Inspired by a recent online thread discussing the value of Versatile weapons, I came up with an idea to make those weapons more appealing. The fundamental change is to allow Versatile weapons to have a second mastery property, which can be used when the weapon is wielded with two hands. The rules and some weapon examples are outlined below, with my changes to the base rules marked in red.
Versatile
A Versatile weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property. The weapon deals that damage when used with two hands to make a melee attack. Listed alongside the damage value in parentheses is a mastery property. If the character has unlocked the mastery property of that weapon, the weapon uses the mastery property listed in parentheses when used with two hands to make a melee attack.
For example, a character using one hand to make a melee attack with a Battleaxe would deal 1d8 Slashing damage and could potentially use the Topple mastery property. If the character used two hands to make the same attack, it would deal 1d10 Slashing damage and use the Cleave property.
Weapons
Name
Damage
Properties
Mastery
Weight
Cost
Quarterstaff
1d6 Bludgeoning
Versatile (1d8,Topple)
Push
4 lb
2 SP
Battleaxe
1d8 Slashing
Versatile (1d10, Cleave)
Topple
4 lb
10 GP
Longsword
1d8 Slashing
Versatile (1d10, Graze)
Sap
3 lb
15 GP
Warhammer
1d8 Bludgeoning
Versatile (1d10, Slow)
Push
5 lb
15 GP
War Pick
1d8 Piercing
Versatile (1d10, Vex)
Sap
2 lb
5 GP
--------
For martial characters, this allows the opportunity to switch up your play style or combo attacks without switching weapons. For example, a Fighter with Warhammer mastery could use their extra attack feature to first use two hands to deal 1d10 damage to a target and Slow them and then switch to one hand for the second attack, dealing 1d8 damage and Pushing the target. At the end of the turn, the target of the attack is 10 feet away and has had its speed reduced by 10 feet, making it hard to close the distance or flee from the Fighter. In a similar way, a martial with Extra Attack and War Pick mastery could punish a single target by both imparting Dis on their next attack by Sap and giving themself Adv on their own attack using Vex.
Let me know what you think of this revision or if there are other Mastery properties you would propose. Also, a feat to help boost Versatile weapons is outlined in the spoiler tag below
Protean Fighter
General Feat (Prerequisite: Level 4+)
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20
Additional Weapon Properties. When you make a melee attack using a weapon with the Versatile property using one hand, the weapon is treated as having the Light property. When you make a melee attack using a weapon with the Versatile property using two hands, the weapon is treated as having the Reach property.
Whirlwind Attack. While wielding a weapon with the Versatile property, if you are able to use the weapon with two hands you can take an Action to make melee attacks against any number of creatures within 5 feet of you, with a separate attack roll for each target. Each melee attack is treated as if made using one hand, and you do not add your ability modifier to the damage of the attack.
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TBH, I think the extra masteries are good enough to be locked behind the feat.
I think having everything be Light and Reach is too good for even a feat, and doesn't really make sense for all the weapons..the Light thing can especially be abused. Whirlwind is fine, but I don't think it will be that useful in actual play since it will often be a worse option than multi-attacking.
Maybe just have the feat have the ASI, open up the extra masteries, and add some kind of ability that offsets the downside of the play style (lower damage and no shield) and rewards having that free hand, for example:
Freehand Training. You switch between a one and two-handed grip with ease, throwing off your opponent's attacks with your free hand
Free-hand defense: When wielding a weapon with the versatile feature, you gain a +2* bonus to your AC as long as you don't wield a weapon or shield in your off-hand.
Free-hand offense: When wielding a weapon with the versatile feature, you gain a +2 bonus to the DC of your unarmed Shove and Grapple effects as long as you don't wield a weapon or shield in your off-hand.
(*I don't think the +2 here would actually be game breaking, it is equal to having a shield, but it can't be enhanced or have bonus properties like a regular shield...if it feels too strong, knock it down to +1...or have it go up to +2 at a higher level?)
