clearstream
(He, Him)
Following extensive analysis in this and other threads, and experience in play, I'd like to propose a definite wording for two feat revisions. These wordings bring together ideas from many authors. Changed text is in red. In part, a goal of these revisions was to be conservative - the least rewording needed to protect melee weapons as the best choice for melee, and prevent ranged weapons from doing close to the same damage as the best melee.
Crossbow Expert
You ignore the loading quality of crossbows with which you are proficient. When you use the Attack action to attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to load and attack with a hand crossbow you are holding. When you make a melee attack against a creature, being within 5 feet of that creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls for the rest of the turn.
The crucial impact of this change is to retain a disadvantage to ranged attacks in melee. Melee weapons continue to dominate melee.
Sharpshooter
Attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls. Your ranged weapon attacks ignore half and three-quarters cover. Once per turn, before you make an attack with a ranged weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a −5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack’s damage.
The crucial impact of this change is to prevent ranged attacks from matching Great Weapon Master for damage, but at 120'. The advantage of range becomes properly factored into the damage.
Why no similar revision for GWM? I see the role of Great Weapon Master as defining the most damage we should expect from weapons (before magic). At 11th level, a greatsword with everything focused on dealing maximum damage with it, does about 43 damage/turn (at 5') prior to magic. Revised Sharpshooter does about 32 (at up to 600').
[Edited to broaden the relief of disadvantage in melee. Edit so as to not specify the Attack action in the third benefit of CEx: any melee attack will do. Edited to add Homebrewery pdf of all my feat revisions.]
Crossbow Expert
You ignore the loading quality of crossbows with which you are proficient. When you use the Attack action to attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to load and attack with a hand crossbow you are holding. When you make a melee attack against a creature, being within 5 feet of that creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls for the rest of the turn.
The crucial impact of this change is to retain a disadvantage to ranged attacks in melee. Melee weapons continue to dominate melee.
Sharpshooter
Attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls. Your ranged weapon attacks ignore half and three-quarters cover. Once per turn, before you make an attack with a ranged weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a −5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack’s damage.
The crucial impact of this change is to prevent ranged attacks from matching Great Weapon Master for damage, but at 120'. The advantage of range becomes properly factored into the damage.
Why no similar revision for GWM? I see the role of Great Weapon Master as defining the most damage we should expect from weapons (before magic). At 11th level, a greatsword with everything focused on dealing maximum damage with it, does about 43 damage/turn (at 5') prior to magic. Revised Sharpshooter does about 32 (at up to 600').
[Edited to broaden the relief of disadvantage in melee. Edit so as to not specify the Attack action in the third benefit of CEx: any melee attack will do. Edited to add Homebrewery pdf of all my feat revisions.]
Last edited:
