Bunch've weapons q's [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bunch've weapons q's [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
draconic_swine
12-18-05, 12:44 PM Hi all. My group is starting a new campaign, soon, and I have a bunch of questions relating to weapons that we want to include. Normally, if a weapon's not in the PHB, we just assign it the stats of an analogous weapon (e.g. if somebody wants a spetum, they use the stats of a ranseur and call it a spetum), but these seem like special cases, and we want to know if they're balanced.

1) We want to include slightly modified firearms from the DMG, so they are simple weapons that are a perfectly viable alternative to the crossbow. As such, we've increased the musket's reload time to one round, to put it on par with the heavy crossbow. But the range increments seem too large to us, and the damage they deal obviously makes them better than the crossbow. Should we decrease the damage of the pistol and the musket to d8 & d10 to but them on a par with the crossbow, or decrease the range increments? If so, what range would be suitable?

2) What would the benefits of an atlatl be? We figure it is used to throw javelins, darts, short spears, and spears, but should it double their range increments? Add a bonus to attack or damage?

3) We want to include more types of dagger than is currently represented, particularly solely thrusting daggers, like the poignard or the stiletto. Does 1d4 18-20/x2, piercing, no range increment sound good? What about a dirk, which AFAIK is a heavier dagger that can't be thrown? 1d4 x3, no range increment?

4) How can we stat the katana so it is different from the bastard sword? We want to katanas, not as some uber killing machine that magically kills anything with a single hit, but just another weapon. Would making them 1d8 18-20/x2, non-masterwork, exotic one-handed weapon (that can be used martially two-handed) be okay? What about the wakizashi? Doesn't making them a 1d4 18-20/x2, light martial non-masterwork weapon? Does this nerf them by giving them the equivalent stats of the daggers?

5) One of the players says there is a Japanese weapon like the katana or naginata whose handle has a length midway between that of the katana and naginata. What is it caled? What stats would be good for this?

Thanks in advance for actually reading through all of that and giving answers to fairly demanding questions.
Sluagh
12-18-05, 01:03 PM I'll give a go at this:
1) I'll get back to you later :P

2) I figure a range increment increase of say 10' wouldn't be unreasonable. That increases the max range a fair bit. The bonus to attack or damage doesn't seem quite fitting.

3) Your dagger ideas seem good to me. Only thing I hold some reservation on is increasing the threat range for the stilleto. It would work as 1d4 19-20x2 in my mind.

4) Your katana stats are what katanas should be statted as. The Wakizashi is fine with shortsword stats as is, you could take away the masterwork thing as well. The 1d4 damage would be fitting to a tanto.
I personally am fine with the idea of katana/wakizashi/tanto being masterwork weapons; to me that reflects the effort that goes into making a traditional folded blade. However, if you get rid of the folding requirement and make them out of the same grade steel/iron as other swords in your campaign (instead of the sub-par iron/steel they were traditionally made from), removing the masterwork requirement would be cool.

5) Probably referring to Nagamaki. I'd give it the same stats as a katana (the re-worked katana above) and make it an exotic two handed weapon, simply due to the unusual wielding method. Perhaps make it martial, as the movements aren't entirely foriegn, being a basic mix of sword, short staff and naginata forms.
Waterhammer
12-18-05, 02:18 PM My source has a sword called a Han-Dachi that might be like what you describe. It could be classed as a longsword, or a scimitar, your preference.

Had to look up Naginata; the sword I mentioned is not what you are looking for. BTW the Naginata is not in D&D you might want to add it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
draconic_swine 12-18-05, 12:44 PM	Hi all. My group is starting a new campaign, soon, and I have a bunch of questions relating to weapons that we want to include. Normally, if a weapon's not in the PHB, we just assign it the stats of an analogous weapon (e.g. if somebody wants a spetum, they use the stats of a ranseur and call it a spetum), but these seem like special cases, and we want to know if they're balanced. 1) We want to include slightly modified firearms from the DMG, so they are simple weapons that are a perfectly viable alternative to the crossbow. As such, we've increased the musket's reload time to one round, to put it on par with the heavy crossbow. But the range increments seem too large to us, and the damage they deal obviously makes them better than the crossbow. Should we decrease the damage of the pistol and the musket to d8 & d10 to but them on a par with the crossbow, or decrease the range increments? If so, what range would be suitable? 2) What would the benefits of an atlatl be? We figure it is used to throw javelins, darts, short spears, and spears, but should it double their range increments? Add a bonus to attack or damage? 3) We want to include more types of dagger than is currently represented, particularly solely thrusting daggers, like the poignard or the stiletto. Does 1d4 18-20/x2, piercing, no range increment sound good? What about a dirk, which AFAIK is a heavier dagger that can't be thrown? 1d4 x3, no range increment? 4) How can we stat the katana so it is different from the bastard sword? We want to katanas, not as some uber killing machine that magically kills anything with a single hit, but just another weapon. Would making them 1d8 18-20/x2, non-masterwork, exotic one-handed weapon (that can be used martially two-handed) be okay? What about the wakizashi? Doesn't making them a 1d4 18-20/x2, light martial non-masterwork weapon? Does this nerf them by giving them the equivalent stats of the daggers? 5) One of the players says there is a Japanese weapon like the katana or naginata whose handle has a length midway between that of the katana and naginata. What is it caled? What stats would be good for this? Thanks in advance for actually reading through all of that and giving answers to fairly demanding questions.
Sluagh 12-18-05, 01:03 PM	I'll give a go at this: 1) I'll get back to you later :P 2) I figure a range increment increase of say 10' wouldn't be unreasonable. That increases the max range a fair bit. The bonus to attack or damage doesn't seem quite fitting. 3) Your dagger ideas seem good to me. Only thing I hold some reservation on is increasing the threat range for the stilleto. It would work as 1d4 19-20x2 in my mind. 4) Your katana stats are what katanas should be statted as. The Wakizashi is fine with shortsword stats as is, you could take away the masterwork thing as well. The 1d4 damage would be fitting to a tanto. I personally am fine with the idea of katana/wakizashi/tanto being masterwork weapons; to me that reflects the effort that goes into making a traditional folded blade. However, if you get rid of the folding requirement and make them out of the same grade steel/iron as other swords in your campaign (instead of the sub-par iron/steel they were traditionally made from), removing the masterwork requirement would be cool. 5) Probably referring to Nagamaki. I'd give it the same stats as a katana (the re-worked katana above) and make it an exotic two handed weapon, simply due to the unusual wielding method. Perhaps make it martial, as the movements aren't entirely foriegn, being a basic mix of sword, short staff and naginata forms.
Waterhammer 12-18-05, 02:18 PM	My source has a sword called a Han-Dachi that might be like what you describe. It could be classed as a longsword, or a scimitar, your preference. Had to look up Naginata; the sword I mentioned is not what you are looking for. BTW the Naginata is not in D&D you might want to add it.