I've been thinking of homebrewing some rules to allow certain mundane items to provide slight buffs to AC. I'd like to get input from other DMs to see what they think.
1) Main Gauche: 1D4 piercing damage, costs 5 gp, weighs 2 lbs. Grants +1 AC when ready if the character does not have a shield in the other hand.
2) Buckler: 1D4 bludgeoning damage, costs 2 gp, weighs 1 lb. Grants +1 AC when ready if the character does not have a shield in the other hand. May be used to strike the enemy.
3) Double-bladed Scimitar: Damage, cost, and weight are as listed. If the character has this weapon readied and is proficient with it, they receive +1 AC.
Any thoughts? I have a Rogue in my group who had Dual Wield and the Two-Weapon Fighting Style. She asked about a Main Gauche (essentially a dagger with a BIG basket hilt for parrying) as her second weapon and I'm considering allowing it for her. I included the 'cannot have a shield in the other hand' to avoid someone using a buckler and a shield for +3 AC.
Edit: After reading the first few replies, I felt that I should try and explain myself better to avoid confusion.
My players are currently at level 11 and we are on hiatus while I deal with some health issues. When we return, I want to address some of my player's concerns and requests. I don't like just handing out powerful magic items (in my world many +1 items can be purchased but beyond that, they must be found or quested for). The party is relatively small (one cleric/paladin who is the tank, 2 rogues of whom one prefers ranged combat while the other is more close-up, and a wizard) so there are not many times when the player in question can hide in the back to avoid combat. She'd like a slight bump in AC because she's been at 18 for most of her career and now the bad guys are getting tougher.
It should be noted that anyone in the party can benefit from these (well, maybe not the DB Scimitar...) so if the Pally/Cleric wanted to use a Main Gauche then he could.
As for the DB Scimitar, in my world, it's hard to come by and even harder to gain Proficiency with. However, even given all of that I felt that the weapon was underwhelming so I decided to allow it to grant +1 AC. I was not aware that there was already a Feat that did this. None of my players currently use or want one so I suppose it was for potential future use. I'm trying to discourage the 'GWM/Polearm Master' dominance for my next game.
This kind of sounds like free feats to me. Dual Wielder gives +1 AC as does the feat for Double-bladed Scimitar (which is already quite a strong weapon - I wouldn't buff it). I think the intent is that the defensive techniques involved take some training that is above and beyond basic weapon/shield proficiency.
Rogue in particular has a lot of defense built into the class already IMO. When your player uses Uncanny Dodge, describe it as deflecting the blow with her MG. Or when the enemy misses entirely. AC is intentionally abstract to handle stuff like this through roleplay/description rather than messing with mechanics.
I was going to say how this is a cool take on realistic historical weapons...then I saw the double-bladed scimitar. :-)
On a more serious note, there's a reason why Rogues don't have proficiency in shields, and allowing rapier-using rogues to get +1 AC does seem a bit imbalanced. There are a lot of other ways for the class to shine: if you want survivability, you go Fighter and pick the Defense style. By handing this free advantage over to the rogue, you're stealing a bit of cool (and game balance) from the fighter in the group. Rogues do insane amounts of damage and have unparalleled skills with traps and locks. The lack of defense is a tradeoff, and one that's already very mitigated when you get Uncanny Dodge.
That said, if you want to flavor a dagger as a main gauche, go for it! But handing out mechanical bonuses for it will only disappoint other players, or leave you in a cycle of trying to even out everyone's home-brewed advantages. Ultimately, that's just not so fun for anyone.
If I were inclined to bother, I'd probably go with something like
Main-Gauche: martial weapon, 1d4 piercing, light, special. If you are proficient with this weapon and could use it to make a two-weapon fighting attack, you may instead gain +1 AC until the start of your next turn.
Buckler: a handheld shield; when wielded, grants +1 AC. Unlike larger shields, does not require taking an action to don or doff.
Double-Bladed Scimitar: I can't see any reason to allow this weapon.
For the Main-gauche, this is a similar sort of weapon (dueling dagger) to two weapons I made. I haven't put them out for feedback so I don't know whether they are too weak, but the effect I gave them was a very conditional system; They would offer +1AC against attacks made by enemies no more than 1 size larger than you, if made with a melee weapon. So they don't help if you're being hit by a giants club, or if a scorpion stings you - they are exclusively useful if similar-sized enemies attack you with weapons.
I also gave them little extra effects which triggered if the enemy exactly equaled your AC with such an attack. In this instance, not only would you block the attack (using your +1AC) but you had a chance to disarm the attacker. One dagger could disarm them, and the other could break non-magical swords. The chances of it coming up are slim (1 in 20, if the attacker is small enough and using weapons, followed by a contested dex vs str), but there is a chance to use a dueling dagger for its actual purpose!
If I were inclined to bother, I'd probably go with something like
Main-Gauche: martial weapon, 1d4 piercing, light, special. If you are proficient with this weapon and could use it to make a two-weapon fighting attack, you may instead gain +1 AC until the start of your next turn.
