Post by aribjorn on Nov 1, 2012 19:27:49 GMT -5
Expanded Weapon Rules
(Like my previous post on Expanded Armour Rules, this provides more options to PCs at a cost of increasing complexity. Note that with this expansion, some weapons will have different statistics than noted in the Core Rules.)
Archaeological finds show that the axe was the most common primary weapon of the Viking warrior. However, many fighters preferred the sword (once they could afford one). A few Viking warriors used a fighting spear, and long bows were used for hunting as well as warfare.
Dwarves, however, favour axes, hammers, and picks in melee (and crossbows for ranged combat). Many new weapons also saw use during Ragnarök; in particular, the dwarves of Asgård became adept at forging giant axes and 2-handed swords for their larger clients (even though they themselves were too small to use them). Highly miniaturized hand crossbows were also invented during this period.
Weapons are divided melee and ranged types. They are further split into three categories: light, medium, and heavy.
Racial Restrictions:
Humans can use light, medium, and heavy weapons (but must wield heavy weapons with 2 hands). Dwarves are unable to use heavy weapons and must wield medium-sized weapons with 2 hands. Elves can use light, medium, and heavy weapons; but are restricted to a maximum of 1d8 base damage (and must wield heavy weapons with 2 hands).
Class Restrictions:
A fighter is proficient in all weapons and has no restriction on base damage. A thief can inflict a maximum of 1d8 base damage with a weapon, while a runecaster is restricted to a maximum of 1d6 base damage with a weapon.
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Expanded Melee Weapons Table
Cost Damage Notes
Light Melee Weapons:
Axe, Hand 4 gp 1d6 Can be thrown for 1d4.
Club 1 gp 1d4 Concealable, can be thrown for 1d4.
Dagger 3 gp 1d4 Fast, concealable, can be thrown for 1d4.
Hammer, Throwing 4 gp 1d6 Can be thrown for 1d4.
Mace, Light 5 gp 1d6 Concealable.
Pick, Light 4 gp 1d6 Concealable (as tool).
Sword, Short 7 gp 1d6 Fast, concealable.
Medium Melee Weapons:
Axe, Battle 7 gp 1d8 -
Hammer, War 5 gp 1d8 -
Mace 5 gp 1d8 -
Pick, Military 8 gp 1d8 -
Spear 3 gp 1d6 Thrown for 1d6, 2-handed for 1d8, reach.
Staff 1 gp 1d4 Can be wielded 2-handed for 1d6. †
Sword, Broad 10 gp 1d8 -
Heavy Melee Weapons:
Axe, Great 20 gp 1d10 Slow.
Hammer, Maul 10 gp 1d10 Slow.
Mattock 12 gp 1d10 Slow.
Polearm 15 gp 1d10 Slow, reach.
Sword, Great 30 gp 1d10 Slow
† A runecaster treats the staff as a light weapon for the purpose of class attack bonus.
Expanded Ranged Weapons Table
Cost Damage Notes
Light Ranged Weapons:
Crossbow, Hand 100 gp 1d6 Concealable, out of ammo on 1.
Darts 2 gp 1d4 Fast, concealable, out of ammo on 1.
Sling 2 gp 1d4 Fast, concealable, out of ammo on 1.
Medium Ranged Weapons:
Bow, Short 25 gp 1d6 Out of ammo on 1 or 2.
Crossbow 35 gp 1d8 Slow, out of ammo on 1 or 2.
Javelins 5 gp 1d6 Out of ammo on 1, 2, or 3.
Heavy Ranged Weapons:
Bow, Long 40 gp 1d8 Out of ammo on 1 or 2.
Crossbow, Heavy 50 gp 1d10 Slow, ROF ½, out of ammo on 1 or 2.
Explanation of Terms:
Concealable: Weapon can be easily hidden.
Fast: +1 to initiative.
Out of Ammo: Weapon runs out of ammunition if value is obtained on an Attack roll.
Reach: Weapon can be used from 2nd rank.
ROF: Rate of Fire; a weapon with ROF ½ fires once every 2 rounds.
