DnD Weapons Mastery Crossbow Hand

Dungeons and Dragons – Mystara

Weapons Mastery – Hand Crossbow

A hand crossbow is a simple one-handed ranged weapon in the crossbow weapon group. Loading a hand crossbow is a free action requiring the use of both hands..

• 5E Stats – Ranged Martial Weapon, Costs 75 gp and has a weight of 3 lb.
• Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Chuul Ichor, Concealed Weapon, Deathtoad Toxin, Distracting Shot, Patient Shot, Pinning Hit, Rapid Shot, Scorpion Venom, Wooziness Tonic

Weapons Mastery – Hand Crossbow

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)
Hand Crossbow Attack +Dex to hit one target, Ammunition Range (-/110 ft)
Basic Hit: 1d6 +Dex mod piercing + Poison (d4) (Halved)
Weapon Abilities – Ammunition, Light, Loading, Range

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

(Proficient)
Hand Crossbow Attack +Dex +Prof to hit one target, Ammunition Range (30/120 ft)
Basic Hit: 1d6 +Dex mod piercing + Poison (d4)
Weapon Abilities – Ammunition, Light, Loading, Range

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)
Hand Crossbow Attack +Dex +Prof to hit one target, Ammunition Range (35/130 ft)
Basic Hit: 2d6 +Dex mod piercing + Poison (d6)
Weapon Abilities – Ammunition, Delay, Light, Loading, Range

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)
Hand Crossbow Attack +Dex +Prof to hit one target, Ammunition Range (40/140 ft)
Basic Hit: 3d6 +Dex mod piercing + Poison (d8)
Weapon Abilities – Ammunition, Delay, Light, Loading, Range
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Chuul Ichor, Concealed Weapon, Deathtoad Toxin, Distracting Shot, Patient Shot, Pinning Hit, Rapid Shot, Scorpion Venom, Wooziness Tonic

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

(Master)
Hand Crossbow Attack +Dex +Prof +Prof to hit one target, Ammunition Range (45/150 ft)
Basic Hit: 4d6 +Dex mod piercing + Poison (d10)
Weapon Abilities – Ammunition, Delay, Light, Loading, Range
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Chuul Ichor, Concealed Weapon, Deathtoad Toxin, Distracting Shot, Patient Shot, Pinning Hit, Rapid Shot, Scorpion Venom, Wooziness Tonic

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)
Hand Crossbow Attack +Dex +Prof +Prof to hit one target, Ammunition Range (50/160 ft)
Basic Hit: 5d6 +Dex mod piercing + Poison (d12)
Weapon Abilities – Ammunition, Delay, Light, Loading, Range
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Chuul Ichor, Concealed Weapon, Deathtoad Toxin, Distracting Shot, Patient Shot, Pinning Hit, Rapid Shot, Scorpion Venom, Wooziness Tonic

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 – Hand Crossbow

Weapon Ability – Ammunition – You can use a weapon that has the ammunition properly lo 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.
(Proficiency) At the end of the battle, you can recover half your expended ammunition by taking a minute lo search the battlefield. If you use a weapon that has the ammunition property to make a melee attack, you treat the weapon as an improvised weapon. A sling must be loaded to deal any damage when used in this way.
Associated Weapons – Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, Light Crossbow, Longbow, Shortbow, Sling

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 – Delay – On a Critical Hit (for a range weapon only in the normal weapons range), the target must make a Encumbered Saving Throw. Once you gained skilled in this weapon you learn the ability Attempt Stun. Each level above skilled adds +1 WM Bonus to the DC.
Encumbered Saving Throw – Strength vs Base DC. Saving throw at the start of their turn with failure causes the Encumbered condition until start of their next turn, when they can make another saving throw. Any number of encumbered conditions can be applied, each reducing the targets speed. One saving throw for all conditions, and anything the roll equals or beats is removed.
(Skilled Bonus Action) Attempt Delay – Against a target you have already hit this round, you can force it to make a Encumbered Saving Throw. The DC is increased by 1 for every addition hit you made against them this round with the Delay weapon.
Associated Weapons – Battleaxe, Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, Longbow, Shortbow

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 – 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 per round.
Associated Weapons – Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, Light Crossbow

Weapon Ability – Poison – Inflict set damage on each round with a Base DC. Failure increases by one stage, success reduces it by one stage. Maximum of d12 for poison.
Stage 1 – 1 dice, Stage 2 – 2 dice, Stage 3 – 3 dice, Stage 4 – 4 dice and Stage 5 – 4 dice.
Associated Weapons – Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Hand Crossbow,

Weapon Options – Hand Crossbow

Chuul Ichor (Damage Option) – A creature hit by a weapon coated with this poison must make a Paralysis Saving Throw. Each successful hit with a weapon covered with this toxin increases the DC by 1.
Paralysis Saving Throw – Constitution vs Base DC. On a failure, it is paralyzed until the start of its next turn when they must make another Paralysis Saving Throw.
Associated Weapon – Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Dart, Hand Crossbow

