[RPG] Is this homebrew variant of the Two Weapon Fighting feat balanced

balancednd-5efeatshomebrew-review

I (the DM) am considering the following feat, after a player asked about an alternative way to use Two Weapon Fighting.

Knife Fighter

You are especially skilled at the use of the Dagger, gaining the following benefits:

  • You gain a +1 bonus to AC while you are wielding a dagger.

  • You can use two-weapon fighting even when the one-handed melee weapon you attack with is not light, so long as the bonus action attack is made with a dagger.

  • You can additionally draw or stow a dagger when you would normally be able to draw or stow any one-handed weapon.

  • You do an additional 2 damage when you hit with a dagger.

Obviously, the most direct comparison is to Dual Weilder. The intent of the feat is to allow a character to wield a Rapier and Dagger, or a pair of daggers and not be at a significant mechanical disadvantage over the Dual Wielder with a pair of rapiers.

Advantages I see compared to the Dual Wielder:

  • Marginally less expensive/heavy.
  • More concealable.

Disadvantages:

  • Additional damage is not multiplied on a critical hit.

Are there additional issues I have missed that would make this feat better or worse than Dual Wielder? Are the issues (above or otherwise) likely to cause problems or have interactions I have not forseen?

Best Answer

I see you have taken inspiration from Dual Wielder for the final point, however I'm not a fan of the wording on this point for three reasons:

You can additionally draw or stow a dagger when you would normally be able to draw or stow any one-handed weapon

  1. I find the sentence to be backward, and so a little difficult to parse.
  2. The timing isn't clear, I begin the turn with a free object interaction, so I'm able to draw a weapon, I use that to "additionally" draw a dagger. Immediately after I still have my free object interaction, so I'm able to draw a weapon, can I once again "additionally" draw a dagger? It seems strange to me. On Dual Wielder you have an option that replaces drawing/stowing, it isn't "additional", so we don't have this confusion.
  3. It is unusual for features in 5e to grant "free" actions. Usually, if you gain a new effect it will be attached to an existing action so that you don't have to keep track of more stuff. Dual Wielder does the same, it changes your object interaction.

I suggest the following change:

When you draw or stow any one-handed weapon, you may also draw or stow a dagger.

You should also consider your wording for:

You can use two-weapon fighting even when the one-handed melee weapon you attack with is not light, so long as the bonus attack is made with a dagger.

This lets you use TWF effects, but it stops you from attacking twice with a dagger in 1 hand and no other weapon. Consider which you think fits the feat more. It seems that TWF is what you were aiming for, so it might be best not to change it.

Consider if you need this feat

There isn't much difference between dual rapiers, and rapier with dagger, it's 2 damage. That's far from a significant mechanical disadvantage. Daggers are smaller, lighter, and you can throw them. I think that more than makes up for the roughly 6 less damage they will deal in a 3 round fight.

Your feat turns rapier/dagger into basically the same thing as rapier/rapier. Is that really what your player wants? If they want to play rapier/rapier but have one of them be actually a dagger, then just let them re-fluff one of the rapiers as a dagger. Main-gauche's look like small rapiers anyway.

If they want to get more of the flavor of rapier/dagger, then you would be better off fluffing a shield as a parrying dagger or introducing a feat/mechanics that better reflect the way that parrying daggers were actually used.

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