TfV 5e'14 - Weapons

Weapons lie at the heart of martial combat, with a variety of weapons offering different focuses for encounters. The weapons featured in the Tales from Vaxus Campaign Setting build upon the known list found in the 2014 Player's Handbook, with the weapons found therein being tagged as Classic while new weapons not found in the original source are tagged as Expanded. Heavily inspired by KibblesTasty's custom reverse-engineered weapon guide found in his book, Kibbles' Compendium of Craft and Creation, and using weapons and the new exotic weapon category found in Mage Hand Press' book Valda's Spire of Secrets, the Tales from Vaxus Campaign Setting combines the options found in these two well-known 3rd-party sources to create a weapon system that provides mechanically-balanced depth, culturally (and historically) expanded weapon options, as well as opening up how weapons are made under-the-hood in 5e's system so that players can begin crafting and upgrading their own versions of iconic weapons using old and new properties.
Table of Contents:

• Weapons
• List of Combat Style and Weapon Feats
• Weapon Crafting Guides

Weapons

Your class grants proficiency in certain weapons, reflecting both the class's focus and the tools you are most likely to use. Whether you favor a longsword or a longbow, your weapon and your ability to wield it effectively can mean the difference between life and death while adventuring.
The Weapons tables below show the most common weapons used in the worlds of D&D 5e'14, as well as weapons commonly found in different cultures found in our world, with each being listed with their price and weight, the damage they deal when they hit, and any special properties they possess. Every weapon is classified as either melee or ranged. A melee weapon is used to attack a target within 5 feet of you, whereas a ranged weapon is used to attack a target at a distance. Another weapon classification, known as firearms, are a special type of ranged weapons considered esoteric and rare in the current era of Olum.
Most people can use simple weapons with proficiency. These weapons include clubs, maces, and other weapons often found in the hands of commoners. Martial weapons, including swords, axes, and polearms, require more specialized training to use effectively. Most warriors use martial weapons because these weapons put their fighting style and training to best use. Additionally, an expanded category called exotic weapons has been introduced on top of the classic simple and martial weapon categories for those looking for custom weapons that use fun, if niche, properties. Exotic weapons can only be found in niche cultures, with the majority of them only being available through weapon crafting, with proficiency being gained through the Exotic Weapons feat.
Proficiency with a weapon allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with that weapon. If you make an attack roll using a weapon with which you lack proficiency, you do not add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll.

Types of Weapons

There are two types of Weapon Origins used in the Tales from Vaxus Campaign Setting: Heart Weapons and Draelish Weapons. Heart weapons are commonly found throughout the known world and feature a large variety to choose from, with most Hearts, Draelish, and Wildling adventurers knowing of and using them. Draelish weapons, on the other hand, are rarely used outside of Draelish clans, and as such, only Draelish are naturally proficient with weapons of this type, while Hearts and Wildlings have to learn from a Draelish before being able to use weapons of this type effectively. Though Wildlings don't have their own weapon origin, most benefit from having some sort of natural weapon and can be just as effective.

Overview

Remember that the following weapon tables are split up between Classic and Expanded weapons. Type "Classic" in the search bar if you are looking for the standard weapons found in DnD 5e'14 or "Expanded" when looking for weapons found in other 3rd-party or in-house sources. Do note that for the purposes of feats and magic items, most Expanded weapons have been given a Weapon Equivalent that ties a certain Classic weapon to it for the sole purpose of benefiting from certain feats and magic items that require that specific classic weapon. For example, a "Hedan of Lightning" can be found in place of a "Javelin of Lightning" since it has been tied to the Javelin as its Weapon Equivalent, or a Hedan can benefit from the Harpoon Expert feat since the prerequiste for that feat lists a javelin.
Weapons are further split up between Simple, Martial, and Exotic Weapon Categories, with Exotic weapons needing a feat before they can be crafted and/or handled. Listed within these weapon categories are three Weapon Types: Melee, Ranged, and Firearm weapons, with Ammunition being listed at the bottom of each table for ranged and firearm weapons (though not its own category, Thrown weapons can be thought of as a subgroup). Remember to use the search bar to help out when searching for a specific weapon, weapon category, or other defining feature. Lastly, some Classic weapons (notably the Handaxe and the Trident) have had their damages adjusted in order to bring them more in line with 5e's under-the-hood weapon balancing.

