A Weapon Mastery is Mastery over a specific weapon (ei. Dagger, Shortsword)
A Mastery Property is the property of a weapon that you may only use if you have Mastery with the weapon (ei. Nick, or Vex).
Just as you can't use the Thrown property of a light hammer to throw a Greatsword, you can't use the Nick property of a dagger without the dagger.
Since Nick doesn't specify "When you make the extra attack of the Light property [OF OR WITH THIS WEAPON], you can make it as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action. You can make this extra attack only once per turn."
The extra attack can be made because of the Nick weapon or with the Nick weapon. The only limitations are: the Light property of a weapon MUST be used, and a Weapon with Nick must be used.
Lack of Specific Rule means the General Rules apply. The General Rules here are those of the Light Property.
What does "equipped" mean? Do you mean held in hand? Of course the intent of the Nick property is to be making the extra attack with the weapon that has the Nick property. Did anyone think you could use Nick while attacking with a Vex weapon?
RAW is debatable because Nick Mastery doesn't say it must be used "with this weapon" like the other Masteries.
RAI We know from this video with Devs that Weapon Mastery is intended to be used with their weapon respectively.
'If you're a character,, wether a fighter, a barbarian, a rogue a paladin, a ranger or someone who has otherwised unlocked the ability to use Weapon Mastery, suddenly when you use the dagger, because of your mastery with the weapon, you will be able to unlock its mastery property''
To explain the Nick property, we should briefly cover that being able to attack twice while dual-wielding Light weapons has subtly changed in the 2024 Player’s Handbook. Instead of being covered under Melee Attacks, the rules for dual-wielding Light weapons are covered under the Light weapon property.
It still functions the same way: When you make an attack with a weapon that has the Light property, you can use a Bonus Action to make one attack with a different Light weapon you’re wielding.
The Nick mastery property allows you to make the additional attack you receive from wielding two Light weapons as part of the initial attack action.
Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean you can make a third attack as a Bonus Action, as the Light property specifies you only get one extra attack. But, while it may not pump your damage, this frees up your Bonus Action to use class/species abilities, such as the Rogue’s Cunning Action, while still getting an additional attack in.
It's not debatable, you can't use the Thrown property of a light hammer to throw a Greatsword
They are Mastery Properties of the specific weapon. Your mastery with a weapon does not grant YOU anything, simply the ability to use a weapons property.
It's not debatable, you can't use the Thrown property of a light hammer to throw a Greatsword
They are Mastery Properties of the specific weapon. Your mastery with a weapon does not grant YOU anything, simply the ability to use a weapons property.
RAW
Mastery Properties
Each weapon has a mastery property, which is usable only by a character who has a feature, such as Weapon Mastery, that unlocks the property for the character. The properties are defined below.
What does "equipped" mean? Do you mean held in hand? Of course the intent of the Nick property is to be making the extra attack with the weapon that has the Nick property. Did anyone think you could use Nick while attacking with a Vex weapon?
Nick was worded specifically to allow the weapon with the nick property to be used in EITHER hand, or so you may use it as the first OR the second Attack, you can use a Vex Weapon and then use a Nick weapon for the second Attack, or vice versa.
What does "equipped" mean? Do you mean held in hand? Of course the intent of the Nick property is to be making the extra attack with the weapon that has the Nick property. Did anyone think you could use Nick while attacking with a Vex weapon?
Nick was worded specifically to allow the weapon with the nick property to be used in EITHER hand, or so you may use it as the first OR the second Attack, you can use a Vex Weapon and then use a Nick weapon for the second Attack, or vice versa.
I have seen debate before on whether it was one or the other. This is the first time I'm hearing the argument that you can choose.
Either way is fine, in my opinion, as long as we agree that at least one of the attacks is with a Nick weapon to activate Nick.
