Hey everyone, I just went over the weapon table in the Player Handbook, curious if I could extract some sort of system out of the table, by which one can homebrew their own weapons and keep them all at about equal usefulness to what already exists. And I found this relatively simple solution. Feel free to let me know what you think.
To create rules for a new weapon, you can either take an existing weapons rules and slightly alter its weight and cost and perhaps change the type of damage it deals. If the weapon you want to create does not quite fit with any of the existing weapons, you can use these guidelines to help make your weapon balanced with existing weapons. These guideline uses a scoring system called quality points (QP), to determine the weapon's overall quality (its net "power level").
- A weapon with 3 or less QP is either a very primitive weapon or perhaps a tool or farming implement repurposed for fighting, rather than something designed specifically for combat.
- A weapon of 4 QP is normally a typical simple weapon, created for combat, or at least some form of killing other people, but still easy to use.
- Weapons with a score of 5 or 6 QP are martial weapons. Weapons designed for warfare and requiring some measure of advanced training to use proficiently.
- A weapon should not exceed 6 QP. A weapon with 6 QP should have some sort of special drawback that puts it at a disadvantage to other weapons, that ensures the weapon is only superior within a limited range of use. For example the Lance, which by these rules is worth about 6 QP (even after calculating in its drawbacks) has disadvantage against foes within 5 feet of the wielder, making it typically a one-use weapon that has to be replaced with another weapon that can be used properly within 5 feet reach. Alternatively if you cannot think of a fitting drawback you can rule that a 6 QP weapon is especially difficult to master and requires the wielder to attain proficiency in it through the Weapon Master feat.
Choose whether your weapon is a melee or ranged weapon. Thrown weapons can be classified as either, usually the weapon is classified for its primary use. (Darts are designed primarily to be thrown and are classified as ranged weapons, while daggers are primarily designed to stab in close quarters combat, and so are classified as melee) Mechanically there is no difference.
Choose which type of damage your weapon deals, bludgeoning, piercing or slashing. Then choose the damage die it uses. Each type of damage die has a QP value that is added to the weapon's total QP as seen below.
Dmg | QP
1 | +0
1d4 | +1
1d6 | +2
1d8 | +4
1d10 | +5
1d12 | +6
2d6 | +6
Pick which weapon properties, if any, are appropriate for the weapon. The following section explains how to apply these properties. Some properties can only be applied to either ranged or melee weapons but not both, while others have different costs depending on which classification of weapon they apply to. Each property in the PHB has a certain QP value it adds to the weapons total QP as seen below.
Melee weapon
Property | QP
Finesse | +1
Heavy | +0
Light | +1
Reach | +1
Thrown | +1
Versatile | +1
Two Handed | -1
Special | *
Ranged weapon
Property | QP
Ammunition | +0
Finesse | +1
Heavy | -1
Light | +1
Loading | -1
Thrown | +1
Two Handed | -1
Special | *
Finesse. A ranged weapon cannot have the finesse property unless it also has the thrown property
Versatile. To determine the damage die for a versatile weapon wielded in two hands, use the next higher damage step in the table under Step 2. (for example a versatile weapon with 1d4 damage would deal 1d6 damage when wielded in two hands) A weapon with the versatile property cannot also have the two-handed property.
Heavy. A weapon with the heavy property cannot also have the light property. A ranged weapon that has the thrown property treats the QP value of the heavy property as +0.
Ammunition. A ranged weapon automatically has the ammunition property, unless it has the thrown property.
Thrown. A weapon with the thrown property cannot have the ammunition property.
Special. Special properties can be any number of special abilities or drawbacks. The QP value of this quality can be positive or negative and has to be determined on a case by case basis with the approval of the GM.
If the weapon is a ranged weapon or has the the thrown property it also has to be assigned a range. It can be assigned one of the following ranges.
Range | QP
5/15 | -1
20/60 | +0
25/100 | +1
30/120 | +1
80/320 | +2
100/400 | +3
150/600 | +3
Total up the weapon's QP and determine by this total whether the weapon should qualify as a simple or martial weapon.
