Dungeons and Dragons – Mystara
Weapons Mastery – Unarmed Strike or Natural Attack
A unarmed attack uses a punch, kick, head butt, or other type of natural attack.
- 5E Stats – One Handed Simple Weapon, Costs 0 gp and has a weight of 0 lb.
- Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Blackjack, Bruising Blow, Close Quarter Combat, Grinding Halt, Ribshatter, Sunder Joints, Trip
Weapons Mastery – Unarmed or Natural
Weapon Mastery Non-Proficient – Attacks are with disadvantage, and damage is halved rounded down. Non-Proficient use does not grant access to most of the weapon special properties.
(Non-Proficient)
Unarmed or Natural Attack +Str to hit one target
Basic Hit: 1 +Str mod bludgeoning (Halved) or natural attack dice (Halved)
Weapon Mastery Proficient – This is the standard weapon stats from sourcebooks.
(Proficient)
Unarmed or Natural Attack +Str +Prof to hit one target
Basic Hit: 1 +Str mod bludgeoning + Knockout, class feature or natural attack dice
Weapon Abilities – Base DC, Knockout, Light
Weapon Mastery Skilled – Weapons do an extra dice of damage. Gain abilities to activate as a bonus action on your round, or a reaction.
(Skilled)
Unarmed or Natural Attack +Str +Prof to hit one target
Basic Hit: 2 +Str mod bludgeoning + Knockout, +1 dice class feature or +1 dice natural attack dice
Weapon Abilities – Base DC, Knockout, Light
Weapon Mastery Expert – You gain an expertise on your attack, and weapons do an extra dice of damage. Abilities with weapons improve. Can use weapon options with this weapon.
(Expert)
Unarmed or Natural Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one target
Basic Hit: 3 +Str mod bludgeoning + Knockout, +2 dice class feature or +2 dice natural attack dice
Weapon Abilities – Base DC, Knockout, Light
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Blackjack, Bruising Blow, Close Quarter Combat, Grinding Halt, Ribshatter, Sunder Joints, Trip
Weapon Mastery Master – Your gain advantage on your attack, weapons do an extra dice of damage. Abilities and Options improve.
(Master)
Unarmed Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one target
Basic Hit: 4 +Str mod bludgeoning + Knockout, +3 dice class feature or +3 dice natural attack dice
Weapon Abilities – Base DC, Knockout, Light
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Blackjack, Bruising Blow, Close Quarter Combat, Grinding Halt, Ribshatter, Sunder Joints, Trip
Weapon Mastery Grand Master – A natural 1 counts counts as a critical hit, and if both dice deal a critical hit, then all dice in the attack are maximised. Weapons do an extra dice of damage. Abilities and Options improve.
(Grand Master)
Unarmed Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one target, Crit (1 and 20)
Basic Hit: 5 +Str mod bludgeoning + Knockout, +4 dice class feature or +4 dice natural attack dice
Weapon Abilities – Base DC, Knockout, Light
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Blackjack, Bruising Blow, Close Quarter Combat, Grinding Halt, Ribshatter, Sunder Joints, Trip
Beyond Grand Master in Weapon Mastery – While not possible to learn at this level, some abilities and magical items might push skill above grand master, and if it does it adds an extra dice of damage and improves abilities and options as per the weapon progression.
Weapon Abilities – Unarmed or Natural
Weapon Ability – Base DC – Some of the effects produced by weapons masters has a saving throw to resist. This saving throw is calculated as 8 plus the ability modifier used in the attack roll, your weapon mastery bonus, your Weaponologist bonus, your weapons mastery feats and Archetypes.
Base DC = 8 +Ability Mod +Prof +WM Bonus +Circle Bonus +Feat Bonus +Arch Type Bonus (Martial +2)
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Bill, Blackjack, Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Bola, Cestus, Club, Dagger, Dart, Flail, Glaive, Greataxe, Greatclub, Greatsword, Guisarme, Halberd, Hand Crossbow, Handaxe, Hat, Heavy Crossbow, Heavy Shield, Holy Symbol, Horned Shield, Javelin, Knife Shield, Lance, Lasso, Light Crossbow, Light Hammer, Light Shield, Lochaber Axe, Longbow, Longsword, Mace, Maul, Medium Shield, Morningstar, Net, Orb, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Quarterstaff, Ranseur, Rapier, Ring, Rod, Scimitar, Scythe, Shortbow, Shortsword, Sickle, Sling, Spear, Spetum, Spontoon, Staff, Sword Shield, Tome, Tower Shield, Trident, Tusked Shield, Unarmed or Natural, Vaulge, Wand, Warhammer, Warpick,
Weapon Ability – Knockout – If damage from this weapon reduces the target to zero hit points, the target is considered to have failed their Unconsciousness Saving Throw. On a Critical Hit, the target must make a Unconsciousness Saving Throw. Once you gained skilled in this weapon you learn the ability Attempt Knockout. Each level above skilled adds +1 WM Bonus to the DC.
