So here’s the first part of my two-weapon fighting house rule. Note that at this stage I’m ignoring the effect of feats, will get to those later:
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 24, 2018
If you wield two light weapons you gain +1 AC and you can make one extra attack. All your attacks on your turn take a -4 penalty. Penalty drops to -2 if you have the Extra Attack feature, -1 if that feature gives you 2 more attacks, 0 if it gives you 3.
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 24, 2018
You can forgo the extra attack to increase the AC bonus to +2 and ignore the attack penalty.
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 24, 2018
I feel like dual wielding aims for flexibility, and that’s what I’m aiming at here. It’s a little more complex but lets the player feel like they have a lot of options.
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 24, 2018
Hmm… doesn’t the +2 AC make (non magic) shields obsolete since shields get the same AC but none of the additional flexibility? It’s at the cost of a light weapon, so you’re dealing less damage than if you went longsword and shield
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 24, 2018
Could I ask what the reasoning behind -4 to hit with all attacks is? Seems like TWF in the past favored main hand w/ off-hand as the weaker hit, -4 seems a bit harsh to impose on main hand as well in this instance. TWF is *super* good at low levels, setting aside feats and class features. Since levels 1 – 4 are all about single attacks, it turns you into two characters.
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 24, 2018
So it’s a light weapon + shield if you want, or an extra attack that’s only worthwhile against extremely high or low ACs? Essentially, though as I think about it might be interesting to allow choice after first attack. That opens up possibilities a lot more.
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 24, 2018
Quickly calculated that it’s worth doing two attacks at -4 if you have >50% chance to hit with one attack. That’s not so bad given current game math, I concede. But I would go even simpler. Use your offhand for defence and get +1 AC, use it for attack and get a second chance to hit iff your first attempt misses.
— Chris Field (@chrisnightwing) October 24, 2018
It’s tricky – while things might have changed, during 5e design testers consistently hated any implementation of TWF that didn’t give +1 attack. Fun design constraint.
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 24, 2018
I see, in the house ruling do you allow the off-hand to have a full damage bonus or is it just the damage die as per PHB ruling? Full damage bonus
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 24, 2018
Does your ability mod to damage get added to all attacks or just the first? All
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 24, 2018
Why not treat it as one attack w/ bonus dmg for the off hand weapon?
E.g. TWF attack w/ rapier & dagger does 1d8+1d4+Dex bonus. Use the ability bonus for the primary weapon for attack & damage.
Alternatively TWF parry gives +1 AC vs melee while foregoing extra damage Tested poorly when we tried it – people like getting that extra attack
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 24, 2018
