DnD Weapons Mastery Guisarme

Dungeons and Dragons – Mystara

Weapons Mastery – Guisarme

A guisarme (sometimes gisarme, giserne or bisarme) is a pole weapon used in Europe primarily between 1000 and 1400. Its origin is likely Germanic, from the Old High German getīsarn, literally “weeding iron”.

• 5E Stats – Two Handed Martial Weapon, Costs 20 gp and has a weight of 18 lb.
• Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Arcing Slash, Grinding Halt, Phalanx, Rebuff, Unmount, Vault

Weapons Mastery – Guisarme (polearm)

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)
Guisarme Attack +Str to hit one target
Basic Hit: 1d10 +Str mod slashing (Halved)
Weapon Abilities – Heavy, Two-Handed

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

(Proficient)
Guisarme Attack +Str +Prof to hit one target, Reach (10 ft)
Basic Hit: 1d10 +Str mod slashing
Weapon Abilities – Charge, Heavy, Reach, Set, Two-Handed

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)
Guisarme Attack +Str +Prof to hit one target, Reach (10 ft)
Basic Hit: 2d10 +Str mod slashing
Weapon Abilities – Charge, Defensive, Deflect, Heavy, Hook, Reach, Set, Two-Handed

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)
Guisarme Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one target, Reach (10 ft)
Basic Hit: 3d10 +Str mod slashing
Weapon Abilities – Charge, Defensive, Deflect, Heavy, Hook, Reach, Set, Two-Handed
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Arcing Slash, Grinding Halt, Phalanx, Rebuff, Unmount, Vault

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

(Master)
Guisarme Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one target, Reach (10 ft)
Basic Hit: 4d10 +Str mod slashing
Weapon Abilities – Charge, Defensive, Deflect, Heavy, Hook, Reach, Set, Two-Handed
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Arcing Slash, Grinding Halt, Phalanx, Rebuff, Unmount, Vault

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)
Guisarme Attack +Str +Prof +Prof to hit one target, Reach (10 ft), Crit (1 and 20)
Basic Hit: 5d10 +Str mod slashing
Weapon Abilities – Charge, Defensive, Deflect, Heavy, Hook, Reach, Set, Two-Handed
Weapon Options (Available to learn) – Arcing Slash, Grinding Halt, Phalanx, Rebuff, Unmount, Vault

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 – Guisarme (polearm)

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 – Charge – If the attacker can move twenty or more feet in a straight line before attacking, then a hit deals an additional dice of damage.
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bill, Glaive, Guisarme, Halberd, Lance, Lochaber Axe, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Ranseur, Spetum, Spontoon, Voulge,

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 – Heavy – Attacks are at disadvantage on attack rolls with heavy weapons. A heavy weapon’s size and bulk make it too large for a non-proficient creature to use effectively.
(Proficiency) Only small creatures have disadvantage.
(Expert proficiency) No creatures have disadvantage.
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bill, Glaive, Greataxe, Greatsword, Guisarme, Halberd, Heavy Crossbow, Lochaber Axe, Longbow, Maul, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Ranseur, Voulge,

Weapon Ability – Hook – As a bonus action, if you have struck an opponent with the weapon this round, you can attempt a hook attempt with opponent making Prone Saving Throw.
Prone Saving Throw – Strength vs Base DC. Failure causes the target to drop prone. Critical success causes you to drop this weapon instead.
Associated Weapons – Bill, Gisarme, Halberd, Lochaber Axe, Sickle, Warpick

Weapon Ability – Reach – This weapon can reach targets in the listed distance when you attack with it.
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bill, Glaive, Guisarme, Halberd, Lance, Lasso, Lochaber Axe, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Ranseur, Spetum, Voulge,

Weapon Ability – Set – As a reaction, a wilder can set this weapon against a charging foe, receiving a free attack which if it hits, is granted an extra dice of damage. The target must also make a Strength saving throw vs Base DC or be knocked prone (also dismounted if mounted).
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bill, Glaive, Guisarme, Halberd, Lochaber Axe, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Ranseur, Spear, Spetum, Spontoon, Voulge,

