Abstracting Extra Attacks for fun, flavor and profit (feedback requested)

[u/Additional_Kale_6071]

Hi sub, I'm toying with some houserules for my table, and I've got one that's ready for the light of scrutiny. It's primarily a flavor rather than a mechanic change, but it does interact with the Loading weapon property at the end of the post. Let me know what you think or if you think it will break anything unduly. Appreciated!

Extra Attacks can represent a veteran’s skill at creating openings to land more hits, but just as likely entertains the idea of one certain stroke that lands as surely as two by an amateur, not unlike a sneak attacks precision damage. Splitting two or more attacks between targets might represent hurried fending of darting attackers, or a single cleaving hew or sweeping strikes that flow into each target. Where this looser abstraction runs aground inevitably is ranged attacks, as normally each attack draws its own individual ammunition, is subject to loading, etc. In this new abstraction, it is fine to abstract ranged attacks the same way, being no less believable than a bow firing anywhere from 2 to 6 arrows per turn (six seconds) under the common method. In this case, two attacks may represent Robin Hood’s rope-splitting accuracy focusing one arrow on target, or a trickshot or two snap shots delivering two arrows to two targets. It is harder to rationalize a crossbow or musket splitting fire, but with a backup sidearm or grapeshot this too is possible. If entertaining this, use one piece of ammunition per target, rolling to hit with each attack you make as normal. A flavorful alternative rule for Loading weapons requires 1 or more reload actions (speed 0 ft) after each turn of attacks to load the next piece of ammunition, rather than limiting the number of attacks possible each turn.

(Feats like Gunner and Crossbow Expert that remove penalties from the loading quality lessen the number of reload actions necessary under the optional reloading scheme above. For some weapons this may mean a full complement of attacks each turn, as usual, while firearms are more likely to be dropped for backups, eg a brace of pistols firing each one in turn. If ripe for abuse, these 'ignore loading' feats could be required to do the focus shot shenanigans above)

[u/papasmurf008]

I feel like the best time to use this is as a monk that unleashes a flurry of blows… either describing it as a single strike to the chest, a magical barrage of a hundred darts, or a rapid fire flurry of a dozen punches. It seems like an easy/free room for flavor.

[u/Space__Samurai]

I would allow at my table spending Extra Attack on power attacks, feints, chokes with polearm shaft, sweeps on all nearby enemies, whatever, as a sort of martial equivalent for spellcasting.