DnD Weapons Mastery Bastard Sword

Dungeons and Dragons – Mystara

Weapons Mastery – Bastard Sword

The bastard sword is mostly distinguished from a longsword because it has a grip long enough to allow two-handed use. Bastard swords have slightly longer blades as well, but they remain light enough to be wielded one-handed should the need arise, unlike the greatsword that requires two hands.

• 5E Stats – One Handed or Versatile Martial Weapon, Costs 15 gp and has a weight of 4 lb.
• Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Arcing Slash, Fearsome Accuracy, Lock Blades, Main Gauche, Pinning Hit, Short Draw

Weapons Mastery – Bastard Sword

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)
Bastard Sword Attack +Str to hit one target
Basic Hit: 1d8 +Str mod slashing (Halved)

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

(Proficient)
Bastard Sword Attack +Str +Prof to hit one target
Basic Hit: 1d8 +Str mod slashing
Weapon Abilities – Versatile

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)
Bastard Sword Attack +Str +Prof to hit one target
Basic Hit: 2d8 +Str mod slashing
Weapon Abilities – Base DC, Defensive, Deflect, Versatile

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)
Bastard Sword Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one melee or ranged target, Thrown (-/15 ft)
Basic Hit: 3d8 +Str mod slashing
Weapon Abilities – Base DC, Defensive, Deflect, Range, Thrown, Versatile
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Arcing Slash, Fearsome Accuracy, Lock Blades, Main Gauche, Pinning Hit, Short Draw

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

(Master)
Bastard Sword Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one melee or ranged target, Thrown (5/20 ft)
Basic Hit: 4d8 +Str mod slashing
Weapon Abilities – Base DC, Defensive, Deflect, Range, Thrown, Versatile
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Arcing Slash, Fearsome Accuracy, Lock Blades, Main Gauche, Pinning Hit, Short Draw

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)
Bastard Sword Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one melee or ranged target, Thrown (10/25 ft), Crit (1 and 20)
Basic Hit: 5d8 +Str mod slashing
Weapon Abilities – Base DC, Defensive, Deflect, Range, Thrown, Versatile
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Arcing Slash, Fearsome Accuracy, Lock Blades, Main Gauche, Pinning Hit, Short Draw

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 – Bastard Sword

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 – Defensive – If you spend your bonus action this round on this quality you gain a bonus for your armour class until the start of your next round as long as you still have your reaction. Each level above skilled adds +1 WM Bonus to the Shield bonus provided.
Defensive (Skilled Bonus Action) – This weapon provides a +1 Shield bonus to your armour class as long as your still have your reaction. If an attack would have hit you, but misses because of using defensive, you deflect the attack and expend your reaction. (Martial weapons add +1 to the shield bonus, A shield weapon does not use up reactions but can trigger retaliate instead)
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Bill, Bola, Club, Flail, Glaive, Greataxe, Greatclub, Greatsword, Guisarme, Halberd, Handaxe, Heavy Crossbow, Heavy Shield, Horned Shield, Lance, Light Crossbow, Light Hammer, Light Shield, Lochaber Axe, Longbow, Longsword, Mace, Medium Shield, Morningstar, Net, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Quarterstaff, Ranseur, Rapier, Scimitar, Scythe, Shortbow, Shortsword, Sling, Spetum, Tower Shield, Tusked Shield, Voulge, Warhammer,

Weapon Ability – Deflect – If you spend your bonus action this round on this quality, you can attempt to deflect attacks with your weapon. Your Base DC becomes your armour class against ranged or melee weapons of your size or smaller until the start of your next round while you still have a reaction. If an attack would have hit you, but is lower than your Base DC, you deflect the attack and your weapon takes half the damage. Each level above skilled adds +1 WM Bonus to the Base DC. (Magical Implements don’t take damage from spells or use up their reactions when deflecting spells)
(Expert Spell Deflection) You can redirect the spell to a target with a cone opposite from the spell caster as long as its still within range, expending your reaction to do so.
(Master Spell Deflecting) You can redirect the spell to a target with the remainder of the range, and expend your reaction to do so.
(Grand Master Spell Deflecting) You add your range extension to the redirect.
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bastard Sword, Bill, Club, Flail, Glaive, Greataxe, Greatclub, Greatsword, Guisarme, Halberd, Heavy Shield, Light Shield, Lochaber Axe, Longsword, Medium Shield, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Quarterstaff, Ranseur, Rapier, Scimitar, Scythe, Shortsword, Spetum, Staff, Tower Shield, Voulge, Wand, Warpick,

Weapon Ability – Range – A weapon that can be used to make a ranged attack has a range shown 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 maximum 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.
Associated Weapons – Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Bola, Club, Dart, Flail, Greatsword, Handaxe, Heavy Crossbow, Javelin, Light Crossbow, Light Hammer, Light Shield, Longbow, Longsword, Mace, Morningstar, Net, Shortbow, Shortsword, Sling, Spear, Trident, Warhammer, Warpick,

Weapon Ability – Thrown – If a weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon to make a ranged attack.
Thrown (Attack Option) 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.
Associated Weapons – Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Club, Dagger, Flail, Greatsword, Handaxe, Javelin, Light Hammer, Light Shield, Longsword, Mace, Morningstar, Net, Shortsword, Spear, Trident, Warhammer, Warpick,

Weapon Ability – Versatile – Does more damage if wielded in two hands. When using two hands upgrade the dice to the next, a d4 becomes a d6, a d6 becomes a d8, a d8 becomes a d10. I don’t believe there are versatile weapons that start at d10.
Associated Weapons – Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Longsword, Quarterstaff, Spear, Spontoon,