QP | Category
up to 4 | Simple weapon
5 or 6 | Martial weapon
6 | Requires Weapon Master Feat unless it has a specific drawback
Certain characteristics automatically qualify the weapon as a martial weapon even if its QP total is below 5. If one or more of the following applies to the weapon, it is a martial weapon even if it has 4 or less QP:
- 1d8 die, without the two-handed property.
- 1d10 or higher damage die.
- Reach property.
- Range higher than 80/320.
Lastly give the weapon a name and choose an appropriate cost and weight. For this you can compare it to existing weapons of similar design and add to or subtract from that cost and weight.
You may also want to determine whether certain feats or class features that list specific weapons they apply to should also apply to the weapon you created.
The following section breaks down some of the weapons from the PHB ad shows a few sample weapons:
Club: 1d4 damage (+1QP), light (+1QP): Total 2 QP
Dagger: 1d4 damage (+1QP), finesse (+1QP), light (+1QP), thrown (+1QP), range 20/60 (+0QP): Total 4 QP
Spear: 1d6 damage (+2QP), versatile 1d8 (+1QP), thrown (+1QP): Total 4 QP
Light crossbow: 1d8 damage (+4QP), ammunition (+0QP), loading (-1QP), two-handed (-1QP), range 80/320 (+2QP): Total 4 QP
Flail: 1d8 damage (+4QP): Total 4 QP
Greataxe: 1d12 damage (+6QP), heavy (+0QP), two-handed (-1QP): Total 5 QP
Lance: 1d12 damage (+6 QP), reach (+1QP), special (Disadvantage at 5ft reach ~-0.5QP; Two-handed while not mounted ~-0.5QP; sum -1QP): Total 6 QP
Longsword: 1d8 damage (+4QP), versatile (+1QP): Total 5 QP
Pike: 1d10 damage (+5QP), heavy (+0QP), reach (+1QP), two-handed (-1QP): Total 5 QP
Whip: 1d4 damage (+1QP), finesse (+1QP), reach (+1QP): Total 3 QP
Longbow: 1d8 damage (+4QP), ammunition (+0QP), heavy (-1QP), two-handed (-1QP), range 150/600 (+3QP): Total 5 QP
New weapon samples
Arming sword (Martial Melee Weapon). This sword has a blade of similar length to that of a longsword, though slightly shorter and its hilt is designed exclusively for one-handed use.
- Cost: 13gp | Damage: 1d8 slashing | weight: 2.5 lb. | Properties: Light
- 1d8 damage (+4QP), light (+1QP): Total 5 QP
Elven curve blade (Martial Melee Weapon). This elegant sword's blade is slender and gently curved. Its curved grip is long enough to allow both hands to slide up and down to flexibly adjust the wielder's hold on the weapon.
- Cost: 65gp | Damage: 1d10 slashing | weight: 4 lb. | Properties: finesse, heavy, two-handed
- 1d10 damage (+5QP), finesse (+1QP), heavy (+0QP), two-handed (-1QP): Total 5 QP
Greatbow (Martial Ranged weapon). This massive bow is slightly taller and much thicker than a longbow, designed to shoot what amounts to more of a short javelin than an arrow. Before the wielder can shoot the bwo, they must use an action to plant the bow firmly in the ground. If the bow is moved it has to be planted again before it can be shot again. The wielder also uses their Strength modifier for attack and damage rolls, and cannot choose to use Dexterity.
- Cost: 150gp | Damage: 2d6 piercing | weight: 4 lb. | Properties: ammunition (range 100/400), heavy, two-handed, special
- 2d6 damage (+6QP), heavy (-1QP), two-handed (-1QP), special (use action to prepare for shooting -1QP; use str instead of dex +0QP; sum -1 QP), Range 100/400 (+3QP): Total 6 QP
Neat!
I was actually thinking of coming up with an Exotic Weapon Training feat that would give additional weapon qualities to existing weapons. For example, adding the Finesse quality to handaxes.
That's an interesting thought. The Dual Wielder feat already basically does that with the light property, among also giving the user an AC bonus while duel wielding and allowing them to draw or sheathe two weapons per turn.
I was thinking it would apply to a number of weapon types equal to your proficiency bonus.