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Sep 19, 2012 -- 4:09AM, Austinwulf wrote:

I completely agree that the weapons need an overhaul.  I may have mentioned it before, but I have no issue mentioning it again: no weapon should be useless or skippable, or already invalidated right on the weapons chart.

I realize life has some bad choices.  Still, there is no reason to spend the extra starting gold on rapier, when a shortsword does the same job.  (heck, if you exclude blugeoning vs. slashing, the quarterstaff waaaay out performs the katana on gold to effectiveness alone)

I like the idea of spears gaining reach if you are willing to take advantage.  I would like to see a concise, hopefully one time list, (not expanded to sell a rule breaking armory book) of extra traits weapons can have.

Generic though it may be, Gamma World 4e had the best option for weapons I've seen a while.  At least the seemingly most balanced.  

This is why I prefered the 3E way of grouping weapons. Basic, Martial and Advanced (Exotic).

While some weapons did less damage, they balanced them by giving them features like Light and Reach and those that were all around better required a feat. Mathematically, all the weapons were pretty much balanced.

I really think weapons is one of those things 3E got right and we should go back to that model (with some revisions)... the current model is incredibly boring, you are essentially just choosing a weapon for what it looks like.  I like that the rules have been made simple, but that is just too simple.

Sep 17, 2012 -- 6:42PM, Angrygodofmilk wrote:

Revised Weapons
The following changes detail revisions made to current D&D play-test weapons.

Weapons
Name / Price / Damage / Weight / Properties / Group

Heavy Weapons (Attack: Strength modifier)
Halberd / 10 gp / 1d10 slashing and 1d6 piercing / 15 lb. / Reach, two-handed / Axe and Spear

Weapon Properties by Group
Axe: Can reroll weapon damage on a minimal result and add the amounts together.
Bow: Gain advantage when you spend one turn aiming without being damaged.
Flail: Gain advantage on attacks against opponents with shields when wielding a flail two-handed.
Hammer: Can stun opponents on a critical hit for one turn, but only if an additional attack also succeeds.
Mace: Gain advantage on attacks against armoured opponents when wielding a mace two-handed.
Pick: Can roll weapon damage on a critical hit and add the total to maximized damage.
Sling: Can knock opponents unconscious on a critical hit for one turn, but only if an additional attack also succeeds.
Spear: Gain 5 feet to reach when wielding a spear, but take disadvantage for that attack.
Staff: Can knock opponents prone instead of dealing damage, but take disadvantage for that attack.
Sword: Can disengage and coup de grace as a move action when wielding a sword.
Unarmed: While holding nothing in either hand, can make two unarmed attacks, but only add Strength modifier once.
Whip: Can restrain opponents on a critical hit for one turn, but only if an additional attack also succeeds.

I cut out a lot of your list to save space, only kept the things I wanted to ask/talk about.

Halberd needs to be clarified, right now a halberd does 1d10+1d6+Str which is highly superior to everything. I think you meant to say "1d10 slashing or 1d6 piercing" since you realistically aren't hitting someone with the axe-head and spear-point at the exact same time.

With axe weapons and pick weapons, I'm reading your ability as "if you roll a 1, you reroll and add that 1 to your damage" for axes, and effectively doubling the damage for picks on a critical, as they maximize and then roll again. With Axes I'm concerned about increasing the damage if you roll minimum multiple times, but that is unlikely. I'd change picks because from what I've heard criticals are already going to be crazy amounts of damage and that gets ridiculous (If I heard correctly during the Penny Arcade game they are looking into multiple levels of crits, meaning at LV 1 you roll a 1d6 in addition to max damage, but at LV 10 you roll 3d6. Add doubling the damage die and nothing will survive a crit from a pick.)

With Flails and maces I'm unsure why you have to be wielding the weapon in two-hands, particularly with flails it is the design of the weapon which we are discussing, and that doesn't change despite how many hands you wield it with. Also, would you consider a monster with scales (dragons or lizardfolk) or rocky hide or some other such natural defense as having armor? I think that is an important consideration when having weapons gain advantage or disadvantage against what an opponent has, since it has the potential to cause debate between players and DMs.

With Hammers, Slings, and whips I'm confused. They have an effect on a crit, as long as another attack hits the enemy? So I get a crit, then next turn if I hit them I get the effect? or is it when an ally hits? I think you meant to say you roll the d20 again after the crit, similiar to 3.X when you had to confirm a crit, but your phrasing is open to a lot of interpretation.

Why is the bows ability to sacrifice your turn for an advantage next turn, but only if you take no damage. Any ranged weapon could be aimed and sacrifing an attack for an advantage doesn't seem to be a very appealing option. Do you have some other ideas for bows, perhaps to reflect their speed compared to other ranged weapons?

Why do we get a disadvantage for using a spear for reach, are you picturing a shorter spear so the balance would be off at the extended range? I just don't get this ability as most spears were made for attacking at a difference.

I don't see how the staff can be used for tripping, but other weapons with a long haft, like a spear, could not. Or a whip which is traditionally (i DnD) used for tripping people. This might need to be rethought. Also, I don't understand how swords allow you to disengage and do a coup de grace as a move, but not diseangage and attack. Actually, I'm kind of confused by the logic of this one, could you explain your reasoning here?

When unarmed, does a small shield like a buckler prevent you from attacking twice. Actually, if we are picturing a 1-2 punch how does holding a mug or some other small improvised weapon prevent this. Another ablity I think you need to examine more closely.

Sorry about the long post, just hoping for clarity

I'm in favor of going one of two ways.

Either make everything close to the same, or make every type of weapon have advantages and disadvantages.

I'm not a fan of the 'here is the long list of possible weapons, and here is the only one you'll want to use because it's the best' type of weapon list.

Many people have an idea of what type of character they want, and most don't want to gimp themselves in order to do it. I hate games where every halfling is running around with scimitars like they are pretending to be Aladdin.

I'd like to see them add the 4E weapon proficiency bonus into DnD Next. Since the bonuses are not as high anymore it could be -1/0/+1. The high damage unwieldy weapons could be -1 and the light finesse types could be +1.  That would fit into the game the same way heavy armor and dex bonuses do. It gives a player the chance to decide what kind of character they want to be without making a 'wrong' choice that will gimp them in combat.