D&D 5E Hs anyone else noticed this shifter wrinkle?

[CleverNickName]

Actually, it isn't - in later editions of the PHB. It was changed.

In that case, if a player were to purchase a newer edition of the PHB and point it out to me at the table, then I would probably rule the reverse. The spirit of my ruling is pretty straightforward: if something (anything) is on that Melee Weapon Table, it's a "melee weapon." Otherwise, it isn't. And lots of stuff aren't: bites, claws, tail slaps, slams, and from the sound of it, unarmed strikes.

Now if a class feature, feat, or other overriding rule specifically says something else applies specifically (like with the monk's Martial Arts ability: "When you use the Attack action with an Unarmed Strike or a monk weapon...") it overrides.

 

[Fenris-77]

Using the titles of the tables is silly, IMO. All the characteristics of weapons are described and they all make sense. Arguments only break out when people start assuming the table and its labels are more important that the individual weapon properties.

I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but try reading the weapon properties rules and without reference to the table. Everything makes perfect sense, including unarmed strikes and thrown weapons. Anyway, I'll get down off my soapbox, now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Using the titles of the tables is silly, IMO.

I agree. Apart from the table itself changing, There are weapons added to the game subsequently, such as the Yklwa in ToA and double bladed scimitar in Eberron; firearms from the DMG; weapons created by spells, such as the Shadow Blade and Shillelagh, and so on.

Although there is a rule that refers to the weapons table: Pact of the Blade. And this is useful if the DM wants to stop the warlock summoning a DB Scimitar or Shadow Blade, but would be a bit odd if the warlock summoned an Unarmed Strike!

I'm not trying to hijack the thread,

Well I was having a hard time thinking of builds that exploit the Longtooth's ability to cast a spell and bite anyway! EK doesn't need it after level 6, Arcane Trickster can't sneak attack with it, powergamers won't touch melee wizards and sorcerers with a bargepole. I guess you could pick up Booming Blade on a cleric or druid using Aberrant Dragonmark feat, but not until level 4.

 

[Fenris-77]

If you built a Lore Bard Grappler he could be biting the grapple target while still providing battlefield control and support via spells. I guess he manages the verbal components in between bites.

 

[CleverNickName]

Using the titles of the tables is silly, IMO.

I agree.

It's not a perfect solution, I admit. But that's how I would rule this on the fly, if it ever came up in one of my games.* That table is something that all my players are familiar with; they use it frequently and they have large parts of it memorized. I would pull it out to sidestep any arguments and keep the game moving.

*We've been playing 5E since 2015 and it has never come up. This is all theoretical.