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<blockquote data-quote="The Crimson Binome" data-source="post: 6903364" data-attributes="member: 6775031">An improvised weapon is any weapon that isn't actually a weapon.*Unfortunately, due to the use of natural language, there's no way to state definitively whether weapon-based feats and abilities are limited to real weapons (things that are designed to be weapons), or if you can use them with any object that is currently playing the role of a weapon. Just look at the debate over whether Magic Missile counts as an attack, if you attack someone with it.If this was 3.5, I would agree with you due to the specific wording, but this is 5E and there's enough vagueness that any given DM might rule otherwise. I would expect them to rule one way or the other, based on what they think the intent of the rule is. They may also choose to interpret in such a fashion as to encourage the type of gameplay they prefer; i.e. if they think it's silly that a broken bottle could work as well as a finely-crafted dagger, then they may rule that you can't smite or backstab with it.Notably, treating any improvised weapon as a weapon would set precedent for beating a werewolf to death with your bag of holding, if your non-magical greatsword wasn't silver. Depending on the table, that might be either ridiculous or ridiculously awesome.* As clearly as I can tell, the rules are written in such a way that the only distinction of an improvised weapon is that nobody bothers to gain proficiency with it. The only difference between a greatclub and a stop sign, in terms of their combat efficacy, is that nobody bothers to learn proficiency with stop signs. A greatsword is effectively an improvised weapon, in the hands of a wizard.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="The Crimson Binome, post: 6903364, member: 6775031"] [I]An improvised weapon is any weapon that isn't actually a weapon.*[/I] Unfortunately, due to the use of natural language, there's no way to state definitively whether weapon-based feats and abilities are limited to real weapons (things that are designed to be weapons), or if you can use them with any object that is currently playing the role of a weapon. Just look at the debate over whether Magic Missile counts as an attack, if you attack someone with it. If this was 3.5, I would agree with you due to the specific wording, but this is 5E and there's enough vagueness that any given DM might rule otherwise. I would expect them to rule one way or the other, based on what they think the intent of the rule is. They may also choose to interpret in such a fashion as to encourage the type of gameplay they prefer; i.e. if they think it's silly that a broken bottle could work as well as a finely-crafted dagger, then they may rule that you can't smite or backstab with it. Notably, treating any improvised weapon as a weapon would set precedent for beating a werewolf to death with your bag of holding, if your non-magical greatsword wasn't silver. Depending on the table, that might be either ridiculous or ridiculously awesome. * [I]As clearly as I can tell, the rules are written in such a way that the only distinction of an improvised weapon is that nobody bothers to gain proficiency with it. The only difference between a greatclub and a stop sign, in terms of their combat efficacy, is that nobody bothers to learn proficiency with stop signs. A greatsword is effectively an improvised weapon, in the hands of a wizard.[/I] [/QUOTE]

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