D&D 5E (2014) D&D 5e General rules vs Specifics of Dual Wielding

[BookBarbarian]

There's that feat as well that allows you to use normal weapons, isn't there?

Yup Duel Wielder removes the Light Weapon restriction, but not the melee restriction of course.

 

[FrogReaver]

So, I'm running a Level 5 Sea Elf Pirate Battlesmith Artificer. Using my Repeating Shot Infusion, I've made my standard Pistol (DMG Chapter 9, Pg. 268) a magical +1 Pistol, and it automatically reloads with each shot. As a Pirate, I'm using a "Sabre/Cutlass" (Rapier reflavored into a Saber/Cutlass) in my mainhand (also magical), and my pistol in my offhand.

General rules say, without the Two Weapon Fighting Fighting Style, you can't add your damage modifier (STR or DEX typically) to damage with your offhand weapon.

Specific rule says "When you attack with a magic weapon, you can use your Intelligence modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity modifier, for the attack and damage rolls."

So, would specific rules override general rules in this case, since both are magical?

I think you have the general and the specific reversed.

General - you can use int instead of str or dex
Specific - you can't add aamage modifier without the Two Weapon Fighting Style.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

1) Crossbow Expert feat (or reasonable variation thereon) - allows the character to use a bonus action to attack with a loaded hand crossbow if attacking with a one-handed weapon. The pistol is reasonably close to serve as a perfectly functional analog if you want to model a replacement feat or just allow the pistol as a suitable sub for the hand crossbow.

That's not actually dual wielding though - you make both attacks with the same hand crossbow (the free hand is for loading).

 

[Charlaquin]

That's not actually dual wielding though - you make both attacks with the same light crossbow (the free hand is for loading).

In theory you could attack with a different light weapon, either throwing it or using your object interaction to stow it, then use your newly free hand to load the hand crossbow and fire it. But that still isn’t technically utilizing the two-weapon fighting rule, and also a pistol is not a hand crossbow.

 

[billd91]

That's not actually dual wielding though - you make both attacks with the same hand crossbow (the free hand is for loading).

??? There‘s no free hand involved so I don’t know what you’re trying to say.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

??? There‘s no free hand involved so I don’t know what you’re trying to say.

Check the text - the feat doesn't remove the need to have a hand free for loading. It also does not say "with a second hand crossbow in your off hand". If you use your action to attack with your hand crossbow the bonus action attack must be made with the same hand crossbow.

 

[Weiley31]

I agree with Olrox17, but there is an even more specific rule that comes into play here.

"Two-Weapon Fighting
When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand
"
Since Pistol is not a melee weapon, you can't use two weapon fighting with it anyway. With extra attack you can make an attack with each weapon, but you can't use Two Weapon fighting to make a bonus action attack

As DM I'll allow it. Now go forth and Pirate it up all Pirate adventurers in this thread!

 

[billd91]

Check the text - the feat doesn't remove the need to have a hand free for loading. It also does not say "with a second hand crossbow in your off hand". If you use your action to attack with your hand crossbow the bonus action attack must be made with the same hand crossbow.

I think you're reading something into my suggestion about crossbow expert or this thread that isn't there, because I'm really not getting your point and how it relates.

 

[Lem23]

I think you're reading something into my suggestion about crossbow expert or this thread that isn't there, because I'm really not getting your point and how it relates.

I'm guessing it's in relation tot he OP, which talks about a cutlass in one hand and a pistol in the other, and the relevance of the crossbow expert feat - if he has a cutlass in the other hand, he wouldn't be able to use crossbow expert to keep firing the pistol because he'd need a free hand to reload it, which he doesn't have if he has a cutlass in the other hand,unless he has more than 2 hands.

 

[billd91]

I'm guessing it's in relation tot he OP, which talks about a cutlass in one hand and a pistol in the other, and the relevance of the crossbow expert feat - if he has a cutlass in the other hand, he wouldn't be able to use crossbow expert to keep firing the pistol because he'd need a free hand to reload it, which he doesn't have if he has a cutlass in the other hand,unless he has more than 2 hands.

But as the OP points out, the magical pistol reloads itself so that issue is ultimately irrelevant.