Concealed Weapon (Bonus Action) You can make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check opposed by active or passive Wisdom (Perception) check to conceal this weapon as a bonus action. You gain the Surprise Attack option while the weapon is concealed. Each level above expert adds +1 dice to the sneak attack damage.
Surprise Attack (Attack Option) As an action you can attack with a concealed weapon gaining advantage, if you already have advantage then it deals 1d6 sneak attack damage which stacks with any existing sneak attack you might have.
Associated Weapons – Blackjack, Dagger, Dart, Hand Crossbow

Deathtoad Toxin (Weapon Option) A creature hit by a dart coated with this poison must make a Poison Saving Throw at the start of their turn.
Poison Saving Throw – Constitution vs Base DC. On a failure, it takes +1d6 dice of poison damage for each weapon that struck the target coated in the toxin since their last turn.
Associated Weapons – Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Dart, Hand Crossbow

Distracting Shot (Attack Option) As part of the attack action, make an attack with your ranged weapon. You intentionally miss your target but give an ally of your choice the chance to attack while it is distracted. The next attack roll against the target by that ally has advantage if it is made before the beginning of the target’s next turn.
Associated Weapons – Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, Light Crossbow, Longbow, Shortbow, Sling

Patient Shot (Attack Option) You carefully align your ranged weapons sites over your target. As an action in a turn that you have not moved, you may make a single ranged attack with advantage, and reduce your speed to zero until your next turn. Each level above expert with the weapon adds +1 to the attack roll.
Associated Weapon – Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, Light Crossbow, Longbow, Shortbow, Sling

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

Rapid Shot (Bonus Action – Attack Option) You rapidly reload your weapon with loading, throwing off your aim but allowing you to make an additional attack this turn. As a bonus action, you may reload your hand crossbow and make an attack with it against a target within 30ft. This attack has disadvantage.
Associated Weapons – Hand Crossbow, Light Crossbow

Scorpion Venom (Weapon Option) – A creature subjected to this poison must make a Poison Saving Throw at the beginning of each of its turns. This poison lasts until the target succeeds on three saving throws or is magically cured. Multiple applications of this resets the number of saving throws required.
Poison Saving Throw – Constitution vs Base DC. A target is taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much on a successful one.
Associated Weapon – Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Dart, Hand Crossbow

Wooziness Tonic (Weapon Option) – A creature hit by a dart coated with this poison must make a Poison Saving Throw.
Poson Saving Throw – Constitution vs Base DC. On a failure, it is poisoned until the start of its next turn when it makes another Poison Saving Throw.
Associated Weapons – Blowgun 1H, Blowgun 2H, Dart, Hand Crossbow

Design Details on building Weapons Mastery

I have managed to even out most of the damage, but also increased it in this case as it is working better with my magical weapon enhancement changes.

Weapons Mastery Version 1.0

This is the Version 1 build of the Hand Crossbow.

• Hand Crossbow Attack: (Non-Proficient) + to hit, Ammunition range (-/110 ft), Light, Loading, one target
  • Hit: 1d4+mod piercing.
  • Base Poison: d2

• Hand Crossbow Attack: (Proficient) + to hit, Ammunition range (30/120 ft), Light, Loading, one target
  • Hit: 2d4+mod piercing.
  • Base Poison: d4
  • (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.

• Hand Crossbow Attack: (Skilled) + to hit, Ammunition range (35/130 ft), Light, Loading, one target
  • Hit: 3d4+mod piercing.
  • Base Poison: d6
  • (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.

• Hand Crossbow Attack: (Expert) + to hit, Ammunition range (40+Delay/140 ft), Light, Loading, one target
  • Hit: 2d6+mod piercing.
  • Base Poison: d8
  • Crit (within 40): Delay (Base DC) Con save or stunned until start of their next turn, with a critical fumble lasting until the end of their next turn.
  • (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.

• Hand Crossbow Attack: (Master) + to hit, Ammunition range (45+Delay/150 ft), Light, Loading, one target
  • Hit: 3d6+mod piercing.
  • Base Poison: d10
  • Crit (within 45): Delay (Base DC) Con save or stunned until start of their next turn, with a critical fumble lasting until the end of their next turn.
  • (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.

• Hand Crossbow Attack: (Grand Master) + to hit, Ammunition range (50+Delay/160 ft), Light, Loading, one target
  • Hit: 2d8+mod piercing.
  • Base Poison: d12
  • Crit (within 50): Delay (Base DC) Con save or stunned until start of their next turn, with a critical fumble lasting until the end of their next turn.
  • (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

• 2022-05-04 – Converted over to version 2.0 of my weapon mastery rules.
• 2022-03-28 – This is the updated weapons mastery version 2. Basic change is no dice upgrades and non-proficiency does half damage, each level beyond proficient adds an extra dice of damage and/or effects.
• 2021-10-07 – Changed weapon options over to reusable blocks for character build pages.
• 2021-08-26 – 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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