Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 solik Jan 20, 2009 0:36:55	(What follows is UNDER CONSTRUCTION until this message is removed! Comments and submissions welcome!) 4E D&D assumes that each weapon entry actually includes a list of similar weapons that were not different enough in function to warrant, in the designers' opinions, a new entry. Given limitations in space in the books, I don't really disagree with their decision. However, I'm a big fan of having lots of weapon choices, where each one has something distinctive about them so that they're not exactly like any other weapon. Yeah, they may be similar, but they're not exact, and that means your melee characters can be using new weapons every time you roll up a new party (or even from combat to combat, if your DM is free with the magic items). The system I present here is a way to add tons of new weapons to D&D without having to add a bunch of complete weapon entries. The notion of "dagger" including such weapons as "stiletto" and "dirk" is sensible enough, but what say we try to expand on that a little and give those individual weapons a real identity? Enter: Specialty Weapons. Specialty Weapons Specialty Weapons are a new category of weapons. Each specialty weapon has a base weapon entry, which defines which simple or martial weapon the specialty weapon mimics. The specialty weapon functions as the base weapon for all purposes and inherits all qualities, including damage, proficiency, weapon group, and properties. A character proficient with the base weapon can use the specialty weapon as if it were the base weapon. The price of a mundane specialty weapon is twice the cost of the price of its base weapon. Magic item costs are unchanged. Each specialty weapon includes a new property from the list presented below. However, only those proficient with the specialty weapon (rather than simply being proficient with its base weapon entry) gain the benefits of this trait. Gaining proficiency with specialty weapons does not grant proficiency with the base weapon; if you are not proficient with the base weapon, you are not proficient with the specialty weapon, even if you have the proper specialty weapon proficiency. New Feat: Specialty Weapon Proficiency Benefit: Choose a weapon category - axes, bows, crossbows, flails, hammers, heavy blades, light blades, maces, picks, slings, spears, or staffs. You are proficient with all specialty weapons in this category. Special: You can select this feat more than once. Each time you do, select a new weapon category. You gain specialty weapon proficiency in this new category. New Feature: Fighter Specialist Training You gain proficiency in all specialty weapons. This feature replaces the Fighter Weapon Talent class feature. New Properties Backup A backup weapon is excellent for sneaking in surprise attacks when held in your off-hand. You gain a +1 to attack rolls made with a backup weapon against foes that you attacked with your primary weapon last round. You must not have changed weapons since that attack, and your primary weapon must not be a backup weapon. Cavalry A cavalry weapon is exceptionally effective when mounted. You gain a +1 to basic attack rolls made with a cavalry weapon while mounted. Commoner's A commoner's weapon is a simple version of a common martial weapon. Those proficient with simple weapons (and the proper category of specialty weapons) are proficient with commoner's weapons as well. Unlike most specialty weapons, commoner's weapons have the same base price as their base weapon. Dismounting A dismounting weapon is designed to unseat mounted opponents. If you hit with an attack using a dismounting weapon, the target must succeed on a saving throw or be dismounted, falling prone. Targets on airborne mounts receive a +2 bonus to this save. Finesse A finesse weapon can be wielded dextrously by anyone. Basic melee attacks with a finesse weapon use your Dexterity mod rather than your Strength mod. Guarding Wielding a guarding weapon grants a +1 bonus to AC. This is the two-handed weapon counterpart to the defensive property. Piercing A piercing weapon is especially effective at getting through weak points in enemy armor. If you make a basic attack with a piercing weapon, you can choose to target Reflex instead of AC. If you do, you take a -2 penalty on the attack roll. You must declare this decision before the attack roll is made. Power A power weapon is crafted to get a little extra punch with typical attacks. Basic attacks with a power weapon deal an additional +1 damage (+2 at Epic tier). Light Blades Baselard Base Weapon: Dagger Property: Power Cinquedea Base Weapon: Short Sword Property: Commoner's Cutlass Base Weapon: Short Sword Property: Finesse Dirk Base Weapon: Dagger Property: Backup Gladius Base Weapon: Short Sword Property: Power Poignard Base Weapon: Dagger Property: Finesse Stiletto Base Weapon: Dagger Property: Piercing Heavy Blades Estoc Base Weapon: Greatsword Property: Piercing Fauchard Base Weapon: Glaive Property: Commoner's Sabre Base Weapon: Scimitar Property: Cavalry Voulge Base Weapon: Glaive Property: Power War Scythe Base Weapon: Scythe Property: Power Axes Bardiche Base Weapon: Halberd Property: Power Bill Base Weapon: Halberd Property: Dismounting Francisca Base Weapon: Handaxe Property: Power Tomahawk Base Weapon: Handaxe Property: Finesse Hammers Bec de Corbin Base Weapon: Warhammer Property: Reach Special: Weapon loses "Versatile" property and becomes two-handed. Lucerne Hammer Base Weapon: Maul Property: Dismounting Spears Ahlspiess (Awl Pike) Base Weapon: Longspear Property: Power Falarica Base Weapon: Javelin Property: Power Guisarme Base Weapon: Longspear Property: Commoner's Partisan Base Weapon: Longspear Property: Guarding Pike Base Weapon: Longspear Property: Dismounting Sibat Base Weapon: Spear Property: Finesse
#2 VampyresThrenody Jan 20, 2009 15:30:22	The backup property seems overly complicated. It requires remembering what you attacked withlast turn. This may not seem much but it is a small bonus on top of many, many other features that have to be recalled each turn. Ongoing damage, marks, conditions, etc. Adding more to the list isn't a good idea. Try to find a way to make it a standard, basic addition. That said, I don't know how I feel about the idea of a specialty weapon. It adds to a game, but I am not sure it is balanced (as in, I feel it is under-powered, not over).
#3 solik Jan 20, 2009 22:50:40	I agree about the Backup property. I wanted to simulate that kind of use of the weapon, but I haven't really figured out a better way to implement it. Hoping for some more ideas there. Of course, the dirk is the only backup weapon that exists right now, and I'm really not sure there'll be more. Maybe I can ditch the property, replace it with something else that I could apply to other weapons in other categories more easily. I also agree that the effects may be a bit underpowered. I wanted to start low and bump up rather than the opposite, since there's a lot of room for more weapons (I simply ran out of evening the night I posted the thread). The more weapons (and effects) that are added, the more powerful the feat / class option. As-is, it's better than weapon proficiency in a couple cases straight-up, and it's one of the few ways I've seen to get a bonus on attack rolls with a feat (although most are just to basic attacks). Well, actually, considering Superior weapons, it may not be better than weapon proficiency after all -- getting glaive access and an improvement to the scythe might be somewhat nice for a simple weapon user, but how many characters can really take better advantage of that compared to just taking a superior weapon? I think the best properties are Finesse, Guarding, and Piercing. Dismounting is situational, but awesome in those situations.