D&D 5E Questions about slings

[GreatestHonor]

Caltrip delivery at range. Grenades.

Agreed. Seems like a natural idea for slings to use adventuring gear like this

 

[J.Quondam]

Introduce a massive two-handed sling with stats like heavy crossbow. For only 100gp more, it can be fitted with a seat to facilitate tossing a dwarf.

 

[Kobold Stew]

I've played a wisdom-based rogue who used a sling and the Magic Stone cantrip. Upgraded to 2024, the same build works with True Strike. Lots of fun.

 

[Hriston]

Make cleric and druid part of a highly limited selection of playable classes. Slings will be optimal ranged weapon attacks for those who choose Dex over Str, especially the ones that use shields and don't choose a subclass that offers an expanded weapons list.

 

[Smackpixi]

Okay, I have a question about slings. The sling is a perfect fit for The Elderberry Tales—it's a classic weapon of shepherds and commoners, has biblical connections, and plays into the themes of a peasant uprising. How can we make it a prominent and viable weapon in 5e mechanics while integrating it with the world’s magic and themes? Slings are generally underpowered, so I'm looking for ideas that work.

The world is William the conqueror vs the Peasants rebellion

So, not clear from your post if PCs with peasant backgrounds will be using slings, or actual peasants.

But I’d just invent the “martial sling” with 1d6 damage. So any PC able to use martial weapons would be proficient, plus create a Shepherd background and provide that one of its benefits is proficiency with “martial slings”.

For non-pc peasants, shepherd peasants could be proficient with the “martial sling” or simply get a +2 bonus to hit and damage with a normal sling. Apparently it’s very historically accurate to have Shepherds good with slings, lots of time in a big field with nothing better to do than chuck rocks. Wouldn’t boost for other NPCs.

One of the somewhat justifiable reasons for the not really fitting reduced sling damage is assuming random rocks, or the much higher degree of difficulty of being good with sling than with a club, or even a bow. So randos with slings, fine as is, but I’d remove the ammunition property, unlimited rando rocks available.

Sure, not many groups track regular ammo, but if you do, the above helps a lil. Then, I’d allow a short rest activity to gather good rocks (somewhat similar to skipping stones) in the right environment, or shape them maybe in a less ideal environment. And or allow finding 1d4 per hour walking or whatever, and these would both double range, and deal +1 damage. Cap at 20 capacity, rocks are heavy.

And then allow for lead sling ammo (which are biscuit like disks, not balls), which can be purchased commonly, which is +2 damage and gives 3x range. Same 20 capacity.

Better ammo works for both regular and “martial slings” so now you’re topping out at 1d8 damage for someone proficient with the martial sling using lead ammo. Fitting, not game breaking.

For the Magic Stone spell, could just leave as is for what it says, and add, “when used in sling, gives 3x range and +2 damage if not used for a magical attack”. So it becomes a ready supply of lead ammo. If you want to jazz it up, does radiant instead of bludgeoning damage.

Feel like all that upgrades slings a medium amount to make more usefully enticing to a PC (or NPC) to resist a Norman invasion in a DnD infused world.

 

[Sorinth]

As a PC, Frost Goliath + Crusher + Slow weapon mastery can mess a creature up pretty bad. Valour Bard with Ray of Frost and a Sling even more so.

 

[kigmatzomat]

I'd say re-introduce the staff-sling. Adding another 2-3 feet of moment arm significantly ups the power, so take the damage to d6.

Looky here, now great for routing pests. Kids of all ages love Wham-O

This is a two-handed staff-sling. It will let human of mediocre strength hurl a 1lb (600g) stone about 200ft. A strong person who has practiced extensively can triple that. It is a wooden staff that is about as tall as the user's armpit or ear.

This is a smaller 1-handed staff-sling. Maybe in d&d you'd call it a "rod-sling".

Provides a meaningful boost over a regular sling.