First, do you allow, e.g., some type of dagger that does anything other than d4 damage? I'm not talking about a magical dagger, e.g., a +1 dagger that does d4+1 damage. I'm talking about a non-magical dagger (or any base weapon) that does more or less than d4 damage? For example, a dagger in poor condition that does some amount of damage that is < d4? Or, e.g., an expertly crafted dagger, or a dagger made of certain material that does > d4 damage? Cool thing is that on the D&DBeyond character sheets, it's easy to customize any weapon "to hit" and "damage" bonuses. (see image below)
Second, do you allow PCs to use weapons at your table that are not included in, say, the 2024 PHB list of weapons? If so, is there an official, published D&D source that you use for such weapons, or do you just homebrew your own damage and weapon mastery property for such weapons? I know a player's PC who uses a Falchion, which is not in the 2024 PHB list of weapons. Would you allow a player to use something like a Falchion, which isn't in the 2024 list of weapons? If so, how would you determine the damage or weapon mastery property? Do you make a judgement call and tell the player that if their PC were to use a Falchion, it would do the same damage, and have the same weapon mastery property, as similar a weapon in the 2024 PHB list weapons, e.g., a scimitar, etc.? And would you ever allow a customized damage for a weapon in your game that isn't in the 2024 PHB?
Personally, I find the 2024 PHB list of weapons to be limited. I also find some of the mastery properties of some of the weapons unintuitive, but this is a completely different issue from my main point here.
I gave one of my players a magic falchion that is finesse and deals 2d4 slashing damage on a hit, plus some other magic effects. He's a dex fighter, so he enjoys it. I tend to homebrew a ton of weapons, both magical and not, to tailor them to what my party has and likes.
Of course, rereading your post, I see that you're talking about 5e24. We'll be updating once we finish this campaign, which is very close to being completed now. I can't speak on weapon masteries just yet, but I imagine I'll be home brewing stuff for them the same way I have all other elements of weapons in the current game.
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I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
I usually use PHB weapon list for the most part or rely on reflavoring.
Having that said, i have also drop homebrew weapons in the past things like Sounding Dirk, Cold Iron Broadsword, Adamantine Kopesh, Mancatcher, Bone Harpoon etc
All the time. 1 of my favorite weapons is a super hard hitting whip a a dm homebrewed for one of my bards - I roll a 6 sided before every attack options 1-5 are pretty specific effects that may or may not be useful situationally - if I roll a 6 its my choice of effect. Love that weapon.
I've dropped daggers for one of my high level rogues that have a bonus action "Disintegrate' useable once per day if he hits with a melee strike if he misses then the effect is gone until tomorrow he has to call it before he rolls. If he crits the additional damage crits as well lol.
My groups tend to do a lot of pre rolling so this stuff does not slow down the game at all.
I think interesting and complex weapons are fun - keeps the players happy and the dm on their toes. Hitting the thing for 1d8+6 gets old fast for many of the more seasoned players.
I usually use PHB weapon list for the most part or rely on reflavoring.
Having that said, i have also drop homebrew weapons in the past things like Sounding Dirk, Cold Iron Broadsword, Adamantine Kopesh, Mancatcher, Bone Harpoon etc
^^ this.
For non magical base weapons, I reskin something that's close. That's how the list is intended to be used. For example, your bog standard viking era sword, roman spatha, migration sword, knightly arming sword, saber, wakizashi, etc is typically a 1h slashing sword. In 5e, a 1 handed slasher is a scimitar. A one handed thruster is a shortsword whether we'd call it a gladius, smallsword, sidesword, etc. Or call it a rapier because you want a d8.
A naginata is a glaive, a falx and katana are longswords, and so on. You can't let yourself get too caught up on the names on the weapon charts. Pick the name from the chart that is most like how you envision the weapon being used and use that as a template for your "broadsword" or whatever weapon you're looking for.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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.
