D&D 5E Improving the Spear

[GX.Sigma]

Pilum: Can be used in melee as a simple spear, or thrown as a martial weapon: 1d8 damage (range 30/60?).

 

[Ganymede81]

There is no need to give wacky rules to the Spear and Trident: save the wackiness for feats.

Just up the damage of the Trident to 1d8/1d10. Problem solved.

 

[Valetudo]

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.

its called 4th edition.

 

[Valetudo]

I say just add spears and tridents to thePM feat. That alone makes them way better and I feel like they belong there more than the staff does.

 

[Simonb1]

If you are running a dark ages era game, then remove most of the martial weapons, explaining that they have not been invented yet.

Simon

 

[Guest 6801328]

Conceptually I like the idea that there's a "simple" spear doing 1d6/1d8(2H), and a "martial" spear that does 1d8/1d10(2H). Maybe it's really exactly the same weapon but in more expert hands. But, as the OP says, you should be able to choose the spear as your primary weapon and not feel like you have to make a tradeoff to do so.

 

[Cyvris]

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.

Martial Cantrips you say? They aren't "finished" but I've been working on something pretty similar for some time. Most were lifted from 4e At-Wills, though my next pass will probably add material from Tome of Battle.

http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/H1Q4-pCu

Kobold Press also has a nice "Beyond Damage Dice" option they published that links weapons and attacks, though I feel it doesn't really go as far as I think it should.


Spears have always been one of my favorite D&D weapons. I'd suggest the name "Greatspear" as it has precedent in name from 4e. Two-Handed 1d10. I'd also love to see a finesse spear; one handed-1d8.

 

[Aaron L]

As Blue said, the Spear Master Feat from the Feats Unearthed Arcana article takes care of everything you asked for, which I think is the best way to handle it. Those abilities of the spear are due to training and drilling with the weapon.

My current character is a Favored Soul Sorcerer with the Acolyte Background; he's a Sorcerer-Priest of the God of the Sun, Magic, and Enlightenment, whose favored weapon is the Spear. He has the Spear Master and Shield Master Feats, and wears Half Plate... very Greco-Roman in flavor, as is his god. Even though he is a Sorcerer, he can fight as well as anyone in the party, thanks in no small part to that Feat (and the features of the Favored Soul Origin.)

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[Xeviat]

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.

It could even be the same weapon. Martial training teaches you how to use it differently?


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[Greenstone.Walker]

The spear is one of the most damaging simple proficiency weapons already (tied with greatclub at 1d8 damage two-handed). I'd leave it as is, I think it is already a great simple weapon.

Where I see a problem is with the trident. The other versatile martial weapons do 1d8/1d10 damage (warhammer, battleaxe, longsword) but the trident is left at 1d6/1d8. I suspect that this is to balance the fact that it can be thrown. I'd change it to something like the following.

Heavy spear or trident, martial melee weapon, cost 5gp, damage 1d8 piercing, weight 4lb, thrown (range 20/60), versatile (1d10).

This way a martial character has a piercing weapon that is on par with warhammer (bludgeoning) and battleaxe/sword (slashing). They can throw it as well, which makes it better than sword and axe. It isn't as good as a javelin, however, because it doesn't have the range (being twice the weight).