the fighter’s Sharpshooter subclass was, by far, the least popular
No one in their right mind liked that abomination. A terrible concept from the start.
the fighter’s Sharpshooter subclass was, by far, the least popular
Other than the fact that all enchanter types have some inherent creepiness in them (unless they mind zap you not to think they are creepy), the idea from the fluff that they are super mooches has a lot of jerkiness in it (not the same as creepiness). Just picture the kender glamour bard. I kid, I kid.
The whisper bard has definite creep factor, and I think that the glamour bard suffers from proximity. For players, they didn't do the glamour bard any favors by sticking it with the whisper bard, but for DM's looking for NPC's to annoy the party, it was nice they put them together or else we might have missed out.
I consider the Whispers Bards scary (in the "that MFer is dangerous" way), not creepy. Glamour Bards are creepy for a couple of reasons. For one, they learned their skills from the Fey, so there's a built-in (if perhaps unwarranted) level of untrustworthiness. The second is more play style. Their powers are all about how enthralling they can make themselves. That kind of narrative can so easily lead to douchenozzle behavior.
So playing a Glamour Bard is like being D&D's Kim Kardassian.
Out of interest, what were the reasons behind creating that weapon? Did your game need a spearlike weapon that was slashing rather than piercing, or were you trying to replicate a specific unusual weapon from elsewhere?
A few reasons.
1. To have a finesse reach weapon. Balance aside, it feels weird to not have the precision based finessers have a light pole arm option.
2. To model, in general, weapons like the dueling glaive, many fighting spears, naginata, etc
3. To give Monks and rogues a reach weapon without requiring a feat or unbalancing glaives by making them finesse.
4. To give small races a polearm. Although I am genuinely considering just dropping the Heavy restriction from being small.
Pole weapons like the pike(longspear etc) were heavy because they were very long - as you say: to deal with cavalry as well as formations of soldiers. If you tried to make them lighter, they wouldn't have the strength to hold up to the forces involved - including foes hacking through the haft. Polearms like the halberd were heavy because they were designed to combine weight with the leverage of a haft to generate a very powerful strike to deal with armour.Aren't pole arms supposed to be heavier? So they can be used against cavalry? That's part of why I brought up Spear Mastery. You get most of what you are looking for by being an expert in the common spear. Whenever I think of a Monk Spear Master, I think of Gordon Liu. https://youtu.be/jHStrI4jlQA
Speed and precision with a spear.
I have conceptual issues with the idea of a two-handed Finesse weapon. I personally don't think that there is enough of a requirement for finessers to have a pole weapon for purely game reasons to create one. But me and my group tend to be a little picky about that sort of thing, and I can absolutely see another group wanting to add a weapon like that.There's always the whip for finesse and reach. Make it a Monk weapon to scale the damage die. As a DM, I'd let you fluff it to bludgeoning (Meteor Hammer) or piercing (rope dart). Or maybe re-skin a flail as a 3-sectional staff. Would need Flail Mastery for the ability to bypass shields, though.
When I see people wanting to make a two-handed finesse weapon, all I can think about is the complaints around here about how much better Dex is over Strength. And how doing so is taking away the one thing Strength had left going for it. Oh well, people live and learn. Eventually. Hopefully.I have conceptual issues with the idea of a two-handed Finesse weapon.
I have conceptual issues with the idea of a two-handed Finesse weapon. I personally don't think that there is enough of a requirement for finessers to have a pole weapon for purely game reasons to create one. But me and my group tend to be a little picky about that sort of thing, and I can absolutely see another group wanting to add a weapon like that.
My problem with this argument is that, really, if you start trying to justify how a weapon is used (by referencing non-game construct examples), you might find yourself starting to justify all weapon attacks requiring "dexterity" to use with any real success in battle. Even a greataxe. Without well placed, accurate swings, you're never going to hit someone, with your greataxe, that doesn't want to be hit.Watch any period kung fu movie. I know it's a personal taste thing for you, but there is a very strong precedence for finesse two handed weapons to exist (in fact, I'd posit that historical two handed sword fighting was more finesse and less Conan/The Hound).
I know and understand those objections, I just don't care if strength is important for most characters, and have no problem with Dex being more valuable.When I see people wanting to make a two-handed finesse weapon, all I can think about is the complaints around here about how much better Dex is over Strength. And how doing so is taking away the one thing Strength had left going for it. Oh well, people live and learn. Eventually. Hopefully.
This. Also...Watch any period kung fu movie. I know it's a personal taste thing for you, but there is a very strong precedence for finesse two handed weapons to exist (in fact, I'd posit that historical two handed sword fighting was more finesse and less Conan/The Hound).
Aren't pole arms supposed to be heavier? So they can be used against cavalry? That's part of why I brought up Spear Mastery. You get most of what you are looking for by being an expert in the common spear. Whenever I think of a Monk Spear Master, I think of Gordon Liu. https://youtu.be/jHStrI4jlQA
Speed and precision with a spear.
There's always the whip for finesse and reach. Make it a Monk weapon to scale the damage die. As a DM, I'd let you fluff it to bludgeoning (Meteor Hammer) or piercing (rope dart). Or maybe re-skin a flail as a 3-sectional staff. Would need Flail Mastery for the ability to bypass shields, though.