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Rebalancing melee weapons for 5.5E
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<blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 8771033" data-attributes="member: 58172"><p>I would start with.</p><p></p><p><strong>Simple Weapon</strong> = 1d6 base damage</p><p><strong>Martial Weapon</strong> = 1d8 base damage</p><p></p><p>Then modify damage and effects at the cost of comparable tradeoffs. Note, Versatile is equivalent to Twohanded except optionally usable onehanded. Something like.</p><p></p><p><em>Die Sizes</em></p><p>1 (minimum) › 1d4 › 1d6 › 1d8 › 1d10 › 1d12 › 2d6 (maximum)</p><p></p><p><strong>Ammunition (Dexterity only):</strong> decrease die size twice</p><p><strong>Finesse (Dexterity):</strong> decrease die size once</p><p><strong>Light (offhand):</strong> decrease die size once</p><p><strong>Loading:</strong> if ammunition, increase die size once</p><p><strong>Heavy (medium size only):</strong> increase die size once</p><p><strong>Reach:</strong> decrease die size once</p><p><strong>Reach Only (disadvantage within 5 ft):</strong> no change</p><p><strong>Throw:</strong> decrease die size once</p><p><strong>Twohanded or versatile:</strong> increase die size twice</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Examples:</p><p></p><p>SIMPLE WEAPONS</p><p><em>Ammunitions</em></p><p>Blowgun <strong>1</strong> pierce: ammunition, light, loading</p><p>Dart (weighted throw arrow) <strong>1d4</strong> pierce: ammunition, heavy</p><p>Light Crossbow <strong>1d8</strong> (!) pierce: ammunition, loading, twohanded</p><p>Shortbow <strong>1d6</strong> pierce: ammunition, twohanded</p><p>Sling <strong>1d4</strong> bludgeon: ammunition, loading</p><p><em>Axes</em></p><p>Hatchet 1d6 slash: −</p><p><em>Blades</em></p><p>Knife (!) <strong>1d4</strong> pierce: light</p><p>Machete <strong>1d6</strong> slash: −</p><p><em>Rods</em></p><p>Baton <strong>1d4</strong> bludgeon: finesse</p><p>Cane <strong>1d4</strong> bludgeon: light</p><p>Club <strong>1d6</strong> bludgeon: −</p><p>Greatclub 1d6 bludgeon: versatile (<strong>1d10</strong>)</p><p>Staff 1d4 (!) bludgeon: finesse, versatile (<strong>1d8</strong>)</p><p><em>Spears</em></p><p>Javelin <strong>1d4</strong> pierce: throw</p><p>Shortspear <strong>1d4</strong> pierce: light</p><p>Spear 1d6 pierce: heavy (!), throw, versatile (<strong>1d10</strong>)</p><p></p><p>MARTIAL WEAPONS</p><p><em>Ammunitions</em></p><p>Handbow <strong>1d4</strong> (!) pierce: ammunition, light, loading</p><p>Heavy Crossbow <strong>1d12</strong> (!) pierce: ammunition, heavy, loading, twohanded</p><p>Longbow <strong>1d10</strong> pierce: ammunition, heavy, twohanded</p><p>Shuriken <strong>1d4</strong> pierce: ammunition</p><p><em>Axes</em></p><p>Throwing Axe <strong>1d6</strong> slash: throw</p><p>Battleaxe <strong>1d8</strong> slash: versatile (<strong>1d12</strong>)</p><p>Greataxe <strong>2d6</strong> slash: heavy, twohanded</p><p><em>Blades</em></p><p>Dagger <strong>1d4</strong> pierce: finesse, light</p><p>Greatsword <strong>2d6</strong> slash: heavy, twohanded</p><p>Katana 1d6 slash: finesse (!), versatile (<strong>1d10</strong>)</p><p>Longsword 1d8 slash: versatile (<strong>1d12</strong>)</p><p>Rapier <strong>1d6</strong> (!) pierce: finesse</p><p>Scimitar <strong>1d6</strong> slash: light (no finesse!)</p><p>Seax <strong>1d6</strong> slash: light</p><p>Shortsword <strong>1d6</strong> slash/pierce: finesse</p><p>Spatha <strong>1d8</strong> slash: −</p><p>Sword <strong>1d8</strong> slash/pierce: finesse, heavy (!)