What is Yklwa?
In the actual world, the Yklwa (or Iklwa) was a type of spear. It originated in some parts of Africa. But in Dungeons and Dragons, Yklwa is an easy melee. Yklwa is a weapon that’s traditional of Chultan warriors. It consists of a 3-foot wooden shaft using a
steel or rock blade up to 18 inches. Although it gets the thrown weapon property, the yklwa isn’t well balanced for throwing (scope 10/30 ft.). It is a short-handled, long-bladed thrusting spear. Shaka Zulu initially invented/promoted it.
Yklwa and other special weapons in dnd 5e spells
Your spell-class grants proficiency in certain weapons, reflecting both the course’s focus and the tools you’re likely to utilize. Do you favor a Longsword or a Longbow? Your weapon, with your ability to wield it effectively, can make the difference between life and death while adventuring.
The Weapon list indicates that these Weapons are popular in the Dungeons and Dragons gaming world. It also includes their price and weight, their damage when they hit, and some particular properties they have. Every weapon categorizes themselves as either melee or ranged in Dungeons and Dragons (dnd) 5e spells. You may use a melee weapon to attack a target within 5 feet of you. In contrast, a ranged weapon is used to attack a target at a distance. The two categories are simple and martial. Most people can use Simple Weapons with competence. Yklwa is a simple melee weapon.
Other Melee weapons
You will find these weapons like clubs, maces, and other Weapons frequently at the hands of commoners. Martial Weapons, such as Swords, axes, and polearms, need more technical Training to utilize wisely. Most of the warriors use Martial Weapons to put their Fighting Training and Style to best use.
Proficiency with a weapon lets you add your Proficiency Bonus into the Attack roll for any attack you make with this particular weapon, like yklwa. Should you produce an Attack roll using a weapon you lack proficiency in, you don’t put in your Proficiency Bonus to the Attack roster.
Weapon dnd 5e list
| Cost | Type | Weapon | Edition | Damage | Weight | Properties |
| 10 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Battleaxe | 5e | 1d8 slashing | 4 lb. | Versatile (1d10) |
| 10 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Flail | 5e | 1d8 bludgeoning | 2 lb. | — |
| 10 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Lance | 5e | 1d12 piercing | 6 lb. | Reach, special |
| 10 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Maul | 5e | 2d6 bludgeoning | 10 lb. | Heavy, two-handed |
| 10 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Shortsword | 5e | 1d6 piercing | 2 lb. | Finesse, light |
| 15 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Longsword | 5e | 1d8 slashing | 3 lb. | Versatile (1d10) |
| 15 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Morningstar | 5e | 1d8 piercing | 4 lb. | — |
| 15 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Warhammer | 5e | 1d8 bludgeoning | 2 lb. | Versatile (1d10) |
| 2 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Whip | 5e | 1d4 slashing | 3 lb. | Finesse, reach |
| 20 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Glaive | 5e | 1d10 slashing | 6 lb. | Heavy, reach, two-handed |
| 20 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Halberd | 5e | 1d10 slashing | 6 lb. | Heavy, reach, two-handed |
| 25 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Rapier | 5e | 1d8 piercing | 2 lb. | Finesse |
| 25 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Scimitar | 5e | 1d6 slashing | 3 lb. | Finesse, light |
| 30 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Greataxe | 5e | 1d12 slashing | 7 lb. | Heavy, two-handed |
| 5 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Pike | 5e | 1d10 piercing | 18 lb. | Heavy, reach, two-handed |
| 5 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Trident | 5e | 1d6 piercing | 4 lb. | Thrown (range 20/60), versatile (1d8) |
