Level Up (A5E) How is a main-gauche supposed to work?

[guachi]

The main-gauche is a cultural (European) weapon. Being a cultural weapon, it doesn't have a table listing its specific attributes. The text description says "This parrying dagger may be used as a dagger or as a light shield"

"Parrying dagger" isn't a listed weapon, but "dueling dagger" is. In fact, the dueling dagger has the parrying property. Is the main-gauche a cheaper and better dueling dagger? Or a more expensive and better dagger?

Does the "or" in the main-gauche's description mean that each turn I have to choose whether it's a dagger or a light shield?

Since it can be a light shield, if I pair it with a weapon with the "Defensive (light)" property do I gain +1 AC and then the choice of attacking with it? If so, does it count as a martial weapon and allow me to attack with my proficiency bonus if I'm proficient with martial weapons?

Basically, I'm confused how it's supposed to operate in combat.

 

[Morrus]

It’s just what it says. You can use it as a dagger or as a light shield. If you use it as a dagger, it has the stats and properties of a dagger. If you use it as a light shield, it has the stats and properties of a light shield. It’s no more complicated than that.

 

[Toan Li]

I was actually wondering about this recently too. It seems straight forward, but aside from the partying/dueling discrepancy, I think the important question is when that decision is made? At will seems fun, but can definitely cause confusion.

Could you bonus action shield bash on your turn, decide it's a dagger at the end of your turn, and still parry as a reaction on another creatures turn? Can you throw it with a proficiency bonus if you have martial, but not improvised/shield proficiency?

I think I would rule it as a weapon/shield you can "swap" as a free action once on your turn, like drawing a weapon.

I had some confusion about the urgosh too. To start, it's a spear/axe, but doesn't actually say what type of ax. Hand matches the damage, but does that mean it could be dual-wielded?

 

[guachi]

and still parry as a reaction on another creatures turn? Can you throw it with a proficiency bonus if you have martial, but not improvised/shield proficiency?

It's described as a parrying dagger but doesn't have the parrying property and we're not supposed to be confused by that. You can't parry with a main-gauche and you can't throw it, either, because you can't parry with or throw daggers.

It's a simple weapon when you choose for it to be a dagger (when the choice is made is up to the Narrator, I suppose). It's an improvised weapon when it's a shield (again, when that happens is up to the Narrator).

When you choose for it to be a light shield you may be able to make a bonus action attack with it but you won't have proficiency with it unless you have proficiency with shields as weapons and it deals bludgeoning damage, though I'm not sure how it's not piercing.

A main gauche is not a martial weapon. It's a simple weapon or a shield, depending. Meaning everyone can use it as a dagger and only some people can use it as a shield.

EDIT: If you choose for it to be a shield then you can throw it because light shields can be thrown for 1d6 bludgeoning damage. But you can't throw it if you choose for it to be a dagger.

 

[Toan Li]

One of the first things I (meant to have) said was I was disregarding the question of a "parrying" dagger as an oversight and assume it was meant to be the dueling dagger, which is a martial weapon and has the parrying property like you mentioned.

I was referring to using the shield bash option available with a defensive main weapon as a bonus action.
The question was can you shield bash, then decide it now functions as a "dueling" dagger after? Allowing you to use parry when attacked.

 

[Morrus]

One of the first things I (meant to have) said was I was disregarding the question of a "parrying" dagger as an oversight and assume it was meant to be the dueling dagger, which is a martial weapon and has the parrying property like you mentioned.

No, it’s a dagger (not a duelling dagger, a dagger) or it’s a light shield. The ‘parrying dagger’ bit is just fluff text. Think of it as saying “this green blade can be used as a dagger or as a light shield”. ‘Parrying dagger’ isn’t a game term—there’s no such weapon in the game—it’s just descriptive.

I was referring to using the shield bash option available with a defensive main weapon as a bonus action.
The question was can you shield bash, then decide it now functions as a "dueling" dagger after? Allowing you to use parry when attacked.

The decision timing is a good question. It definitely needs a note in there as to how/when you decide That sounds like something for the errata. I wrote that bit and I don’t recall my intention at the time or whether anything got snipped in layout. I think that a bonus action would be fine.

 

[Toan Li]

No, it’s a dagger (not a duelling dagger, a dagger) or it’s a light shield. The ‘parrying dagger’ bit is just fluff text. Think of it as saying “this green blade can be used as a dagger or as a light shield”. ‘Parrying dagger’ isn’t a game term—there’s no such weapon in the game—it’s just descriptive.

Then that is incredibly confusing fluff text. Giving an adjective to a weapon that matches a property the weapon could have in incredibly misleading. A parrying dagger that you can't parry with?

 

[Morrus]

Then that is incredibly confusing fluff text. Giving an adjective to a weapon that matches a property the weapon could have in incredibly misleading. A parrying dagger that you can't parry with?

Yes, you’ve made that very clear.

 

[Toan Li]

So what ax is the Urgosh supposed to function as?

 

[Sepulchre]

So what ax is the Urgosh supposed to function as?

An urgosh is a Battleaxe and Spear double weapon. It has the dual wielding and parrying properties, and deals a base of d8 with the battleaxe side and d6 with the spear side.

Ask your DM if the versatile property applies. RAW I lean towards no, but it’s not perfectly clear.