I think that the wording of nick IS likely intended to allow either the first or the second weapon to be the one with the property, but it isn't clear. Nick is the only weapon mastery property that interacts with an attack with a different weapon, so the fact that all others reference the weapon used in the attack makes sense. A sentence in Nick saying "Either the weapon used in the first attack or the second attack must have the Nick property" or a sentence indicating exactly which needs that property would go a long way toward clarifying the intent.
But the problem is that there's nothing to point to as proof. This isn't "SOLVED." All we have is user speculation and unclear rules text at this point.
People are debating the property itself, there's a fundamental misunderstanding that Nick is the "Weapon Mastery" which is not true.
A Weapon Mastery is Mastery over a specific weapon (ei. Dagger, Shortsword)
A Mastery Property is the property of a weapon that you may only use if you have Mastery with the weapon (ei. Nick, or Vex).
Just as you can't use the Thrown property of a light hammer to throw a Greatsword, you can't use the Nick property of a dagger without the dagger.
Since Nick doesn't specify "When you make the extra attack of the Light property [OF OR WITH THIS WEAPON], you can make it as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action. You can make this extra attack only once per turn."
The extra attack can be made because of the Nick weapon or with the Nick weapon. The only limitations are: the Light property of a weapon MUST be used, and a Weapon with Nick must be used.
Properties and Masteries are two different things listed seperatly in weapon category that's certainly the reason why this aspect wasn't debated.
Properties. Any properties a weapon has are listed in the Properties column. Each property is defined in the “Properties” section.
Mastery. Each weapon has a mastery property, which is defined in the “Mastery Properties” section later in this chapter. To use that property, you must have a feature that lets you use it.
People are debating the property itself, there's a fundamental misunderstanding that Nick is the "Weapon Mastery" which is not true.
A Weapon Mastery is Mastery over a specific weapon (ei. Dagger, Shortsword)
A Mastery Property is the property of a weapon that you may only use if you have Mastery with the weapon (ei. Nick, or Vex).
Just as you can't use the Thrown property of a light hammer to throw a Greatsword, you can't use the Nick property of a dagger without the dagger.
Since Nick doesn't specify "When you make the extra attack of the Light property [OF OR WITH THIS WEAPON], you can make it as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action. You can make this extra attack only once per turn."
The extra attack can be made because of the Nick weapon or with the Nick weapon. The only limitations are: the Light property of a weapon MUST be used, and a Weapon with Nick must be used.
Properties and Masteries are two different things listed seperatly in weapon category that's certainly the reason why this aspect wasn't debated.
Properties. Any properties a weapon has are listed in the Properties column. Each property is defined in the “Properties” section.
Mastery. Each weapon has a mastery property, which is defined in the “Mastery Properties” section later in this chapter. To use that property, you must have a feature that lets you use it.
While a mastery property isn't a "weapon Property" (with a capital P), they are definitely and clearly properties, and I think what Zakana is saying has reasonable interpretation that you don't get to use properties (even lowercase ones) of weapons without that weapon having that property (whether it is a Property or just a property).
When choosing a weapon Mastery, you choose the WEAPON not the mastery. The mastery itself is a property of the weapon, like light or Finesse, that you can only use if you have mastery with the weapon.
As written right now, this is false.
Each weapon might have properties and mastery properties associated with it, but that doesn't mean that you have to use those weapons to take advantage of these properties unless a general rule says so or the property itself actually says so. Those properties and mastery properties are defined as their descriptions dictate, independent of which weapons might actually be associated with these properties and mastery properties. In every other case, all properties and mastery properties describe features and restrictions that occur when using a weapon that has that property or mastery property in a specific way.
The Nick mastery property does not.
Examples: "Finesse -- When making an attack with a Finesse weapon, use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls." and "Loading -- You can fire only one piece of ammunition from a Loading weapon when you . . . fire it." and "Cleave -- If you hit a creature with a melee attack roll using this weapon, you can [ do stuff ] . . .".
Here are some of the relevant rules:
The table lists the cost and weight of each weapon, as well as the following details:
. . .
Mastery. Each weapon has a mastery property, which is defined in the “Mastery Properties” section later in this chapter. To use that property, you must have a feature that lets you use it.
