D&D 5E Two-Weapon Fighting Style seems ... bad

[Joe Liker]

It's fine (certainly not superior) at low levels, but once you start gaining extra attacks as a fighter, it quickly becomes terrible in comparison with Great Weapon.

All you get is one extra attack with ability mod added to damage, and you have to use light weapons in both hands. That's pretty awful!

At level 20, with 20 Str (or possibly Dex)...

TW: Five attacks for 1d6+5 each
GW: Four attacks for 2d6+5 each, rerolling 1s and 2s

Both have 15% crit chance, which makes it even worse.

What am I missing?

 

[Branduil]

I don't think you're missing anything... it really is suboptimal for Fighters.

For Rogues, or other classes which have once-per-round bonus damage on a hit, it's a more appealing option.

 

[Joe Liker]

I wasn't referring to the mere act of fighting with two weapons. I was referring to the Fighter class feature that gives them bonus damage when doing so.

But yes, it's very sub-optimal. This makes me very sad.

 

[Mouseferatu]

There's also the (rumored) feat that allows you to dual-wield non-light weapons and grants you a +1 to AC while dual-wielding. Makes the whole thing rather more appealing.

 

[doctorhook]

What am I missing?

I think the answer is that you're missing the feat that makes TWF not suck by comparison.

EDIT: Ninja'd by a vampire mouse.

 

[Mouseferatu]

EDIT: Ninja'd by a vampire mouse.

We're tricksy like that.

 

[doctorhook]

We're tricksy like that.

A Tiny creature with the vampire template? Seriously, what's your Dex mod, like +50?

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Sounds superior to me before the extra attack kicks in at 5th level. 2d6 + double ability mod vs. 2d6 + ability mod + rerolling 1s and 2s (which increased overall damage by somewhere around 1.3-1.7 as I recall). That's about an extra 2 points of damage from two-weapon style.

At higher levels you're right of course. But in addition to the feat that can improve it, magic items could make a difference depending on the campaign. Two different weapons with +1 and some special affect could be useful (thought definitely not an assumed level of magic items.)

 

[Joe Liker]

A feat would definitely make it better, but I'd consider that a feat tax, which in this new environment is about the worst thing they can inflict upon a character build.

And will there not also be feats to make Great Weapon Fighting even better than it already is?

I'm still skeptical.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

Keep in mind that the extra attack means that the chance that you hit at least once every round increases. Which is more important at lower levels as well. But it means that if you miss your attack that round you do 0 damage. If you hit with at least 1 attack, you still get to do 1d6+5 points of damage. If the enemy only had 6 hitpoints then it doesn't matter that the two-handed weapon fighter does more damage.

Also, with the feat, you can also increase your weapon dice to 1d8s and get +1 to your AC. You likely still won't do quite as much damage. But you get to wield 2 weapons and look badass while having a better Dex save, likely.