D&D 5E Feats and Weapons

[Clancey]

I've been playing 5e twice a week for just over a year (went for a couple of decades without playing, so 2nd ED>5e). I know I should try other classes to perk things up, but I find myself sticking to Fighter/Rogue/Barbarian/Ranger classes, and things are starting to look a little rote. I find myself remembering the good old days with a lot of difference between characters due in part to a broader scope of weaponry (bolas and garrotes for example). Also, now that every DM I've played under is sticking to "Standard" ability scores and hit points, rolling up a new character has become more mechanical. If you know what class and level a character is, you know pretty much what their HP and (at least) starting ability scores are (yes, need race too for that last one).


SO: will there ever be new feats and weaponry introduced into canon for 5e? I particularly miss bolas when the enemy has had enough and runs off to do the party harm down the line...

 

[Shiroiken]

I suspect that both will be made in time, but not a lot of either since they are trying to limit bloat. I recall they had a bola in the playtest of 5E, but I believe it overlapped too much with the net.

 

[Azurewraith]

I highly doubt we will get much more crunch to this system especially in the way of a "crunch book" as well they are doing limited publications a year and are focusing on adventures. I can see getting more SCAG style books that are crunch wrapped in a fluffy pastry making a odd pie. Now that i think about it there trying to keep the edition simple and streamlined so im afraid the outlook for us depth, options and crunchy crunch guys is not good.

 

[pming]

Hiya!

First, Feats are not "canon", per se, they are OPTIONAL (just like Multiclassing). But, yes, they are 'in' the core books...just not used as a base for the game.

Second, and IMHO, "unfortunately yes" for introducing yet more feats. I'm sure they will come very slowly, and not all at once, but they will come. And each time a new feat or two comes up, it will 'break' some part of the core rules somehow (combos with other 'optinal' stuff not intended and whatnot). *shrug* I don't use feats, so it's just annoying to read/hear about them...but at least I don't have to deal with them at my table.

Third, Weapons? Yeah, sure. But they won't be much more than what we have in the books...you aren't likely to find new 'rules' for dealing with Bolas or Garrot; they will use what is in the core books, I'd guess. Bola probably would be a slightly reworked Net, and a Garrot would probably be the same, but maybe use the Grappling rules in stead of normal "to hit" or something like that.

Also...what's stopping your PC from saying "I build myself a Bola" or "I guy a Bola", or "I get a weaponsmith/leatherworker to build me a bola", etc? You, as a player, don't have to worry about the specifics...that's your DM's job. If your DM just says "No, they don't exist", then it doesn't matter if it comes out in a book or not...your DM isn't going to use them, so that's that.

My suggestion is to create a character in 2e, then 'convert' him into 5e. For things that are core to the characters identity, talk to your DM. One of the best things about 5e is the focus on "creative DM input". That is, it is very forgiving in the "just make up" department for DM's. You want to use/make a Bola? As DM, I'd just say "Ok, use the stats for Net, but with it affecting Small or Medium only and a range of 15/40, DC 12 Str to free, but only needing 3 points of slashing damage to cut it off". Garrot? "Only usable via surprise. Hit causes 1d3 + Str damage per round. Attacker must maintain a Grapple each round to do so, and requires two hands to do so". That's off the top of my head, as I've never really seen bola used in any version of D&D I've played in, and as far as I can remember, never seen a garrot in use.

For me and my group, 5e is much more about "Take X, refluff as Y, add/subtract Z if needed"...very much a BECMI or 1e AD&D feel, IMHO. If you want minutia of mechanical stuff...give Pathfinder a shot. If you want imaginative, fast-n-loose, DM-is-needed type of a game...5e will fit the bill nicely.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[bedir than]

I've been playing 5e twice a week for just over a year (went for a couple of decades without playing, so 2nd ED>5e). I know I should try other classes to perk things up, but I find myself sticking to Fighter/Rogue/Barbarian/Ranger classes, and things are starting to look a little rote. I find myself remembering the good old days with a lot of difference between characters due in part to a broader scope of weaponry (bolas and garrotes for example). Also, now that every DM I've played under is sticking to "Standard" ability scores and hit points, rolling up a new character has become more mechanical. If you know what class and level a character is, you know pretty much what their HP and (at least) starting ability scores are (yes, need race too for that last one).


SO: will there ever be new feats and weaponry introduced into canon for 5e? I particularly miss bolas when the enemy has had enough and runs off to do the party harm down the line...

