Level Up (A5E) Should AD&D5E remove simple/martial weapon category as exotic weapons were removed from 5E?

[Horwath]

I think if one of the base ability generation option breaks a potential rule, it can't be a default one. It can only be optional.

Especially if Level Up adds ability bonuses to more things like background.

rolling scores actually breaks all the rules more or less. Depending on how whack the rolls are.

That is why point buy should be default and rolling optional.

 

[Micah Sweet]

1. Don't roll for abilities if you do not want unbalanced characters.

2. A strong race can have heavier weapons and armor? To me, working as intended.

3. DM controls the flow of magic items, and can ban some of them if they break some version of house rules or official rules.

this variant returns strength to balanced state with dexterity.

A lot of players like rolling; that choice is not up to the DM alone. Ditto with magic items.

 

[TheSword]

To answer the threads opening question... in a word...

No.

More weapon distinctions not less. Bring back exotic weapons and let a fighter pick one every three levels. Other classes can spend a feat.

 

[Undrave]

Well, my ideal solution to weapons/armor would be that there are no weapon/armor proficiency categories but that all weapons/armor have minimum Strength requirement and more strength you are missing, more penalties you have.
Also, for melee weapons(and thrown) you can use str or dex if you have required strength.
ranged is dex based as normal.

for weapons: if you do not have sufficient strength, you have disadvantage to attack and deal minimum damage. and cannot use dex for melee weapons.

for armor: for every str mod that you are missing, you have -1 to attack, -1 for spell DCs, -1 to str and dex checks and saves and -5ft speed penalty.

If you bring in a STR restriction, you could give races such as Orcs and Goliaths an ability where their STR counts as +2 or +4 when accounting for STR restriction. That way, they can still be strong and burly but not necessarily better at using STR to attack and stuff.

 

[Horwath]

If you bring in a STR restriction, you could give races such as Orcs and Goliaths an ability where their STR counts as +2 or +4 when accounting for STR restriction. That way, they can still be strong and burly but not necessarily better at using STR to attack and stuff.

that works also:

elves could get +2 effective strength for bows and onehanded swords,
dwarves coould get +2 effective strength for armors and onehanded axes and hammers,

 

[Horwath]

A lot of players like rolling; that choice is not up to the DM alone. Ditto with magic items.

that is not in question. Just don't say that you like rolling for abilities and you like a balanced game.

and magic items are 100% up to the DM.

 

[tetrasodium]

7

and magic items are 100% up to the DM.

Not who gets them. It's not uncommon for players to get an item the gm thought was perfect for a certain party member or members only to have the party give it to a completely unexpected member.

 

[gargoyleking]

Sorry, the entire premise of the OP negates itself. The whole idea of an Advanced D&D 5E assumes that the game will be more complex and less generic. If you want D&D simplified any mire than 5e already is, just find some rules-lite system that works for you. Apparently, there are plenty.

(Can't be bothered to read the comments, nor to read/comment further. Sorry, it's just the simple truth. D&D has already been dumbed down way too much, thanks. I'm off to PF2 some more now.)

 

[CubicsRube]

for 5e as a streamlined game, I agree you could remove the simple/martial distinction and it would have very little effect.

However, to the point as some have brought up, the intent of LevelUp is to increase choices/options. So with regards to this I support adding effects to weapons.

In my opinion this could be done one of two main ways.

First, additional effects can be added to weapons, such as maybe hammers that can knock prone on a crit, or axes that have a 19-20 crit range, etc. The difficulty of this is that it makes weapons as a whole more powerful. I'm not sure how this would be best balanced.

Second option, weapons gain additional maneuvers/attack types. This could either be added through class features or affixed to the weapon itself, gated by only those who have proficiency in the weapon gaining access to these maneuvers. To balance, these will need to have a downside to the alternate attacks. For example, an axe could have a "Slash" has a regular attack, and a "Hack", which has a 19-20 crit range, but also a -2 to attack. A longsword might have a "draw cut" as a regular attack or a "defensive strike" which has a -2 to attack, but grants +1 to AC vs melee attacks.

 

[tetrasodium]

for 5e as a streamlined game, I agree you could remove the simple/martial distinction and it would have very little effect.

However, to the point as some have brought up, the intent of LevelUp is to increase choices/options. So with regards to this I support adding effects to weapons.

In my opinion this could be done one of two main ways.

First, additional effects can be added to weapons, such as maybe hammers that can knock prone on a crit, or axes that have a 19-20 crit range, etc. The difficulty of this is that it makes weapons as a whole more powerful. I'm not sure how this would be best balanced.

Second option, weapons gain additional maneuvers/attack types. This could either be added through class features or affixed to the weapon itself, gated by only those who have proficiency in the weapon gaining access to these maneuvers. To balance, these will need to have a downside to the alternate attacks. For example, an axe could have a "Slash" has a regular attack, and a "Hack", which has a 19-20 crit range, but also a -2 to attack. A longsword might have a "draw cut" as a regular attack or a "defensive strike" which has a -2 to attack, but grants +1 to AC vs melee attacks.

They would need to give standing up a meaningful cost. using half the movement you weren't going to use after getting knocked down in a melee combat has no impact on the game. standing up provoking an AoO was removed in the name of streamlining/simplifying just to simplify so the cost/benefit of things that trigger prone or allow standing up at a different cost are messed up since few if any of them were improved in other ways to offset the loss/gain.