So, the weapon has a mastery property, but this general rule does not require you to use that weapon in any specific way in order to use the property. Instead, "To use that property, you must have a feature that lets you use it." That's the general requirement for using it.
The specific requirements are different for each mastery property, as defined in each of their own respective descriptions. In almost all of those descriptions, it is mentioned that the weapon with the mastery property must be used in a specific way -- but the Nick mastery property does not mention any such requirements.
Next, we have this:
Each weapon has a mastery property, which is usable only by a character who has a feature, such as Weapon Mastery, that unlocks the property for the character. The properties are defined below.
So, again, yes, each weapon has a mastery property. So what? The general requirements for using that property do not include actually using the weapon in any specific way. Instead, the mastery property "is usable only by a character who has a feature, such as Weapon Mastery, that unlocks the property for the character."
The property is unlocked and becomes usable by having a feature that says so, not by having and/or using any particular weapon.
Let's take a look at what this Feature says for the Fighter class:
Your training with weapons allows you to use the mastery properties of three kinds of Simple or Martial weapons of your choice. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can practice weapon drills and change one of those weapon choices.
When you reach certain Fighter levels, you gain the ability to use the mastery properties of more kinds of weapons, as shown in the Weapon Mastery column of the Fighter Features table.
We can see here that it's the mastery property itself that becomes mastered, not the weapons. Three weapon types are selected, and the mastery properties associated with those weapon types become usable.
The Fighter's initial selection of 3 weapon types presumes that at some point in his past he has studied and trained with those weapon types in order to make the specific weapon mastery properties that are associated with those weapon types usable to that Fighter at Level 1. That does not necessarily mean that he currently possesses that weapon. That weapon mastery property is still usable to that Fighter since it's on his list of properties that have become usable through training. Also, none of this means that these weapon types have to be used in any specific way in order for these mastery properties to be usable to this Fighter. For that, we need to look at the specific wording of each weapon mastery property description to see if there are any specific requirements given there. As it turns out, every single mastery property description does provide such a requirement except for the Nick mastery property.
Solving this is the easiest fix in the world. The first sentence of the Nick mastery property description just needs simple errata.
Instead of saying: "When you make the extra attack of the Light property . . ."
It should say: "When you use this weapon to make the extra attack of the Light property . . ."
Or:
"When you make the extra attack of the Light property with this weapon . . ."
Or something to that effect.
Until then, we'll all just be house ruling this to require the Nick weapon to actually be used when applying the Nick weapon mastery property.
For me it's clear, the weapon has a mastery property that your training allow you to use that isn't intended to do so without them, meaning you can't make the extra attack with a different Light weapon as part of the Attack action instead of a Bonus Action without both Nick Mastery weapon and training.
That's definitely the intent. But where does it actually say that? For most properties, it says this right in the description of the property itself -- it's not a general rule, it's handled individually by each specific rule for each property and mastery property. That's why all of the other mastery properties go through the trouble of saying "using this weapon" or "with this weapon".
Treantmonk Update on today's video: Monty from the Dungeon Dudes contacted me to let me know he had asked Jeremy Crawford about Dual Wielder at Gencon, and here's how it works: It provides a single bonus action attack, so if you are using a weapon with the Nick Mastery that's one more attack. Two Weapon Fighting does add your ability score modifier to the damage of the extra attack.
And from the also top comment, since it reads so easily.
tomislavtomic5085 I'm pretty sure we're overcomplicating things regarding dual wielding. My interpretation: Everyone may take an offhand attack as a bonus action without adding the ability modifier. Nick allows it without using up the bonus action. The dual wielder feat allows 2 offhand attacks (one from Nick and one from the bonus action). The two weapon fighting style allows us to add the ability score modifier to any offhand attack we may have. That's logical and balanced progression IMO and probably what the designers intended.
When choosing a weapon Mastery, you choose the WEAPON not the mastery. The mastery itself is a property of the weapon, like light or Finesse, that you can only use if you have mastery with the weapon.
