D&D General Weapon Mastery - Yea or Nay?

[EzekielRaiden]

not including shields in EVERY light armor proficiency gained is a mistake by WotC.

I mean, I can certainly agree that mistakes occurred. I don't necessarily think this is the one involved here.

I actually really like the idea that Warlocks can summon whatever weapon they like and use it (without Fighter-type features like masteries, of course--just the weapon and no more). It lets those Warlocks who choose to go whole hog for Blade Pact--which is extremely invocation-hungry, functionally being almost its own subclass all by itself--be interesting and flexible in a way other classes aren't. They're sort of the dark reflection of the Bard; where the Bard is mostly set in its ways and adds a flavor of something else to its full-caster suite, the Warlock is mostly set in what spells it can use, but verges on build-a-class with how flexible its features are.

And then if you really want those weapon masteries, just take a level or two of Fighter. You get heavier armor proficiency, shields, weapon masteries, Second Wind (another reason to Short Rest!), and if you take a second level, Action Surge for even more slicing-and-dicing. Coupled with the various sub-flavors from patron--Celestial as a healer, Fey as a trickster, Infernal for really dishing out the harm--it makes the Warlock by far the most mechanically-engaging class in 5e and a real breath of fresh air for folks like me who get so bored with the hypersimplicity mantra.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

this is where reality needs to give ground a little to game balance or think about 20 STR armor as heaviest jousting plate that was ever made. impractical for average foot soldier but not for the strongest man in town.

also it's the reason the 2d6(greatsword) is more or less in same requirement as current plate and 2d8 is for 20 STR, an oversized greatsword/axe that can be used by maybe 1in100 people.

I really don't not think that the strongest man in town has strength 20! 16, maybe, 14 more likely. 20 is something that only super rare heroic individuals might have.

 

[Horwath]

I really don't not think that the strongest man in town has strength 20! 16, maybe, 14 more likely. 20 is something that only super rare heroic individuals might have.

if you use 3d6 for abilities, the average, that is 1 in 216 chance to have an 18, and as everyone in 5E has +2/+1 bonus, the +2 goes to 18.
that is, 0,46% of population has 20 STR.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

if you use 3d6 for abilities, the average, that is 1 in 216 chance to have an 18, and as everyone in 5E has +2/+1 bonus, the +2 goes to 18.
that is, 0,46% of population has 20 STR.

Yeah, I don't believe that this is how it works. Most people are just commoners with strength 10.

 

[Horwath]

Yeah, I don't believe that this is how it works. Most people are just commoners with strength 10.

I agree,
you have only 16% of 16+ STR, even with +2 bonus included.
the +2/+1 or +1/+1/+1 pushed the average from 10,5 to 11.

now the average array of 11,11,11,10,10,10 can become 12,12,12,10,10,10 or to have little diversity, average Joe has array of 14,12,12,10,10,8. arrange it how you will.

some average "strong" guy would be:

str 14
dex 10
con 12
int 8
wis 10
cha 12

 

[Micah Sweet]

Bladelock.

Now you're literally incapable of using weapons. Because, remember, all those summoned pact weapons? Yeah, those have exactly the same strength requirement as any other weapon. You've literally just made the whole concept of the Blade Warlock--already something that requires near total devotion to pull off even halfway okay--completely pointless, as the only possible pact weapon they can use is dagger (if that).

Or, if you prefer, sure, you can have weapons! And now you suck at everything else you do instead, so you're an ultra-crappy fighter with a couple spells.

Maybe make sure your bladelock has a high enough Strength score? Why is this a problem?

 

[Micah Sweet]

It would make sense if it was a stance they could switch at will. A stance indicates the fighter is trying to setup whatever the weapon mastery is giving. I could suspend my disbelief on that one.

Sure. Lots of Level Up's combat maneuvers are stances, for example.

 

[SkidAce]

It's all fun and games until they bring back the "Weapon Type vs. Armor Class Table."

Then? Then we're cooking with gas!

Try playing the old war game "Battles of the South Pacific" I think it was named.

Your bombers might hit the target, if the carriers have enough fuel to turn into the wind, the bombers can then choose to bomb from high altitude (safer, less accurate) or low altitude (also consider cloud cover and fuel to get to altitude), oh and wind direction and speed at the target....and did your fighter escorts have the range to provide cover on the trip? Etc. Etc.

 

[CreamCloud0]

ohhh and weapons speeds with crit threat ranges and multipliers!

i could appreciate the idea of +crit chance(vicious), +crit damage(brutal) and +to hit(accurate) masteries

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Maybe make sure your bladelock has a high enough Strength score? Why is this a problem?

Because those points are 100%, absolutely, completely useless other than to permit you to swing a weapon MADE OF MAGICAL ENERGY.

I thought "realism" was supposed to matter.