On the Design of Draelish Weapons

Draelish clans lives out in the Wilds beyond the outskirts of Heart civilization. Though restricted from living within the Wild Kingdoms, Draelish clans make do with their natural strength and connection to Essence, and have become resourceful at carving out and flourishing within their own niches among the Wilds.
Unlike Hearts who have designed their weapons around warfare and tools for agriculture, Draelish weapons are designed around surviving against the harsh realities of the Wilds, which include monster hunting, carving out fortified positions for homes, or fighting the occasional hostile denizen, an overzealous adventurer, or a raiding group Kasniska/obstinate faction of Sankara.

On Switch Weapons

Easily the most unorthodox category of Exotic weapons, switch weapons are compound inventions which merge two seperate weapons into a single flexiable platform, allowing you to swap between which weapon is being used at any time, even between attacks. The character must have proficiency with both weapons that are featured in a switch weapon before they can use it.
Due to their unique nature, a switch weapon must either be crafted or learned by a tutor located somewhere across Olum that already has proficiency with it. The character must practice with the tutor for 8 days before they can use the switch weapon.

List of Combat Style and Weapon Feats

Below you can find a list of feats that benefit from having proficiency with certain weapons or weapon properties. Do note that Expanded weapons that have Classic weapons as their Weapon Equivalent will work with the below feats if the feat matches their Weapon Equivalent.
Weapon Feats:

• Axe Expert
• Bow Expert
• Crossbow Expert
• Dagger Expert
• Flail Expert
• Harpoon Expert
• Impact Expert
• Lance Master
• Morning Star Expert
• Natural Weapons Expert
• Pike Master
• Polearm Master
• Stinger
• Swordmaster
• Warhammer Expert
• War Pick Expert
• Whip Expert

Combat Style Feats:

• Crusher
• Draelish Prowess
• Dual Weapon Expert
• Exotic Mastery
• Firearm Enthusiast
• Focused Fire
• Guardian
• Heavy Projectile Master
• Heavy Weapon Master
• Lightning Striker
• Master Thrower
• Parry Expert
• Piercer
• Precise Shooter
• Resourceful
• Savage Attacker
• Slasher
• Swift Accuracy
• Tavern Brawler
• Twin Strike
• Versatile Weapon Master
• Weapon Thrower

Weapon Crafting Guides

Below you can find links to the weapon guides for Melee, Ranged, and Firearm weapons. Do note that some weapon properties may require additional tool set proficiencies (most commonly Tinkerer) or other prerequisites (like the Master Craftsman Feat to craft Exotic and Switch weapons) before you are able to apply them to your weapon.

• Click here for the Melee Weapon Crafting Guide. You will need proficiency with Blacksmith's tools in order to begin crafting your weapon.
• Click here for the Ranged Weapon Crafting Guide. You will need proficiency with Woodcarver's tools in order to begin crafting your weapon.
• Click here for the Firearm Crafting Guide. You will need proficiency with Gunsmith's tools in order to begin crafting your weapon.

Weapon Properties

Many weapons have special properties related to their use, as shown in the Weapons table. Below you can find a list of each property found in the weapon tables provided (note that if you are crafting weapons, the properties will be found under each Crafting Step instead of here in order to avoid confusion):
Aerodynamic. The weapon gains the Thrown (10/30) property if it doesn't have the Thrown property. If it has the Thrown property, the range increases by 10/30 feet instead.
Ammunition. You can use a weapon that has the ammunition property to make a ranged attack only if you have ammunition to fire from the weapon. Each time you attack with the weapon, you expend one piece of ammunition. Drawing the ammunition from a quiver, case, or other container is part of the attack (you need a free hand to load a one-handed weapon). If you use a weapon that has the ammunition property to make a melee attack, you treat the weapon as an improvised weapon (see “Improvised Weapons” later in this section). A sling must be loaded to deal any damage when used in this way.

