D&D General Damage by class instead of by weapon-anyone tried this?

[Mort]

As the title says.

I'm just thinking about this - hadn't really thought about implementing it - but it has it's appeal.

Something like:
Wizard, Sorc, warlock: d4
cleric, rogue: d6
Martial other than fighter: d8
Fighter: d10

Note die type (and who's at that type) is a bit to completely arbitrary - so could easily be changed.

Properties of the weapons would remain (and versatile weapons for ex. would just do +1 damage if in 2 hands, not sure of benefit for 2 handed weapons like greatsword).

Reason for it: No need to worry about "this weapon is better than that weapon" type problems, give fighters a chance to actually be better with weapons (from the getgo) etc.

Anyone tried anything like this? how'd it go?

Other thoughts?

 

[Fanaelialae]

As the title says.

I'm just thinking about this - hadn't really thought about implementing it - but it has it's appeal.

Something like:
Wizard, Sorc, warlock: d4
cleric, rogue: d6
Martial other than fighter: d8
Fighter: d10

Note die type (and who's at that type) is a bit to completely arbitrary - so could easily be changed.

Properties of the weapons would remain (and versatile weapons for ex. would just do +1 damage if in 2 hands, not sure of benefit for 2 handed weapons like greatsword).

Reason for it: No need to worry about "this weapon is better than that weapon" type problems, give fighters a chance to actually be better with weapons (from the getgo) etc.

Anyone tried anything like this? how'd it go?

Other thoughts?

I've considered it, but weapons would need to be rebalanced for it to work IMO. There would literally be no reason to use a battleaxe over a dagger, for example. The dagger's properties are superior to that of the battleaxe (which is normally offset by the dagger's smaller damage die). Unless you balance (or entirely remove) weapon properties, you still have the problem of this weapon being better than that weapon (albeit to a somewhat lesser degree).

 

[Mort]

I've considered it, but weapons would need to be rebalanced for it to work IMO. There would literally be no reason to use a battleaxe over a dagger, for example. The dagger's properties are superior to that of the battleaxe (which is normally offset by the dagger's smaller damage die). Unless you balance (or entirely remove) weapon properties, you still have the problem of this weapon being better than that weapon (albeit to a somewhat lesser degree).

Perhaps.

For ex. without some consideration a dagger wielder suddenly becomes optimal under a lot of conditions. But depending on campaign that can be a feature vs. a bug.

 

[jmartkdr2]

13 Age works this way (more or less), and I can say form experience it works really well for 13th Age. But 13th Age is also a more specific game than 5e, so it depends on what you want the rules to do for you. 13th Age doesn't shy away form the idea that it wants you to tell a story with the system. It's not very conducive to osr/high lethality play.

This variant makes customization easier, because players can just pick the weapon that looks coolest. It does not, however, allow you to differentiate weapons without a layer of weapon-feats or whatever, which can undo the initial benefit if done poorly.

If you're willing to do the work to get a weapon list like Pathfinder 2e, with dozens of distinctive options, that's amazing and very cool and very fun. But if you can't/won't/don't want to - damage by class is a great alternative.

 

[Roadkill101]

Haven't tried weapon by class but determine damage by how a weapon is used. One-handed and hurled weapons do 1d6 for damage, two-handed and powered missiles 1d8 for damage. Martial classes use the next larger die size (d8 and d10 respectively).

 

[DemoMonkey]

Damage by class instead of by weapon-anyone tried this?​

Well...Dungeon World, for one.

 

[CubicsRube]

I've thought about removing STR and DEX to damage and then using weapon dice + class hit dice.

So a wizard with a dagger? 1d4+1d6
A fighter with a dagger? 1d4+1d10

Etc

 

[77IM]

I think there are easier ways to achieve your design goals than overhauling the entire damage system.

 

[Mistwell]

As the title says.

I'm just thinking about this - hadn't really thought about implementing it - but it has it's appeal.

Something like:
Wizard, Sorc, warlock: d4
cleric, rogue: d6
Martial other than fighter: d8
Fighter: d10

Note die type (and who's at that type) is a bit to completely arbitrary - so could easily be changed.

Properties of the weapons would remain (and versatile weapons for ex. would just do +1 damage if in 2 hands, not sure of benefit for 2 handed weapons like greatsword).

Reason for it: No need to worry about "this weapon is better than that weapon" type problems, give fighters a chance to actually be better with weapons (from the getgo) etc.

Anyone tried anything like this? how'd it go?

Other thoughts?

I think it would work OK.

I also think you could just call all weapons 1d6 damage and be fine with that as well.

 

[Sacrosanct]

First time we tried this was the early 80s, IIRC. Never really stuck, although there are several games that do a variation of this.