So... per the Rogue Class Features, Rogues get proficiency with Simple Weapons, and Martial Weapons with the Light or Finesse property.
But... per the 2024 PHB, the Blowgun is a Martial Ranged Weapon, with the Ammunition and Loading properties.
Which means that the Rogue, the one class that really should be using a Blowgun, just can't.
And how is a Blowgun not a Simple Weapon, but a Light Crossbow is? Really?
I would think that the Blowgun should be Simple, and the Light Crossbow should be a Ranged Martial with Light, similar to the Hand Crossbow... that feels much more appropriate.
What would you get out of that, though? As written, the Blowgun is of very little use to anyone. It's inferior to the Hand Crossbow in pretty much every respect; why would you want to use that instead of a Hand Crossbow?
Honestly? It's purely role play, for the most part.
I view the blowgun as a delivery device for poisons, toxins, etc... from a stealthed position, as opposed to inflicting any kind of damage (although the existence of Walloping Blowgun Needles brings some hilarious images to mind). Frankly, there should be some kind of mechanical bonus to using it while hidden, but that's what DM's are for.
Honestly, if I were DMing and a player came to me and said they were excited about this, I would just have them use a hand crossbow reflavored as a blowgun.
Blowguns are Martial weapons because holding a tube to your mouth, aiming it with your entire head, and blowing into the tube with enough force to go some distance is far more difficult than pointing a crossbow at someone and pulling a trigger. Also, light crossbows don't have the light property because they're pretty big, they're just smaller and lighter than heavy crossbows.
Crossbows were also pretty famously easy to use. You could give one to any old peasant and they could be pretty dangerous with it. Richard the Lionheart getting smoked by a kid would be my supporting example.
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Blowguns require a lot more skill to aim, but are quieter than a crossbow, and are only really used to deliver poisons. They are also easy to conceal.
Hand crossbows are silly easy to aim, are not quiet, and their primary uses are when you can't carry something bulkier, plan to use it to deliver sneak attack damage, or with poisons.
So... per the Rogue Class Features, Rogues get proficiency with Simple Weapons, and Martial Weapons with the Light or Finesse property.
But... per the 2024 PHB, the Blowgun is a Martial Ranged Weapon, with the Ammunition and Loading properties.
Which means that the Rogue, the one class that really should be using a Blowgun, just can't.
And how is a Blowgun not a Simple Weapon, but a Light Crossbow is? Really?
I would think that the Blowgun should be Simple, and the Light Crossbow should be a Ranged Martial with Light, similar to the Hand Crossbow... that feels much more appropriate.
Thoughts?
What would you get out of that, though? As written, the Blowgun is of very little use to anyone. It's inferior to the Hand Crossbow in pretty much every respect; why would you want to use that instead of a Hand Crossbow?
pronouns: he/she/they
Honestly? It's purely role play, for the most part.
I view the blowgun as a delivery device for poisons, toxins, etc... from a stealthed position, as opposed to inflicting any kind of damage (although the existence of Walloping Blowgun Needles brings some hilarious images to mind). Frankly, there should be some kind of mechanical bonus to using it while hidden, but that's what DM's are for.
Honestly, if I were DMing and a player came to me and said they were excited about this, I would just have them use a hand crossbow reflavored as a blowgun.
pronouns: he/she/they
Blowguns are Martial weapons because holding a tube to your mouth, aiming it with your entire head, and blowing into the tube with enough force to go some distance is far more difficult than pointing a crossbow at someone and pulling a trigger. Also, light crossbows don't have the light property because they're pretty big, they're just smaller and lighter than heavy crossbows.
Crossbows were also pretty famously easy to use. You could give one to any old peasant and they could be pretty dangerous with it. Richard the Lionheart getting smoked by a kid would be my supporting example.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
Blowguns require a lot more skill to aim, but are quieter than a crossbow, and are only really used to deliver poisons. They are also easy to conceal.
Hand crossbows are silly easy to aim, are not quiet, and their primary uses are when you can't carry something bulkier, plan to use it to deliver sneak attack damage, or with poisons.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.