D&D 5E Have we misunderstood the shield and sword fighter (or warrior)?

[Digdude]

i have literally never seen anyone use this definition of a polearm in my entire life, and it makes no sense, especially considering one of the main uses for a polearm is for...thrusting.

edit: also, this definition excludes pikes, so why are you even using it when you've already admitted pikes are polearms?

You really like to reach with my words. I never admitted pikes were pole arms. I said i could accept pikes as pole arms. I see the pole arm as three components. One, does it require two hands, does it have reach, and does it have a weapon head attached to it that primarily cuts, smashes, or punctures.

 

[James Gasik]

You really like to reach with my words. I never admitted pikes were pole arms. I said i could accept pikes as pole arms. I see the pole arm as three components. One, does it require two hands, does it have reach, and does it have a weapon head attached to it that primarily cuts, smashes, or punctures.

So a spiked chain is a polearm?

 

[J.Quondam]

So a spiked chain is a polearm?

Yeah, but it has the "floppy" property.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

But for some reason I'm wondering now whether a shovel counts as a polearm....

Sure, why not? I mean, there's a reason why pitchforks are used by commoner mobs. They work just like the pole-weapons that are the most basic form of weapon.(*)

Combat trainer: "Here, take this stick with a pointy bit on the end and stick it in the other guy before he can get to you".

(*) (After the club, of course - I mean for organized battles, not just thumping each other.)

 

[Warpiglet-7]

The last hill I would die on would be classification of medieval weapons and especially swords.

At the same time, quarterstaff fighting uses two hands. Is it ever grasped with one hand? Sure. But are there any examples of people historically using a staff and shield?

Did people really use a spear and shield and routinely strike with the blunt and end of the spear? Without a shield sure you could bludgeon a close in ally if you are using two hands.

I like one of the ideas put forth earlier—-the d4 is a shield bash.

Why does any of it matter at all? I guess it all depends on how much grounding you like in your game of magic and elves. I like some. When there is none and option are taken that seem to betray the fiction in favor of a mechanical advantage, that is where I see cheese.

It’s just what you are into and willing to accept. In no way does it break the game to have people get polearm master benefits with a shield in use.

All of that said, the default game is without feats. In that context, sword and shield are mechanically superior to a two handed weapon much of the time. Especially with dueling style…

 

[niklinna]

The last hill I would die on would be classification of medieval weapons and especially swords.

I also wouldn't want to die on a hill from medieval weapons, but if I had to, there are worse ways to go than a sword!

At the same time, quarterstaff fighting uses two hands. Is it ever grasped with one hand? Sure. But are there any examples of people historically using a staff and shield?

Did people really use a spear and shield and routinely strike with the blunt and end of the spear? Without a shield sure you could bludgeon a close in ally if you are using two hands.

I like one of the ideas put forth earlier—-the d4 is a shield bash.

Why does any of it matter at all? I guess it all depends on how much grounding you like in your game of magic and elves. I like some. When there is none and option are taken that seem to betray the fiction in favor of a mechanical advantage, that is where I see cheese.

It’s just what you are into and willing to accept. In no way does it break the game to have people get polearm master benefits with a shield in use.

All of that said, the default game is without feats. In that context, sword and shield are mechanically superior to a two handed weapon much of the time. Especially with dueling style…

Yeah I'm not inclined to argue that Polearm Master makes any sense at all; it's just one thing in a loooong list of things in 5e that don't make any sense at all. Just like in many other fantastic (and even not-so-fantastic) games. The crunchy bits state that when using this or that specific weapon, you get to make a bonus action attack for d4 bludgeoning damage. Heck, take a cue from Tasha's and say you have a chicken strapped on the pole and it pecks at your enemy. But you get that d4 attack regardless. Oh wait, a chicken peck is probably piercing damage.... The rules on that are incomplete.

 

[niklinna]

Sure, why not? I mean, there's a reason why pitchforks are used by commoner mobs. They work just like the pole-weapons that are the most basic form of weapon.

Combat trainer: "Here, take this stick with a pointy bit on the end and stick it in the other guy before he can get to you".

Too bad pitchforks aren't even on the weapon list. How is a person supposed to play an ex-farmer (or current farmer, I'm sure you can multiclass) when the weapon list doesn't even cover the basics? The closest thing is classified as a martial weapon!

One of these might count as a proper long polearm. The other one, well....

 

[J.Quondam]

Too bad pitchforks aren't even on the weapon list. How is a person supposed to play an ex-farmer (or current farmer, I'm sure you can multiclass) when the weapon list doesn't even cover the basics? The closest thing is classified as a martial weapon!

One of these might count as a proper long polearm. The other one, well....

Whoah! Looks like a siege engine for attacking well-armored bales of hay.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Dual frying pans are also notably absent.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Dual frying pans are also notably absent.

True story - I played a Halfling Monk that I fluffed as "just a Chef" - everything that was monk about him he did by accident. He once Stunned a T-Rex (might have been an Allosaurus) by hitting it on the nose with his Frying Pan while trying not to get eaten. This was on the Isle of Dread, naturally!