D&D (2024) New One D&D Weapons Table Shows 'Mastery' Traits

The weapons table from the upcoming Unearthed Arcana playtest for One D&D has made its way onto the internet via Indestructoboy on Twitter, and reveals some new mechanics. The mastery traits include Nick, Slow, Puncture, Flex, Cleave, Topple, Graze, and Push. These traits are accessible by the warrior classes.

 

[Sacrosanct]

According to this info, bonus action dual wielding may be back, and dual wielding without needing a bonus action is what the Nick mastery effect does.

…Which would seemingly make scimitars the new go-to weapon for dual-wielders who have the weapon mastery for it.

I posted at the same time you did, and your post illustrates the worry I was talking about in my post lol

 

[Charlaquin]

I mentioned this in the other thread. I like the idea of weapons doing unique things, but all too often it ends up with players only choosing the same one or two weapons all the time (longsword with its 1d12 damage vs large in 1e, and greatsword over greataxe in 5e). Hopefully they can do it right this time and not have such clear mechanical winners.

These being “mastery effects” instead of just normal weapon properties makes me think these won’t just be always-on effects of the weapon. I’m guessing warrior classes will get access to some number of “weapon masteries” for free, and everyone else will have to acquire them through feats or some such.

 

[Sacrosanct]

These being “mastery effects” instead of just normal weapon properties makes me think these won’t just be always-on effects of the weapon. I’m guessing warrior classes will get access to some number of “weapon masteries” for free, and everyone else will have to acquire them through feats or some such.

I am open minded to how it all works, but I remain cautious. It was bad enough with Drizzt in AD&D when every ranger and their grandma's dog had scimitars, so I wouldn't want to revisit those days when every fighter uses them.

 

[bedir than]

I am open minded to how it all works, but I remain cautious. It was bad enough with Drizzt in AD&D when every ranger and their grandma's dog had scimitars, so I wouldn't want to revisit those days when every fighter uses them.

I don't think there will be the same desire for optimization. In 5e the optimization swing is just too small to override story desires.

 

[Charlaquin]

I am open minded to how it all works, but I remain cautious. It was bad enough with Drizzt in AD&D when every ranger and their grandma's dog had scimitars, so I wouldn't want to revisit those days when every fighter uses them.

I share your concern. Though, when you compare scimitars and shortswords assuming you have the mastery for both, I’m not sure there’s a clear-cut winner. Either keep your bonus action when dual-wielding them, or spend your bonus action but grant yourself advantage on your next attack when you hit? Seems like which option is better will depend on what else you’d be using that bonus action on. Rangers would definitely prefer scimitars, but since the rogue is generally trying to use their bonus action to enable sneak attack anyway, shortsword might be the better option for them. For fighters the best option would of course be one of each, if they can use two mastery abilities on their turn.

 

[pukunui]

Dare I say it but 1D&D is starting to feel like the AD&D version of 5e. It’s building on the same foundations but is adding in all manner of extra bits and pieces that weren’t in the original.

It’s like they did a whole reset with 5e and provided a fairly simple game to (re)build the player base, and now they are finally starting to experiment with more complexity again.

 

[Minigiant]

Decent. I guess.

The bigger problem was that martial weapons deal too little damage and are only 1 die larger than simple weapons.

Mastery is cool I guess. Would have loved to see Mastery and Grandmastery. Don't want to see a "golf bag of weapons" again.

 

[OB1]

Dare I say it but 1D&D is starting to feel like the AD&D version of 5e. It’s building on the same foundations but is adding in all manner of extra bits and pieces that weren’t in the original.

It’s like they did a whole reset with 5e and provided a fairly simple game to (re)build the player base, and now they are finally starting to experiment with more complexity again.

That's a really interesting comparison. I've started thinking about it as an Expanded version of 5e, rather than Revised, which I think is along these same lines.

 

[darjr]

Yea. Leak isn’t quite right. I’ll change the title.

At first I thiught this violates the no photos rule but that seems to only be for protecting identity.

 

[Ancalagon]

some initial impressions:

- This could be used with some of the more complex pole arms - like a halberd had a spearhead, an axehead and a "pick" head all in one - come complex weapons could have multiple masteries?

- there is a real chance that some of these masteries will be better than others - this may create "clear winners" among the weapons.

- Arrows and darts doing puncture sure, but a hand axe?