Try a less optimized character. Optimization does tend to lead to one or two choices and the build is done. My table has a high Intelligence Battle Master. That's something that fits the literature, but rarely gets written up on ENWorld. His ability to use maneuvers provide him some flexibility in encounters. Yes, he needed one more swig of healing potion than the rest of the party, but the player is having fun.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Your other option is to use personality to differentiate your characters and not mechanics. If you act as each character differently, it ends up not mattering if the four combat numbers (hit points, AC, attack bonus, damage) are the same for each one.

Choose your Flaw for your character and see everything through that prism as you play. Choose "Greedy" and have everything you do go towards amassing wealth. Choose "Indecisive" and make every decision (including whether to attack or kill people) a difficult one you flip-flop on constantly. Choose "Star-crossed" and fall too easily in love with every man/woman/monster you meet. Choose "Trusting" and believe the very best in every person you meet.

There are only a small number of mechanical changes any D&D character can make. But it's character, attitude, and personality where the floodgates get thrown open wide. After all... way back in OD&D all weapons did a single d6, so differentiation was almost entirely in how a character was acted out, and not the numbers on the sheet.

 

[Radaceus]

Hello, as a fellow convert who jumped from 2E straight to 5E I understand your issues.

1) if you want to roll for stats, your DM should let you. It is still core canon, and should be an option. ( I dont know about Adventurers League, and Play by Post seems to steer away from it as well for practical reasons)

2) PHB pg 146 Weapons- '<snip> the weapons shown are the most common weapons...<snip>', also under monk is a mention for making monk weapons, in other words it is a matter of allocating that weapon to a similar weapon on the table, and differentiating it's properties.

3) 5E is all about background flavor, if you write up and put forth a good argument for an optional/embellished/re-fluffed weapon, spell, or trait that has to do with your background, any decent DM will allow it if it's logical and within reason. (obviously this will not apply in league play)

 

[Shiroiken]

1) if you want to roll for stats, your DM should let you. It is still core canon, and should be an option. ( I dont know about Adventurers League, and Play by Post seems to steer away from it as well for practical reasons)

Having recently played through 2 editions where the rules tried to trump the DM, 5E is going back to the notion that the DM is final arbiter of everything. The DM can remove base options for their campaign, including (but not limited to) races, classes, and ability score generation.

I've played in a group where rolled scores are a bad idea, because the players were so petty, that they couldn't accept another player having a "better" character than them (I no longer play with any of those people). AL does not allow for rolling, because all characters are supposed to be equal from the start.

If you have an issue with wanting to roll, simply ask your DM why it is not allowed. Usually they have a good reason, but you might be able to work something out.

 

[Radaceus]

Having recently played through 2 editions where the rules tried to trump the DM, 5E is going back to the notion that the DM is final arbiter of everything. The DM can remove base options for their campaign, including (but not limited to) races, classes, and ability score generation.

I've played in a group where rolled scores are a bad idea, because the players were so petty, that they couldn't accept another player having a "better" character than them (I no longer play with any of those people). AL does not allow for rolling, because all characters are supposed to be equal from the start.

If you have an issue with wanting to roll, simply ask your DM why it is not allowed. Usually they have a good reason, but you might be able to work something out.

Well then this DM is house ruling how to roll for stats. vis a vis:

PHB pg 13 Determining Ability Scores,
'You generate your character's six ability scores randomly. Roll four 6-sided dice and record the total of the highest three dice on a piece o f scratch paper. Do this five more times, so that you have six numbers. If you want to save time or don’t like the idea of randomly determining ability scores, you can use the following scores instead: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8.​

The above is the given method as per RAW, i.e., canon, Point Buy is an optional variant which the DM may also allow. in either case a DM who opts for the Point Buy system , should still allow players to roll or use the suggested array instead.

It's unfortunate that any DM would micromanage this point, or that other players would interfere with how a person is to roll up.

 

[thalmin]

OK, so I micromanage this point. I try to set my encounters to challenge the group, everyone in the group. I find it much easier if all of the characters are of comparable abilities and levels. That way a monster isn't a snap for one character and instant death for another. I prefer to balance my game this way rather than lying to my players and fudging the dice rolls.
But that's why such things are available for the DM to adjust for his or her own game.
If my players don't like my "micromanagement" on this point, they are always free to play another game, or run the game themselves. (BTW, when they run, they also "micromanage" this point. We take turns.)