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

[Coroc]

I try to use as few houserules as possible in my games but here is one which i use and will use in every campaign Setting:

Staff is two handed reach (So you may apply polearm master feat) but it is 1d6 and that is it. No versatile.

If you hit with it onehanded it is 1d4 like an improvised weapon or a Club or a stick so yea technically that is versatile but you get the point.

Reason:

1. Realism if you ever fought with a staff that is not a stick (which would be 1d4 like a Club) you know that using it e.g. onehanded like a spear without tip would be pretty pointless against an armored oponent (see what i did there )

2. Game mechanic balance: A Greatclub should do more damage than a staff, if you disagree try hitting something with both weapons.
A spear should do more damage than a staff, otherwise People would just saved the tip and only used the shaft.

If a caster type wants to use a shield get a onehanded weapon as a complement instead of using ridiculous weapon combinations (Staff + shield) which are historically without any realism.

If you want to do big damage with a Piece of woood get a greatclub instead.

 

[Valetudo]

Its not that staves are overpowered, its that some weapons are underpowered. A staff is a nasty weapon plain and simple. Certain weapons just dont get any love in 5th.

 

[Zardnaar]

It doesn't have reach. The reason you can use it with PAM is because the feat description says you can.

Its good with PAM, shillelagh spell and as a Monk (spear is better).

So no its not OP.

 

[JonnyP71]

I houserule it as a 2 handed weapon doing 1d6 damage, that can be held in one hand if not being used directly to attack with in melee.

 

[Shiroiken]

I try to use as few houserules as possible in my games but here is one which i use and will use in every campaign Setting:

Staff is two handed reach (So you may apply polearm master feat) but it is 1d6 and that is it. No versatile.

If you hit with it onehanded it is 1d4 like an improvised weapon or a Club or a stick so yea technically that is versatile but you get the point.

I would think this would be balanced mechanically. Not really sure about reach on a quarterstaff (it's not really any longer than a spear), but mechanically it seems fine.

Reason:

1. Realism if you ever fought with a staff that is not a stick (which would be 1d4 like a Club) you know that using it e.g. onehanded like a spear without tip would be pretty pointless against an armored oponent (see what i did there )

2. Game mechanic balance: A Greatclub should do more damage than a staff, if you disagree try hitting something with both weapons.
A spear should do more damage than a staff, otherwise People would just saved the tip and only used the shaft.

If a caster type wants to use a shield get a onehanded weapon as a complement instead of using ridiculous weapon combinations (Staff + shield) which are historically without any realism.

If you want to do big damage with a Piece of woood get a greatclub instead.

1) I think the 1d6 one handed is fine, but could see an argument for it being 1d4 (1d6) versatile.
2) Greatclub is underpowered (it should have been 1d10 to fit the mold of other weapons). In the hands of a proficient wielder, a staff is just as dangerous as a spear, just in different ways (also, you can effectively throw the spear). Part of the problem is the inability to differentiate with small margins (1d4 vs 1d6 vs 1d8 really isn't that huge a difference to work with).
3) I agree with this to an extent, but this is also a fantasy game. IRL, a spear is more useful than a staff with a shield because you can throw it. There is no focus benefit for us to consider.

 

[Zardnaar]

I think I had a brain fart but you might want to change the title to underpowered.

 

[jodyjohnson]

..., that can be held in one hand if not being used directly to attack with in melee.

This is redundant. All 2 handed weapons can be held in one hand when not being used for attacks.

 

[jaelis]

The staff as is is balanced fine, it just doesn't make a lot of sense. I play it 1d8, two handed only.

 

[JonnyP71]

This is redundant. All 2 handed weapons can be held in one hand when not being used for attacks.

I guess I'm also houseruling when I rule that they cannot in my games... want a lantern? Need a spare hand. Want to cast spells? Need a spare hand. And I rule that the Staff is the only strictly 2-handed weapon which allows that.

 

[Hillsy7]

Nope - if you pull apart the weapons table, WotC have sort of half baked rules into how they've designed their weapons and using those, only the Handaxe and dagger are majorly overpowered, and the Trident, blowgun and whip are underpowered. The only issue is the irregular application of Versatile.

Now if you are saying that a weapon is OP because it has a feat attached, I'd say you were more undervaluing the cost of feats, and who is going to carry a staff rather than a halberd and burn a feat on an extra melee attack. Not many builds out there I'll wager, so it's more a flavour thing.

So no, for my money the Staff is definitely not OP