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Ventruenox
2017-10-02, 05:00 PM
As part of a character concept I've been working on, I realized I needed some way to make slings viable for the crunch aspect. Slings have suffered from the romanticized notions of archery in 5E. While there are a number of articles (http://ludusludorum.com/2016/05/12/a-defense-of-the-humble-sling/) which provide the evidence of how badly they have been nerfed and provided a bunch of mechanics as a means to fix it, I believe that the simplest approach is usually best. The PHB ammunition errata is what really killed the sling as a viable weapon, so why not a feat to undo it?

Sling Mastery

Purpose: Load ammunition in a sling one-handed; throw items with a sling.

Benefits: Increase your dexterity score by one, to a maximum of 20.

Your mastery of this simple ranged weapon enables you to load ammunition into the sling without requiring a free hand to do so.

Additionally, you may utilize your object interaction to load a small lightweight item into the sling that would typically require throwing by hand. You may use this item instead of normal ammunition on your next attack. (Vials or acid or holy water, bags of ball bearings, or coins are examples of the types of items that may be used.) Firing an object in this manner will cause the normal bludgeoning damage as sling bullets would, and with normal range provided by the sling; but will also carry the effects that throwing such items normally would. (Vials breaking, ball bearings being scattered, etc.)


Comments and criticisms are welcome.

Kane0
2017-10-02, 05:10 PM
I'd make it a half feat with +1 dex as well or some other direct boost to combat performance. Compare with crossbow mastery, which also removes a loading limitation and gives a sizable benefit in the form of a bonus action attack and negating disadvantage for point blank shooting.

Ventruenox
2017-10-02, 08:10 PM
Thank you for your advice. I have done some editing.

I'm trying to keep this from having the same game changing power level that Crossbow Expert and Sharpshooter do, since I have to expect that there will be builds that incorporate those feats and this one. As written, this feat is effectively +2 possibly +3 AC and bends action economy without quite breaking it. (Yes, I have considered Thief's Fast Hands and Action Surge/Extra Attack shenanigans.)

The ability to sling 10 stones a minute while wielding a shield is physically possible in real life, so to replicate that with a feat seems a viable mechanic. Keeping the damage die as a d4 seems to maintain some balance. I considered the third ability to be using a loaded sling as a d4 finesse bludgeoning weapon, but that struck me as dangerous territory.

I really just wanted to have a ranged combatant Gully Dwarf able to use a trash can lid as a shield while wielding a sling at the same time. Two things. No more than two.