D&D 5E Suggestions For Variant Class Features

[dave2008]

I would like to see a feature that replaces extra attacks with an attack that just does more damage. I feel like a fighter subclass may even have something like this, but it might have been a UA.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I would like to see a feature that replaces extra attacks with an attack that just does more damage. I feel like a fighter subclass may even have something like this, but it might have been a UA.

Sounds like the Brute, which did get a damage bonus, but didn't do away with Extra Attack.

If you wanted to do away with rolling extra attacks, each extra attack could instead add +1[W] damage, which would bring down the average DPR, because you're not multiplying bonuses. But, to bring it back up, do bonus damage on a miss... or, no, auto-damage, maybe? STR mod auto damage per extra attack?

 

[dave2008]

Sounds like the Brute, which did get a damage bonus, but didn't do away with Extra Attack.

If you wanted to do away with rolling extra attacks, each extra attack could instead add +1[W] damage, which would bring down the average DPR, because you're not multiplying bonuses. But, to bring it back up, do bonus damage on a miss... or, no, auto-damage, maybe? STR mod auto damage per extra attack?

Could be. Now I would love to the Brute + replacing extra attack with extra damage. That would be scary

Doubling the damage dice makes the most since, but then you are lagging behind. You could just double everything, but that doesn't quite feel right. What if you added 2 x weapon damage per attack:

So, if you attacked 4x it would be [8.5(1d8+4)] x 4 = 34 vs one attack at 35.5 (7d8 + 4).

 

[Don Durito]

You could always just double ability score bonus and add extra weapon dice.

So at level 5 you might do Strength*2 + 4D6 with a greatsword. The two big disadvantages would be that everything hinges on one roll (but would even out so maybe not an issue) and overkill. I'd probably look at dealing with the overkill by stealing the cleave mechanic from Greatweapon Master (but probably make the additional attack only do regular damage, not double).

 

[dave2008]

You could always just double ability score bonus and add extra weapon dice.

So at level 5 you might do Strength*2 + 4D6 with a greatsword. The two big disadvantages would be that everything hinges on one rol (but would even out so maybe not an issue) and overkill. I'd probably look at dealing with the overkill by stealing the cleave mechanic from Greatweapon Master (but probably make the additional attack only do regular damage, not double).

Another option would be to replace Action Surge with a power boosting feature instead of a # of actions boosting feature.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Another option would be to replace Action Surge with a power boosting feature instead of a # of actions boosting feature.

Like the Slayer's Power Attack, sure.

 

[Don Durito]

Another option would be to replace Action Surge with a power boosting feature instead of a # of actions boosting feature.

I'm not sure what you mean exactly?

I think there's lots of potential to do cool things with Action Surge. It's basically a 3 times a day resource, so instead of doing your full range of attacks again it could be used to implement something more like a 4e Daily power.

So for example (to pick a basic example),

Brute Strike: Spend an action surge. Make an attack. If you hit triple your weapon dice. If you miss, your action surge is not expended.

Or

Whirlwind Attack: Make a single melee attack against every adjacent enemy. At level 11 double your damage dice dice for this attack.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

You could always just double ability score bonus and add extra weapon dice.

So at level 5 you might do Strength*2 + 4D6 with a greatsword. The two big disadvantages would be that everything hinges on one rol (but would even out so maybe not an issue) and overkill. I'd probably look at dealing with the overkill by stealing the cleave mechanic from Greatweapon Master (but probably make the additional attack only do regular damage, not double).

The DMG has a rules that would play nice with a single, more powerful attack.

Cleaving Through Creatures
When a melee attack reduces an undamaged creature to 0 hit points, any excess damage from that attack might carry over to another creature nearby. The attacker targets another creature within reach and, if the original attack roll can hit it, applies any remaining damage to it. If that creature was undamaged and is reduced to 0 hit points, repeat this process, carrying over the remaining damage until there are no valid targets, or until the damage carried over fails to reduce an undamaged creature to 0 hit points.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Doubling the damage dice makes the most since, but then you are lagging behind.

Typically. OTOH, your Opportunity Attacks and the like are hitting harder.

 

[Don Durito]

The DMG has a rules that would play nice with a single, more powerful attack.

Cleaving Through Creatures
When a melee attack reduces an undamaged creature to 0 hit points, any excess damage from that attack might carry over to another creature nearby. The attacker targets another creature within reach and, if the original attack roll can hit it, applies any remaining damage to it. If that creature was undamaged and is reduced to 0 hit points, repeat this process, carrying over the remaining damage until there are no valid targets, or until the damage carried over fails to reduce an undamaged creature to 0 hit points.

I use a similar rule for minions - but I'd forgotten that was in the DMG.