D&D (2024) Rebalancing melee weapons for 5.5E

[Horwath]

Right now the weapon table looks little bit chaotic with some weapons having little sense in their traits and their damage.

For this I will take for base from 3.5e simple 1Handed weapon that has d8 damage and critical of 20/×2(the default and only weapon crit range in 5E)
as 5E does not have 1+1/2 str bonus for 2Handed melee attack, Versatile property is non-value, that is it's free for all non-finesse, non-light, non-thrown weapons

thrown property is little buffed and universal at 40/120 ft range
if you feel that because of some "legacy" theme some light weapons that do not have thrown property but should have some, give them 20/40 thrown property for free.

to have all properties used, table will have both simple and martial weapon damage in same row.
make your own examples for weapons, these are just placeholder names.

Weapon traits	Simple weapon damage	example	Martial weapon damage	example
1Handed, Versatile	d8(d10)	mace	d10(d12)	longsword
1Handed, Thrown	d6	javelin	d8	trident
1Handed, finesse	d6	long knife	d8	rapier
1Handed, light	d6	club	d8	arming sword
1Handed, reach, Versatile	d6 (d8)	spear	d8(d10)	partisan
1Handed, finesse, light	d4	dagger	d6	shorsword
1Handed, finesse, reach	d4	whip	d6	dagger whip
1Handed, finesse, thrown	d4	dart	d6	throwing hammer
1Handed, light, thrown	d4	pillum	d6	throwing axe
1Handed, finesse, light, thrown	d3	throwing knife	d4	chakram
2Handed, heavy	2d6	warmace	2d8	greatsword
2Handed	d12	greatclub	2d6	claymore
2Handed, heavy, reach	d12	pike	2d6	pole-ax
2Handed, reach	d10	longspear	d12	glaive
2Handed, finesse	d10	bo staff	d12	elven courtblade
2Handed, finesse, reach	d8	elven spear	d10	spiked chain

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I don't know if they need to be rebalanced, but at least made more interesting.

 

[Lojaan]

This is fine. Some odd choices but that's normal for a weapon list (throwing hammer is finesse but throwing axe is not?).

The main thing I would change is the versatile trait. Going up one damage die is insufficient. Make it that you can add 1.5 X STR mod for 2 handed weapons instead. Also nerf GWM so this is not OP.

 

[Marandahir]

I don't want generic categories. I want more reasons to distinguish weapons from each other.

I want a reason to choose Glaive vs Halberd. They're not the same weapon and they shouldn't be reduced down to the same thing.

Here's a blog post that posits a couple different solutions - such as adding a "hacking" type for axes, or else adding weight for special effects on critical for slashing, piercing, or all types (bludgeoning are heaviest weapons, so they don't needed a special effect specific to them).

 

[Horwath]

I don't want generic categories. I want more reasons to distinguish weapons from each other.

I want a reason to choose Glaive vs Halberd. They're not the same weapon and they shouldn't be reduced down to the same thing.

Here's a blog post that posits a couple different solutions - such as adding a "hacking" type for axes, or else adding weight for special effects on critical for slashing, piercing, or all types (bludgeoning are heaviest weapons, so they don't needed a special effect specific to them).

I agree, but I do not thing that WotC will go with that.

Name of the weapon and design will mostly be flavor and weapon damage type: B, P or S

one additional trait:
Adaptive: this weapon has two damage types(B, P, S), every attack uses what is better for the weapon in respect for damage reduction

what attacking you can gain benefit of both weapon damage type feats if you have them: Crusher, Piercer, Slasher. You cannot use the feat if the target has damage immunity.
Reduce the damage die by one step for those weapons.
due to being complicated in desing, Adaptive weapons cannot be light or thrown.

 

[codo]

One thing people are overlooking with the new crit rules is that it opens up more design space for weapons. Now that you can't double extra damage dice on a crit you can more easily expand the crit range on weapons without rouges and paladins being brokenly overpowered.
For example: Rapier: Finesse, one-handed, 1d6 damage, Crit Range 18-20.

Certain weapons can also add extra damage on a crit. Maybe most heavy weapons and versatile weapons used in 2 hands can roll damage dice 3 times on a crit. Just for fun make great axes roll dice 4 times on a crit.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

This is fine. Some odd choices but that's normal for a weapon list (throwing hammer is finesse but throwing axe is not?).

The main thing I would change is the versatile trait. Going up one damage die is insufficient. Make it that you can add 1.5 X STR mod for 2 handed weapons instead. Also nerf GWM so this is not OP.

I think the primary thing here is that you can just make the weapon you want. That the 'example' weapon is exactly that: an example. And, from what I can see, strength based weapons have the highest damage dice, so maybe that's the benefit?

@Horwath I'm not sure Heavy is a benefit. It's more of a penalty that should make your damage dice increase another increment. Heavy REQUIRES 2 hands and small creatures have disadvantage to use them. Some of the weapons on your list don't make this clear.