We had a Kender paladin use a “sabre” for our Shadow of the Dragon Queen campaign: essentially a slashing version of the rapier.
We also home brewed a “war spear” for another campaign: a martial spear (versatile d8/10 piercing) - which is what the Trident has now become (and always should have been!).
All the time. 1 of my favorite weapons is a super hard hitting whip a a dm homebrewed for one of my bards - I roll a 6 sided before every attack options 1-5 are pretty specific effects that may or may not be useful situationally - if I roll a 6 its my choice of effect. Love that weapon.
I think I need to hear more about this whip. Specifically, the 1d5 choices.
All the time. 1 of my favorite weapons is a super hard hitting whip a a dm homebrewed for one of my bards - I roll a 6 sided before every attack options 1-5 are pretty specific effects that may or may not be useful situationally - if I roll a 6 its my choice of effect. Love that weapon.
I think I need to hear more about this whip. Specifically, the 1d5 choices.
For context this character is Valor Bard that has taken the Warlock Initiate feat (Eldritch Blast), is Level 19 (The campaign will continue on into Epic levels) and is closely immersed with the lore of Shadowfell and has a magical Panther familiar. He had to go on a quest to get the familiar in the mid game and another quest to get the whip more recently: Effects of the 1d6 as follow:
Effect of Shadowfell Whip
• Eldritch Fate: At the start of each of your turns in combat, roll a d6. You gain
the following effect 1x that round: (Meaning this only applies to 1 attack or cantrip)
1. Eldritch Echoes: When you hit with this whip or a spell, the target and
all enemy creatures in a 25-foot line behind that target take an additional
50% of the damage dealt as force damage.
2. Eldritch Strike: When you hit with this whip or a spell, you can choose
to maximize the damage dice of the attack or spell.
3. Eldritch Siphon: When you hit with this whip or a spell, you or your
panther familiar regains hit points equal to 50% of the damage dealt.
4. Eldritch Umbral Shift: When you hit with this whip or a spell, you or
your panther familiar can momentarily shift into the Shadowfell,
becoming incorporeal and gaining resistance to all damage until the start
of your next turn.
5. Eldritch Empowerment: When you hit with this whip or a spell, you
can empower an ally with shadowy energy. Choose one creature you can
see within 30 feet of you. The target can choose one of the following
benefits:
• Shadow Strike: The target's next weapon attack deals an extra
3d12 necrotic damage.
• Shadow Mend: The target regains 3d12 hit points.
6. Player's Choice: Choose one of the effects from options 1-5.
As I said it's likely my favorite weapon of all the ones I have used on any of my characters.
I sure do. I think standard D&D weapons are boring, barely creative, and the variety of trash. Either they're complete junk weapons, or absurdly powerful. You just have to pay close attention to balance so it doesn't become bonkers/OP.
I've created weapons with procs---much like D&D 2024 does, where they can have effects, like a bleeding effect or slowing effect, etc. I've also created weapons that do extra damage against specific types of creatures, plants, beasts, dragons, etc. All weapons also have 3 variety, rusty, normal, exceptional---and an exceptional weapon gets +1 to hit only, but it also has the choice to deflect a critical hit, but losing its exceptional property.
I think conditional weapons are the most interesting, so they can strategically decide what weapon is best for the task at hand.
The weapons I make are certainly not any stronger, but they offer a huge variety of choices that are fun.
The way I handle weapon condition (in certain survival circumstances) is that if a weapon is Rusty or Poor in quality, you roll a die when you pick it up. For a Rusty weapon, you roll a d4, for a Poor weapon it's a d8. The player writes down the number they rolled next to the weapon in their inventory, and if they get that many nat 1's while using the weapon, it breaks.
That's my homebrew way to address weapons of different qualities. I don't have a system for weapons that are of good quality (aside from the RAW of magic weapon just doing more damage), but in situations where players are trapped somewhere without their equipment, this can add a nice level of risk/suspense.
