D&D (2024) What mastery should the sap/blackjack have?

[bedir than]

These weapons aren't about causing damage like a club. They're generally perceived in the Appendix N-ish literature to be light and/or finesse weapons that knock people unconscious.
Well, due to hit points being that mush of meat and morale, that can't happen.

So, let's say you had a 1d4 bludgeoning weapon that was light and finesse that's supposed to be used to stun (ish) opponents.

Is that Sap, Slow or Topple?

 

[mellored]

Sap.

It's what most other 1-handed bludgeoning got. And it makes sense that it would daze-ish someone.

 

[ECMO3]

These weapons aren't about causing damage like a club. They're generally perceived in the Appendix N-ish literature to be light and/or finesse weapons that knock people unconscious.
Well, due to hit points being that mush of meat and morale, that can't happen.

So, let's say you had a 1d4 bludgeoning weapon that was light and finesse that's supposed to be used to stun (ish) opponents.

Is that Sap, Slow or Topple?

I think the mastery property is named after the weapon ..... so Sap.

 

[Charlaquin]

I could see Slow working, but Sap definitely seems the most fitting.

 

[Seramus]

Sap seems like a good mastery for a... sap.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Here's a discussion from days gone by (pre-2024) about this issue, with various suggestions on implementing changes that would impact rogue design chocie without increasing their overall power.

Of the weapon masteries, I'd say sap is best.

 

[Minigiant]

CRACK
Prerequisite: Bludgeoning damage
If you hit a creature with this weapon using Strength, you gain a bonus to the damage equal to your Constitution modifier

Or

STAGGER
Prerequisite: Bludgeoning damage
If you hit a creature with this weapon with a result of 21 or greater, the creature cannot make reactions or bonus actions until the start of your next turn.

Weapons: Blackjack, Polemace

 

[jasper]

Dog house mastery
Honey I lost my money at the table.

 

[MarkB]

Enervate: If you reduce a creature's current hit points to zero using this weapon and choose not to kill it, it gains one level of exhaustion.

This would soften them up for later interrogation, incarceration etc. by giving them a penalty to checks and saves.

Possible exploit: Repeatedly waking and sapping a creature to inflict multiple exhaustion levels. Maybe only allow it to be applied to a target once.