D&D 5E (2014) Passive or Active Fighting Styles?

[Eubani]

How about Archery allowing the crafting of arrows during a long rest/

 

[DND_Reborn]

How about Archery allowing the crafting of arrows during a long rest/

Hmm... that is an interesting idea. Maybe I can associate a kit or tool proficiency with each fighting style? We don't see them taken often and this might get them more involved in the game.

 

[Eubani]

Hmm... that is an interesting idea. Maybe I can associate a kit or tool proficiency with each fighting style? We don't see them taken often and this might get them more involved in the game.

I added Bowyer/fletcher tools into the mix and Rangers and Fighters and some rogues always take it. They purchase arrowheads so when hey run around a woodeed area they can make 3d6 arrows per long rest.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I added Bowyer/fletcher tools into the mix and Rangers and Fighters and some rogues always take it. They purchase arrowheads so when hey run around a woodeed area they can make 3d6 arrows per long rest.

Well, that seems like a lot of arrows for two hours work. Off-hand I was thinking if I added it I would do something like just using your proficiency bonus, but maybe that would be too few.

EDIT: Some quick research online seems to be a couple arrows, maybe three, might be made in the two hours available during a long rest.

 

[Tallifer]

Active, because I was a fanatic of 4th Edition.

 

[TwoSix]

Archery: I think the wording can be tightened up on the bonus action, maybe like "you gain a bonus to your next ranged attack. This bonus is equal to your proficiency modifier." Other than that, good.

Blind Fighting: I like it. The bonus action is very flavorable, and quite useful. I'm a little leery of the reaction because flanking is technically a houserule, but if this is for your own game, that's fine.

Defense: I like, overall. I personally don't feel like the BA attack needs disadvantage, but that's OK. I worry the reaction ability could be too strong at low levels when stacked with Heavy Armor Master, but it's probably OK if HAM is OK.

Dueling is great.

GWM seems to be way too heavily weighted towards 2d6 weapons. I can ignore the minor discrepancy that exists now because 1d12s are awesome so I take greataxe anyway, but maxing 1s and 2s is a huge gap. That makes greatsword do 10.0 average damage, and greataxe only does 8.25. Currently, it's 8.33 to 7.33. Make greatswords/mauls into 1d12 and I love this feat.

Protection is good, although I think I preferred the option I saw (in this thread or one of the other style threads) to give allies within 5' half cover. Picking an ally every turn makes it a pseudo-active feature.

Thrown is OK, but it feels like a lot of features to make throwing viable, rather than making it good. The features themselves are good, though.

Two-weapon fighting is good.

Unarmed fighting is really interesting. Enough that focusing on grappling could be really viable. I like it.

 

[Quartz]

If all the fighting styles could be either active or passive, which way would you prefer?

Passive styles are great for NPCs because the DM (or controlling player) doesn't have to think about them. Alana the Archer has the Archery style so when she's shooting, you know she gets +2 to hit.; George the Gladiator has the Duellist style.so you know he gets +2 damage.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Archery: I think the wording can be tightened up on the bonus action, maybe like "you gain a bonus to your next ranged attack. This bonus is equal to your proficiency modifier." Other than that, good.

How about changing the second sentence in the bonus action to "You gain a bonus on your next ranged weapon attack roll equal to your proficiency bonus if you make that attack before you move."? While a minor thing, the no move condition makes sense because you would lose your aim if you moved. It does, however, allow the bonus instead to carry over to your next turn.

Blind Fighting: I like it. The bonus action is very flavorable, and quite useful. I'm a little leery of the reaction because flanking is technically a houserule, but if this is for your own game, that's fine.

We use flanking, even in theater of mind play as the DM can decide which character has the chance to gain it. Another option for reaction would be to deny advantage to attacks made by an unseen creature (but not hidden), if that makes sense.

Defense: I like, overall. I personally don't feel like the BA attack needs disadvantage, but that's OK. I worry the reaction ability could be too strong at low levels when stacked with Heavy Armor Master, but it's probably OK if HAM is OK.

People could remove the disadvantage on the bonus attack of course, but for me it balances it out and makes sense if you are dodging and acting defensively. I am not worried about the reaction because it is only usable once per round, and even at lower levels 2-3 points won't be huge I think, but would require some playtesting.

Dueling is great.

Cool. I like it as it gives you an attack bonus in a way but not additional damage.