• Recovering Ammunition. At the end of the battle, you can recover half your expended ammunition by taking a minute to search the battlefield.

Automatic. When you make an attack with this weapon on your turn, you can choose to make two attacks instead. These attacks are always made with disadvantage regardless of circumstance. These attacks use twice the normal amount of ammunition.
Barbed. Creatures hit by a barbed weapon can't regain hit points until the start of your next turn.
Bladed. If a weapon deals bludgeoning or piercing damage, you can choose to deal slashing damage when you make an attack instead.
Charged. This weapon takes an action to fire, but its damage scales like a cantrip.
Concealable. While stowed, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to conceal this weapon.
Devil-Wrought. You can roll one extra damage die when you score a critical hit with this weapon.
Double. This weapon has two damage-dealing ends. When you use the Attack action and make an attack with this weapon, you can use your bonus action to make an additional attack with it; you do not add your ability modifier to the damage roll of this bonus attack.
Dry. If this weapon is ever submerged in water or doused with a significant quantity of water, it jams. A jammed firearm can't be used to make an attack until a creature uses its action to clear the weapon malfunction.
Elegant. This weapon requires exceptional skill to use. You must have a Dexterity score of 16 or higher to wield an elegant weapon.
Explosive. When this weapon's projectile hits a target, it explodes in a 5-foot radius. The projectile can be fired at an unoccupied space within its range. Each creature other than the target within the blast radius must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking half the damage rolled on a failed save or no damage on a successful one.
Finesse. When making an attack with a finesse weapon, you use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.
Fist. Attacks made with this weapon are treated as unarmed strikes. While you have this weapon equipped, disarm attack rolls made against you have disadvantage.
Forceful. An attacker gains advantage when using a weapon with this property to perform an overrun or shove attack.
Heavy. Small creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls with heavy weapons. A heavy weapon’s size and bulk make it too large for a Small creature to use effectively.
Leverage. An attacker gains advantage when using a weapon with this property to perform a disarm attack.
Light. A light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons.
Loading. Because of the time required to load this weapon, you can fire only one piece of ammunition from it when you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to fire it, regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make.
Magical. This weapon adds +1 to its attack and damage rolls.
Massive. You can only make an attack with this weapon when you take the Attack action, and only as the first attack you make on your turn. Once you make an attack with this weapon, you can't attack again until the start of your next turn. If you would be able to attack more than once when you take the Attack action on your turn, you deal an extra two dice of damage for each attack you forgo when using this weapon.
Misfire. When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll with this weapon, it jams. A jammed weapon can't be used to make an attack until a creature uses its action to clear the weapon malfunction.
Mounted. This weapon is normally used while attached to a tripod, vehicle, or other bracing mount. You can mount or unmount this weapon as an action. While it is mounted, it can't be moved. It can only be used to make an attack while unmounted if held by a Medium or larger creature with a Strength score of at least 15.
Parrying. While wielding this weapon and not wielding a shield, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC against melee attacks.
Prying. This weapon can be used as a Crowbar (adventuring gear) in order to gain advantage on Strength checks where leverage can be applied.
Range. A weapon that can be used to make a ranged attack has a range in parentheses after the ammunition or thrown property. The range lists two numbers. The first is the weapon’s normal range in feet, and the second indicates the weapon’s long range. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can’t attack a target beyond the weapon’s long range.
Reach. This weapon adds 5 feet to your reach when you attack with it, as well as when determining your reach for opportunity attacks with it.
Reload. This weapon can be used to make a number of attacks before it must be reloaded. If you are proficient with the weapon, reloading it takes a bonus action; otherwise, reloading it takes an action. Some weapons require an action or longer to reload, even if you have proficiency, which is specified in the Reload property. If reloading a weapon requires longer than one action, the weapon can't be used to make attacks until reloading is finished.
Returning. After being thrown, this weapon returns to your hand at the end of your turn.
Rocket. This weapon has a small propulsive engine attached to it or its projectiles. Once per turn, when you hit a creature with this weapon, you can deal an extra 1d4 damage to the target.
Scatter. If you make an attack against a target that is within half this weapon's normal range, you deal the damage value listed in parentheses instead of the weapon's normal damage dice.
Sighted. This weapon has disadvantage on attack rolls made against targets within 20 feet.
Special. A weapon with the special property has unusual rules governing its use, explained in the weapon’s description (see “Special Weapons” later in this section).
Spiked. If a weapon deals bludgeoning or slashing damage, you can choose to deal piercing damage when you make an attack instead.
Superheavy. This weapon is unusually large for its type. You must have a Strength score of 16 or higher to wield a superheavy weapon.
Switch. This weapon has two forms. You can swap between which weapon is being used at any time, even between attacks.

