D&D (2024) So shortsword is a simple weapon now...?

[Gorck]

That'd be impressive if it didn't need two spell slots and two rounds of wind-up.

And then when you take into account that the average encounter only lasts 3 rounds . . .

"Hold on, guys, I've got something really cool I can do"
"Too late! The battles already over."

 

[UngainlyTitan]

What would that actually achieve, save making things slightly more complicated?

Serious question, not sarcasm. Like, what's the actual goal, mechanically, of doing that?

The reason they've moved it out of being a Bonus Action is the virtually all "Bonus Action" attacks/shoves/etc. are being eliminated. In general they seem to want to make it so Bonus Actions are basically very rarely or perhaps even never "offensive". By doing this they make the game more straightforward, and they make character building less about finding a way to use your Bonus Action to do extra damage, which unfortunately, right now, it is.

As far as I can see, making it a Bonus Action again for some PCs would merely make the game slightly more complicated for those PCs, without in any way nerfing TWF in general, because people serious about it are likely to pick up the Fighting Style, either as a Fighting Style, or as a Feat.

In addition, the Ranger in particular was bonus action starved with Two Weapon Fighting as an allowed fighting style but all their damage booster spells being bonus action.
Now the melee ranger can get stuck in in turn 1 with an offhand attack and Hunter's Mark going. I think that this at least makes more thematic sense.

 

[Lojaan]

What would that actually achieve, save making things slightly more complicated?

Serious question, not sarcasm. Like, what's the actual goal, mechanically, of doing that?

The reason they've moved it out of being a Bonus Action is the virtually all "Bonus Action" attacks/shoves/etc. are being eliminated. In general they seem to want to make it so Bonus Actions are basically very rarely or perhaps even never "offensive". By doing this they make the game more straightforward, and they make character building less about finding a way to use your Bonus Action to do extra damage, which unfortunately, right now, it is.

As far as I can see, making it a Bonus Action again for some PCs would merely make the game slightly more complicated for those PCs, without in any way nerfing TWF in general, because people serious about it are likely to pick up the Fighting Style, either as a Fighting Style, or as a Feat.

This is a very fair call. Good point.

In this case I would make it that you need the TWF style to be able to use the bonus attack from having 2 light weapons at all. Drop the whole 'cannot add ability mod to the second attack' (which is very clunky) and just make it that you need that fighting style to use it. Don't have that style, can't do it. Just like you need to be proficient in shields to get their benefit.

 

[Bill Zebub]

can we get d12 one-handed longswords please now?

It's called....KATANA!!!!!!!!

 

[Bill Zebub]

And, yes, "design your own weapon"...as mentioned in this thread and elsewhere...should totally be a thing in the DMG.

 

[Charlaquin]

It's called....KATANA!!!!!!!!

Some of the early Next playtest packets had katana as a 1d10 two-handed finesse weapon

 

[Weiley31]

Honestly speaking: just jack the Katana from Adventures in Rokugan. Boom and done.