Weapon Ability – Two-Handed – If your not proficient in the weapon, this weapon is used with Disadvantage. Your required to use two hands to use this weapon.
(Master proficiency) You add half your strength bonus again to damage.
(Grand Master proficiency) You add your strength bonus twice to damage
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bill, Blowgun 2H, Glaive, Greataxe, Greatclub, Greatsword, Guisarme, Halberd, Heavy Crossbow, Light Crossbow, Lochaber Axe, Longbow, Maul, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Ranseur, Scythe, Shortbow, Spetum, Voulge,

Weapon Options – Guisarme (polearm)

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 – 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 – Phalanx (Attack Stance) If you are adjacent to at least two other phalanx trained and equipped allies, your attacks attacks have advantage, you deal an extra dice of damage and your have a +1 teamwork bonus to your Armour Class.
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bill, Glaive, Guisarme, Halberd, Lance, Lochaber Axe, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Ranseur, Spear, Spetum, Spontoon, Trident

Weapon Option – Unmount (Attack Option) As an attack while wielding this polearm, you may make a melee attack against a mounted creature. If the attack hits, the target must make a Prone Saving Throw.
Prone Saving Throw – Strength vs Base DC. On a failure, the target is dismounted and falls prone.
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bill, Glaive, Guisarme, Halberd, Lochaber Axe, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Ranseur, Spear, Spetum, Spontoon

Weapon Option – Vault (Action and Attack Option) You can use your weapon as an action to double the length of your long jump, allowing you to leap a number of feet up to twice your Strength score (this jump is part of your movement). If you land adjacent to a creature at the end of this jump, you can make a single attack with your weapon as part of this action.
Associated Weapons – Bardiche, Bill, Glaive, Guisarme, Halberd, Lochaber Axe, Partisan, Pike, Poleaxe, Quarterstaff, Ranseur, Spear, Spetum, Spontoon, Trident

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

• Guisarme Attack: (Non-Proficient) + to hit, Heavy, Two Handed, one target
  • Hit: 1d6+mod slashing.

• Guisarme Attack: (Proficient) + to hit, Charge, Heavy, Reach (5 ft), Set, Two Handed, one target
  • Hit: 2d6+mod slashing + Charge
  • (F) Charge – If you move 20 ft in a straight line before attacking all hits are treated as a Crit
  • (R) Set – Get a free attack against a charging foe, if it hits, score double damage
  • (B) Hook (Base DC) Str save or opponent falls prone if you struck them this round.

• Guisarme Attack: (Skilled) + to hit, Charge, Heavy, Reach (5 ft), Set, Two Handed, one target
  • Hit: 3d6+mod slashing + Charge
  • (F) Charge – If you move 20 ft in a straight line before attacking all hits are treated as a Crit
  • (R) Set – Get a free attack against a charging foe, if it hits, score double damage
  • (B) AC Defence (+1/2) – You gain an armour class bonus, for a set number of attacks each round.
  • (B) Hook (Base DC) Str save or opponent falls prone if you struck them this round.

• Guisarme Attack: (Expert) + to hit, Charge, Heavy, Reach (5 ft), Set, Two Handed, one target
  • Hit: 2d8+mod slashing + Charge
  • (F) Charge – If you move 20 ft in a straight line before attacking all hits are treated as a Crit
  • (R) Set – Get a free attack against a charging foe, if it hits, score double damage
  • (B) AC Defence (+1/3) – 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.
  • (B) Hook (Base DC) Str save or opponent falls prone if you struck them this round.

• Guisarme Attack: (Master) + to hit, Charge, Heavy, Reach (5 ft), Set, Two Handed, one target
  • Hit: 2d10+mod slashing + Charge
  • (F) Charge – If you move 20 ft in a straight line before attacking all hits are treated as a Crit
  • (R) Set – Get a free attack against a charging foe, if it hits, score double damage
  • (B) AC Defence (+2/4) – 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.
  • (B) Hook (Base DC) Str save or opponent falls prone if you struck them this round.

• Guisarme Attack: (Grand Master) + to hit, Charge, Heavy, Reach (5 ft), Set, Two Handed, one target
  • Hit: 2d12+mod slashing + Charge
  • (F) Charge – If you move 20 ft in a straight line before attacking all hits are treated as a Crit
  • (R) Set – Get a free attack against a charging foe, if it hits, score double damage
  • (B) AC Defence (+2/5) – 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.
  • (B) Hook (Base DC) Str save or opponent falls prone if you struck them this round.

Content Updates

• 2022-05-04 – Converted over to version 2.0 of my weapon mastery rules.
• 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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