• Switch Weapon Proficiencies. Easily the most unorthodox category of exotic weapons, switch weapons are compound inventions which merge two seperate weapons into a single flexiable platform. The character must have proficiency with weapons that exactly match the statistics of each of the weapon's forms in order to use a switch weapon.

Tension. When making a ranged weapon attack with a tension weapon, you use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.
Thrown. If a weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon to make a ranged attack. If the weapon is a melee weapon, you use the same ability modifier for that attack roll and damage roll that you would use for a melee attack with the weapon. For example, if you throw a handaxe, you use your Strength, but if you throw a dagger, you can use either your Strength or your Dexterity, since the dagger has the finesse property.
Trip. You can make a shove attempt against any creature within this weapon's reach. Furthermore, you have advantage on ability checks you make to shove a creature using this weapon.
Twinshot. Once on each of your turns when you make an attack with this weapon, you can make another attack with it against a different creature that is within 5 feet of the original target and within range of the weapon.
Two-Handed. This weapon requires two hands when you attack with it.
Versatile. This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.

Special Weapons

Blowguns. When you attack while Hidden with a blowgun, you are revealed only if you hit the target, and remain hidden on a miss. An enemy that was completely unaware of your presence may become aware of your presence even if you are not revealed to them.
Bomb. When you bomb hits a target, it explodes in a 5-foot radius and is destroyed. The bomb can be thrown at an unoccupied space within its range. Each creature other than the target within the blast radius must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking half the damage rolled on a failed save or no damage on a successful one. Additionally, as a bonus action, you can empty some of the bomb's explosive material to permanently remove the blast radius from this bomb, dealing damage only to the bomb's target.
Harpoon. You can use an action to tie a rope to the end of a harpoon before it is thrown. If a rope-tied harpoon hits a target, it becomes embedded in the target, and you can hold fast to the rope and use your action to make an opposed Strength (Athletics) check against the target to pull it up to 10 feet closer to you. Additionally, when the target moves, you can use your reaction to make an opposed Strength (Athletics) check against it, preventing movement on a success. If you use your action to do anything else, you lose your grip on the rope. If the target has hands, it can remove the harpoon as an action. Targets that are more than one size larger than you have advantage on these checks.
Jarget. This weapon can be used as a Portable Ram (Adventuring gear) when used to break down doors. When doing so, you gain a +4 bonus on the Strength check. One other character can help you use the ram, giving you advantage on this check.
Lance. You have disadvantage when you use a lance to attack a target within 5 feet of you. Also, a lance requires two hands to wield when you aren't mounted.
Machete. This weapon deals double damage to plants and creatures of the plant type.
Sirn. This weapon also acts as a Buckler if you are proficient with Shields (a buckler is a small shield, granting +1 to your AC instead of +2 that a normal shield would grant). Magical +1/+2/+3 bonuses applied to the weapon act as if it was also applied to the buckler for the purposes of granting additional AC. You can benefit from only one shield (whether a buckler or normal shield) at a time.

• When dual-wielding two Sirns, as a reaction to being hit by an attack, you can attempt to parry the attack with your sirns, adding +2 AC bonus against the triggering attack only.

