For those who miss exotic weapon proficiency

[Satyrn]

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

I wouldn't worry about it. Repeating is already in the game (the reload property of modern firearms), and if the individual player doesn't want to track this, they don't have to take the property.

It's like your excellent solution to the fiddliness of your homebrew Versatile (in the other thread, where you wrapped it into a feat) - only the player buying into it has to deal with it.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

I wouldn't worry about it. Repeating is already in the game (the reload property of modern firearms), and if the individual player doesn't want to track this, they don't have to take the property.

It's like your excellent solution to the fiddliness of your homebrew Versatile (in the other thread, where you wrapped it into a feat) - only the player buying into it has to deal with it.

The problem becomes if the player doesn't track it effectively, and the DM doesn't track it, its just one more thing that is so minor it gets lost. 5e trends toward reducing mechanical complexity and streamlining these issues. It doesn't really change much if tracking is enforced or not. So then, why place emphasis on it? I mean, my groups have a difficult enough time tracking ammo consumption. If you prefer game styles with close monitoring of encumberance, rations, and ammo, then cool. But personally, I don't know that such minutia is necessary.

Also, most players won't need to reload until anywhere from between 2-6 rounds into the combat. At most that is maybe one reload per combat, 2 max since 5e encounters don't really last all that long.

Not to mention you could just get creative. Have 6 repeating crossbows on you. Fire 1 or 2 at a time, empty the clip, drop as free action, draw fresh one (Or two with dual-wielder feat) as an object interaction, and seamlessly continue firing without worry to reload. And now you are Neo or the dad from Boondock Saints.