Unconsciousness Saving Throw – Constitution vs Base DC. Failure causes Unconsciousness.
(Skilled Bonus Action) Attempt Knockout – Against a target you have already hit this round, you can force it to make a Unconsciousness Saving Throw. The DC is increased by 1 for every addition hit you made against them this round with a knockout weapon.
Associated Weapons – Blackjack, Unarmed or Natural
Weapon Ability – Light – Can be used with Two Weapon Fighting.
(Proficient Bonus Action) Two-Weapon Fighting Additional Attack – Can use this attack if other attack in the round was a light weapon. This attack does not use your mod bonus to damage.
Associated Weapons – Blackjack, Cestus, Club, Dagger, Hand Crossbow, Handaxe, Javelin, Light Hammer, Mace, Scimitar, Shortsword, Sickle, Unarmed or Natural
Weapon Options – Unarmed or Natural
Weapon Option – Blackjack (Attack Option) For an attack roll with your weapon against a humanoid target. If the attack hits, it does no damage, but the target must make a Stunned Saving Throw. Each level above expert with the weapon adds +1 WM Bonus to the DC.
Stunned Saving Throw – Constitution vs Base DC. Failure causes target to be stunned until the beginning of its next turn.
Associated Weapons – Blackjack, Cestus, Club, Light Hammer, Mace, Quarterstaff, Unarmed or Natural
Weapon Option – Bruising Blow (Attack Option) – For an attack roll with your weapon against a living creature. If the attack hits, it deals normal weapon damage and the target must make a Bruised Saving Throw. Each level above expert with the weapon adds +1 WM Bonus to the DC.
Bruised Saving Throw – Constitution vs Base DC. Failure causes the target to lose its Dexterity Modifier (if positive, or double it if negative) to its AC until it takes a short rest or is treated with a successful Wisdom (Medicine) check vs the Base DC.
Associated Weapons – Blackjack, Cestuc, Club, Greatclub, Light Hammer, Mace, Maul, Morningstar, Quarterstaff, Unarmed or Natural, Warhammer
Weapon Option – Close Quarters Combat (Bonus or Reaction Attack Option) – When you successfully grapple a creature or escape a grapple, you may make a single attack with this weapon as a bonus action. Additionally, whenever a creature fails to escape a grapple with you, you may make a single attack with this weapon as a reaction. Each level above expert with the weapon adds +1 WM Bonus to the DC to escape your grapples, or as a bonus for you to escape a grapple.
Associated Weapons – Blackjack, Dagger, Handaxe, Horned Shield, Knife Shield, Light Hammer, Mace, Scimitar, Shortsword, Sword Shield, Tusked Shield, Unarmed or Natural
Weapon Option – Grinding Halt (Reaction Option) Whenever you must make a Strength saving throw to avoid being moved against your will and you fail the check, you can dig the weapon into the ground as a reaction. If your weapons Base DC equals or exceeds the DC of the saving throw you succeed. If the effect pushing you does not have a saving throw, you move 5ft fewer.
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bill, Glaive, Guisarme, Halberd, Lochaber Axe, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Ranseur, Spear, Spetum, Spontoon, Trident, Unarmed or Natural
Weapon Option – Ribshatter (Attack Option) Make a single attack roll with your weapon against a humanoid target. This attack does normal weapon damage and the target must make a Stunned Saving Throw. If the damage you dealt was greater than half the creature’s maximum hit points, it is stunned until the end of its next turn.
Stunned Saving Throw – Constitution vs Base DC. Failure causes target to be stunned until the beginning of its next turn.
Associated Weapons – Cestus, Flail, Greatclub, Light Hammer, Mace, Maul, Morningstar, Unarmed or Natural, Warhammer)
Weapon Option – Sunder Joints (Attack Option) When you make a melee weapon attack with this weapon against a creature in medium or heavy armour, you may choose to damage the joints of their armour instead of dealing damage to the creature. If the attack hits, that armour takes the damage, and the creature must make a Joint Saving Throw.
Joint Saving Throw – Dexterity vs Base DC. Failure causes target to be Slowed by 10ft until they remove or repair the armour. This reduction is not cumulative.