As written right now, this is false.
Each weapon might have properties and mastery properties associated with it, but that doesn't mean that you have to use those weapons to take advantage of these properties unless a general rule says so or the property itself actually says so. Those properties and mastery properties are defined as their descriptions dictate, independent of which weapons might actually be associated with these properties and mastery properties. In every other case, all properties and mastery properties describe features and restrictions that occur when using a weapon that has that property or mastery property in a specific way.
The Nick mastery property does not.
Examples: "Finesse -- When making an attack with a Finesse weapon, use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls." and "Loading -- You can fire only one piece of ammunition from a Loading weapon when you . . . fire it." and "Cleave -- If you hit a creature with a melee attack roll using this weapon, you can [ do stuff ] . . .".
Here are some of the relevant rules:
The table lists the cost and weight of each weapon, as well as the following details:
. . .
Mastery. Each weapon has a mastery property, which is defined in the “Mastery Properties” section later in this chapter. To use that property, you must have a feature that lets you use it.
So, the weapon has a mastery property, but this general rule does not require you to use that weapon in any specific way in order to use the property. Instead, "To use that property, you must have a feature that lets you use it." That's the general requirement for using it.
The specific requirements are different for each mastery property, as defined in each of their own respective descriptions. In almost all of those descriptions, it is mentioned that the weapon with the mastery property must be used in a specific way -- but the Nick mastery property does not mention any such requirements.
Next, we have this:
Each weapon has a mastery property, which is usable only by a character who has a feature, such as Weapon Mastery, that unlocks the property for the character. The properties are defined below.
So, again, yes, each weapon has a mastery property. So what? The general requirements for using that property do not include actually using the weapon in any specific way. Instead, the mastery property "is usable only by a character who has a feature, such as Weapon Mastery, that unlocks the property for the character."
The property is unlocked and becomes usable by having a feature that says so, not by having and/or using any particular weapon.
Let's take a look at what this Feature says for the Fighter class:
Your training with weapons allows you to use the mastery properties of three kinds of Simple or Martial weapons of your choice. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can practice weapon drills and change one of those weapon choices.
When you reach certain Fighter levels, you gain the ability to use the mastery properties of more kinds of weapons, as shown in the Weapon Mastery column of the Fighter Features table.
We can see here that it's the mastery property itself that becomes mastered, not the weapons. Three weapon types are selected, and the mastery properties associated with those weapon types become usable.
The Fighter's initial selection of 3 weapon types presumes that at some point in his past he has studied and trained with those weapon types in order to make the specific weapon mastery properties that are associated with those weapon types usable to that Fighter at Level 1. That does not necessarily mean that he currently possesses that weapon. That weapon mastery property is still usable to that Fighter since it's on his list of properties that have become usable through training. Also, none of this means that these weapon types have to be used in any specific way in order for these mastery properties to be usable to this Fighter. For that, we need to look at the specific wording of each weapon mastery property description to see if there are any specific requirements given there. As it turns out, every single mastery property description does provide such a requirement except for the Nick mastery property.
Solving this is the easiest fix in the world. The first sentence of the Nick mastery property description just needs simple errata.
Instead of saying: "When you make the extra attack of the Light property . . ."
It should say: "When you use this weapon to make the extra attack of the Light property . . ."
Or:
"When you make the extra attack of the Light property with this weapon . . ."
Or something to that effect.
Until then, we'll all just be house ruling this to require the Nick weapon to actually be used when applying the Nick weapon mastery property.
If you look at any weapon, specifically the weapon item stat block, the Mastery Property (which by the way, was capitalized in your quoted material) the mastery property is listed with all the other properties, not in its own separate category, except for explaining text.
When adding a Mastery in DnD beyond, you add Mastery over a weapon and the Mastery Property you receive is only in brackets to show what it is. It's VERY clear that the weapon Mastery Property is a property of the weapon itself, and like my example, you can't use the Thrown weapon property of a light hammer to throw a Greatsword, no matter how proficient you are in throwing them light hammers.
