Inferior Materials: Stone/Wood/Bone Weapons - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Inferior Materials: Stone/Wood/Bone Weapons

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Pennarin
Nov 06, 2008 22:00:47 I come from a Dark Sun tradition (for the newbies, that's a AD&D 2nd Edition setting from TSR), thus I've had to deal with weapons made of stone/wood/bone - inferior materials - compared to weapons of metal.

In 2e/3e this translated either to penalties for inferior materials, or bonuses if you had metal weapons.

How would you do this for 4e, considering you accept that inferior materials need a rule of some sort for certain settings?
#2
anubis_reynard
Nov 07, 2008 0:08:36 +1 proficency bonus for Metal, or -1 Proficency for inferior materials.
#3
outlaw68
Nov 07, 2008 8:40:30 I have just dropped the rules form the original Dark Sun CS straight into my 4th ed campaign and it seems to work very nicely...
#4
thegreatgalstaff
Nov 07, 2008 10:20:33 I don't remember where I saw it in the PH but I think the rule said for weapons that are in disrepair or made from weaker materials, you should take a -2 to attack rolls.

the DMG supports that, if a person has a disadvantage go with the -2 penalty.
#5
Pennarin
Nov 07, 2008 15:12:59 PH's Equipment chapter is devoid of any such remark on inferior materials, so is the Adventurer's Vault.
#6
rambaldi
Nov 07, 2008 20:17:24 Have you thought of reflavoring the magical enchantments? It wouldn't work with everything but maybe that reckless weapon is now a metal weapon, the next version up is a very finely crafted metal weapon?
#7
koesherbacon
Nov 14, 2008 21:43:00 I'd say this is more of a flavor kind of idea in 4th Edition.

If you look at just the pictures of various regular and magic items throughout all the books and Dragon/Dungeon articles, you'll see that there are weapons that appear to be made out of different materials. They all do the same things, but I suppose different races prefer different "feels" of their weapons.

I can't remember where I saw it, but I remember a distinct picture of a Dragonborn wielding a primitive-looking axe or spear made out of bone or stone.
#8
star_gazer_02
Nov 16, 2008 0:22:52
I come from a Dark Sun tradition (for the newbies, that's a AD&D 2nd Edition setting from TSR), thus I've had to deal with weapons made of stone/wood/bone - inferior materials - compared to weapons of metal.

In 2e/3e this translated either to penalties for inferior materials, or bonuses if you had metal weapons.

How would you do this for 4e, considering you accept that inferior materials need a rule of some sort for certain settings?

Balance balance balance balance. Giving level 1 characters (and really, it's only going to be level 1 or 2 characters that have this issue) what amounts to a permanent -2 is not a good idea.

Weapons in Dark Sun are not 'inferior' against armors in Dark Sun, both are made with the same grade materials, and both are equally effective against each other. Now, whether or not Dark Sun standard grade weapons are effective against armors from FR or Greyhawk or whatnot is an open question, but I'm inclined to go with this:

"Weapons from DS are just as effective as any other weapons because Athas' brutal environment has created fighters more highly skilled than other environments."

Rambaldi's remark above is the correct interpretation. If you re-read your DS3.5 book, you'll notice that all armors available in the standard PHB have been re-flavored to DS versions, up to and including Full Plate.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Pennarin Nov 06, 2008 22:00:47	I come from a Dark Sun tradition (for the newbies, that's a AD&D 2nd Edition setting from TSR), thus I've had to deal with weapons made of stone/wood/bone - inferior materials - compared to weapons of metal. In 2e/3e this translated either to penalties for inferior materials, or bonuses if you had metal weapons. How would you do this for 4e, considering you accept that inferior materials need a rule of some sort for certain settings?
#2 anubis_reynard Nov 07, 2008 0:08:36	+1 proficency bonus for Metal, or -1 Proficency for inferior materials.
#3 outlaw68 Nov 07, 2008 8:40:30	I have just dropped the rules form the original Dark Sun CS straight into my 4th ed campaign and it seems to work very nicely...
#4 thegreatgalstaff Nov 07, 2008 10:20:33	I don't remember where I saw it in the PH but I think the rule said for weapons that are in disrepair or made from weaker materials, you should take a -2 to attack rolls. the DMG supports that, if a person has a disadvantage go with the -2 penalty.
#5 Pennarin Nov 07, 2008 15:12:59	PH's Equipment chapter is devoid of any such remark on inferior materials, so is the Adventurer's Vault.
#6 rambaldi Nov 07, 2008 20:17:24	Have you thought of reflavoring the magical enchantments? It wouldn't work with everything but maybe that reckless weapon is now a metal weapon, the next version up is a very finely crafted metal weapon?
#7 koesherbacon Nov 14, 2008 21:43:00	I'd say this is more of a flavor kind of idea in 4th Edition. If you look at just the pictures of various regular and magic items throughout all the books and Dragon/Dungeon articles, you'll see that there are weapons that appear to be made out of different materials. They all do the same things, but I suppose different races prefer different "feels" of their weapons. I can't remember where I saw it, but I remember a distinct picture of a Dragonborn wielding a primitive-looking axe or spear made out of bone or stone.
#8 star_gazer_02 Nov 16, 2008 0:22:52	I come from a Dark Sun tradition (for the newbies, that's a AD&D 2nd Edition setting from TSR), thus I've had to deal with weapons made of stone/wood/bone - inferior materials - compared to weapons of metal. In 2e/3e this translated either to penalties for inferior materials, or bonuses if you had metal weapons. How would you do this for 4e, considering you accept that inferior materials need a rule of some sort for certain settings? Balance balance balance balance. Giving level 1 characters (and really, it's only going to be level 1 or 2 characters that have this issue) what amounts to a permanent -2 is not a good idea. Weapons in Dark Sun are not 'inferior' against armors in Dark Sun, both are made with the same grade materials, and both are equally effective against each other. Now, whether or not Dark Sun standard grade weapons are effective against armors from FR or Greyhawk or whatnot is an open question, but I'm inclined to go with this: "Weapons from DS are just as effective as any other weapons because Athas' brutal environment has created fighters more highly skilled than other environments." Rambaldi's remark above is the correct interpretation. If you re-read your DS3.5 book, you'll notice that all armors available in the standard PHB have been re-flavored to DS versions, up to and including Full Plate.