Edit: A lot of people say, that GWM needs a melee weapon attack, but they miss Jesses point: While GWM requires a melee attack with a heavy weapon, Sharpshooters only criteria is an attack with a ranged weapon (not a ranged weapon attack). Jesse bases his claim on the fact, that a crossbow is still a ranged weapon, even if used as an improvised weapon for melee combat. That’s why it deals 1d4(!)+20 damage. (It works with any ranged, heavy weapon btw., so Longbow qualifies too.) Of course Jesse is playing the devils advocate here and of course, no somewhat sane Walter will allow this in any campaign ever, as it’s obviously not the intention behind these feats. But you could read it that way and that’s Jesses (paperthin) point. Besides: he finds the image of a barbarian running around recklessly smashing a crossbow over everyone’s head to just be hilarious.

      • bionicjoey@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        8
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        Literally every time someone posts with this Walter and Jesse meme format, it is the dumbest shit I’ve ever seen. It makes me lose brain cells instantly and desperately wish I had unsubbed from this community months ago

    • jounniy@ttrpg.networkOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      10
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      It is a melee attack. Jesse hits people with the crossbow in melee. Jesse does read the rules. Thank you.

        • jounniy@ttrpg.networkOP
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          Is smacking someone over the head with a Glock not an attack with a gun?

          Is a bow no longer a ragend weapon just because I don’t use it as one?

          • LopensLeftArm@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            1 year ago

            Yes, it is an attack with a gun. That gun just isn’t a ranged weapon for the purposes of that attack.

            Yes, using a bow as a melee weapon, in 5e, absolutely ceases to become a ranged weapon while you do so.

      • macniel@feddit.de
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        10
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        even on that wiki it states that you need to make a ranged weapon attack. THREE TIMES, infact the same amount GWM states that it needs a melee weapon attack.

        • Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          1 year ago

          I’m one to rule with intent, and would rule against using it, but at the same time, it does say

          " Before you make an attack with a ranged weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If that attack hits, you add +10 to the attack’s damage."

          • macniel@feddit.de
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            3
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            edit-2
            1 year ago

            Mhm yeah, but if you attack with a ranged weapon in melee, its no longer an attack with a ranged weapon as you use it as an improvised weapon instead.

              • IggythePyro@ttrpg.network
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                5
                ·
                1 year ago

                I won’t- per Jeremy Crawford, a thrown melee weapon isn’t an attack with a ranged weapon, so by the same logic a melee attack with a ranged weapon wouldn’t become a melee weapon attack.