D&D 5E Does any one else think staff is overpowered and houserule it?

[JonnyP71]

That would be fine with the East Asian Jo Stick - thinner, lighter, about 4-5' in length.

But to this Brit, the term Staff means 'quarterstaff', and that's a stout pole measuring a bare minimum of 6' in length, and that's very much a 2-handed weapon.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

I imagine using a staff one-handed while using a shield to be pretty similar to using a sword or swinging a baseball bat. It doesn't seem unrealistic to me.

Quarterstaves however, are longer than the wielder is tall and weigh more than a two-handed sword. You need the leverage of both hands, set quite wide apart in order to control it effectively.
Remember that combat isn't a matter of "Am I able to swing this?" or "Can I spin this around in a pattern?" Think about what happens when your opponent blocks it dead, or knocks the weapon off-line: you need to recover control, and don't have the time to build up the kind of speed and momentum or leverage with a one-handed grip.

As another example: Two-handed swords are easily swingable one-handed. But without the leverage from that second hand, you don't have the control and support to adjust aim mid-swing, or resist an opponent's beat etc.

That would be fine with the East Asian Jo Stick - thinner, lighter, about 4-5' in length.


But to this Brit, the term Staff means 'quarterstaff', and that's a stout pole measuring a bare minimum of 6' in length, and that's very much a 2-handed weapon.

Yes. This.

 

[Irda Ranger]

I don't think the staff is overpowered as written, it just hurts my brain to imagine someone using a staff one-handed.

Here's my house rule:


Bo Staff ______ d4 bludgeoning __ Two handed, Finesse, Double
Quarterstaff __ d6 bludgeoning __ Two handed, Double


Both staves are 6' to 7' long, the Bo staff is just thinner and lighter.

"Double" is my house rule weapon quality that both ends are equally useful, so you can treat holding this weapon as holding two weapons for two-weapon fighting purposes. All standard TWF rules apply. It's basically just the bludgeoning version of holding two daggers or handaxes, except you can't even throw them, so I don't see that as unbalancing.

EDIT: I wrote "Versatile" when I meant "Finesse" under Bo Staff.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Bo Staff ______ d4 bludgeoning __ Two handed, Versatile, Double

I like this a lot (presuming finesse), since it gives another weapon that a rogue could choose and still do sneak attack. That of course will be the problem some people will have with it.

 

[Blue]

And regarding the Greatsword - yep, it's a cumbersome 5-6' piece of metal. Pop it back in its scabbard if you want to use your hands.

Dang, my great-axe has no scabbard, but it seems it takes two hands to carry it over my shoulder like, oh, I dunno, every movie or illustration where they have one at ease.

I didn't realize halberds ever had scabbards, too bad the palace guards can't hold them with their butts resting on the ground with one hand.

BTW, can you tell me how exactly you are wearing a 5'-6' greatsword sheath that you can use two hands to draw and sheath it? The back-mounted over-one-shoulder would require that you can hold it in one hand even for a short while, just like the current rules.

I could go on, but it would really be through the entire list of two handed weapons and that would be belaboring the point.

 

[jaelis]

Here is what Mearls and Crawford say on this point:

Q: Help resolve a debate. By RAI should a caster be able to prop a 2h weap against his shoulder in order to cast? Or is the fact that this was not intended the reason that q-staves are now versatile instead of two-handed?
Mike Mearls: it's fine - swapping around like that is part of the action IMO
Jeremy Crawford: Yeah, I would allow it too. A two-handed weapon needs two hands to be used, but not necessarily two to be carried.
Q: Would this also cover Reaction Spells
Jeremy Crawford: Yes.
Q: So off turn you get a Reaction, and a free object interaction? Without breaking 5e?
Jeremy Crawford: This isn't an open-ended object interaction. It's about using a 2-handed weapon.
Q: He's basically saying that switching between 1 or 2 hands is a non-action.
Jeremy Crawford: That's correct.

 

[Hillsy7]

I don't think the staff is overpowered as written, it just hurts my brain to imagine someone using a staff one-handed.

Here's my house rule:


Bo Staff ______ d4 bludgeoning __ Two handed, Versatile, Double
Quarterstaff __ d6 bludgeoning __ Two handed, Double


Both staves are 6' to 7' long, the Bo staff is just thinner and lighter.

"Double" is my house rule weapon quality that both ends are equally useful, so you can treat holding this weapon as holding two weapons for two-weapon fighting purposes. All standard TWF rules apply. It's basically just the bludgeoning version of holding two daggers or handaxes, except you can't even throw them, so I don't see that as unbalancing.

What's a two-handed, versatile weapon? Is that just a typo?

 

[Irda Ranger]

What's a two-handed, versatile weapon? Is that just a typo?

Yes, typo. I meant Finesse. I will edit.

 

[Hillsy7]

Yes, typo. I meant Finesse. I will edit.

Ah ok.

Does't really break anything then. Rogue's can dual wield Shortswords off the bat and have a d6 in both hands effectively, so the lack of the Light property doesn't cause an issue. I'm struggling a bit to find a benefit to have a staff over two light weapons, or a d8 Greatclub....but that's also true of a lot of weapons. Thematically it works, though I feel a little like PAM was supposed to cover it -but then again PAM is only mildly useful to staves......I'd allow it if a player wanted to essentially duel wield finesse clubs, or blunt shortswords......

 

[Irda Ranger]

I'm struggling a bit to find a benefit to have a staff over two light weapons, or a d8 Greatclub....

There's no benefit. It's just another choice. I felt like it "made sense" given how the weapon works in real life, and it didn't seem unbalancing to make it that way.

I'd allow it if a player wanted to essentially duel wield finesse clubs, or blunt shortswords......

Exactly. It's basically a change to damage type or form. I also think that visually it's more appealing to have a staff than two clubs, since basically only Dare Devil fights with two clubs but there are lots of examples of an agile staff wielder (see half of all martial arts movies).