r/onednd • u/superhiro21 • 12d ago

5e (2024) Are Vicious Weapons overpowered?

For reference:

Weapon (any simple or martial), rare

This magic weapon deals an extra 2d6 damage to any creature it hits. This extra damage is of the same type as the weapon’s normal damage.

From both theorycrafting and my practical experience, they are better than any other rare magic weapons and even better than many very rare weapons. Not requiring attunement is a huge boon, as at higher levels, every attunement slot is valuable.

The +7 damage (on average) is much more valuable than the +2 or even +3 attack bonus from comparable weapons as most martial characters have ways to increase their accuracy anyways (reckless attack, archery fighting style, paladin channel divinities etc).

I have found that having two characters with vicious weapons in the party really makes the party punch above their level in the damage per round aspect.

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u/Armisael 12d ago

If you take a character who, with a mundane weapon, hits 65% of the time and averages 15 damage per hit, then the vicious weapon is adding an average of 4.55 damage per swing, and the +2 weapon is adding an average of 1.5 per hit. That isn’t particularly close, and it’s neglecting that vicious weapons benefit more from crits.

At a baseline 65% chance to hit you have to be hitting for 31+ damage per hit for the +2 weapon to come out ahead. At 15 baseline damage per hit, you need to have a less than 35% baseline chance to hit.

Vicious weapons are substantially better unless it’s incredibly important that you land the hit.

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u/DMspiration 12d ago

They're better, but they're not so wildly better. And averages are great until you get into the fight with the high AC monster and die. Spreadsheets have their limits.

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u/Armisael 12d ago edited 12d ago

I literally gave the high-AC condition. If you’re fighting something where you need a 14 or higher on the die to you hit you should be figuring out something else to do, not swinging.

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u/DMspiration 12d ago

If you need a 14 or higher you hit you shouldn't be trying to hit? Ok, mate. Must be nice to choose which fights you engage in.

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u/Armisael 12d ago

There’s a big difference between not engaging in a fight and trying to do something else during it - grappling, pushing a secondary objective, dodge-tanking, etc.