For those who miss exotic weapon proficiency

[jaelis]

Here is a generic EWP feat, for anyone who likes that sort of thing. It is meant to recreate the various exotic weapons that were available in 3e.

Exotic Weapon Wielder

You have learned how to fight with an unusual and powerful type of weapon. You gain the following benefits.

- Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1 to a maximum of 20.

- Gain proficiency in an exotic weapon that your DM has created. Alternatively, create an exotic weapon by applying one of the following changes to an existing weapon, armor or shield, as indicated. You must be proficient with the base weapon, armor, or shield.

• Deadly (any weapon): increase the weapon’s damage die by one step in the sequence 1d4 – 1d6 – 1d8 – 1d10 – 1d12 – 2d6 – 3d4
• Defensive (melee weapon): gain +1 AC while wielding the weapon
• Dexterous (melee weapon without the heavy property): add the finesse property to the weapon
• Double (two one-handed melee weapons): combine the weapons into a single two-handed weapon. It can be used for two-weapon fighting as if it were two light weapons. Each half of the weapon retains its usual damage die and weapon properties, except for Versatile and Thrown.
  [*]Melee Capable (ranged weapon with ammunition property): The weapon can be used for melee attacks, dealing its usual damage die. Choose a type from bludgeoning, piercing or slashing for the melee damage.
• Repeating (ranged weapon with loading property): The weapon can be fired 6 times before reloading. Reloading requires an action and two free hands.
• Spiked (heavy armor or shield): While wearing the armor or wielding the shield, your unarmed strike damage changes to 1d4 piercing. If your unarmed strike damage is already 1d4 or greater, instead change the damage type to piercing and increase the damage die by one step as in Deadly.

Give the new weapon a name and describe it as you wish. You are proficient with the weapon and have obtained one in your travels. If you are proficient with the appropriate tools, you can craft the weapon. The cost of the weapon is 10 gp plus twice the cost of the base item (or 10 gp plus the cost of the two base weapons, for a double weapon). It is up to your DM where and how the weapon is available for purchase.

You can take this feat multiple times, but each time you must create a new exotic weapon. You cannot apply the benefits of this feat twice to the same weapon.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

This is really an interesting take on the idea of exotic weapon proficiency. I have a couple of suggestions/critiques:

-Deadly: I understand the reason for the increase from 2d6 to 3d4, as it only adds 0.5 avg dmg while making the weapon "swing less" and follows the step increase from 1d12 to 2d6. But I hate d4s. Additionally, you do far less crit damage with a 3d4 weapon than a d12 or 2d6. A more "deadly" weapon should have a more substantial crit than a dagger IMO. Maybe it it would be best to allow a player to choose either 1d12 or 2d6 for a 1d10 weapon. Then, if the weapon is a 1d12 or 2d6 weapon originally, just add a flat +1 damage rather than change the dice.

-Dextrous: This is likely the most dangerous and potentially broken option given the advantages a dex based fighter already sees. I would say this quality cannot be applied to any weapon with the heavy property.

-Double: This is another one where it could be broken, as the advantages of having a second Greatsword as a light weapon for 2 weapon fighting is brutal. I would limit this as above. Cannot be applied to heavy weapons.

 

[jaelis]

-Deadly: I understand the reason for the increase from 2d6 to 3d4, as it only adds 0.5 avg dmg while making the weapon "swing less" and follows the step increase from 1d12 to 2d6. But I hate d4s. Additionally, you do far less crit damage with a 3d4 weapon than a d12 or 2d6. A more "deadly" weapon should have a more substantial crit than a dagger IMO. Maybe it it would be best to allow a player to choose either 1d12 or 2d6 for a 1d10 weapon. Then, if the weapon is a 1d12 or 2d6 weapon originally, just add a flat +1 damage rather than change the dice.

I balanced with the GWF style in mind, making it pretty decent. But I also dislike d4s; the other option was just a mixed (1d6+1d8) pair.

Do note that on a crit you reroll all the weapon dice, so it is not worse than 2d6 or 1d12 in that regard.

