The amount of weapon detail in RPGS differs from system to system. Some will differentiate each and every polearm and provide entire books full of weapons; others will have all weapons doing the same damage, or have damage be based on the character rather than the weapon itself. D&D 5th Edition falls somewhere in between these two extremes, although previous editions have certainly flirted with the more detailed end of the scale (in fact, I dare say that Pathfinder, based on D&D 3.x, by now has one of the most extensive weapons lists in any tabletop RPG). When asked why 5E took the simplification approach, WotC's Mearls replied "We'll change that once the game's name changes from Dungeons & Dragons to Weapons & Armor". What are your feelings on extensive weapons lists? Let us know in this poll!
Mearls goes on to say:
"At one point in 5e, I wanted to group weapons by damage die. Wiz = d4, cleric+rogue = d4+d6, fighter = d4+d6+d8.
D4 = light weaponsD6 = one-handed weaponsD8 = heavy weapons
Armor would've been -Leather = lightChain = mediumPlate = heavy
Oh and one die step up for two-handed weapons, so wiz gets d4 weapons and d6 two-handers.
I like investing meaning in game components, imbuing meaning into the dice in this case. Like a d4 = light, fast weapon."
Mearls goes on to say:
"At one point in 5e, I wanted to group weapons by damage die. Wiz = d4, cleric+rogue = d4+d6, fighter = d4+d6+d8.
D4 = light weaponsD6 = one-handed weaponsD8 = heavy weapons
Armor would've been -Leather = lightChain = mediumPlate = heavy
Oh and one die step up for two-handed weapons, so wiz gets d4 weapons and d6 two-handers.
I like investing meaning in game components, imbuing meaning into the dice in this case. Like a d4 = light, fast weapon."
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