Okay, sword-swingers, mace-smasher, and arrow-twangers, its time to talk weapon options. In the before-times, TTRPGs had pretty clunky rules for things like disarming or tripping. But that was then. We’ve taken a hard look at how to up the ante on combat to give you some dramatic, fun ways to dispatch your foes.

In this article, I’ll shine our spotlight on some of the exciting, new weapon options currently available in the Tales of the Valiant RPG.

What are Weapon Options?

Anyone can stick a sword into a monster. But weapon options give you ways to do other things with your weapon than just deal damage. This can be brushing a foe back, knocking them down, pinning them in place, and a host of other ideas. A few rules to remember up front:

Only certain weapons can do certain options. You can’t do a pinning shot with a maul, for example.

You must be proficient with a weapon to use its weapon options. All those classes with only simple weapon proficiency gots to hit the books.

You have to be wielding a weapon to use its options. That one might seem obvious, but just because you can wield a sling and do a ricochet shot that doesn’t mean you can also do it with a crossbow.

A Word about Weapon Options and Damage

When you use a weapon option, you usually forgo the weapon’s normal damage to do the awesome option. That’s why they’re called options. You do the thing instead of the damage.

I can hear your groans from here. It’s checks and balances, people! I know you’d like to do even more damage AND still get to do the other cool stuff.

So why not just hit and do damage? Because weapon options are so amazing, it might be a little bit broken if they also did damage. These options are so great you aren’t going to miss dealing damage for that one turn. Bear with me and I’ll explain.

(If you insist on both having and eating your cake, check out the Mastery feature of the fighter’s Weapon Master subclass. It lets you do damage and get a weapon option effect once per turn with a weapon you’ve mastered! You can have it all!*)

Using a Weapon Option

Okay, so you’re wielding your chosen weapon, you’re proficient with it, and you’re ready to use a weapon option. First, you have to take the Attack action unless you have a class feature or other trait that lets you do otherwise. (Fighters, for example, can use their Martial Action feature to use a weapon option as a bonus action!) Oh, and if you have the Multiattack feature, you can replace one of your normal attacks with a weapon option.

If you hit your target, you get to use the weapon option’s listed effect.

If a weapon option requires a saving throw, the DC is 8 + your PB + your STR or DEX (your choice).

Keep it Logical
Let me take a moment here and say something on behalf of the GMs out there. Players . . . pay attention for a second.
I know you’re playing big darn heroes, and the world, plane, multiverse, or franchise is depending on you to save it. But not all weapon options are going to work on all foes. You can’t possibly think that trying to trip a mimic is going to work, can you? It’s a box! Same thing with trying to disarm a creature not holding an object. “Disarm” doesn’t mean “remove actual limbs!”
While we all applaud the out-of-the-box thinking, your GM would certainly appreciate it if you tried to keep things within the spirit of the rules. Some friendly advice? Make it surprising but still logical.

Weapon Options

With that all of that is out of the way, let’s talk about a few weapon options! Oh! Heeeey! Since my favorite whip-themed song just started playing on the radio, let’s do this in theme with the music!

If the Troll Has a Head—You Must Bash It!

The Bash option is available on bludgeoning impact weapons like maces, quarterstaffs, flails, hammers, and mauls. When you hit, you skip dealing damage to clonk the bad guy on the noggin. Your target is so addled from the brain-jarring impact that they have disadvantage on their next attack!

Before the Lich Fires That Wand—You Must Disarm It!

The Disarm option is available on a handful of martial weapons such as flails, axes, hammers, swords, and picks. When you hit, the foe gets a DEX or STR save (their choice). You know, though, if you use this on a mage or lich, they are probably going to flub it. When they do, they have to drop a weapon, shield, or object they are holding.

While it doesn’t specifically say this, I think it’s safe to say that you choose which item to disarm if it has both hands busy. It wouldn’t make sense disarm a knight to keep it from using its sword, and have her drop her shield instead.

Anyway, the disarmed item falls into an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target, or at its feet if there are no open spots within that range. You don’t get to choose the square, but take your move and an interaction to pick up an object, and that disarmed thing is yours!

Why limit the Disarm weapon option to martial weapons? Well, it reflects your character’s training. It doesn’t take much study to swing a mace or hit someone with a club, while a sword can take years to master.

When a Gnoll’s on the Prowl—You Must Hamstring It!

The Hamstring option is available on axes, swords, scimitars, and sickles. When you hit, the target’s speed is reduced by 10 feet for 1 minute. That’s an ongoing effect you don’t have to maintain! Another creature can tend the target with magical healing or a WIS (Medicine) check against your weapon option DC to remove the effect. But that’s an action that enemy could be using for something else. I’m picturing a swift fighter hamstringing a whole bunch of foes while the rest of the party stays at a distance, plunking them with ranged attacks.

When the Thief Sneaks a Prize—You Must Pinning Shot It!

The Pinning Shot option is available only with piercing damage weapons such as daggers, javelins, longbows, and martial crossbows. When you hit the target, it must succeed on a STR or DEX save (your choice) or its speed becomes 0 until the end of its next turn. You stuck the target to the wall. While the target or another creature, can uses its action to free the pinned foe with a STR (Athletics) or DEX (Acrobatics) check, you’ll still have enough time get up close to deal some smack-down. Or to get away!

Personal Note: Future Weapon Option Thoughts

As Tales of the Valiant moves forward, I am confident we’ll see more weapon options. But I’m sure whatever weapon options arrive, they will be as cool as heck!

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