-Dextrous: This is likely the most dangerous and potentially broken option given the advantages a dex based fighter already sees. I would say this quality cannot be applied to any weapon with the heavy property.

I could see that, especially since it would open up the GWF feat. Good idea.

-Double: This is another one where it could be broken, as the advantages of having a second Greatsword as a light weapon for 2 weapon fighting is brutal. I would limit this as above. Cannot be applied to heavy weapons.

This is already limited to 1H weapons... so you could do longsword/flail, but not greatsword/greataxe

 

[Hawk Diesel]

I balanced with the GWF style in mind, making it pretty decent. But I also dislike d4s; the other option was just a mixed (1d6+1d8) pair.

Do note that on a crit you reroll all the weapon dice, so it is not worse than 2d6 or 1d12 in that regard.

D'OH! I was confusing critical hits with Half-Orc Savage Attack and Barbarian Brutal Critical.

IThis is already limited to 1H weapons... so you could do longsword/flail, but not greatsword/greataxe

Ah, I missed that.

 

[Satyrn]

I like that I could easily tack on "or choose a weapon from this list" and thus give my players the choice to create their own or use one of the more complex weapons I might design.

For example: Xena's chakram, in all its multiattacking boomerang action, can only be truly replicated by creating special rules for it. Which, of course, I did long ago.

 

[jaelis]

I like that I could easily tack on "or choose a weapon from this list" and thus give my players the choice to create their own or use one of the more complex weapons I might design.

For example: Xena's chakram, in all its multiattacking boomerang action, can only be truly replicated by creating special rules for it. Which, of course, I did long ago.

That is a good point, I should add a line that you can instead gain proficiency with an exotic weapon that the DM has created.

 

[jaelis]

D'OH! I was confusing critical hits with Half-Orc Savage Attack and Barbarian Brutal Critical.

Yes, I guess barbarians and half-orcs are best off sticking to the basic greataxe, or perhaps upgrading a halberd to an Orcish Longaxe... I'm pretty OK with that.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Couple more suggestions. The repeating property really increases the amount you need to track for a character. Not only are you already tracking ammo, but also need to track every six shots. I would just remove the loading property. Sure, you could now effectively dual wield crossbows and get multiattack with them, but for the cost of a feat I say its fine .

Additionally, there's nothing for bows! You need to be able to make bow-swords! So I propose a new property:

Adaptive: You can apply this to any ranged weapon that does not have the Thrown property. This new property allows you to use your ranged weapon in melee ranged. You may also choose the melee version's damage type (Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing). Once chosen the damage type remains fixed.

 

[jaelis]

True, I forgot about the bowstaff etc. I'll put it in. Maybe there is a better name then adaptive? Can't immediately think of one though.

Regarding repeating, mechanically I agree with you, but would it break verisimilitude to give people infinite shots?

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Yea, I couldn't think of anything better myself, and obviously Versatile is kinda out...

As for the issues with the repeating crossbow, let's consider the way it would be used.

It becomes a bow without requiring two hands. Could use a shield, for example. For that, I think it's worth a feat.

It is used as an offhand weapon for a dual weapon user. This I think is interesting enough to be worth a feat. Additionally, you would still have the disadvantage on the crossbow if using it while engaged in melee.

It is used as a dual crossbow wielder. This essentially lets you get one additional attack per round as a bonus action, compared to a bow user. Again, its interesting and I think worth a feat.

It allows a caster to use a crossbow while still wielding their arcane focus. Also worth a feat.

And with each of these situations, I don't think you will have much cross over. People will either dual wield crossbows, have it as their off hand weapon, their primary weapon with a dagger or something as their backup weapon should things go south and they get into melee, or give them a way to keep their hand free for something like a shield.

I mean, I don't see much of an issue with it. You can already use a bow with Extra Attack. You just don't have the free hand. And for the heavy crossbow, its still a 2 Handed weapon meaning you can't dual wield, and with your Deadly option you could get a regular longbow to deal the d10 that a heavy crossbow does.

Plus, you're still limited by ammo. So there's that.