Quote from: Necrozius;782788What do people think of pairing up the damage die with a class' Hit Die?

It seems like a clean and simple concept ("HIT" die, am i right?).

BUT, what would the Barbarian do if they use a Versatile weapon? What would the next step-up for d12 be?

Options:

- make it a d14 (either buy DCC dice or roll a d20 and re-roll if the result is 15+)

- go super fucking METAL and make it d20. It's the goddamn Barbarian, after all!

To keep in in line of a relatively small bump you could go with a d8 & d6 combo giving a damage range of 2-14.

Quote from: Exploderwizard;782801To keep in in line of a relatively small bump you could go with a d8 & d6 combo giving a damage range of 2-14.

That's a much better solution. Come to think of it, D20 would be kind of dumb because the Barbarian would never, ever use anything but a Versatile weapon, I guess.

Quote from: The Butcher;782534That's LBB OD&D/S&W White Box. Old is new, etc.

With respect, LBB OD&D allowed d6 damage on a hit, period, except for some exceptional monsters (probably ogres, giants, and monsters of that ilk, if I'm making a wild guess).

S&W WB (at least when I last read it) had d6 damage for all PC weapons with some variables (daggers doing d6-1 and certain weapons doing d6+1 I think was the extent of the variation, though) and most monsters following suit. I seem to remember S&W Core offering DM's choice of either White Box-style damage or damage more in line with Greyhawk (the familiar this-weapon-uses-this-die of every D&D since).

I do like non-variable damage and class-based damage quite a bit, following the idea that it's the training and familiarity with a weapon that makes it a good choice for a given combatant, not any inherent quality of the weapon itself (unless it is really shoddy, improvised, broken, cursed, etc.). But I don't REALLY care either way, and will happily let players use d8 longswords because the difference does not make or break The Fun for me.

I don't like the idea of class-based damage at all.

I'd much rather weapons did damage based on their qualities, and fighters just get to be a lot better at hitting and doing extra damage.

Quote from: Necrozius;782788What do people think of pairing up the damage die with a class' Hit Die?

i recommend it.

though to address Pundit's concern I'd make sure some weapons had special qualities in certain conditions

Quote from: RPGPundit;785567I don't like the idea of class-based damage at all.

I'd much rather weapons did damage based on their qualities, and fighters just get to be a lot better at hitting and doing extra damage.

Agreed. It kills any kind of multiclassed concept based on race ala old skool without some stupid houserule. If you're a fighter you should should use weapons better because that's what you study not because it's your class or can't use magic or suck at picking a lock or whatever.

A fighter should gain certain qualities regardless (extra damage being one of them if you study that path).

Really, you can capture a similar effect by simply giving certain classes damage bonuses or penalties.

In 5e, weapons are fairly balanced, with a trade-off of various abilities for weapons.
Let's say, all d10 HD characters get +1 damage (or better damage die). All d6 get -1 damage (or worse die). Then Barbarians get +2 damage.

But I don't think it's necessary with the other stuff going on.

On the other hand, if I were going to do a microlite 5e, I would definitely go with this idea (and probably poke at Dungeon World for some ideas).

Quote from: Will;785573(and probably poke at Dungeon World for some ideas).

Reading 5e's saving throw mechanics, I was like, "so that's Defy Danger, then".

So.  Base weapon damage = class' hit die.  Bump up the damage for two-handed weapons to the next-bigger die.  Tamp it down for small weapons, non-proficient weapons, or for bows with a default rate of fire of two per round.  For multiclassing freaks, use the class in which the character has the most levels until superseded by another class with more (in case of ties).

Your fighter does d8 with swords and d10 with the zweihander.  d6 with the longbow, and he can still kill you with his d6 dagger (which was my entire reason for thinking along these lines--a fighter should be able to kill you with an emery board).

A wizard does a pitiful d2 with a dagger, but keeps his d6 staff damage.  If he picks up a sickle with which he's not proficient, he's doing d1.  I like weakening wizards' combat abilities, but perhaps they'd need some overlay like Scarlet Heroes' Fray die; if that's too rich make 'em roll to hit with that Fray die.

Needs work, but it's appealing.

I'm still not entirely sure what to do for the Barbarian, however. Sure, you can fudge it without a d14 (or if you use an app or online dice roller)...

Quote from: Necrozius;785616I'm still not entirely sure what to do for the Barbarian, however. Sure, you can fudge it without a d14 (or if you use an app or online dice roller)...

I wasn't thinking to get that granular.  I would lump barbarians in with fighters, rangers and paladins.

Barbarians get a d12, fighters, rangers and paladins get a d10. Simple.

Quote from: Necrozius;782509An idea came to me once and was solidified when I read a post by Zak S:



Another game that I've played (Dungeon World) also does this.

I kind of like it, to be honest. Each class' Hit Die is also their damage die, unless some specific rule overrides it. The damage type, reach and effects vary as they do now (bludgeoning vs piercing etc...).

What do you think? Could this work?

EDIT: I already see a potential problem: two-handed weapons. Uh... how would that work?

In old D&D, one die size larger (the staff being d6 as in Original and Advanced, not d4 as in Basic). Thieves are an exception, use of swords - normal as well as magical - being an important class feature.

This is maximum potential, as I have played it. A fighter does not get d10 or d12 for wielding a club two-handed.

The benefits of magic (I rule) simply do not accrue to unqualified wielders. Curses, alignment opposition, contests of will, etc., do apply.

QuoteAnd no, as a GM, I wouldn't allow char-op people to carry the smallest weapons possible as a loophole vs. encumbrance...

D12+1 gives the same average as d14. If you feel it necessary, you can roll d14 with d8 (reroll and hi-lo.

A bit off topic, but I wanted to say that I'm excited to see these kinds of threads popping up in 5e. In 3e and 4e I think there'd be a lot less "Here's how you could do this", or even "Here are the problems with doing it that way" and more "You can't do this, you'll break the game".

On topic, I love the idea of a two-handed (large) weapon gaining "advantage" on the damage. Maybe a small weapon could get "disadvantage"?