| 5 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | War Pick | 5e | 1d8 piercing | 2 lb. | — |
| 50 gp | Martial Melee Weapon | Greatsword | 5e | 2d6 slashing | 6 lb. | Heavy, two-handed |
| 1 gp | Martial Ranged Weapon | Net | 5e | — | 3 lb. | Special, thrown (range 5/15) |
| 10 gp | Martial Ranged Weapon | Blowgun | 5e | 1 piercing | 1 lb. | Ammunition (range 25/100), loading |
| 50 gp | Martial Ranged Weapon | Crossbow, heavy | 5e | 1d10 piercing | 18 lb. | Ammunition (range 100/400), heavy, loading, two-handed |
| 50 gp | Martial Ranged Weapon | Longbow | 5e | 1d8 piercing | 2 lb. | Ammunition (range 150/600), heavy, two-handed |
| 75 gp | Martial Ranged Weapon | Crossbow, hand | 5e | 1d6 piercing | 3 lb. | Ammunition (range 30/120), light, loading |
| 1 gp | Simple Melee Weapon | Sickle | 5e | 1d4 slashing | 2 lb. | Light |
| 1 gp | Simple Melee Weapon | Spear | 5e | 1d6 piercing | 3 lb. | Thrown (range 20/60), versatile (1d8) |
| 1 sp | Simple Melee Weapon | Club | 5e | 1d4 bludgeoning | 2 lb. | Light |
| 2 gp | Simple Melee Weapon | Dagger | 5e | 1d4 piercing | 1 lb. | Finesse, light, thrown (range 20/60) |
| 2 gp | Simple Melee Weapon | Light Hammer | 5e | 1d4 bludgeoning | 2 lb. | Light, thrown (range 20/60) |
| 2 sp | Simple Melee Weapon | Greatclub | 5e | 1d8 bludgeoning | 10 lb. | Two-handed |
| 2 sp | Simple Melee Weapon | Quarterstaff | 5e | 1d6 bludgeoning | 4 lb. | Versatile (1d8) |
| 5 gp | Simple Melee Weapon | Handaxe | 5e | 1d6 slashing | 2 lb. | Light, thrown (range 20/60) |
| 5 gp | Simple Melee Weapon | Mace | 5e | 1d6 bludgeoning | 4 lb. | — |
| 5 sp | Simple Melee Weapon | Javelin | 5e | 1d6 piercing | 2 lb. | Thrown (range 30/120) |
| 1 gp | Simple Melee Weapon | Yklwa | 5e | 1d8 piercing | 2 lb | Thrown (range 10/30) |
| 1 sp | Simple Ranged Weapon | Sling | 5e | 1d4 bludgeoning | — | Ammunition (range 30/120) |
| 25 gp | Simple Ranged Weapon | Crossbow, light | 5e | 1d8 piercing | 5 lb. | Ammunition (range 80/320), loading, two-handed |
| 25 gp | Simple Ranged Weapon | Shortbow | 5e | 1d6 piercing | 2 lb. | Ammunition (range 80/320), two-handed |
| 5 cp | Simple Ranged Weapon | Dart | 5e | 1d4 piercing | 1/4 lb. | Finesse, thrown (range 20/60) |
How to use Yklwa in DND 5e spells?
The regional Spear for Chult (yklwa, at the Tomb of annihilation published adventure) is 1d8 1-handed. It has a unique throwing property. However, it has a shorter thrown range than the spear from the table of weapons.
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A Homebrew should fit the patterns that the rest do to balance with other weapons. Thus, let’s look at the routines. This spear is to the pike as the battleaxe is to the great axe. In that, both lose the heavy property and gain versatility. The versatile damage of the battleaxe is just 1 step down in the greataxe (1d12 -> 1d10), and its one-handed damage is two steps down in the greataxe (1d12 -> 1d8). Your suggested spear has the specific same progression (1d10 -> 1d8 -> 1d6). From this, we can conclude that this new spear is balanced without the thrown property.
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We could also say the new spear is to the battleaxe since the pike is to the greataxe. We see that adding reach drops the harm die by one step. And this fresh spear is 1 step down in the battleaxe, and thus balances well.
But if we look at the suggested thrown property of yklwa, we find that it adds very little to the equation. The regular thrown array is the same as the reach array. There are very few situations where a character would want to throw it with no drawback. So in which case, it is not much better than throwing anything like an improvised weapon. Thus, I think giving it that the thrown property is superfluous if anything else, and hardly unbalancing. If you believe it’s thematic, useful. If not, leave it off.
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