D&D (2024) Which Weapon Mastery is Your Favorite?

[CleverNickName]

I'm going to rank them all:

Oooo, good idea. I'll rank them also.

The Best of the Bunch:
1. Nick. I like that it elevates the "lesser" weapons that need it, instead of elevating the weapons that don't.
2. Topple. It looks like so much fun. I'm not afraid of save throws.
3. Push. Makes battlefield control easier for non-casters.
Not Impressed:
4. Cleave. I miss this from earlier game editions.
5. Slow. The most lukewarm option IMO, neither hot nor cold.
6. Vex. Doesn't sound useful. At least it counters Sap and vice-versa?
The Trash Bin:
7. Sap. Oh goodie, yet another way to always get Advantage on every attack all the time.
8. Graze. Damage-on-a-miss does not, and will never, make sense to me.
9. Flex. A mechanic that rewards you for ignoring it? You can do better, devs.

IMO, YMMV, etc.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

What if Nick did not Modify the use of the Light property? What if it was its own thing that stacked with the Light property?

1. You can use your Attack action to attack with a main-hand Light weapon. (1 attack WITH stat mod to damage)
2. Light: When you take the Attack action on your turn and attack with a Light weapon, you can make one extra attack as a Bonus Action later on the same turn. That extra attack must be made with a different Light weapon, and you don’t add your ability modifier to the extra attack’s damage, unless that modifier is negative. (1 attack with NO stat mod to damage)
3. Nick: When you take the Attack action on your turn and attack with a Light weapon, you can make one extra attack as part of the Attack action. That extra attack must be made with a different Light weapon, and you don’t add your ability modifier to the extra attack’s damage, unless that modifier is negative. This attack can be made on the same turn as the extra attack from the Light Property. (1 attack with NO stat mod to damage)

This would give a 1st level Fighter [Dagger; Light Hammer; Sickle; Scimitar] up to 3 attacks at level 1 (like flurry of blows), at the cost of a bonus action. A 7th level Fighter can expand that out to Clubs, Handaxes, and Shortswords. That's not busted. That's cool. It gives a cool option for Dual Weapon Fighter.

Rogues and Rangers and others still have to use their bonus actions as normal, but if they get Weapon Mastery somehow, they can use Nick with [Dagger; Light Hammer; Sickle; or Scimitar] as a free off-hand attack while freeing their Bonus action for other things. Heck, because Shortswords don't get Nick, this gives reasons for TWF Rogues to use a shortsword or scimitar in their main hand, and a dagger or scimitar in their off hand.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

Lots of people hate Flex as written. So how about some suggestions for a fix? What are options that might work with Versatile? What if Flex instead:

1. Gave "damage advantage" where you roll an extra damage die and take the best result. (This works 1 handed or 2 handed, but would it be OP if you also include the original Flex die bump? Roll 2d10, take the best?)
2. Let you use a Versatile weapon with such Flexibility that it counts as a Light weapon for you. (Helps with Warrior 2WF options)

 

[CleverNickName]

Lots of people hate Flex as written. So how about some suggestions for a fix? What are options that might work with Versatile? What if Flex instead:

1. Gave "damage advantage" where you roll an extra damage die and take the best result. (This works 1 handed or 2 handed, but would it be OP if you also include the original Flex die bump? Roll 2d10, take the best?)
2. Let you use a Versatile weapon with such Flexibility that it counts as a Light weapon for you. (Helps with Warrior 2WF options)

Instead of YABTD (Yet Another Boost To Damage), how about a bonus to armor class?

Deflecting: you can use this weapon to block or parry incoming attacks. While wielding this weapon with two hands, you gain a +1 bonus to armor class.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

Instead of YABTD (Yet Another Boost To Damage), how about a bonus to armor class?

Deflecting: you can use this weapon to block or parry incoming attacks. While wielding this weapon with two hands, you gain a +1 bonus to armor class.

I thought about an AC bonus too, but not with a two-handed limitation. Also, there is no bonus for using only 1 hand on a longsword. Even then, wielding a weapon in two hands is nebulous in the game, as it only matters for attacks. A person can hold a two-handed weapon in one hand just fine, but not when they attack. It can be unclear how a weapon is held when it is not your turn.

How about:
When you hit with a melee attack using this weapon, you deal its Versatile damage even if you’re wielding it with one hand. If you miss with a melee attack using this weapon, you can recover from that exertion into a defensive posture and get a +1 bonus to your AC until the start of your next turn, or a +2 bonus as long as you keep both hands on the same weapon.

 

[Incenjucar]

How about Versatile weapons just get two different abilities, one for each handed scenario, but these come as a pair specifically, with a handful of pairing swaps available. Will be a big hit with characters who form a bond with a specific weapon.

 

[CleverNickName]

Then again, why does Versatile need its own specific Weapon Mastery? We could just give these weapons the Sap, Push, or Vex mastery and be done with it.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Then again, why does Versatile need its own specific Weapon Mastery? We could just give these weapons the Sap, Push, or Vex mastery and be done with it.

I get what they were trying to do; make Versatile weapons the sword and board choice. But there are other one handed weapons with better masteries. I suspect Flex was one of the first they came up with and they never went back to compare.

 

[Minigiant]

Lots of people hate Flex as written. So how about some suggestions for a fix? What are options that might work with Versatile? What if Flex instead:

1. Gave "damage advantage" where you roll an extra damage die and take the best result. (This works 1 handed or 2 handed, but would it be OP if you also include the original Flex die bump? Roll 2d10, take the best?)
2. Let you use a Versatile weapon with such Flexibility that it counts as a Light weapon for you. (Helps with Warrior 2WF options)

Flex
Prerequisite: Versatile Property
When you hit with a melee attack using this weapon, you can have it gain the Light Property if you’re wielding it with one hand and the Heavy property if you are wielding with two hands.

 

[Gorck]

Flex
Prerequisite: Versatile Property
When you hit with a melee attack using this weapon, you can have it gain the Light Property if you’re wielding it with one hand and the Heavy property if you are wielding with two hands.

I get the upside of making a weapon Light: you can use it with 2 weapon fighting. But what is the benefit of making a weapon Heavy? It would only give Small characters disadvantage.