D&D 5E Improving the Spear

[The Hierophant]

The spear was pretty commonly used throughout history but seems well below par in 5e. I want to encourage players and monsters to use the spear in my next campaign (which will have more of a dark ages feel than high medieval). Does anyone have any thoughts on how to improve it?

I am thinking of making it a martial weapon. 1d8/1d10 versatile. In previous editions it did double damage when set to receive a charge. That cannot be easily modelled in 5e as there isn't really any charging as such.

So I am thinking of giving the wielder an attack as a reaction when an enemy closes to melee and the wielder isn't engaged in melee with anyone else. Thoughts?

 

[GMMichael]

Martial weapon: you're contradicting the reason why the spear was pretty commonly used. It's simple: stick pointy end in opponent. Now, that's not to say that there aren't advanced techniques for using a spear! (See: polearms.)

The reaction idea is a good one, but I'd avoid the isn't-already-engaged condition. It should be this simple: if an opponent using a shorter weapon than yours enters your threat range, you can use a reaction to attack.

 

[Blue]

WotC had a feats UA a bit back that improved the spear. While I'm not suggesting giving all of the bonuses a feat would grant, if this is a thematic weapon your ideas fit right into it.

Spear is a simple weapon as per the PHB. If you are proficient with martial weapons it gains the following:

• Damage becomes d8 (d10).
• You can set your spear to receive a charge. As a bonus action, choose a creature you can see that is at least 20 feet away from you. If that creatures moves within your spear’s reach on its next turn, you can make a melee attack against it with your spear as a reaction. You can’t use this ability if the creature used the Disengage action before moving.

The feat gives a few other things, including bonus damage for a charge. I took that out because you're already getting an extra attack with your reaction, a special no other weapon grants, and the damage boast already made it as good as a longsword so we don't want to pile too much more on top.

 

[Ath-kethin]

Shorten the haft to maybe ten inches long and make the blade longer. Use it in one hand, and maybe hold a shield in the other. Historically, that's how they improved it.

 

[S'mon]

d8/d10 damage - many spearheads are comparable to sword blades. Add 10' reach to taste.

 

[Xeviat]

Here's something I'd like to see. Simple weapons should be the simple weapons, ones invented early in time, one's widely used, ones that don't take much skill to use effectively. The spear is one of them.

Then, martial weapon proficiency gives you proficiency in martial weapons, but also boosts your ability with simple weapons. A spear in the hands of a militia member is an effective weapon, but a true warrior knows how to use it better. A simple +1 to hit would make simple weapons very functional in the hands of a warrior.

But, I also would love to see "martial cantrips" for special attacks with different weapons. There's lots of tricks that can be done with weapons, even simple weapons.

 

[Ath-kethin]

Here's something I'd like to see. Simple weapons should be the simple weapons, ones invented early in time, one's widely used, ones that don't take much skill to use effectively. The spear is one of them.

Then, martial weapon proficiency gives you proficiency in martial weapons, but also boosts your ability with simple weapons. A spear in the hands of a militia member is an effective weapon, but a true warrior knows how to use it better. A simple +1 to hit would make simple weapons very functional in the hands of a warrior.

But, I also would love to see "martial cantrips" for special attacks with different weapons. There's lots of tricks that can be done with weapons, even simple weapons.

I really like this idea. You should develop it and work it out and pitch it to EN5ider. It would be a really awesome/useful article.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Here's something I'd like to see. Simple weapons should be the simple weapons, ones invented early in time, one's widely used, ones that don't take much skill to use effectively. The spear is one of them.

Then, martial weapon proficiency gives you proficiency in martial weapons, but also boosts your ability with simple weapons. A spear in the hands of a militia member is an effective weapon, but a true warrior knows how to use it better. A simple +1 to hit would make simple weapons very functional in the hands of a warrior.

Best way to view that is to remember that a corollary to Martial weapon proficiency is Shield Proficiency. The true warrior gets better use out of the spear by pairing it with a shield to protect themselves. Or uses a more military version of the spear like the Pike.

But, I also would love to see "martial cantrips" for special attacks with different weapons. There's lots of tricks that can be done with weapons, even simple weapons.

Thats . . . tricky. Its hard to define what can be done with one weapon but not with another, and if you grant a special trick that you can do to a specific type of weapon, it is going to imply that you can't do that same trick with a weapon of a different type.
I think the weapon mastery feats in the UA were a better take on this, granting the ability to do above-and-beyond tricks with a weapon as a function of the character being special, not the weapon.
Adding generic combat tricks could be done in the same way as the current generic combat tricks: shoving, grappling, disarm etc: they're something anyone can attempt. If you feel the need to distinguish martial from simple, require martial weapon proficiency to apply your proficiency bonus when attempting a combat trick.

 

[AmerginLiath]

Rather than replace the Simple Weapon spear, why not simply add a Martial Weapon longspear (with the damage/versatility at the cost of throwing) to the mix as an additional option?

The other possibility is not to change the spear's stats, but add it to the list of weapons for Polearm Master (using the example of the quarterstaff as a precedent). That should give it more cachet.

 

[Garthanos]

In Celtic myth the spear was very favored Cuh Culaine had a feat that allowed him to ride the spear (flyin across the battle field on a hurled spear or it might be a flamboyant description of using the spear to pole vault). So perhaps making the spear better could involve fun things of that sort.