GWM seems to be way too heavily weighted towards 2d6 weapons. I can ignore the minor discrepancy that exists now because 1d12s are awesome so I take greataxe anyway, but maxing 1s and 2s is a huge gap. That makes greatsword do 10.0 average damage, and greataxe only does 8.25. Currently, it's 8.33 to 7.33. Make greatswords/mauls into 1d12 and I love this feat.

Yeah, I like the idea but I know it gives a +3 damage to 2d6 weapons.... Honestly, I am just as wary of it. But, when I tried changing it to maxing only on a 1 (and not a 2), it was barely better than how GWF is now IIRC.

I am still working on a good balance for it as far as the damage goes...

Protection is good, although I think I preferred the option I saw (in this thread or one of the other style threads) to give allies within 5' half cover. Picking an ally every turn makes it a pseudo-active feature.

It is a good point, but is granting the +2 AC bonus to every ally within 5 feet too powerful? That was why I made it a choice because I was concerned it was too OP otherwise. Also, if I made it half cover, they would also gain the bonus to DEX saves, which is really strong IMO!

Thrown is OK, but it feels like a lot of features to make throwing viable, rather than making it good. The features themselves are good, though.

Hmm... I am not sure what more I could do to make it "good." Any thoughts?

Two-weapon fighting is good.

The only thing I am not thrilled with on this is the reaction simply imposing disadvantage. It is too similar to Dueling and I would like them to have different features.

Unarmed fighting is really interesting. Enough that focusing on grappling could be really viable. I like it.

I like the reaction feature the most. It makes sense and could be great for frustrating/ controlling a battle.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[DND_Reborn]

Passive styles are great for NPCs because the DM (or controlling player) doesn't have to think about them. Alana the Archer has the Archery style so when she's shooting, you know she gets +2 to hit.; George the Gladiator has the Duellist style.so you know he gets +2 damage.

For the most part I agree. I am working on the more active features to see if you could default to just the passives (close to if not identical to RAW), but have the bonus/reaction features as a variant.

 

[TwoSix]

How about changing the second sentence in the bonus action to "You gain a bonus on your next ranged weapon attack roll equal to your proficiency bonus if you make that attack before you move."? While a minor thing, the no move condition makes sense because you would lose your aim if you moved. It does, however, allow the bonus instead to carry over to your next turn.

I like that.

We use flanking, even in theater of mind play as the DM can decide which character has the chance to gain it. Another option for reaction would be to deny advantage to attacks made by an unseen creature (but not hidden), if that makes sense.

Maybe just "The next attack made against you with advantage does not benefit from advantage". Shows how they're good at neutralizing an enemy's strengths and/or covering their own weaknesses. I think shifter race in the Eberron book has a similar mechanic.

People could remove the disadvantage on the bonus attack of course, but for me it balances it out and makes sense if you are dodging and acting defensively. I am not worried about the reaction because it is only usable once per round, and even at lower levels 2-3 points won't be huge I think, but would require some playtesting.

Yea, the once per round aspect makes me think the reaction ability is probably OK. It's only negating a few points of damage at most.
For the bonus attack, maybe the attack is made at disadvantage, but becomes a normal attack once you have Extra Attack?

Yeah, I like the idea but I know it gives a +3 damage to 2d6 weapons.... Honestly, I am just as wary of it. But, when I tried changing it to maxing only on a 1 (and not a 2), it was barely better than how GWF is now IIRC.

I am still working on a good balance for it as far as the damage goes...

Yea, any dice mechanic is problematic because of the 2d6. Maybe change it to only one die can be maxed, total, per damage roll? That would change the average on 2d6 to 9.53.....Ok, maybe that isn't much better!

It is a good point, but is granting the +2 AC bonus to every ally within 5 feet too powerful? That was why I made it a choice because I was concerned it was too OP otherwise. Also, if I made it half cover, they would also gain the bonus to DEX saves, which is really strong IMO!

Putting everyone in a group is just asking for them to get AoEed to death, though...at that point, they need the Dex bonus! Although maybe instead of half cover, it's just apply your shield bonus? That would have the benefit of not stacking with other shield users.

Hmm... I am not sure what more I could do to make it "good." Any thoughts?

I feel like a knife thrower or an axe chucker you should get some benefit from having both their hands using weapons instead of a shield. Maybe give the two-weapon benefit (+stat to damage for off-hand attacks) when they make an attack with a thrown weapon?