Necrozius
Legendary Pubber
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2017
- Messages
- 4,289
- Reaction score
- 10,604
During last night’s game session, I stupidly started a debate that kind of spoiled the evening.
Here is what happened: there was a dwarven rogue who was making sneak attacks (pretty much every turn) with a versatile warhammer (using it two handed to deal d10 damage).
He was easily dishing out d10+d6+3 damage every turn, completely outshining my Fighter (who was also using a versatile, strength-based weapon).
Eventually, I felt something was off, so I asked the party, somewhat delicately, if sneak attacks are usually limited to light or finesse (dexterity-based) weapons. They disagreed, but looked it up and the dwarf PC’s player visibly looked disappointed.
Great job Necrozius, you ruined the fun.
Later I had a friendly debate with the GM about it. He argued that the rogue should be able to sneak attack with any weapons they want, as long as they can use them. He said that the math works out.
I argued that it felt like it took away from the utility of the Fighter, Barbarian and Paladin, who are Strength focuses in a game where Dex is far more prevalently used.
In online forums, there's no general consensus. It’s about sacred cows, flavor, theme, keeping the rogue Dex-based, balance, realism and fantasy. I’ve seen these topics used for and against allowing sneak attacks with any weapon at all.
What would you do? Would you allow a dwarf rogue to do sneak attacks with heavy, two-handed hammers?
Here is what happened: there was a dwarven rogue who was making sneak attacks (pretty much every turn) with a versatile warhammer (using it two handed to deal d10 damage).
He was easily dishing out d10+d6+3 damage every turn, completely outshining my Fighter (who was also using a versatile, strength-based weapon).
Eventually, I felt something was off, so I asked the party, somewhat delicately, if sneak attacks are usually limited to light or finesse (dexterity-based) weapons. They disagreed, but looked it up and the dwarf PC’s player visibly looked disappointed.
Great job Necrozius, you ruined the fun.
Later I had a friendly debate with the GM about it. He argued that the rogue should be able to sneak attack with any weapons they want, as long as they can use them. He said that the math works out.
I argued that it felt like it took away from the utility of the Fighter, Barbarian and Paladin, who are Strength focuses in a game where Dex is far more prevalently used.
In online forums, there's no general consensus. It’s about sacred cows, flavor, theme, keeping the rogue Dex-based, balance, realism and fantasy. I’ve seen these topics used for and against allowing sneak attacks with any weapon at all.
What would you do? Would you allow a dwarf rogue to do sneak attacks with heavy, two-handed hammers?