DnD Weapons Mastery Cestus

Dungeons and Dragons – Mystara

Weapons Mastery – Cestus

A glove made out of leather or metal used for fighting with fists. A gauntlet as part of a set of armour can feature this.

• 5E Stats – One Handed Simple Weapon, Costs 5 gp and has a weight of 1 lb.
• Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Blackjack, Bruising Blow, Ribshatter, Sunder Joints

Weapons Mastery – Cestus

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)
Cestus Attack +Str to hit one target
Basic Hit: 1d4 +Str mod bludgeoning (Halved)

Weapon Mastery Proficient – This is the standard weapon stats from sourcebooks.

(Proficient)
Cestus Attack: +Str +Prof to hit one target
Basic Hit: 1d4 +Str mod bludgeoning
Weapon Abilities – Extra Attack, 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)
Cestus Attack +Str +Prof to hit one target
Basic Hit: 2d4 +Str mod bludgeoning
Weapon Abilities – Base DC, Extra Attack, Light
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Blackjack, Bruising Blow, Ribshatter, Sunder Joints

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)
Cestus Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one target
Basic Hit: 3d4 +Str mod bludgeoning
Weapon Abilities – Base DC, Extra Attack, Light
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Blackjack, Bruising Blow, Ribshatter, Sunder Joints

Weapon Mastery Master – Your gain advantage on your attack, weapons do an extra dice of damage. Abilities and Options improve.

(Master)
Cestus Attack: +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one target
Basic Hit: 4d4 +Str mod bludgeoning
Weapon Abilities – Base DC, Extra Attack, Light
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Blackjack, Bruising Blow, Ribshatter, Sunder Joints

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)
Cestus Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one target, Crit (1 or 20)
Basic Hit: 5d4 +Str mod bludgeoning
Weapon Abilities – Base DC, Extra Attack, Light
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Blackjack, Bruising Blow, Ribshatter, Sunder Joints

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 – Cestus

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 – 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 Ability – Extra Attack – The attack, unlike usual two weapon fighting, adds the ability bonus to damage and does not care what is in the other hand, or that you used your action to make an attack.
(Skilled Bonus Action) Extra Bonus Attack – As a bonus action, an attack can be done with this weapon using the standard attack options.
Associated Weapons – Blackjack, Cestus, Dart, Horned Shield, Knife Shield, Sword Shield, Tusked Shield

Weapon Options – Cestus

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 – 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

Design Details

Here I have increased the weapon options and extended the weapon out to its full mastery range after cleaning up the mastery details. This is something that should be part of armours and give players options when they have training.

Weapons Mastery Version 1.0

• Cestus Attack: (Non-Proficient) + to hit, one target
  • Hit: 1d2+mod bludgeoning.

• Cestus Attack: (Proficient) + to hit, Light, Extra Attack, one target
  • Hit: 1d4+mod bludgeoning.
  • (B) Extra Attack – Can use this attack if other attack in the round was a light weapon. This attack includes your mod bonus to damage.

• Cestus Attack: (Skilled) + to hit, Light, Extra Attack, one target
  • Hit: 1d6+mod bludgeoning.
  • (B) Extra Attack – Can use this attack if other attack in the round was a light weapon. This attack includes your mod bonus to damage.

• Cestus Attack: (Expert) + to hit, Light, Extra Attack, one target
  • Hit: 2d4+mod bludgeoning.
  • (B) Extra Attack – Can use this attack if other attack in the round was a light weapon. This attack includes your mod bonus to damage.

• Cestus Attack: (Master) + to hit, Light, Extra Attack, one target
  • Hit: 2d6+mod bludgeoning.
  • (B) Extra Attack – Can use this attack if other attack in the round was a light weapon. This attack includes your mod bonus to damage.

• Cestus Attack: (Grand Master) + to hit, Light, Extra Attack, one target
  • Hit: 3d6+mod bludgeoning.
  • (B) Extra Attack – Can use this attack if other attack in the round was a light weapon. This attack includes your mod bonus to damage.

Content Updates

• 2022-08-19 – Removed the slideshow and shrunk some of the rules sections.
• 2022-04-30 – Converted over to version 2.0 of my weapon mastery rules.
• 2021-08-05 – Updates to the layout and menu.
• 2020-06-09 – Qualities and layout.
• 2020-03-28 – Structure.
• 2020-03-07 – New Structure

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 2H: Greatclub, Scythe

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

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