#2.9 D&D Option: Weapon Damage

From my Player's Guide:


Weapon specialization: initially requires 3 slots instead of 2 (including bows and crossbows), and initially confers only a benefit of +0/+1 for melee or thrown weapons and +1/+1 for bow and crossbows. An extra slot must be spent to gain the full +1/+2 for melee or thrown or +2/+2 for bows and crossbows. There is no ‘point blank’ range, double damage, or any of that for missile weapons. You cannot specialize in more than one weapon. Number of attacks per round for all of the above follows the rules in the UA.


A ranger must start with a bow or light crossbow (necessary for being able to operate independently and live off the land as well as fitting with the hit-and-run tactics favored by rangers), so being specialized is not possible until 4th level unless it is with a bow or light crossbow. Weapons learned by the ranger after the bow must all still be as listed on p22UA.


Specialization does not have to be chosen at 1st level. Double specialization is not available until 7th level. It requires 1 more slot and brings the bonuses to +3/+3. A character may only double specialize in melee weapons, but they can be any type of melee weapon (including pole-arms and two-handed swords). 

Multi-classed characters may not specialize. Specialization is open to fighters, rangers, fighter-paladins, and slayers.




I allow the use of weapon slots to either increase the effectiveness of shields or give greater skill with two-weapon fighting. I do all that I can as a DM to ensure that different weapons are ideal for different situations. All of this is designed to maximize meaningful choices on the part of the player.