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.

 

[humble minion]

Spear and shield still looks rubbish despite being possibly the most commonly used melee fighting style in history. Sadface.

 

[Parmandur]

Spear and shield still looks rubbish despite being possibly the most commonly used melee fighting style in history. Sadface.

I mean,not in the Middle Ages or Rennisance periods.

 

[bedir than]

Spear and shield still looks rubbish despite being possibly the most commonly used melee fighting style in history. Sadface.

Flex, iirc, means it does the 2-hand damage (d8) and still leaves one hand open.

 

[Parmandur]

Flex, iirc, means it does the 2-hand damage (d8) and still leaves one hand open.

And it can be thrown.

 

[humble minion]

Flex, iirc, means it does the 2-hand damage (d8) and still leaves one hand open.

Yep, so once you achieve the flex mastery, your spear is now equivalent to a longsword without any mastery at all. Yay.

The ability of a spear to be thrown continues to be wildly, wildly overvalued by WotC. Its range is the worst in the game, and it's so heavy that you can't carry enough of them to make it a consistent ranged option, and like any thrown weapon once you get a magic weapon (unless it's a Returning weapon), you'll probably want to keep it in your actual hand rather than throw it away. Maybe, situationally, it might on rare occasions be handy when an enemy is on their last legs and are just out of move-and-attack range - but this really is an edge case. And you can throw ANYTHING as an improvised weapon in that scenario.

 

[humble minion]

I mean,not in the Middle Ages or Rennisance periods.

Renaissance maybe not, but in the middle ages I'm betting there'd be a load more levied peasants carrying spear and shield than there would have been knights or other professional warriors with other weapons. Basic low-cost default weapon loadout through the ages.

 

[Parmandur]

Renaissance maybe not, but in the middle ages I'm betting there'd be a load more levied peasants carrying spear and shield than there would have been knights or other professional warriors with other weapons. Basic low-cost default weapon loadout through the ages.

Two handed pole arms, not spear and shield.

 

[humble minion]

If so, one consequence of this will be that Rogues will still often do a Fighter dip. That would be a shame.

It depends on what level the fighter gets the free mastery at, I suppose. I don't think it'd be likely to be in the first couple of levels, which would probably largely eliminate the temptation to dip.

 

[Gladius Legis]

Flex is magnitudes weaker than everything else, and of course the longsword is stuck with that. So the longsword gets done dirty yet again.

 

[Parmandur]

Flex is magnitudes weaker than everything else, and of course the longsword is stuck with that. So the longsword gets done dirty yet again.

Might want to run the numbers on that: getting the benefits of using two hands while holding a shield? That's probably the best of these.