Buckler: a handheld shield; when wielded, grants +1 AC. Unlike larger shields, does not require taking an action to don or doff.
Double-Bladed Scimitar: I can't see any reason to allow this weapon.
I think these are a good balanced option. mundane weapons shouldn't have too much fanciness. I like that Bucklers are smaller shields, quicker to use. I'd make it a bonus action to don/doff, otherwise people will doff it, use a greatsword, then don it again!
The fighter, paladin, and rogue in my party already have annoyingly high AC as it is. The ex-Cleric also had high AC. Even the bloody wizard has +1 AC from a staff of defense.
I guess my point is that AC buffs are hardly in short supply and I'd be loathe to start adding them to weapons as well.
You can attempt a dexterity save against any attack which exceeds your AC by one (the DC is the attack roll). on a success, the attack misses.
So this is effective for high dex characters, and also more effective for low AC characters as they will have to roll higher than the attack roll to dodge it, meaning it is worthless for a low dex high AC tank. It also makes it ineffective for attacks with too high of an attack bonus, as they might be incapable of rolling that low! It would be inconsequential enough to not break the game and probably have a good payoff for dodgy characters.
To make it scale with the game, you could make it work on any attack which exceeds your AC by less than your proficiency bonus - so by 1 at lower levels, but increasing as they grow more skilled, which will correspond with improved armour, and could make them become very deadly in melee with a parrying dagger!
The fighter, paladin, and rogue in my party already have annoyingly high AC as it is. The ex-Cleric also had high AC. Even the bloody wizard has +1 AC from a staff of defense.
I guess my point is that AC buffs are hardly in short supply and I'd be loathe to start adding them to weapons as well.
If you don't mind my asking, how does the Rogue in your party get the added AC? In my game, she has Studded Leather +1 (thanks to the Artificer) and a 20 Dex for a total of 18 AC. They're fighting enemies that have enough bonuses to hit that she's at about 50/50 hit or miss.
The fighter, paladin, and rogue in my party already have annoyingly high AC as it is. The ex-Cleric also had high AC. Even the bloody wizard has +1 AC from a staff of defense.
I guess my point is that AC buffs are hardly in short supply and I'd be loathe to start adding them to weapons as well.
If you don't mind my asking, how does the Rogue in your party get the added AC? In my game, she has Studded Leather +1 (thanks to the Artificer) and a 20 Dex for a total of 18 AC. They're fighting enemies that have enough bonuses to hit that she's at about 50/50 hit or miss.
Just wondering.
Similar. Studded leather + high dex + ring of protection (+1).
In thinking about this, I just realized that I may have let him get away with using a shield without proficiency. I'm gonna have to check, but his AC may actually be 2 higher than it should be, which would explain a fricking lot.
The fighter, paladin, and rogue in my party already have annoyingly high AC as it is. The ex-Cleric also had high AC. Even the bloody wizard has +1 AC from a staff of defense.
I guess my point is that AC buffs are hardly in short supply and I'd be loathe to start adding them to weapons as well.
If you don't mind my asking, how does the Rogue in your party get the added AC? In my game, she has Studded Leather +1 (thanks to the Artificer) and a 20 Dex for a total of 18 AC. They're fighting enemies that have enough bonuses to hit that she's at about 50/50 hit or miss.
Just wondering.
Similar. Studded leather + high dex + ring of protection (+1).
In thinking about this, I just realized that I may have let him get away with using a shield without proficiency. I'm gonna have to check, but his AC may actually be 2 higher than it should be, which would explain a fricking lot.
I have made another person think = my task here is done.
I've been thinking of homebrewing some rules to allow certain mundane items to provide slight buffs to AC. I'd like to get input from other DMs to see what they think.
1) Main Gauche: 1D4 piercing damage, costs 5 gp, weighs 2 lbs. Grants +1 AC when ready if the character does not have a shield in the other hand.
2) Buckler: 1D4 bludgeoning damage, costs 2 gp, weighs 1 lb. Grants +1 AC when ready if the character does not have a shield in the other hand. May be used to strike the enemy.
3) Double-bladed Scimitar: Damage, cost, and weight are as listed. If the character has this weapon readied and is proficient with it, they receive +1 AC.
Any thoughts? I have a Rogue in my group who had Dual Wield and the Two-Weapon Fighting Style. She asked about a Main Gauche (essentially a dagger with a BIG basket hilt for parrying) as her second weapon and I'm considering allowing it for her. I included the 'cannot have a shield in the other hand' to avoid someone using a buckler and a shield for +3 AC.
Edit: After reading the first few replies, I felt that I should try and explain myself better to avoid confusion.
My players are currently at level 11 and we are on hiatus while I deal with some health issues. When we return, I want to address some of my player's concerns and requests. I don't like just handing out powerful magic items (in my world many +1 items can be purchased but beyond that, they must be found or quested for). The party is relatively small (one cleric/paladin who is the tank, 2 rogues of whom one prefers ranged combat while the other is more close-up, and a wizard) so there are not many times when the player in question can hide in the back to avoid combat. She'd like a slight bump in AC because she's been at 18 for most of her career and now the bad guys are getting tougher.
