Feats for "Suboptimal" Weapons
Purpose of this homebrew
This was mainly created with high-optimization games in mind. In 5th edition's current state, there are only 5 weapons typically deemed viable from an optimization standpoint: The Spear, Quarterstaff, Glaive, Halberd, and Hand Crossbow. This is due to the power of the Polearm Master and Crossbow Expert feats' bonus attacks, and how they interact with the damage bonuses of the Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter feats, or the Dueling Fighting style. The feats in this document aren't intended to replace or surpass these options, but simply to allow players to use more of the weapons in the game without being completely outclassed, and without changing or nerfing existing options. At tables where the above-mentioned interactions are not common or understood, this homebrew may not be necessary or recommended.
Feats
Archery Ace
You have extensive combat experience with ranged weapons. You are at your most lethal when using a bow. You gain the following benefits when using a Shortbow or Longbow
- You gain a +3 bonus to damage rolls you make with the weapon.
- Your short and long range increments with bows are both increased by 100 feet
- Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls.
- You can make opportunity attacks with a bow that you are wielding. Your reach for this purpose is treated as 10 feet, allowing you to make one ranged attack as a reaction when a hostile creature that you can see moves out of that 10 foot reach.
Blade Mastery
You master the shortsword, longsword, dagger, scimitar, rapier, and greatsword. You gain the following benefits when using any of them
- You gain a +3 bonus to damage rolls you make with the weapon.
- On your turn, you can use your reaction to assume a parrying stance, provided you have the weapon in hand. Doing so grants a +1 bonus to your AC until the start of your next turn or until you're not holding the weapon.
- When you make an opportunity attack with the weapon, you have advantage on the attack roll.
Haft Hellion
You master hafted, non-polearm weapons: the handaxe, battleaxe, greataxe, warhammer, club, greatclub, light hammer, mace, war pick, sickle, flail, morningstar, and maul. You gain the following benefits when using any of them
- You gain a +3 bonus to damage rolls you make with the weapon.
- When you have advantage on a melee attack roll you make with the weapon and hit, the next attack roll made by the struck target has disadvantage on their next attack roll before the end of their next turn, as you knock them off balance or otherwise hinder them.
- If you use the Help action to aid an ally's melee attack while you're wielding the weapon, if the target they're attacking has a shield, you knock the target's shield aside momentarily. In addition to the ally gaining advantage on the attack roll, the ally gains a +2 bonus to the roll. You can make the Help action as a Bonus Action, but may only do so if the target you help your ally to attack is wielding a shield.
Unarmed Expert
You have further specialized your training to be more deadly when fighting without weapons or when utilizing Martial Arts. You gain the following benefits
- Increase your Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- You gain a +3 bonus to damage rolls you make with unarmed strikes (Including Racial unarmed attacks and attacks made using the "Unarmed Fighting" Fighting Style) and Monk Weapons (if you have Monk Levels). The bonus also applies to Sun Soul Monk's Radiant Sun Bolts. This bonus does NOT stack with the damage bonuses granted by any of the other feats in this document. If a weapon you are using qualifies for both this damage bonus and another from this document, only apply the highest.
- If you have 5 or more Monk levels, you can make your bonus unarmed attack OR Flurry of Blows OR bonus Radiant Sun Bolt (if Sun Soul subclass) attacks as part of the attack action instead of as a bonus action (You still spend Ki as normal if a feature requires it). If you use this benefit on your turn, you cannot use a bonus action on that turn that allows making an additional attack. (No doubling up Flurry with the bonus unarmed attack, no doubling up with Handcrossbow and Crossbow expert)
Sling Savant
Extensive practice has made you especially adept at fighting with a sling. You gain the following benefits. Credit to discord user SirGambit!
- You gain a +3 bonus to damage rolls you make with a sling.
- When wielding a shield you do not require a free hand to reload a sling.
- When you roll a 20 on a weapon attack with a sling the target must make a Constitution saving throw or be stunned for 1 round. The DC for this is equal to 8+ your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier.
- When you miss with a weapon attack with a sling, you can make another attack with your sling as a bonus action.
Feats (continued)
Whip Wrangler
You've become remarkably deft at wielding a whip. You gain the following benefits
- You gain a +3 bonus to damage rolls you make with a whip.
- Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a whip, you can force them to make a Strength Save, pulling them 5 feet towards you or knocking them prone on a failure. The DC is equal to 8+ your proficiency bonus + The stat modifier used for the attack.
- When you roll a 20 on an attack with a whip, you may have the target drop one item it is holding as long as the target of the attack is large or smaller. The item is then pulled towards you and lands at your feet.
Trident Training
You have put special effort into practice with the characteristic weapon of aquatic empires. You gain the following benefits
- You gain a +3 bonus to damage rolls you make with a trident. Additionally, your throwing range increments with the Trident are doubled.
- When a foe attacks you with a held melee weapon while you wield a trident, you may use your reaction to attempt to disarm them by catching or turning the attack with the tines of your trident. The opponent must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, they drop the weapon they are attacking with, and the attack is prevented. The weapon lands at their feet. The DC of the saving throw is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + the ability modifier you use to attack with your trident. You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, recharging on a Long Rest.
Crossbow Expert Revised
Add the following bullet point to the "Crossbow Expert" feat
- You gain a +3 bonus to damage rolls and a +1 bonus to attack rolls you make with a Light Crossbow or Heavy Crossbow.
Polearm Master Revised
Add the following bullet point to the "Polearm Master" feat
- You gain a +3 bonus to damage rolls you make with a Pike. Also, the Reach trait adds an additional 5 feet with your pike, as you refine your stance and footwork with the weapon. (You may wish to flavor it as having a longer pike instead. Historically Pikes existed with lengths between 10 and 25 feet.)
Dual Wielder Revised
Add the following bullet point to the "Dual Wielder" feat
- If you have the ‘Extra Attack’ feature from any class, you can make the additional attack from two weapon fighting as part of the attack action instead of as a bonus action. You cannot use this benefit on the same turn as using your bonus action to make another attack. Credit to discord user Michael H!