No where on you sheet is "Nick" given to you, only the weapon you have Mastery over possess the ability or property of "Nick". Since the source of the ability must be present to use the ability, a weapon with Nick must be present. You can't use a wand of fireballs that's in your bag to cast fireball
Yes, the mastery property is a property of every weapon that belongs to that weapon type. But the mechanic involved in being able to use that mastery property is just that you've trained with that type of weapon at some point in the past. In the future, when you actually use that mastery property, you follow the rules that are described in that particular mastery property's description. Because who knows what you've learned how to do with this weapon at some point in the past? Maybe you are now able to telepathically communicate with that weapon that is sitting in your house 100 miles away and it infuses you with some sort of mental pep talk that allows you to increase your damage with your fists! The only way that we can know for sure HOW the mastery property is used is in its description.
In every other case, the description says something like "when you hit a creature with this weapon" or "when you attack a creature with this weapon" or whatever. Because it's telling you what you actually need to do in order to harness this mastery property. The Nick property is missing that language. All that is required is that you are making the extra attack of the Light property. Yes, we all know what the authors meant by this -- that you are making that extra attack with the Nick weapon. But the text needs to actually say that in order for that to be the rule.
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A Weapon Mastery is Mastery over a specific weapon (ei. Dagger, Shortsword)
A Mastery Property is the property of a weapon that you may only use if you have Mastery with the weapon (ei. Nick, or Vex).
Just as you can't use the Thrown property of a light hammer to throw a Greatsword, you can't use the Nick property of a dagger without the dagger.
Since Nick doesn't specify "When you make the extra attack of the Light property [OF OR WITH THIS WEAPON], you can make it as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action. You can make this extra attack only once per turn."
The extra attack can be made because of the Nick weapon or with the Nick weapon. The only limitations are: the Light property of a weapon MUST be used, and a Weapon with Nick must be used.
Lack of Specific Rule means the General Rules apply. The General Rules here are those of the Light Property.
What does "equipped" mean? Do you mean held in hand? Of course the intent of the Nick property is to be making the extra attack with the weapon that has the Nick property. Did anyone think you could use Nick while attacking with a Vex weapon?
RAW is debatable because Nick Mastery doesn't say it must be used "with this weapon" like the other Masteries.
RAI We know from this video with Devs that Weapon Mastery is intended to be used with their weapon respectively.
'If you're a character,, wether a fighter, a barbarian, a rogue a paladin, a ranger or someone who has otherwised unlocked the ability to use Weapon Mastery, suddenly when you use the dagger, because of your mastery with the weapon, you will be able to unlock its mastery property''
New Weapon Mastery | 2024 Player's Handbook | D&D (youtube.com) (01:00)
The intent can also be inferred from the article Your Guide to Weapon Mastery in the 2024 Player's Handbook:
---
Nick
Example Weapon: Dagger
To explain the Nick property, we should briefly cover that being able to attack twice while dual-wielding Light weapons has subtly changed in the 2024 Player’s Handbook. Instead of being covered under Melee Attacks, the rules for dual-wielding Light weapons are covered under the Light weapon property.
It still functions the same way: When you make an attack with a weapon that has the Light property, you can use a Bonus Action to make one attack with a different Light weapon you’re wielding.
The Nick mastery property allows you to make the additional attack you receive from wielding two Light weapons as part of the initial attack action.
Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean you can make a third attack as a Bonus Action, as the Light property specifies you only get one extra attack. But, while it may not pump your damage, this frees up your Bonus Action to use class/species abilities, such as the Rogue’s Cunning Action, while still getting an additional attack in.
---
It's not debatable, you can't use the Thrown property of a light hammer to throw a Greatsword
They are Mastery Properties of the specific weapon. Your mastery with a weapon does not grant YOU anything, simply the ability to use a weapons property.
RAW
Mastery Properties
Each weapon has a mastery property, which is usable only by a character who has a feature, such as Weapon Mastery, that unlocks the property for the character. The properties are defined below.