It should be noted that anyone in the party can benefit from these (well, maybe not the DB Scimitar...) so if the Pally/Cleric wanted to use a Main Gauche then he could.
As for the DB Scimitar, in my world, it's hard to come by and even harder to gain Proficiency with. However, even given all of that I felt that the weapon was underwhelming so I decided to allow it to grant +1 AC. I was not aware that there was already a Feat that did this. None of my players currently use or want one so I suppose it was for potential future use. I'm trying to discourage the 'GWM/Polearm Master' dominance for my next game.
Thanks again for the input.
This kind of sounds like free feats to me. Dual Wielder gives +1 AC as does the feat for Double-bladed Scimitar (which is already quite a strong weapon - I wouldn't buff it). I think the intent is that the defensive techniques involved take some training that is above and beyond basic weapon/shield proficiency.
Rogue in particular has a lot of defense built into the class already IMO. When your player uses Uncanny Dodge, describe it as deflecting the blow with her MG. Or when the enemy misses entirely. AC is intentionally abstract to handle stuff like this through roleplay/description rather than messing with mechanics.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
I was going to say how this is a cool take on realistic historical weapons...then I saw the double-bladed scimitar. :-)
On a more serious note, there's a reason why Rogues don't have proficiency in shields, and allowing rapier-using rogues to get +1 AC does seem a bit imbalanced. There are a lot of other ways for the class to shine: if you want survivability, you go Fighter and pick the Defense style. By handing this free advantage over to the rogue, you're stealing a bit of cool (and game balance) from the fighter in the group. Rogues do insane amounts of damage and have unparalleled skills with traps and locks. The lack of defense is a tradeoff, and one that's already very mitigated when you get Uncanny Dodge.
That said, if you want to flavor a dagger as a main gauche, go for it! But handing out mechanical bonuses for it will only disappoint other players, or leave you in a cycle of trying to even out everyone's home-brewed advantages. Ultimately, that's just not so fun for anyone.
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
If I were inclined to bother, I'd probably go with something like
For the Main-gauche, this is a similar sort of weapon (dueling dagger) to two weapons I made. I haven't put them out for feedback so I don't know whether they are too weak, but the effect I gave them was a very conditional system; They would offer +1AC against attacks made by enemies no more than 1 size larger than you, if made with a melee weapon. So they don't help if you're being hit by a giants club, or if a scorpion stings you - they are exclusively useful if similar-sized enemies attack you with weapons.
I also gave them little extra effects which triggered if the enemy exactly equaled your AC with such an attack. In this instance, not only would you block the attack (using your +1AC) but you had a chance to disarm the attacker. One dagger could disarm them, and the other could break non-magical swords. The chances of it coming up are slim (1 in 20, if the attacker is small enough and using weapons, followed by a contested dex vs str), but there is a chance to use a dueling dagger for its actual purpose!
I think these are a good balanced option. mundane weapons shouldn't have too much fanciness. I like that Bucklers are smaller shields, quicker to use. I'd make it a bonus action to don/doff, otherwise people will doff it, use a greatsword, then don it again!
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
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Why not just give everyone +1 AC?
The fighter, paladin, and rogue in my party already have annoyingly high AC as it is. The ex-Cleric also had high AC. Even the bloody wizard has +1 AC from a staff of defense.
I guess my point is that AC buffs are hardly in short supply and I'd be loathe to start adding them to weapons as well.
I suppose you could make it a test to achieve.
You can attempt a dexterity save against any attack which exceeds your AC by one (the DC is the attack roll). on a success, the attack misses.
So this is effective for high dex characters, and also more effective for low AC characters as they will have to roll higher than the attack roll to dodge it, meaning it is worthless for a low dex high AC tank. It also makes it ineffective for attacks with too high of an attack bonus, as they might be incapable of rolling that low! It would be inconsequential enough to not break the game and probably have a good payoff for dodgy characters.
To make it scale with the game, you could make it work on any attack which exceeds your AC by less than your proficiency bonus - so by 1 at lower levels, but increasing as they grow more skilled, which will correspond with improved armour, and could make them become very deadly in melee with a parrying dagger!
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
If you don't mind my asking, how does the Rogue in your party get the added AC? In my game, she has Studded Leather +1 (thanks to the Artificer) and a 20 Dex for a total of 18 AC. They're fighting enemies that have enough bonuses to hit that she's at about 50/50 hit or miss.
Just wondering.
Similar. Studded leather + high dex + ring of protection (+1).
In thinking about this, I just realized that I may have let him get away with using a shield without proficiency. I'm gonna have to check, but his AC may actually be 2 higher than it should be, which would explain a fricking lot.
I have made another person think = my task here is done.
But but, if I can cast red light on it, I canz be Darth Maul, no?
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.