In the PHB, there isn’t much choice of fighting style once you know what kind of weapon you’re wielding. If you’re using a one-handed weapon and a shield, you must pick dueling, as Great Weapon Fighting, Archery, and Two-weapon fighting don’t work as per the game rules. There’s always defense style, but +1 to AC is both not as effective and not as fun as dealing more damage, for the most part. The existing fighting styles are also almost all just pure numbers: +2 to hit, +2 to damage, +1 to AC. These new fighting styles will try to provide more interesting options to weapon-wielding characters, while also helping to distinguish the weapons from each other and giving more options to characters that acquire more fighting styles from multiclassing or the fighter subclass champion.
Axeman Style: When you make an attack with a handaxe, a battleaxe, or a greataxe, you can choose to put the full weight of your body into your swing. Doing so lets you deal an extra 1d8 slashing damage if you hit, but if you miss, your AC decreases by 2 until the end of your next turn (cumulative with multiple misses). You also gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls against prone targets.
Bludgeoner Style: When you hit a creature with a weapon attack using a weapon that deals bludgeoning damage, the target has disadvantage on the next ability check or Constitution saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls with bludgeoning weapons, except for the Maul.
Opportunist’s Style: You can take one extra reaction during each round of combat. In addition, if you take the ready action on your turn to ready an attack, you can make the number of attacks you could normally make with your attack action (as granted by Extra Attack or a similar feature) as part of that reaction, instead of just one attack.
Flexible Weapon Style: When you hit a creature within 5 feet of you with a weapon attack from a Flail or Whip, you can choose to deal half damage. If you do, the target must make a Dexterity saving throw(DC 8+ your proficiency bonus + your strength or dexterity modifier), and if it fails, it drops one item of your choice that it is holding. Also, your attacks with a flail or whip ignore the AC bonus offered by shields or specific weapons.
Blade Dancer Style: When you miss with a weapon attack using a dagger or scimitar, you deal slashing damage to the target equal to your Dexterity modifier
Dagger Style: When you score a critical hit with a weapon attack using a dagger, the attack deals extra damage equal to your dexterity modifier. In addition, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you use a bonus action to make a weapon attack using a dagger. If that attack didn’t allow you to add your ability modifier to the damage (such as with two-weapon fighting), then neither of the attacks do.
Fencer’s Style: When you take the attack action on your turn using a Dagger, a shortsword, a rapier, or a longsword, you can forgo one of your attacks to prepare for your foe’s strike. The next creature that attacks you until the start or your next turn provokes an opportunity attack from you, and if you hit with that attack, the target has disadvantage on its own attack.
Spearman Style: If you move at least 15 feet in a straight line towards your target before taking the attack action with a Spear, Pike, Lance, or War Pick, you can put the force of your momentum into your thrust. Instead of making an attack roll, the target must make a Dexterity Saving Throw, DC 8 + your Strength Modifier + your Proficiency bonus. If the target fails, your attack hits and is an automatic critical hit. If the target succeeds, your attack misses and you move 5 more feet in the same direction and must succeed on a DC 13 acrobatics check or fall prone. If you have multiple attacks as part of your attack action, you can’t make this special attack more than once in the same turn.
So what do you think? Would these be fun and/or balanced? Have you ever used or had your players use strictly outclassed weapons like the flail or war pick?
Axeman Style: When you make an attack with a handaxe, a battleaxe, or a greataxe, you can choose to put the full weight of your body into your swing. Doing so lets you deal an extra 1d8 slashing damage if you hit, but if you miss, your AC decreases by 2 until the end of your next turn (cumulative with multiple misses). You also gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls against prone targets.
Bludgeoner Style: When you hit a creature with a weapon attack using a weapon that deals bludgeoning damage, the target has disadvantage on the next ability check or Constitution saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls with bludgeoning weapons, except for the Maul.
Opportunist’s Style: You can take one extra reaction during each round of combat. In addition, if you take the ready action on your turn to ready an attack, you can make the number of attacks you could normally make with your attack action (as granted by Extra Attack or a similar feature) as part of that reaction, instead of just one attack.
Flexible Weapon Style: When you hit a creature within 5 feet of you with a weapon attack from a Flail or Whip, you can choose to deal half damage. If you do, the target must make a Dexterity saving throw(DC 8+ your proficiency bonus + your strength or dexterity modifier), and if it fails, it drops one item of your choice that it is holding. Also, your attacks with a flail or whip ignore the AC bonus offered by shields or specific weapons.
Blade Dancer Style: When you miss with a weapon attack using a dagger or scimitar, you deal slashing damage to the target equal to your Dexterity modifier
Dagger Style: When you score a critical hit with a weapon attack using a dagger, the attack deals extra damage equal to your dexterity modifier. In addition, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you use a bonus action to make a weapon attack using a dagger. If that attack didn’t allow you to add your ability modifier to the damage (such as with two-weapon fighting), then neither of the attacks do.
Fencer’s Style: When you take the attack action on your turn using a Dagger, a shortsword, a rapier, or a longsword, you can forgo one of your attacks to prepare for your foe’s strike. The next creature that attacks you until the start or your next turn provokes an opportunity attack from you, and if you hit with that attack, the target has disadvantage on its own attack.
Spearman Style: If you move at least 15 feet in a straight line towards your target before taking the attack action with a Spear, Pike, Lance, or War Pick, you can put the force of your momentum into your thrust. Instead of making an attack roll, the target must make a Dexterity Saving Throw, DC 8 + your Strength Modifier + your Proficiency bonus. If the target fails, your attack hits and is an automatic critical hit. If the target succeeds, your attack misses and you move 5 more feet in the same direction and must succeed on a DC 13 acrobatics check or fall prone. If you have multiple attacks as part of your attack action, you can’t make this special attack more than once in the same turn.
So what do you think? Would these be fun and/or balanced? Have you ever used or had your players use strictly outclassed weapons like the flail or war pick?