"Each WEAPON has a mastery property..."
Nick was worded specifically to allow the weapon with the nick property to be used in EITHER hand, or so you may use it as the first OR the second Attack, you can use a Vex Weapon and then use a Nick weapon for the second Attack, or vice versa.
I have seen debate before on whether it was one or the other. This is the first time I'm hearing the argument that you can choose.
Either way is fine, in my opinion, as long as we agree that at least one of the attacks is with a Nick weapon to activate Nick.
I don't necessarily agree, just saying in past weeks RAW has been debated in DDB thread and other forum such as EnWorld if memory serve
When Does the Nick Mastery Apply? - Rules & Game Mechanics - Dungeons & Dragons Discussion - D&D Beyond Forums - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)
I think that the wording of nick IS likely intended to allow either the first or the second weapon to be the one with the property, but it isn't clear. Nick is the only weapon mastery property that interacts with an attack with a different weapon, so the fact that all others reference the weapon used in the attack makes sense. A sentence in Nick saying "Either the weapon used in the first attack or the second attack must have the Nick property" or a sentence indicating exactly which needs that property would go a long way toward clarifying the intent.
But the problem is that there's nothing to point to as proof. This isn't "SOLVED." All we have is user speculation and unclear rules text at this point.
People are debating the property itself, there's a fundamental misunderstanding that Nick is the "Weapon Mastery" which is not true.
A Weapon Mastery is Mastery over a specific weapon (ei. Dagger, Shortsword)
A Mastery Property is the property of a weapon that you may only use if you have Mastery with the weapon (ei. Nick, or Vex).
Just as you can't use the Thrown property of a light hammer to throw a Greatsword, you can't use the Nick property of a dagger without the dagger.
Since Nick doesn't specify "When you make the extra attack of the Light property [OF OR WITH THIS WEAPON], you can make it as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action. You can make this extra attack only once per turn."
The extra attack can be made because of the Nick weapon or with the Nick weapon. The only limitations are: the Light property of a weapon MUST be used, and a Weapon with Nick must be used.
Properties and Masteries are two different things listed seperatly in weapon category that's certainly the reason why this aspect wasn't debated.
While a mastery property isn't a "weapon Property" (with a capital P), they are definitely and clearly properties, and I think what Zakana is saying has reasonable interpretation that you don't get to use properties (even lowercase ones) of weapons without that weapon having that property (whether it is a Property or just a property).
As written right now, this is false.
Each weapon might have properties and mastery properties associated with it, but that doesn't mean that you have to use those weapons to take advantage of these properties unless a general rule says so or the property itself actually says so. Those properties and mastery properties are defined as their descriptions dictate, independent of which weapons might actually be associated with these properties and mastery properties. In every other case, all properties and mastery properties describe features and restrictions that occur when using a weapon that has that property or mastery property in a specific way.
The Nick mastery property does not.
Examples: "Finesse -- When making an attack with a Finesse weapon, use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls." and "Loading -- You can fire only one piece of ammunition from a Loading weapon when you . . . fire it." and "Cleave -- If you hit a creature with a melee attack roll using this weapon, you can [ do stuff ] . . .".
Here are some of the relevant rules:
So, the weapon has a mastery property, but this general rule does not require you to use that weapon in any specific way in order to use the property. Instead, "To use that property, you must have a feature that lets you use it." That's the general requirement for using it.
The specific requirements are different for each mastery property, as defined in each of their own respective descriptions. In almost all of those descriptions, it is mentioned that the weapon with the mastery property must be used in a specific way -- but the Nick mastery property does not mention any such requirements.
Next, we have this:
So, again, yes, each weapon has a mastery property. So what? The general requirements for using that property do not include actually using the weapon in any specific way. Instead, the mastery property "is usable only by a character who has a feature, such as Weapon Mastery, that unlocks the property for the character."
The property is unlocked and becomes usable by having a feature that says so, not by having and/or using any particular weapon.
