D&D 5E Weapons You Miss

[Azzy]

5e is great, don't get me wrong. In simplifying things, though, the weapon list was reduced significantly from earlier editions. Some of the weapons (like broadswords, many polearms, dire flails, etc.) were deservedly put on the chopping block, but there are others that are missed.

So, my EN Fam, what weapons from earlier editions that aren't in 5e do you miss the most?

For me, it's garrotes, scythes, long spears, whip-daggers, bolas, chakram, repeating crossbows, and specialty arrows (sheaf, flight, et al.).

 

[Minigiant]

Garrote is a flail? I mean, I guess I can see the idea of wrapping the weapon around part of your opponent, but it seems really quite different in usage.

It is different in usage but that's the closest one to how garrotes look.

• Would you still apply a Fighter's Great Weapon Fighting to a Garrote's damage?

Yes. It's a damage roll.

Following up with the first bullet above, briefly what effect does the Type of the weapon have in your games?

Good question.

I have 2 additional variant rules that use weapon types.

One rule gives every weapon a free manuever known based one the weapon wielded.
The other rule gives warriors a Super High Fantasy Anime Attack based on the weapon used.

Typo: Polehammer has no price.

20gp

Spiked Chain with 2d4 allows it to benefit slightly more from Great Weapon Fighting, which seems counter to GWF's "shtick." With a finesse weapon like this, it seems odd to get more power and a higher damage. Any reason (other than tradition) you see for the 2d4 vs something like 1d8?

2d4 with GWF only increases average damage from 5 to 6
2d6 is better than that normally.

What are your rules on Bolas?

restrained until on hit. 1 slashing damage or DC 10 Strength check to break free.

Typo: Shuriken damage should be 1d4 not 14d; otherwise, monks must be popular in your game! ;-)

Yeah typo.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

I don't necessarily miss any particular weapons but I really really miss how 3e made the weapons feel different.

Something as simple as getting a really low CRIT range with swords versus a quadruple damage with a scythe gave the martial classes some fun toys to play with.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I don't necessarily miss any particular weapons but I really really miss how 3e made the weapons feel different.

Something as simple as getting a really low CRIT range with swords versus a quadruple damage with a scythe gave the martial classes some fun toys to play with.

I prefer the 4e implementation, but otherwise I agree.

 

[Garthanos]

This was deliberately moved away from in 5e, there they focused more on the capabilities of the user rather than their weapon.
The issue with having a best weapon for the job is that you are penalised for using any other weapon for that, even one that would thematically fit your character more.

One can separate benefits from the device/the cost might be considered one of flavor. Weapon association is flavor.

For instance I made up generic superior weapon feats in 4e that granted the user of any weapon a superiority benefit as though the weapon was a superior one and many of those benefits were directly weapon effect benefits, one could use a brutal superiority to make brutal attacks using a sword which is not normally that way. To translate those into 5e one might combine 2 in one... For instance one might create a feat like "Executioners Technique" which makes any of your attacks brutal and have higher crit range. (5e considerations how does that combine with Champion)