D&D 5E (2024) Greater Fighting Styles

[W'rkncacnter]

I thought the answer was obvious.

A 2nd extra attack as a fighting style is unbalanced using TWF as the example.

...that's a non-answer. it has nothing to do with that question. it's a fine enough answer for the next question, i guess, but not the one you actually responded to.

like, you've really given no actual answer to my original question. there's no reason any of your answers would actually make it so three or four weapon fighting couldn't progress out of two-weapon fighting and should be their own distinct and entirely unrelated fighting styles. especially considering that in order to three or four weapon fight...you already have to be two-weapon fighting. you're just adding more weapons on top.

 

[Silam]

a "strong crossbow" is going to have a draw weight in the multiple hundreds of pounds. i'm talking 450 pounds on the LOW end for medieval HUNTING crossbows, from what i can find. unless you want crossbows to be like a 20+ strength weapon (or you want mithril crossbows that can replicate modern compound crossbows), there's no real way to give them a strength requirement and actually have it make any sense.

I’m receptive to arguments about making D&D more realistic, and educating me in the process. I know crossbows can have quite a bit of force (enough to pierce full plates, if I recall properly) though I’ll readily admit that I don’t know enough about the mechanics of reloading them. I can imagine that an advanced pulley and/or gear system might allow a weak individual to reload a very high impact crossbow. I’m not sure what level of technical sophistication that requires to craft or to use. I’m fine with that particular weapon not having any stat-based damage modifier, and simply having a big base damage if realism warrants it. Precision-based damage is well represented by critical hits and sneak attacks in my opinion, so it is fine to not have any stat bonus to the damage, if Strength is not readily applicable to that weapon type.

 

[Corinnguard]

I’m receptive to arguments about making D&D more realistic, and educating me in the process.

The damage types in 5e do add a degree of physical realism to D&D.

 

[Silam]

Then there is this moron:

View attachment 438630

Don’t forget about Killer B, the 8 tails, from Naruto

Wielding 7 weapons with both hands free!

 

[Corinnguard]

Don’t forget about Killer B, the 8 tails, from Naruto

Now that's just overkill.

 

[Silam]

Now that's just overkill.

Honestly, this is what I imagine when someone tells me they can TWF and cast spells at the same time since they have War Caster …

The younglings have no appreciation for the beauty of simply wielding a weapon in one hand and leaving the other hand free to cast spells, like the bladesingers of yore…

 

[Corinnguard]

Honestly, this is what I imagine when someone tells me they can TWF and cast spells at the same time since they have War Caster …

The younglings have no appreciation for the beauty of simply wielding a weapon in one hand and leaving the other hand free to cast spells, like the bladesingers of yore…

Or like the Magus class from Laser Llama:

The Magus Class by laserllama

A friend and fellow player of mine has liken this class to being a cross between the Eldritch Knight Fighter and the Bladesinger Wizard. It's Order of Blades subclass is similar to the Bladesinger Wizard.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

I’m receptive to arguments about making D&D more realistic, and educating me in the process. I know crossbows can have quite a bit of force (enough to pierce full plates, if I recall properly)

crossbows generally couldn't penetrate (well made) full plate, actually, in part because they were fairly inefficient at imparting force compared to a regular bow. the big advantage of a crossbow was the same as the big advantage of guns - ease of use.

I can imagine that an advanced pulley and/or gear system might allow a weak individual to reload a very high impact crossbow. I’m not sure what level of technical sophistication that requires to craft or to use.

here's a pretty good video on the topic:

 

[Minigiant]

...that's a non-answer. it has nothing to do with that question. it's a fine enough answer for the next question, i guess, but not the one you actually responded to.

like, you've really given no actual answer to my original question. there's no reason any of your answers would actually make it so three or four weapon fighting couldn't progress out of two-weapon fighting and should be their own distinct and entirely unrelated fighting styles. especially considering that in order to three or four weapon fight...you already have to be two-weapon fighting. you're just adding more weapons on top.

Because like I said, I dont believe 3 or 4 weapon fighting is 2 weapon fighting with more whens.

Encompassing the 3rd or 4th weapon requires altering you altering your stances and strikes. A new fighting style.

 

[Silam]

Or like the Magus class from Laser Llama:

The Magus Class by laserllama

A friend and fellow player of mine has liken this class to being a cross between the Eldritch Knight Fighter and the Bladesinger Wizard. It's Order of Blades subclass is similar to the Bladesinger Wizard.

Interesting, I had not seen that before. Thanks for sharing. I like the Classical Swordplay Fighting Style and wish there was something like that in the core/official rules.

IMO the best way to build a Bladesinger concept in 5e is a multiclassed EK/BS (lots of different splits are decent, and it’s nice to have the option of dialing the knob one way or the other). Unfortunately, really nailing the concept fully requires the self restraint of leaving one hand free, even though it’s basically a straight nerf compared to TWF. Whether TWF is actually compatible by RAW with 5e Bladesong is actually debatable, though from past conversations I’ve had it seems clear I’m the only one who thinks so