5e Torches

[Shula]

Ok, torches have their own mechanic: If you make a melee attack with a burning torch and hit, it deals 1 fire damage.

It doesn't follow the rules of improvised weapons, otherwise it would be a club doing 1d4 damage plus 1 fire.

However, though I am clear on that point, I can't find any guidance as to whether its finesse or not. The conservative thing is to say since it's not finesse since it doesn't say so. However, it doesn't say (as the rules of weapons does) that you add the modifier of the stat you use to attack. In sage advice it states that you do.

The reason I'm asking is that I'm GMing a Middle-Earth game... in the LOTR movie you see Aragorn fighting with a broadsword and with a torch in his of-hand. So I'm inclined to houserule it that it's finesse. But there's always the rule of unintended consequences.

Does anyone have a reason why I shouldn't do it?

[Starflier]

Either way it wouldn't have Finesse, in my opinion. A d4 damage die is the only special property that improvised weapons get, beside the ability to be thrown. I can't think of any conceivable reason for a club to suddenly gain Finesse, as clubs are the shining example of non-finesse weapons.

Also, Light is the weapon property that governs two-weapon use, not Finesse, and two-weapon fighting has a host of other issues to consider. Clubs already have the Light property, if you're going to treat it as a club.

As to why not: a Light, Finesse, weapon dealing 1d4+1 would basically make every other weapon dealing d6 or less obsolete. Suddenly your rogue is dual-wielding torches for sneak attacks. It's up to you as the DM, but if you build it, they will break it.

[jj_wolven]

Special cases always usurp general rules, so it they changed the torch to 1dmg instead of d4 then RAW it stands.

-me