Creating a new weapon [Archive] - Wizards Community

Creating a new weapon [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kavok
06-22-07, 06:04 PM One of my players wants a "Fuma Shuriken":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuuma_shuriken
http://muse.19inch.net/~dave/ras/shapes/Naruto-Shuriken.png

I said okay:
Damage: 1d8
Range Increment: 10ft
Damage Type: Slashing (Or bludg?)
Critical: 20/x2
Exotic Weapon

He wants:
Damage: 1d6
Range Increment: 20ft
Damage Type: Slashing
Critical: 19-20/x2
Exotic Weapon

Our arguments:
Range Increment: I say that this weapon is exotic, unwieldy, and heavy. It would be pretty difficult to throw - so 10ft.
Critical: My argument against 19-20 is that it would be extremely difficult to hit a critical body part -on purpose- with this weapon.

So I leave it up to you decide.
badjad
06-22-07, 06:11 PM The one arguing btw. Here is a more different picture.

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/7421/esbozoshuriken1uw.png
RavenDrake
06-22-07, 07:50 PM As far as I'm concearned, first you need mechanical balance. If that's in place, then it doesn't matter how you describe the weapon... its fluff is extraneous to its function.

Your weapon(1d8, 10ft, x2) is barely as good as the existing MARTIAL thrown weapons(for example the trident). There is NO WAY that it should be exotic, especially if this is supposed to be a ranged only weapon, not a melee weapon with a thrown range.

Starting with the Trident as the base weapon, let's engineer that as the new shuriken.

It's 1d8, x2, 10ft, 4lbs, piercing as a one-handed martial weapon. Changing the damage to slashing shouldn't impact it signifigantly. Dropping the die type by one size(do d6) allows you to increase the critical by one step(to 19-20/x2). Since it's moving up a step to an exotic weapon, you can increase it's range increment to 20ft.

So, his version is pretty well balanced as an exotic weapon. If you feel it needs something to bring it down, give it the javalin's "limited melee" penalty(ie, using it in melee, rather than ranged, combat imposes a -4 penalty to attack rolls because it's not balanced for that sort of combat).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kavok 06-22-07, 06:04 PM	One of my players wants a "Fuma Shuriken": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuuma_shuriken http://muse.19inch.net/~dave/ras/shapes/Naruto-Shuriken.png I said okay: Damage: 1d8 Range Increment: 10ft Damage Type: Slashing (Or bludg?) Critical: 20/x2 Exotic Weapon He wants: Damage: 1d6 Range Increment: 20ft Damage Type: Slashing Critical: 19-20/x2 Exotic Weapon Our arguments: Range Increment: I say that this weapon is exotic, unwieldy, and heavy. It would be pretty difficult to throw - so 10ft. Critical: My argument against 19-20 is that it would be extremely difficult to hit a critical body part -on purpose- with this weapon. So I leave it up to you decide.
badjad 06-22-07, 06:11 PM	The one arguing btw. Here is a more different picture. http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/7421/esbozoshuriken1uw.png
RavenDrake 06-22-07, 07:50 PM	As far as I'm concearned, first you need mechanical balance. If that's in place, then it doesn't matter how you describe the weapon... its fluff is extraneous to its function. Your weapon(1d8, 10ft, x2) is barely as good as the existing MARTIAL thrown weapons(for example the trident). There is NO WAY that it should be exotic, especially if this is supposed to be a ranged only weapon, not a melee weapon with a thrown range. Starting with the Trident as the base weapon, let's engineer that as the new shuriken. It's 1d8, x2, 10ft, 4lbs, piercing as a one-handed martial weapon. Changing the damage to slashing shouldn't impact it signifigantly. Dropping the die type by one size(do d6) allows you to increase the critical by one step(to 19-20/x2). Since it's moving up a step to an exotic weapon, you can increase it's range increment to 20ft. So, his version is pretty well balanced as an exotic weapon. If you feel it needs something to bring it down, give it the javalin's "limited melee" penalty(ie, using it in melee, rather than ranged, combat imposes a -4 penalty to attack rolls because it's not balanced for that sort of combat).