Let's take a look at what this Feature says for the Fighter class:
We can see here that it's the mastery property itself that becomes mastered, not the weapons. Three weapon types are selected, and the mastery properties associated with those weapon types become usable.
The Fighter's initial selection of 3 weapon types presumes that at some point in his past he has studied and trained with those weapon types in order to make the specific weapon mastery properties that are associated with those weapon types usable to that Fighter at Level 1. That does not necessarily mean that he currently possesses that weapon. That weapon mastery property is still usable to that Fighter since it's on his list of properties that have become usable through training. Also, none of this means that these weapon types have to be used in any specific way in order for these mastery properties to be usable to this Fighter. For that, we need to look at the specific wording of each weapon mastery property description to see if there are any specific requirements given there. As it turns out, every single mastery property description does provide such a requirement except for the Nick mastery property.
Solving this is the easiest fix in the world. The first sentence of the Nick mastery property description just needs simple errata.
Instead of saying: "When you make the extra attack of the Light property . . ."
It should say: "When you use this weapon to make the extra attack of the Light property . . ."
Or:
"When you make the extra attack of the Light property with this weapon . . ."
Or something to that effect.
Until then, we'll all just be house ruling this to require the Nick weapon to actually be used when applying the Nick weapon mastery property.
For me it's clear, the weapon has a mastery property that your training allow you to use that isn't intended to do so without them, meaning you can't make the extra attack with a different Light weapon as part of the Attack action instead of a Bonus Action without both Nick Mastery weapon and training.
That's definitely the intent. But where does it actually say that? For most properties, it says this right in the description of the property itself -- it's not a general rule, it's handled individually by each specific rule for each property and mastery property. That's why all of the other mastery properties go through the trouble of saying "using this weapon" or "with this weapon".
Yeah, unfortunately, this debate is scattered across the forum.
In 2024 PH: Confusion with Light Property and Nick Mastery Property, for example, I answered with the following info I found on a post from @Auvergh about the interaction between Light, Nick, Dual Wielder and Two-Weapon Fighting Style:
---
I'll just quote the comment on Treantmonk's vid from here since I can't bother uploading the screenshot to an image hosting site.
And from the also top comment, since it reads so easily.
---
A couple of threads more with similar debate:
If you look at any weapon, specifically the weapon item stat block, the Mastery Property (which by the way, was capitalized in your quoted material) the mastery property is listed with all the other properties, not in its own separate category, except for explaining text.
When adding a Mastery in DnD beyond, you add Mastery over a weapon and the Mastery Property you receive is only in brackets to show what it is. It's VERY clear that the weapon Mastery Property is a property of the weapon itself, and like my example, you can't use the Thrown weapon property of a light hammer to throw a Greatsword, no matter how proficient you are in throwing them light hammers.
No where on you sheet is "Nick" given to you, only the weapon you have Mastery over possess the ability or property of "Nick". Since the source of the ability must be present to use the ability, a weapon with Nick must be present. You can't use a wand of fireballs that's in your bag to cast fireball
Yes, the mastery property is a property of every weapon that belongs to that weapon type. But the mechanic involved in being able to use that mastery property is just that you've trained with that type of weapon at some point in the past. In the future, when you actually use that mastery property, you follow the rules that are described in that particular mastery property's description. Because who knows what you've learned how to do with this weapon at some point in the past? Maybe you are now able to telepathically communicate with that weapon that is sitting in your house 100 miles away and it infuses you with some sort of mental pep talk that allows you to increase your damage with your fists! The only way that we can know for sure HOW the mastery property is used is in its description.
In every other case, the description says something like "when you hit a creature with this weapon" or "when you attack a creature with this weapon" or whatever. Because it's telling you what you actually need to do in order to harness this mastery property. The Nick property is missing that language. All that is required is that you are making the extra attack of the Light property. Yes, we all know what the authors meant by this -- that you are making that extra attack with the Nick weapon. But the text needs to actually say that in order for that to be the rule.