D&D 5E DEX-based spear wielding Fighter

[JWO]

Even if you refluff the monk to get rid of all the Eastern flavour (very easy to do), you're still probably going to be stuck playing a character with high wisdom, which not everyone wants to do...

 

[Sacrosanct]

Why not just have a fighting style that emulates part of the monk?

All simple weapons are finesse, allowing you to use either STR or DEX

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I like the fighting style idea. I would make a spear finesse, but not heavy and not two handed. And also not treat it like a polearm.
Instead I would give a different benefit. Maybe a lounge attack. After attcking, you may disengage from that enemy for free. Or if you take the dodge action, you may make a single spear attack as a bonus action.

 

[Gwarok]

You had me at "Think Obyrn Martell" Great idea for a fighter type! Whatever bring you joy to play is what I say, and that is a good idea.

 

[Taronkov]

Whoa. That would easily be the most powerful melee feat in the game because of its synergistic qualities with the rogue multiclass. Sneak Atrack + Great Weapon Master + Polearm Master (specifically it's off-turn qualities) is a combo that the designers went out of their way to prevent for very good reason.

Yes, I realize this feat doesn't allow Polearm Master, but Sneak Attack + Great Weapon Master + Sentinel isn't much better. Either way, you're probably getting two instances of sneak attack per round on top of your already top-tier melee damage. That's far more damage than any other fighting style can contribute. And if you pick up a second fighting style, Great Weapon Fighting's rerolls would work on sneak attack damage, as well.

I'm not sure about that. Remember you're still only dealing 1d8 damage two handed. And as the rules currently sit I don't see a reason why you can't use great weapon master with a spear anyway as it is versatile. Finally I see nothing in the rules to support that GWF rerolls would allow you to reroll sneak attack as they are extra damage and not weapon damage, nor would I allow it at my table anyway. Maybe I'm missing something here in the rules but as written I don't actually see a problem.

 

[Rune]

I'm not sure about that. Remember you're still only dealing 1d8 damage two handed.

The weapon type hardly accounts for the majority of the damage in the equation. Most of it comes from Great Weapon Master on each attack + two instances of Sneak Attack. With the home-brew fighting style in question in play, level 20 Great Weapon Fighters simply wouldn't be able to keep up with the damage output of a Fighter 11/Rogue 9.

And as the rules currently sit I don't see a reason why you can't use great weapon master with a spear anyway as it is versatile.

Great Weapon Master's damage bonus applies only to heavy weapons. The real culprit is the combination of finesse with heavy weapons. Finesse with other two-hand weapons would provide a small damage bump, but not especially unbalancing. Except, of course for the following situation:

Finally I see nothing in the rules to support that GWF rerolls would allow you to reroll sneak attack as they are extra damage and not weapon damage, nor would I allow it at my table anyway. Maybe I'm missing something here in the rules but as written I don't actually see a problem.

It would apply for the same reason that Sneak Arrack dice get doubled with critical hits: it counts as weapon damage (as opposed to poison damage, which does not).

 

[LapBandit]

As a DM, a dex-based 1d6/1d8 versatile spear does not seem overpowered. Even a rapier reskinned to a spear would be fine, although I wouldn't let that the latter work with Polearm Mastery, but the former I would. If you want reach, that is what a STR-based 1d10 Pike(Polearm) is for.

 

[DMCF]

The spear was a low point in the PHB for me. I'd rule that the spear can be used as bludgeoning within 5' and piercing at a reach of 10'. I'd also make it versatile 1d8/1d10 @ range to allow for shield wearing versatility.

 

[Dargrimm]

Not sure who came up with this feat. It's on the site here though...


Fighting Style (Fighter, Ranger, Paladin)
While wielding a spear, you may treat it as though it had the Finesse property. If you wield a spear two handed, you may treat it as though it had the Heavy and Reach properties.

Actually I really like that, but isn't it a Fighting Style and not a Feat?

 

[Taronkov]

[MENTION=6785986]Dargrimm[/MENTION] - It is indeed. I'm incapable of proof reading apparently though. Nice catch.
[MENTION=67]Rune[/MENTION] - I'd still just not allow it and call it a day. You're already homebrewing, say it doesn't work when explaining to players the new options and if they don't like it then not to take the option. You can use GWF or Sneak Attack but not both in the same round. Done.