allow a monk to treat Improvised Weapons a monk weapons if they are proficient with them. It doesn't give them any special ability they wouldn't have otherwise. At best they'll just be doing the same damage as they would with an unarmed strike.

 

[James Gasik]

I'm reminded of something a game designer once said about trying to stat out the damage of Sean Connery's thumb (this, if you don't get the reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Dka54jH9po ).

Sometimes we get too caught up on the minor details of the game rules, which exist to give us an abstraction of the many, many differing weapons that exist in both our world and the one in-game. Most weapons started off as an object someone used as a weapon and then said "hmm....there's promise here". Look how many weapons started off as farming tools or other innocuous objects. This can be seen in a lot of martial arts weaponry as well.

The difference between a baseball bat and a vicious warclub is merely a matter of familiarity- or proficiency in this case. 5e presents using objects like pool cues and branding irons as 'improvised' because they are not commonly used as weapons of war- they are the weapons of thugs, bullies, and "tavern brawlers".

So no, they aren't simple weapons in the base game, but if a DM wishes to add such objects to the list of simple weapons in their game, there's clear justification for it, all it really takes is the understanding that most people in their campaigns will recognize axe handles and lengths of chain as weapons when someone wields them.