</p><p>Throwing Knife <strong>1d4</strong> pierce: finesse, throw</p><p><em>Rods</em></p><p>Mace 1d8 bludgeon: versatile (<strong>1d12</strong>)</p><p>Nunchaku <strong>1d10</strong> bludgeon: finesse, twohanded</p><p>Throwstick <strong>1d6</strong> bludgeon: throw</p><p><em>Spears</em></p><p>Lance 1d8 pierce: heavy, mount (1d12), reach, versatile (<strong>1d12</strong>)</p><p>Longspear 1d8 pierce: heavy, throw, versatile (<strong>1d12</strong>)</p><p>Pike <strong>1d12</strong> pierce: reach only, twohanded</p><p>Trident 1d6 pierce: throw, versatile (<strong>1d10</strong>)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Yaarel, post: 8771033, member: 58172"] I would start with. [B]Simple Weapon[/B] = 1d6 base damage [B]Martial Weapon[/B] = 1d8 base damage Then modify damage and effects at the cost of comparable tradeoffs. Note, Versatile is equivalent to Twohanded except optionally usable onehanded. Something like. [I]Die Sizes[/I] 1 (minimum) › 1d4 › 1d6 › 1d8 › 1d10 › 1d12 › 2d6 (maximum) [B]Ammunition (Dexterity only):[/B] decrease die size twice [B]Finesse (Dexterity):[/B] decrease die size once [B]Light (offhand):[/B] decrease die size once [B]Loading:[/B] if ammunition, increase die size once [B]Heavy (medium size only):[/B] increase die size once [B]Reach:[/B] decrease die size once [B]Reach Only (disadvantage within 5 ft):[/B] no change [B]Throw:[/B] decrease die size once [B]Twohanded or versatile:[/B] increase die size twice Examples: SIMPLE WEAPONS [I]Ammunitions[/I] Blowgun [B]1[/B] pierce: ammunition, light, loading Dart (weighted throw arrow) [B]1d4[/B] pierce: ammunition, heavy Light Crossbow [B]1d8[/B] (!) pierce: ammunition, loading, twohanded Shortbow [B]1d6[/B] pierce: ammunition, twohanded Sling [B]1d4[/B] bludgeon: ammunition, loading [I]Axes[/I] Hatchet 1d6 slash: − [I]Blades[/I] Knife (!) [B]1d4[/B] pierce: light Machete [B]1d6[/B] slash: − [I]Rods[/I] Baton [B]1d4[/B] bludgeon: finesse Cane [B]1d4[/B] bludgeon: light Club [B]1d6[/B] bludgeon: − Greatclub 1d6 bludgeon: versatile ([B]1d10[/B]) Staff 1d4 (!) bludgeon: finesse, versatile ([B]1d8[/B]) [I]Spears[/I] Javelin [B]1d4[/B] pierce: throw Shortspear [B]1d4[/B] pierce: light Spear 1d6 pierce: heavy (!), throw, versatile ([B]1d10[/B]) MARTIAL WEAPONS [I]Ammunitions[/I] Handbow [B]1d4[/B] (!) pierce: ammunition, light, loading Heavy Crossbow [B]1d12[/B] (!) pierce: ammunition, heavy, loading, twohanded Longbow [B]1d10[/B] pierce: ammunition, heavy, twohanded Shuriken [B]1d4[/B] pierce: ammunition [I]Axes[/I] Throwing Axe [B]1d6[/B] slash: throw Battleaxe [B]1d8[/B] slash: versatile ([B]1d12[/B]) Greataxe [B]2d6[/B] slash: heavy, twohanded [I]Blades[/I] Dagger [B]1d4[/B] pierce: finesse, light Greatsword [B]2d6[/B] slash: heavy, twohanded Katana 1d6 slash: finesse (!), versatile ([B]1d10[/B]) Longsword 1d8 slash: versatile ([B]1d12[/B]) Rapier [B]1d6[/B] (!) pierce: finesse Scimitar [B]1d6[/B] slash: light (no finesse!) Seax [B]1d6[/B] slash: light Shortsword [B]1d6[/B] slash/pierce: finesse Spatha [B]1d8[/B] slash: − Sword [B]1d8[/B] slash/pierce: finesse, heavy (!) Throwing Knife [B]1d4[/B] pierce: finesse, throw [I]Rods[/I] Mace 1d8 bludgeon: versatile ([B]1d12[/B]) Nunchaku [B]1d10[/B] bludgeon: finesse, twohanded Throwstick [B]1d6[/B] bludgeon: throw [I]Spears[/I] Lance 1d8 pierce: heavy, mount (1d12), reach, versatile ([B]1d12[/B]) Longspear 1d8 pierce: heavy, throw, versatile ([B]1d12[/B]) Pike [B]1d12[/B] pierce: reach only, twohanded Trident 1d6 pierce: throw, versatile ([B]1d10[/B]) [/QUOTE]
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