Associated Weapons – Cestus, Club, Flail, Greatclub, Horned Shield, Light Hammer, Mace, Maul, Morningstar, Quarterstaff, Scythe, Unarmed or Natural
Weapon Option – Trip (Attack Option) As a melee weapon attack while you are wielding this weapon, you may sweep your opponent’s legs in an attempt to trip them. Make an attack roll against a creature one size larger or smaller. If the attack hits, it must succeed on a Prone Saving Throw.
Prone Saning Throw – Strength vs Base DC. Failure causes the Prone condition.
Associated Weapons – Glaive, Halberd, Handaxe, Javelin, Lasso, Quarterstaff, Ranseur, Scythe, Sickle, Spear, Unarmed or Natural, Warpick
Designing the Weapons Mastery
While this can work with natural weapons, none of the weapon options consider anything other than a bludgeoning attack as this is a human centric designed training and other options might be available depending on what the damage type and natural attack is.
Weapons Mastery Version 1.0
- Unarmed Attack: (Non-Proficient) + to hit, one target
- Hit: 1+mod bludgeoning
- Unarmed Attack: (Proficient) + to hit, one target
- Hit (1 hand): 1d2+mod bludgeoning (or class feature).
- (B) Two-Weapon Fighting: Can use this attack if other attack in the round was a light weapon. This attack does not use your mod bonus to damage.
- Unarmed Attack: (Skilled) + to hit, one target
- Hit (1 hand): 1d3+mod bludgeoning (or class feature +1 dice upgrade).
- Crit: Knockout (Base DC) Con save or unconscious for 1 round per every 5 the check fails.
- (B) Two-Weapon Fighting: Can use this attack if other attack in the round was a light weapon. This attack does not use your mod bonus to damage.
- Unarmed Attack: (Expert) + to hit, one target
- Hit (1 hand): 1d4+mod bludgeoning (or class feature +2 dice upgrade).
- Crit: Knockout (Base DC+1) Con save or unconscious for 1 round per every 5 the check fails.
- (B) Two-Weapon Fighting: Can use this attack if other attack in the round was a light weapon. This attack does not use your mod bonus to damage.
- Unarmed Attack: (Master) + to hit, one target
- Hit (1 hand): 2d4+mod bludgeoning (or class feature +3 dice upgrade).
- Crit: Knockout (Base DC+2) Con save or unconscious for 1 round per every 5 the check fails.
- (B) Two-Weapon Fighting: Can use this attack if other attack in the round was a light weapon. This attack does not use your mod bonus to damage.
- Unarmed Attack: (Grand Master) + to hit, one target
- Hit (1 hand): 3d4+mod bludgeoning (or class feature +4 dice upgrade).
- Crit: Knockout (Base DC+3) Con save or unconscious for 1 round per every 5 the check fails.
- (B) Two-Weapon Fighting: Can use this attack if other attack in the round was a light weapon. This attack does not use your mod bonus to damage.
Content Updates
- 2022-08-19 – Cleaned up layout.
- 2022-05-04 – Converted over to version 2.0 of my weapon mastery rules.
- 2021-10-07 – Changing weapon options over to reusable blocks for use with character build pages.
- 2021-08-04 – Layout and link cleanup.
- 2020-06-10 – Removed Dazing Blow as a ranged option
- 2020-06-09 – Updated to Grand Master with new options.
- 2020-03-28 – Structure update.
- 2020-03-08 – Structure update.
- 2020-02-14 – Added new weapon quality.
- 2020-02-07 – Added in new weapon options.
- 2020-02-03 – Cleaning up how DC’s are presented.
Weapons Mastery
Overview, Downtime for Weapons Mastery, Secret Craft: Weaponologist
Simple 1H or Versatile: Blackjack (or Sap), Cestus, Club (or torch), Dagger, Handaxe (or Tomahawk), Javelin, Lasso, Light Hammer, Mace, Quarterstaff, Sickle, Spear, Unarmed
Simple Ranged: Bola, Dart, Light Crossbow, Shortbow, Sling
Martial 1H or Versatile: Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Flail, Lance, Longsword, Morningstar, Rapier, Scimitar, Shortsword, Spontoon, Trident, Warhammer, Warpick, Whip
Martial 2H: Bardiche, Bill, Glaive, Greataxe, Greatsword, Guisarme, Halberd, Lochaber Axe, Maul, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Ranseur, Spectum, Voulge
Martial Ranged: Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, Longbow, Net
Martial Shield: Heavy, Horned, Knife, Light, Medium, Sword, Tower, Tusked
Magical Implement: Hat, Holy Symbol, Orb, Ring, Rod, Staff, Tome, Wand
D&D 5E in Mystara
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