Slow: -1 to initiative.
Thrown: Weapon can be thrown for listed damage.
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Special Weapon Qualities
In general, the following qualities do not stack with one another. You cannot, for example, have a dwarfcraft mastercraft cold iron battle axe.
Dwarfcraft Weapon: These dwarf-made weapons add a +1 bonus to damage. Axes, hammers, swords, and picks are the most common dwarfcraft weapons. Only melee weapons can have the dwarfcraft quality (though the bonus does apply to melee weapons which can be thrown). Cost: Standard weapon price + 150 gp.
Mastercraft Weapon: These well-made weapons add a +1 bonus to attack rolls. Cost: Standard weapon price + 300 gp.
Adamantine Weapon: This ultrahard metal adds to the quality of a weapon. Weapons made of adamantine have a +1 bonus to attack and damage. This bonus is non-magical in nature. Cost: Standard weapon price + 3000 gp.
Cold Iron Weapon: This iron, mined deep underground and known for its effectiveness against fey creatures, is forged at a lower temperature to preserve its delicate properties. It is effective against some creatures who are resistant to normal attacks. Cost: Standard weapon price + 10 gp for light weapons, + 45 gp for medium weapons, and + 90 gp for heavy weapons.
Silver, Alchemical: A complex process involving metallurgy and alchemy can bond silver to a weapon made of steel so that it bypasses the damage reduction of creatures such as lycanthropes. Cost: Standard weapon price + 20 gp for light weapons, + 90 gp for medium weapons, and + 180 gp for heavy weapons.
One Response
One Scandinavian weapon that I like is the seax (also known as sax or scramasax). It’s a crude weapon – a bar of steel with one edge sharpened and the tip cut to a point. No self-respecting dwarf would wield such a blade, but it would be common in the hands of goblins or peasants.
In game terms, a seax would be a light melee weapon, costing 2 gp and inflicting 1d4 damage. It would be considered fast and concealable.
A larger version (let’s call it a scramasax to distinguish it) would still be considered ‘light’, but would cost 3 gp, inflict 1d6 damage, and is concealable.
(Like my previous post on Expanded Armour Rules, this provides more options to PCs at a cost of increasing complexity. Note that with this expansion, some weapons will have different statistics than noted in the Core Rules.)
Archaeological finds show that the axe was the most common primary weapon of the Viking warrior. However, many fighters preferred the sword (once they could afford one). A few Viking warriors used a fighting spear, and long bows were used for hunting as well as warfare.
Dwarves, however, favour axes, hammers, and picks in melee (and crossbows for ranged combat). Many new weapons also saw use during Ragnarök; in particular, the dwarves of Asgård became adept at forging giant axes and 2-handed swords for their larger clients (even though they themselves were too small to use them). Highly miniaturized hand crossbows were also invented during this period.
Weapons are divided melee and ranged types. They are further split into three categories: light, medium, and heavy.
Racial Restrictions:
Humans can use light, medium, and heavy weapons (but must wield heavy weapons with 2 hands). Dwarves are unable to use heavy weapons and must wield medium-sized weapons with 2 hands. Elves can use light, medium, and heavy weapons; but are restricted to a maximum of 1d8 base damage (and must wield heavy weapons with 2 hands).
Class Restrictions:
A fighter is proficient in all weapons and has no restriction on base damage. A thief can inflict a maximum of 1d8 base damage with a weapon, while a runecaster is restricted to a maximum of 1d6 base damage with a weapon.
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Expanded Melee Weapons Table
Cost Damage Notes
Light Melee Weapons:
Axe, Hand 4 gp 1d6 Can be thrown for 1d4.
Club 1 gp 1d4 Concealable, can be thrown for 1d4.
Dagger 3 gp 1d4 Fast, concealable, can be thrown for 1d4.
Hammer, Throwing 4 gp 1d6 Can be thrown for 1d4.
Mace, Light 5 gp 1d6 Concealable.
Pick, Light 4 gp 1d6 Concealable (as tool).
Sword, Short 7 gp 1d6 Fast, concealable.
