weapon speed help - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

weapon speed help

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Apr 12, 2006 16:21:10 ok, i'm running a game of ad&d 1st ed., but i can't figure out how weapon speed works. i can't find it in the books, and would like to know how it actually works. maybe i'm just blind. it's been a while since i've used these books, let alone dm'ed.
#2
extempus
Apr 12, 2006 17:35:22 Wish I could help, but I never bothered to really understand how it worked. It was an added complication to what is already a complex game, so I've never used it. Sure you really need to use it???
#3
zombiegleemax
Apr 12, 2006 17:40:11 i don't really need it, i just want to know how it works. if it's too complicated for the newbies i'm bringing in, i won't use it.
#4
andrasotto_dup
Apr 12, 2006 19:31:39 Page 66-67 in your DMG- "Strike Blows"

Speed factor determines if an attacker with a lower speed weapon will strike first in the case of tied intiative, or multiple times before a person with a higher speed factor weapon, and if a weapon will strike before a spell is cast.
#5
zombiegleemax
Apr 13, 2006 1:03:15 I'm sure AndrasOtto pointed you in the right direction. Maybe to simplify it, or have it explained a different way, think of it as how long it would take someone to effectively attack with a particular weapon. Wouldn't it be quicker to swing a short sword than a two-handed sword?

The way my group used it was the player rolled initiative, (d10) modified by Dex, then modified by weapon speed or casting time. So...(we used low init. goes first)
Bob rolls a 5, he has a Dex modifier in his favor of 3, and he is using a longsword.
He goes on 5-3=2, 2+5(s.f. for a longsword)=7
Bob is fighting Joe, a fighter with a 2hander. Joe rolls a 2 and has a Dex modifier of 4 in his favor, but still attacks after Bob because 2-4=-2, -2+10(s.f. of a 2hander)=8

This might be slightly homebrew, but I hope it gives a little bit more explanation.
#6
zombiegleemax
Apr 13, 2006 15:36:43 I'm pretty sure the Dex modifier + weapon speed modifier to initiative is one of the optional rules presented concerning weapon speed. I find that weapon speed tends to slow combat, when I tend to aim for a fast-and-furious combat to keep everyone excited. Personally, I use weapon speed only for cases of tied initiative.
#7
zombiegleemax
Apr 14, 2006 9:38:49 thanks for the help. it really does look like it would slow combat, so i think i'll only use them as an init. tie breaker (thanks gorebag- my group gets ties a heck of a lot, and re-rolling takes up a load of time. our dice seem to enjoy ties..) thanks, folks.
#8
thacod20
Apr 14, 2006 12:40:19 here is a way easyer way if using the speed factor, simply roll a d20 then add the weapons speed factor to the roll. example a shortsword has a spfct.3 and you roll a 12 on a d20.you just add 3+12=15, if any other player or ncp has lower than a 15 they would go before you.
#9
zombiegleemax
Apr 23, 2006 1:25:23
thanks for the help. it really does look like it would slow combat, so i think i'll only use them as an init. tie breaker (thanks gorebag- my group gets ties a heck of a lot, and re-rolling takes up a load of time. our dice seem to enjoy ties..) thanks, folks.

This post might be slow in coming but: I don't change ties in initiative. The actions taken simply happen at the same time...for the characters. For the players who have the same initiative I start to my left and work through the players to the right, ending with any monsters who may also have that init. (no idea why I did it this way, but it has worked many a year)

The KarmaSlave
#10
realmaster
Apr 27, 2006 1:15:30 In my game with weapon speed factor and 6 characters we are using a D12 for initiative so there wont be too much congestion at the start of encounters.
#11
humantorch
Apr 28, 2006 21:11:13 Weapon speed is used for resolving ties especially Vs. spellcasters.

The 2e writers didn't comprehend so they blanketed it across initative.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Apr 12, 2006 16:21:10	ok, i'm running a game of ad&d 1st ed., but i can't figure out how weapon speed works. i can't find it in the books, and would like to know how it actually works. maybe i'm just blind. it's been a while since i've used these books, let alone dm'ed.
#2 extempus Apr 12, 2006 17:35:22	Wish I could help, but I never bothered to really understand how it worked. It was an added complication to what is already a complex game, so I've never used it. Sure you really need to use it???
#3 zombiegleemax Apr 12, 2006 17:40:11	i don't really need it, i just want to know how it works. if it's too complicated for the newbies i'm bringing in, i won't use it.
#4 andrasotto_dup Apr 12, 2006 19:31:39	Page 66-67 in your DMG- "Strike Blows" Speed factor determines if an attacker with a lower speed weapon will strike first in the case of tied intiative, or multiple times before a person with a higher speed factor weapon, and if a weapon will strike before a spell is cast.
#5 zombiegleemax Apr 13, 2006 1:03:15	I'm sure AndrasOtto pointed you in the right direction. Maybe to simplify it, or have it explained a different way, think of it as how long it would take someone to effectively attack with a particular weapon. Wouldn't it be quicker to swing a short sword than a two-handed sword? The way my group used it was the player rolled initiative, (d10) modified by Dex, then modified by weapon speed or casting time. So...(we used low init. goes first) Bob rolls a 5, he has a Dex modifier in his favor of 3, and he is using a longsword. He goes on 5-3=2, 2+5(s.f. for a longsword)=7 Bob is fighting Joe, a fighter with a 2hander. Joe rolls a 2 and has a Dex modifier of 4 in his favor, but still attacks after Bob because 2-4=-2, -2+10(s.f. of a 2hander)=8 This might be slightly homebrew, but I hope it gives a little bit more explanation.
#6 zombiegleemax Apr 13, 2006 15:36:43	I'm pretty sure the Dex modifier + weapon speed modifier to initiative is one of the optional rules presented concerning weapon speed. I find that weapon speed tends to slow combat, when I tend to aim for a fast-and-furious combat to keep everyone excited. Personally, I use weapon speed only for cases of tied initiative.
#7 zombiegleemax Apr 14, 2006 9:38:49	thanks for the help. it really does look like it would slow combat, so i think i'll only use them as an init. tie breaker (thanks gorebag- my group gets ties a heck of a lot, and re-rolling takes up a load of time. our dice seem to enjoy ties..) thanks, folks.
#8 thacod20 Apr 14, 2006 12:40:19	here is a way easyer way if using the speed factor, simply roll a d20 then add the weapons speed factor to the roll. example a shortsword has a spfct.3 and you roll a 12 on a d20.you just add 3+12=15, if any other player or ncp has lower than a 15 they would go before you.
#9 zombiegleemax Apr 23, 2006 1:25:23	thanks for the help. it really does look like it would slow combat, so i think i'll only use them as an init. tie breaker (thanks gorebag- my group gets ties a heck of a lot, and re-rolling takes up a load of time. our dice seem to enjoy ties..) thanks, folks. This post might be slow in coming but: I don't change ties in initiative. The actions taken simply happen at the same time...for the characters. For the players who have the same initiative I start to my left and work through the players to the right, ending with any monsters who may also have that init. (no idea why I did it this way, but it has worked many a year) The KarmaSlave
#10 realmaster Apr 27, 2006 1:15:30	In my game with weapon speed factor and 6 characters we are using a D12 for initiative so there wont be too much congestion at the start of encounters.
#11 humantorch Apr 28, 2006 21:11:13	Weapon speed is used for resolving ties especially Vs. spellcasters. The 2e writers didn't comprehend so they blanketed it across initative.