Hope that helps, it still might not be as optimal as sword-and-board or the omnipresent great sword, but this feels like a swashbuckling fun and dynamic play style you don't see much that focuses on messing with opponents more than pure damage or defense.
Inspired by a recent online thread discussing the value of Versatile weapons, I came up with an idea to make those weapons more appealing. The fundamental change is to allow Versatile weapons to have a second mastery property, which can be used when the weapon is wielded with two hands. The rules and some weapon examples are outlined below, with my changes to the base rules marked in red.
Versatile
A Versatile weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property. The weapon deals that damage when used with two hands to make a melee attack. Listed alongside the damage value in parentheses is a mastery property. If the character has unlocked the mastery property of that weapon, the weapon uses the mastery property listed in parentheses when used with two hands to make a melee attack.
For example, a character using one hand to make a melee attack with a Battleaxe would deal 1d8 Slashing damage and could potentially use the Topple mastery property. If the character used two hands to make the same attack, it would deal 1d10 Slashing damage and use the Cleave property.
Weapons
Name
Damage
Properties
Mastery
Weight
Cost
Quarterstaff
1d6 Bludgeoning
Versatile (1d8,Topple)
Push
4 lb
2 SP
Battleaxe
1d8 Slashing
Versatile (1d10, Cleave)
Topple
4 lb
10 GP
Longsword
1d8 Slashing
Versatile (1d10, Graze)
Sap
3 lb
15 GP
Warhammer
1d8 Bludgeoning
Versatile (1d10, Slow)
Push
5 lb
15 GP
War Pick
1d8 Piercing
Versatile (1d10, Vex)
Sap
2 lb
5 GP
--------
For martial characters, this allows the opportunity to switch up your play style or combo attacks without switching weapons. For example, a Fighter with Warhammer mastery could use their extra attack feature to first use two hands to deal 1d10 damage to a target and Slow them and then switch to one hand for the second attack, dealing 1d8 damage and Pushing the target. At the end of the turn, the target of the attack is 10 feet away and has had its speed reduced by 10 feet, making it hard to close the distance or flee from the Fighter. In a similar way, a martial with Extra Attack and War Pick mastery could punish a single target by both imparting Dis on their next attack by Sap and giving themself Adv on their own attack using Vex.
Let me know what you think of this revision or if there are other Mastery properties you would propose. Also, a feat to help boost Versatile weapons is outlined in the spoiler tag below
Protean Fighter
General Feat (Prerequisite: Level 4+)
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20
Additional Weapon Properties. When you make a melee attack using a weapon with the Versatile property using one hand, the weapon is treated as having the Light property. When you make a melee attack using a weapon with the Versatile property using two hands, the weapon is treated as having the Reach property.
Whirlwind Attack. While wielding a weapon with the Versatile property, if you are able to use the weapon with two hands you can take an Action to make melee attacks against any number of creatures within 5 feet of you, with a separate attack roll for each target. Each melee attack is treated as if made using one hand, and you do not add your ability modifier to the damage of the attack.
Four-time Judge of the Competition of the Finest Brews! Come join us in making fun, unique homebrew and voting for your favorite entries!
TBH, I think the extra masteries are good enough to be locked behind the feat.
I think having everything be Light and Reach is too good for even a feat, and doesn't really make sense for all the weapons..the Light thing can especially be abused. Whirlwind is fine, but I don't think it will be that useful in actual play since it will often be a worse option than multi-attacking.
Maybe just have the feat have the ASI, open up the extra masteries, and add some kind of ability that offsets the downside of the play style (lower damage and no shield) and rewards having that free hand, for example:
Freehand Training. You switch between a one and two-handed grip with ease, throwing off your opponent's attacks with your free hand
(*I don't think the +2 here would actually be game breaking, it is equal to having a shield, but it can't be enhanced or have bonus properties like a regular shield...if it feels too strong, knock it down to +1...or have it go up to +2 at a higher level?)
Hope that helps, it still might not be as optimal as sword-and-board or the omnipresent great sword, but this feels like a swashbuckling fun and dynamic play style you don't see much that focuses on messing with opponents more than pure damage or defense.