Medium Melee Weapons:
Axe, Battle 7 gp 1d8 -
Hammer, War 5 gp 1d8 -
Mace 5 gp 1d8 -
Pick, Military 8 gp 1d8 -
Spear 3 gp 1d6 Thrown for 1d6, 2-handed for 1d8, reach.
Staff 1 gp 1d4 Can be wielded 2-handed for 1d6. †
Sword, Broad 10 gp 1d8 -
Heavy Melee Weapons:
Axe, Great 20 gp 1d10 Slow.
Hammer, Maul 10 gp 1d10 Slow.
Mattock 12 gp 1d10 Slow.
Polearm 15 gp 1d10 Slow, reach.
Sword, Great 30 gp 1d10 Slow
† A runecaster treats the staff as a light weapon for the purpose of class attack bonus.
Expanded Ranged Weapons Table
Cost Damage Notes
Light Ranged Weapons:
Crossbow, Hand 100 gp 1d6 Concealable, out of ammo on 1.
Darts 2 gp 1d4 Fast, concealable, out of ammo on 1.
Sling 2 gp 1d4 Fast, concealable, out of ammo on 1.
Medium Ranged Weapons:
Bow, Short 25 gp 1d6 Out of ammo on 1 or 2.
Crossbow 35 gp 1d8 Slow, out of ammo on 1 or 2.
Javelins 5 gp 1d6 Out of ammo on 1, 2, or 3.
Heavy Ranged Weapons:
Bow, Long 40 gp 1d8 Out of ammo on 1 or 2.
Crossbow, Heavy 50 gp 1d10 Slow, ROF ½, out of ammo on 1 or 2.
Explanation of Terms:
Concealable: Weapon can be easily hidden.
Fast: +1 to initiative.
Out of Ammo: Weapon runs out of ammunition if value is obtained on an Attack roll.
Reach: Weapon can be used from 2nd rank.
ROF: Rate of Fire; a weapon with ROF ½ fires once every 2 rounds.
Slow: -1 to initiative.
Thrown: Weapon can be thrown for listed damage.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special Weapon Qualities
In general, the following qualities do not stack with one another. You cannot, for example, have a dwarfcraft mastercraft cold iron battle axe.
Dwarfcraft Weapon: These dwarf-made weapons add a +1 bonus to damage. Axes, hammers, swords, and picks are the most common dwarfcraft weapons. Only melee weapons can have the dwarfcraft quality (though the bonus does apply to melee weapons which can be thrown). Cost: Standard weapon price + 150 gp.
Mastercraft Weapon: These well-made weapons add a +1 bonus to attack rolls. Cost: Standard weapon price + 300 gp.
Adamantine Weapon: This ultrahard metal adds to the quality of a weapon. Weapons made of adamantine have a +1 bonus to attack and damage. This bonus is non-magical in nature. Cost: Standard weapon price + 3000 gp.
Cold Iron Weapon: This iron, mined deep underground and known for its effectiveness against fey creatures, is forged at a lower temperature to preserve its delicate properties. It is effective against some creatures who are resistant to normal attacks. Cost: Standard weapon price + 10 gp for light weapons, + 45 gp for medium weapons, and + 90 gp for heavy weapons.
Silver, Alchemical: A complex process involving metallurgy and alchemy can bond silver to a weapon made of steel so that it bypasses the damage reduction of creatures such as lycanthropes. Cost: Standard weapon price + 20 gp for light weapons, + 90 gp for medium weapons, and + 180 gp for heavy weapons.
One Response
One Scandinavian weapon that I like is the seax (also known as sax or scramasax). It’s a crude weapon – a bar of steel with one edge sharpened and the tip cut to a point. No self-respecting dwarf would wield such a blade, but it would be common in the hands of goblins or peasants.
In game terms, a seax would be a light melee weapon, costing 2 gp and inflicting 1d4 damage. It would be considered fast and concealable.
A larger version (let’s call it a scramasax to distinguish it) would still be considered ‘light’, but would cost 3 gp, inflict 1d6 damage, and is concealable.