One of my old characters, now an NPC in my world, is me - with all my 20th century knowledge - he has designed a number of nonstandard weapons for others over the years. A Bowles’s repeating crossbow - clip fed ( think Thompson DMG), revolving dart throwers ( think colt pistols) as well as magical weapons and items that are definitely homebrew. I do try to stay mostly within the bounds of the game mechanics as well as close to real world nys is.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
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By this I mean, two things:
First, do you allow, e.g., some type of dagger that does anything other than d4 damage? I'm not talking about a magical dagger, e.g., a +1 dagger that does d4+1 damage. I'm talking about a non-magical dagger (or any base weapon) that does more or less than d4 damage? For example, a dagger in poor condition that does some amount of damage that is < d4? Or, e.g., an expertly crafted dagger, or a dagger made of certain material that does > d4 damage? Cool thing is that on the D&DBeyond character sheets, it's easy to customize any weapon "to hit" and "damage" bonuses. (see image below)
Second, do you allow PCs to use weapons at your table that are not included in, say, the 2024 PHB list of weapons? If so, is there an official, published D&D source that you use for such weapons, or do you just homebrew your own damage and weapon mastery property for such weapons? I know a player's PC who uses a Falchion, which is not in the 2024 PHB list of weapons. Would you allow a player to use something like a Falchion, which isn't in the 2024 list of weapons? If so, how would you determine the damage or weapon mastery property? Do you make a judgement call and tell the player that if their PC were to use a Falchion, it would do the same damage, and have the same weapon mastery property, as similar a weapon in the 2024 PHB list weapons, e.g., a scimitar, etc.? And would you ever allow a customized damage for a weapon in your game that isn't in the 2024 PHB?
Personally, I find the 2024 PHB list of weapons to be limited. I also find some of the mastery properties of some of the weapons unintuitive, but this is a completely different issue from my main point here.
Started playing 1e in the late 70s and stopped in the mid-80s. Started immersing myself into 5e in 2023
I gave one of my players a magic falchion that is finesse and deals 2d4 slashing damage on a hit, plus some other magic effects. He's a dex fighter, so he enjoys it. I tend to homebrew a ton of weapons, both magical and not, to tailor them to what my party has and likes.
Of course, rereading your post, I see that you're talking about 5e24. We'll be updating once we finish this campaign, which is very close to being completed now. I can't speak on weapon masteries just yet, but I imagine I'll be home brewing stuff for them the same way I have all other elements of weapons in the current game.
I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
I usually use PHB weapon list for the most part or rely on reflavoring.
Having that said, i have also drop homebrew weapons in the past things like Sounding Dirk, Cold Iron Broadsword, Adamantine Kopesh, Mancatcher, Bone Harpoon etc
All the time. 1 of my favorite weapons is a super hard hitting whip a a dm homebrewed for one of my bards - I roll a 6 sided before every attack options 1-5 are pretty specific effects that may or may not be useful situationally - if I roll a 6 its my choice of effect. Love that weapon.
I've dropped daggers for one of my high level rogues that have a bonus action "Disintegrate' useable once per day if he hits with a melee strike if he misses then the effect is gone until tomorrow he has to call it before he rolls. If he crits the additional damage crits as well lol.
My groups tend to do a lot of pre rolling so this stuff does not slow down the game at all.
I think interesting and complex weapons are fun - keeps the players happy and the dm on their toes. Hitting the thing for 1d8+6 gets old fast for many of the more seasoned players.
One of my players is using a tree as a weapon
^^ this.
For non magical base weapons, I reskin something that's close. That's how the list is intended to be used. For example, your bog standard viking era sword, roman spatha, migration sword, knightly arming sword, saber, wakizashi, etc is typically a 1h slashing sword. In 5e, a 1 handed slasher is a scimitar. A one handed thruster is a shortsword whether we'd call it a gladius, smallsword, sidesword, etc. Or call it a rapier because you want a d8.
