Swords,Maces n stuff

[DEFCON 1]

It really only makes sense that there be special attributes to the various weapon groups for all the martial classes. After all, the divine classes have prayer domains and the arcane classes have spell schools... the martial ones should get just as much support just like the gained in 4E with exploits.

 

[Raith5]

Fourth Edition does many things in this vein. Certain weapons had better chances to hit, certain did more damage, certain had higher minimum damage.

But more than this, Fourth Edition has many feats, styles and powers specifically designed to reinforce the strength of each weapon. There are even paragon paths built around specific weapons.

However, I do agree that Fifth Edition should refine those ideas (not all of them worked well).

I think one of the biggest issues for certain weapons and armour is the economy in 4th edition: beginning characters can buy plate armour and a two-hander, so no one is ever so poor that he need buy a club. But I think the solution there is simply to add optional rules for zero level characters (or as someone pointed out an entire five level sub-tier: most games would start at Heroic Tier, but some could start at Adventurer Tier with card tricks instead of cantrips, quilted armour and rusty farm tools.)

This post captures a lot of what I liked about 4th ed (trying to make weapons matter more) and what I did not like about 4th ed - PCs starting off in plate armour. That is a starting assumption that needs to be dialed back. Masterwork armour also needs to make sense.

 

[The Human Target]

I very much like the idea.

I'd be all for weapon groups instead of specific weapons as well, each with its own unique thing.

Same with implements.

 

[Kaodi]

I would really rather not have 5e continue the tradition of there being one weapon that is simply better than all the rest in the majority of important situations.

 

[Salamandyr]

I want some differentiation in weapons. What I don't want is characters "built" around using one particular weapon, so they're incompetent when you take away their favorite toy. Fighters fight, with a longsword or a nail file or bare hands.

And no more of this weapons using classes being completely useless when disarmed, so that you need your very own class to fight unarmed, who, incidentally can do more damage with their bare hands than a sword does, which raises the question why anyone would bother learning to use a sword.