As someone who plays rogues regularly, I am 100% in support of this.
D&D 5E Changing Sneak Attack to Light Weapons
- Thread starter DND_Reborn
- Start date
Yeah, I really don't like the limit to finesse weapons. The humble club is probably the most iconic sneak attack weapon after the dagger, but apparently doesn't work where a four foot long rapier does. Meh to that. I'd be fine with light, I think it's a good change, and I'd also be just fine with not-heavy, or even whatever. Its not going to break the game. Straight rogue, which maximized SA doesn't have enough attacks to really rock out the DPR builds, and if you MC to get attacks the SA drops, so there's some built-in shenanigans limitations.
I ran across this when I took Sharpshooter with my first Rogue. All the other benefits were good, but taking -5 on your only attack and potentially missing out on sneak attack was terrible.
Both SS and GWM have a break point that a lot of people don't realize. They are great with advantage and against lower ACs, and actively not good against higher ACs for a lot of builds. They are also significantly better with multiple attacks. Finding a way to get the archery fighting style is almost a requirement for SS builds too. For a single classed rogue I don't know that I'd bother.
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
I don’t understand the objection to the rapier.
Maybe sneak attack needs a rename?
But even if we thematically link it more to stealth andambush than it actually is in 5e, I can’t figure out what about the rapier interferes with that?
Gladius Legis
Legend
I've been proposing adding light weapons to the list of Sneak Attack weapons since 5e released, basically. And when I DM, that's always a house rule.
Xeviat
Dungeon Mistress, she/her
As evidenced by the "Aim" variant action suggested in UA, and the way TWFing interacts with Cunning Action, I think the Rogue is designed to be getting two chances for sneak attack every round, either by virtue of getting 2 attacks or getting advantage. When that's taken into consideration, allowing any weapon to sneak attack isn't that big of a deal.
Even if you allow great weapon fighting on sneak attack dice. That's an improvement of +0.415 per die. The loss of two chances to land it more than eclipses that.
Even if you allow great weapon fighting on sneak attack dice. That's an improvement of +0.415 per die. The loss of two chances to land it more than eclipses that.
Because it's a fill sized sword and it makes zero sense that it should be SA capable when a club isnt. Moreover, the rapier is already to blame for a lot of STR dumping anyway because it's a d8 and finesse.
For us it was just the visuals and thematic. That and lack of options for ranged attack with strength without house-rules are already bad. A strength based rogue throwing daggers just didn't seem to keep up with that longbow wielding elf rogue.
Horwath
Legend
problem with rapier, is that devs in their infinite wisdom decided that "finesse" property is as powerful as "versatile". While versatile is more or less an useless ribbon ability that is used in 1 out of a 100 attacks with versatile weapon.
If "light" costs a lower damage die, then "finesse" should also.
Then you would have:
Rapier, 1d8 finesse
Longsword, 1d10 versatile (1d12)
short sword, 1d6, light, finesse