Weapon Options – Bastard Sword

Arcing Slash (Attack Option) When you attack with this bladed weapon, you may choose to target two creatures within your reach with a single attack. This attack uses the same attack roll for both targets and deals slashing damage equal to half your normal damage to each target.
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Bill, Glaive, Greataxe, Greatsword, Guisarme, Halberd, Lochaber Axe, Longsword, Poleaxe, Scimitar, Sword Shield

Weapon Option – Fearsome Accuracy (Attack Option) As an attack, you may throw your weapon at a creature at the very limit of your range. Make an attack roll against a creature exactly at you range maximum. If the attack hits, the creature takes normal damage and must make a Frightened Saving Throw. Each level above expert with the weapon adds +1 WM Bonus to the DC.
Frightened Saving Throw – Wisdom vs Base DC. Failure has the target Frightened of you for 1 minute.
Associated Weapons – Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Club, Dagger, Handaxe, Javelin, Light Hammer, Mace, Morningstar, Spear, Trident, Warhammer, Warpick

Weapon Option – Lock Blades (Reaction Option) – When a creature attacks you with a weapon, you may use your reaction to attempt to lock blades and parry their attack. Add 10 to your attack roll with the weapon and if that equals or exceeds their attack roll, their attack misses and they can’t reuse that weapon until the start of your next turn. If you are wielding your bladed weapon with two hands you get to add your Str mod twice. Each level above expert with the weapon adds +1 WM Bonus to the check.
Associated Weapons – Bastard Sword, Dagger, Greatsword, Longsword, Rapier, Scimitar, Shortsword, Sword Shield

Weapon Option – Main Gauche (Reaction Option) – While wielding both a bladed weapon and a light bladed weapon, you may use a reaction after being attacked to roll a d4 and add the result to your Armour Class until the end of the attacker’s turn. Each level above expert with the weapon adds +1 WM Bonus to your AC.
Associated Weapons – Bastard Sword, Dagger, Knife Shield, Longsword, Rapier, Scimitar, Shortsword, Sickle, Sword Shield

Weapon Option – Pinning Hit (Attack Option) – When you make a melee or ranged attack with this weapon, you may attempt to pin a creature up to one size larger to a wall or surface by catching their clothing with the weapons edge or point. This can be used against creatures without clothing at the GM’s discretion. If you hit, the target must make a Restrained Saving Throw vs your Base DC.
Retrained Saving Throw – Strength vs your Base DC. On a failure the creature is restrained, and can use an action on their turn to make another Restrained Saving Throw to get free.
Associated Weapons – Bastard Sword, Battleaxe, Dagger, Dart, Hand Crossbow Handaxe, Heavy Crossbow, Javelin, Light Crossbow, Longbow, Shortbow, Sickle, Spear, Trident, Warpick

Short Draw (Attack Option) As an attack, you may draw a sheathed one-handed blade and make an attack roll to strike the enemy with its pommel, leaving the target gasping for breath. This attack deals no damage, but the target is Stunned until the start of their turn. You must have at least one hand free to take this action.
Associated Weapons – Bastard Sword, Dagger, Longsword, Rapier, Scimitar, Shortsword

Designing the Weapons Mastery

Reduced some of the damage over the progression to keep it in line with the progression model I had planned for the storyline.

Weapons Mastery Version 1.0

• Sword, Bastard Attack: (Non-Proficient) + to hit, one target
  • Hit: 1d4+mod slashing.

• Sword, Bastard Attack: (Proficient) + to hit, Versatile, one target
  • Hit (1 hand): 1d6+mod slashing.
  • Hit (2 hands): 2d4+mod slashing.

• Sword, Bastard Attack: (Skilled) + to hit, Versatile, one target
  • Hit (1 hand): 2d4+mod slashing.
  • Hit (2 hands): 2d6+mod slashing.
  • (B) AC Defence (+1/2) – You gain an armour class bonus, for a set number of attacks each round.
  • (B) Deflect (1) – Before an attack is made you can choose to deflect several attacks instead using your attack roll instead of your AC if higher.

• Sword, Bastard Attack: (Expert) + to hit, Versatile, Thrown range (-/15), one target
  • Hit (1 hand): 3d4+mod slashing.
  • Hit (2 hands): 3d6+mod slashing.
  • (B) AC Defence (+1/3) – You gain an armour class bonus, for a set number of attacks each round.
  • (B) Deflect (2) – Before an attack is made you can choose to deflect several attacks instead using your attack roll instead of your AC if higher.

• Sword, Bastard Attack: (Master) + to hit, Versatile, Thrown range (5/20), one target
  • Hit (1 hand): 2d6+mod slashing.
  • Hit (2 hands): 2d8+mod slashing.
  • (B) AC Defence (+2/4) – You gain an armour class bonus, for a set number of attacks each round.
  • (B) Deflect (2) – Before an attack is made you can choose to deflect several attacks instead using your attack roll instead of your AC if higher.

• Sword, Bastard Attack: (Grand Master) + to hit, Versatile, Thrown range (10/25), one target
  • Hit (1 hand): 2d8+mod slashing.
  • Hit (2 hands): 2d10+mod slashing.
  • (B) AC Defence (+2/5) – You gain an armour class bonus, for a set number of attacks each round.
  • (B) Deflect (3) – Before an attack is made you can choose to deflect several attacks instead using your attack roll instead of your AC if higher.

Content Updates

• 2022-05-04 – Converted over to version 2.0 of my weapon mastery rules.
• 2021-08-11 – Update to layout and menu.

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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