For example: a Glaive and a poleaxe. One is (poleaxe) does slightly more minimum damage(2d6) and is Heavy(penalty) while a Glave does 1d12 can be wielded in one hand by a halfling.

Therefore, I suggest all 2 handed weapons have the Heavy property (unless they are versatile) and increase their Dice Value.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

One thing people are overlooking with the new crit rules is that it opens up more design space for weapons. Now that you can't double extra damage dice on a crit you can more easily expand the crit range on weapons without rouges and paladins being brokenly overpowered.
For example: Rapier: Finesse, one-handed, 1d6 damage, Crit Range 18-20.

Certain weapons can also add extra damage on a crit. Maybe most heavy weapons and versatile weapons used in 2 hands can roll damage dice 3 times on a crit. Just for fun make great axes roll dice 4 times on a crit.

If they are expanding crit ranges, then crit range can be added to a weapon at the expense of damage dice.

 

[darjr]

Mike Mearls had mentioned that they toyed with the idea of weapons doing static damage. That way a rapier could do, say, 5 HP and a scimitar 9, and a great sword 13. It was an attempt to differentiate weapons from each other.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

These are the rebalancing I use at the table. I use to have varying crit range/number of die rolled ala 3e, but I havent decided if it would be a good addition.

Mundane Weapons

Weapon	Damage	Type	Property	Hands	Weight	Cost & Rarity
Club	1d4	B	-	Off	1
Crossbow	1d8	P	Ranged ( 50/100), Reload	2h	2
Dagger	1d4	P	Finesse, Throw (10, 20)	Off	1
Hammer	1d6	B	Throw (10/ 20)	1h	1
Handaxe	1d6	S	Finesse, Throw (10/ 20)	Off	1
Javelin	1d6	P	Throw (20/ 40)	1h	1
Mace	1d6	B	Versatile +2	1h/2h	2
Mallet	2d4	B	-	2h	2
Quarterstaff	1d6	B	Reach +5	2h	2
Sling	1d4	B	Finesse, Throw (30/60)	1h	-
Spear	1d6	P	Reach +5	2h	2
Unarmed Strike	1	B	-	1h	-	-

Martial Weapons (Requires 13 Strength)

Weapon	Damage	Type	Property	Hands	Weight	Cost & Rarity
Battle axe	1d8	S	Versatile +2	1h/2h	2
Flail	1d8	B	Reach +5	1h	2
Cestus	1d6	B	-	Off	1
Longsword	1d8	S	Versatile +2	1h/2h	2
Pick	1d8	P	Versatile +2	1h/2h	2
Saber	1d8	S	Finesse	1h	2
Shield	1d4	B	AC + 2	Off	2
Short sword	1d6	P	Finesse	Off	1
Shortbow	1d6	P	Ranged (40/80)	2h	1
Warhammer	1d8	B	Versatile +2	1h/2h	2
Whip	1d4	S	Finesse, Reach	Off	1

Heavy Weapons (requires 15 Str)

Weapon	Damage	Type	Property	Hands	Weight	Cost & Rarity
Arbalest	1d12		Ranged (60/120), Reload	2h	3
Bearded Axe	1d12	S	-	2h	3
Large Sword	2d6	S	-	2h	3
Halberd	1d10	S	Reach +5	2h	3
Heavy Flail	1d10	B	Reach +5	2h	3
Large Shield	1d4	B	AC +2/+4 vs Ranged	Off	3
Long Bow	1d8	P	Ranged (50/100)	2h	2
Maul	2d6	B	-	2h	3
Pike	1d10	P	Reach	2h	3

Cloth armors

Type	Armor Class	Property	Weight	Cost & Rarity
Traveler’s Cloak	10+Dex	-	1
Clothing, Cold Weather	10+Dex	Advantage against cold weather	1
Clothing, Warm Weather	10+Dex	Advantage against hot weather	1

Light armors (requires 11 Strength)

Type	Armor Class	Property	Weight	Cost & Rarity
Padded Coat	11+Dex	-	1
Hides	11+Dex	Advantage against cold weather	2
Leather Vest	12+Dex	-	1

Medium armors (requires 13 Strength)

Type	Armor Class	Property	Weight	Cost & Rarity
Reinforced Leather	13+Dex (max 2)	-	2
Brigandine	14+Dex (max 2)	Stealth Disadvantage	2
Chainshirt	15+Dex (max 2)	Stealth Disadvantage	2
Helm	AC +1	Perception Disadvantage	1
Heavy Cloak	12+Dex (max 2)	Advantage against cold weather	1

Heavy armors (requires 15 Strength)

Type	Armor Class	Property	Weight	Cost & Rarity
Chainmail	16	Stealth Disadvantage	3
Cuirass	17	Stealth Disadvantage	3
Hauberk	18	Stealth Disadvantage	3