Firearms

Firearm Damage Rolls. Unlike other weapons, you don't add your ability modifier to the damage roll of a firearm unless stated otherwise.
Two-Weapon Fighting with Firearms. When you engage in two-weapon fighting with two light firearms, you subtract 2 from the damage roll of the bonus attack, to a minimum of 1 damage.
Firearm Ammunition. All firearms require special ammunition. Most firearms use bullets, but some require even more specialized projectiles. The ammunition of a firearm is destroyed upon use.

Other Rules

Below are several subsections that contain rules relevant to weapon fighting. Note that this does not represent the complete list of TfV Combat Rules, just some for convenience.

Two-Weapon Fighting

Once per turn when you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you may make one additional attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the off-hand attack, unless that modifier is negative. If either weapon has the thrown property, you may throw it instead of making a melee attack.

Improvised Weapons

Sometimes characters don’t have their weapons and have to attack with whatever is at hand. An improvised weapon includes any object you can wield in one or two hands, such as broken glass, a table leg, a frying pan, a wagon wheel, or a dead goblin. Often, an improvised weapon that is similar enough to an actual weapon can be treated as such. For example, a table leg is akin to a club. At the GM’s option, a character proficient with a weapon can use a similar object as if it were that weapon and use his or her proficiency bonus.
An object that bears no resemblance to a weapon deals 1d4 damage (the GM assigns a damage type appropriate to the object). If a character uses a ranged weapon to make a melee attack, or throws a melee weapon that does not have the thrown property, it also deals 1d4 damage. An improvised thrown weapon has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.

Drawing Weapons

If you have a free hand, you can draw (but not sheath) a weapon before making an attack as part of the Attack action. This means you can throw a weapon each time you attack if you so choose, or sheath a weapon (with your Object Interaction) and draw a different weapon on the same turn.

Object Interactions

Object interactions are a special category of things that do not require an action or bonus action, but can done in junction with your movement. These are simply interactions with your environment or objects, such as opening a door, pulling a lever, or sheathing a weapon. An object interaction that is particularly different might require your action if the DM determines it would be particularly difficult (opening door that rusted close, picking up a large heavy object like a body, performing a more complicated set of object interactions).
In general, you can perform one such interaction a turn, and doing any additional object interactions requires your action. For example, you can use an object interaction to open a door, but you cannot close the same door on the same turn unless you use your action to close to the door.
A list of common object interactions includes:

• Opening a door.
• Sheathing a weapon.
• Taking something out of your backpack.
• Handing a object to an ally.
• Picking up something within reach.
• Marking the wall with chalk.

Dropping Objects. Dropping objects you are carrying is a special object interaction, as you can perform that in addition to any other object interaction (for example, you can draw a weapon and drop it without using your action). This means you can always free your hands of anything you are carrying without your object interaction or action.

Large and Small Weapons

The weapon table assumes that all weapons are medium-sized weapons used by Medium and Small-sized creatures. In some cases, characters may either be Tiny or Large for an extended period of time, and need to use Tiny or Large-sized weapons.
While monsters scale weapons by doubling their damage dice as the size grows larger, that can be considered the 'class features' of large monsters, and does not apply to players using Large weapons. Instead, they change the damage dice of the weapons.
Tiny Weapons. A Tiny weapon deals -d2 damage (reducing the size of the of the die by one step, dealing effectively one less damage per hit). For example, a Tiny Shortsword would deal 1d4 damage, being effectively a Dagger for Small or Medium-sized creatures, while a Tiny dagger would deal 1d2 damage (the smallest damage die in the game). Tiny weapons never have the 'Heavy' property, even if their medium-sized version normally would.
Large Weapons. A Large weapon deals +d4 (increasing the damage die by two steps, or +2 damage). For example, a Huge Longsword would deal 1d12 damage, being akin to a Medium-sized Greatsword. A Medium-sized creature attacking with a Large-sized weapon always has disadvantage, and they cannot be wielded at all by Small or smaller-sized creatures.