A naginata is a glaive, a falx and katana are longswords, and so on. You can't let yourself get too caught up on the names on the weapon charts. Pick the name from the chart that is most like how you envision the weapon being used and use that as a template for your "broadsword" or whatever weapon you're looking for.
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
We had a Kender paladin use a “sabre” for our Shadow of the Dragon Queen campaign: essentially a slashing version of the rapier.
We also home brewed a “war spear” for another campaign: a martial spear (versatile d8/10 piercing) - which is what the Trident has now become (and always should have been!).
I think I need to hear more about this whip. Specifically, the 1d5 choices.
For context this character is Valor Bard that has taken the Warlock Initiate feat (Eldritch Blast), is Level 19 (The campaign will continue on into Epic levels) and is closely immersed with the lore of Shadowfell and has a magical Panther familiar. He had to go on a quest to get the familiar in the mid game and another quest to get the whip more recently: Effects of the 1d6 as follow:
• Eldritch Fate: At the start of each of your turns in combat, roll a d6. You gain
the following effect 1x that round: (Meaning this only applies to 1 attack or cantrip)
1. Eldritch Echoes: When you hit with this whip or a spell, the target and
all enemy creatures in a 25-foot line behind that target take an additional
50% of the damage dealt as force damage.
2. Eldritch Strike: When you hit with this whip or a spell, you can choose
to maximize the damage dice of the attack or spell.
3. Eldritch Siphon: When you hit with this whip or a spell, you or your
panther familiar regains hit points equal to 50% of the damage dealt.
4. Eldritch Umbral Shift: When you hit with this whip or a spell, you or
your panther familiar can momentarily shift into the Shadowfell,
becoming incorporeal and gaining resistance to all damage until the start
of your next turn.
5. Eldritch Empowerment: When you hit with this whip or a spell, you
can empower an ally with shadowy energy. Choose one creature you can
see within 30 feet of you. The target can choose one of the following
benefits:
• Shadow Strike: The target's next weapon attack deals an extra
3d12 necrotic damage.
• Shadow Mend: The target regains 3d12 hit points.
6. Player's Choice: Choose one of the effects from options 1-5.
As I said it's likely my favorite weapon of all the ones I have used on any of my characters.
I sure do. I think standard D&D weapons are boring, barely creative, and the variety of trash. Either they're complete junk weapons, or absurdly powerful. You just have to pay close attention to balance so it doesn't become bonkers/OP.
I've created weapons with procs---much like D&D 2024 does, where they can have effects, like a bleeding effect or slowing effect, etc. I've also created weapons that do extra damage against specific types of creatures, plants, beasts, dragons, etc. All weapons also have 3 variety, rusty, normal, exceptional---and an exceptional weapon gets +1 to hit only, but it also has the choice to deflect a critical hit, but losing its exceptional property.
I think conditional weapons are the most interesting, so they can strategically decide what weapon is best for the task at hand.
The weapons I make are certainly not any stronger, but they offer a huge variety of choices that are fun.
The way I handle weapon condition (in certain survival circumstances) is that if a weapon is Rusty or Poor in quality, you roll a die when you pick it up. For a Rusty weapon, you roll a d4, for a Poor weapon it's a d8. The player writes down the number they rolled next to the weapon in their inventory, and if they get that many nat 1's while using the weapon, it breaks.
That's my homebrew way to address weapons of different qualities. I don't have a system for weapons that are of good quality (aside from the RAW of magic weapon just doing more damage), but in situations where players are trapped somewhere without their equipment, this can add a nice level of risk/suspense.
One of my old characters, now an NPC in my world, is me - with all my 20th century knowledge - he has designed a number of nonstandard weapons for others over the years. A Bowles’s repeating crossbow - clip fed ( think Thompson DMG), revolving dart throwers ( think colt pistols) as well as magical weapons and items that are definitely homebrew. I do try to stay mostly within the bounds of the game mechanics as well as close to real world nys is.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.