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Weapon Mastery System v2.0

by David Melik

For those of you that didn't read my announcement on it, this is an improved (hopefully) version of weapon mastery that I made. I thought that the OD&D system was a good idea but not developed enough, so I changed the guidelines for my own campaign, because of course, they are only guidelines.

One thing I forgot to mention in the .wri file itself is removal damage, the damage a weapon inflicts for being removed from a wound caused by impaling. I just thought this up and will include it in my 3rd version, when(and if) that's made. Here's how it works. A nasty weapon full covered with barbs, specially made to rip a victim when it's removed, would have the highest removal damage. A straight weapon, like a spike, would have the lowest. There are things in between, of course. My 1st thought was maybe 1d6 or 1d4 as the highest, the biggest most barbed weapons, and 1 or even 0 as the lowest. What are YOUR thoughts on it, huh? Or your thoughts on the entire system. I would love to discuss this all so it can be improved more. So there.

When I mention "see critical hit table" in it, it just means critical hit, and do whatever you do for a critical hit in your campaign. I am making another critical hit table for myself, so that's why it's there. Perhaps I'll include this in the 3rd ed.

The most significant thing I'm working on for the 3rd ed, is expanding and detailing the chart to detail the weapons on it instead of the general groups. Maybe it will just have a groups like "short polearms", "long polearms", "short swords", etc., or maybe every single weapon. This is one of the things that I would really like to discuss, the stats on that chart of more specific weapons. I know for a fact that some of them are unrealistic because they are so generalised, but I think this system overall is more realistic than the mundane version. I also think it will be much more fun, and if it's more realistic and fun, that's the whole point.

That's all for now. I hope you have fun with my new system, and if not tell my why. That would be good if people play tested it so it could be improved. :)

Learning Weapon Proficiencies

initial slots

class	initial	additional per levels
cleric	2	1/4
mage	1	1/5
rogue	3	1/3
warrior	4	1/2

time needed

A student of weapon mastery needs a certain amount of time to train sufficiently in a weapon, depending on certain things, calculated as follows:

((INT adj.) + (base learning time(see below)) + (number of total levels of mastery desired ^ 2)) weeks

base learning times:

cleric	3
mage	4
rogue	2
warrior	1

If a god or immortal is learning and their INT adj. is high, it is done a little different. An exalted or demigod or higher's base learning time is 1. Add up everything except for the INT adj. Then, add it on, point by point until it reaches 1 week (If it even does so, and if not, you're over) . For every point of INT adj. left, it decreases the time 1 day. Under no circumstances can this be decreased to less than 1 day, unless it is from an action of an Old One ( which is very unlikely ).

chance of learning

A student of weapon mastery has a certain chance of increasing his proficiency with a weapon, depending on certain things, calculated as follows:

((teacher's mastery * 10) + (teacher's INT - 10)) - ((students mastery * 10) - (student's INT - 10))%

Combat Adjustments

skilled weapon use bonuses

The attacker gains an additional attack each round when using that weapon, and+1 to hit, +1 to damage per level of mastery

unskilled weapon use penalties for weapon groups

If the attacker has more than 1 attack per round, he can only make 1 with the weapon he is unskilled in. If it is in the same group as another he is skilled in, he can make half the normal number of attacks with the skilled weapon, rounded down.

class	same group	different group
cleric	-3	-5
mage	-4	-6
rogue	-2	-4
warrior	-1	-3

Combat Manoeuvres

when they are gained

manners of weapon use

f = firing

s = swinging

thro = throwing

thru = thrusting

general effects of weapon use

cr = crushing

cu = cutting

e = entangling

	charge	deflect	disarm	fall	impale	knock	stun	throw
f, cr	-	-	2	3	-	1	4	5
f, cu	-	-	2	3	1	-	4	5
f, e	-	-	2	1	-	-	3	4
s, cr	5	2	3	4	-	1	6	7
s, cu	5	2	3	4	1	1	6	7
s, e	4	3	2	1	-	-	5	6
thro, cr	6	-	2	3	-	1	4	1
thro, cu	6	-	2	3	1	1	4	1
thro, e	-	-	2	1	-	-	4	1
thru, cr	-	3	2	4	-	1	5	6
thru, cu	-	3	2	4	1	-	5	6
thru, e	1	2	4	3	-	-	5	6

descriptions

charge The attacker must run for 20 yards, and make an attack roll. If he hits, double damage is inflicted. If the victim hits the attacker in the same round, the attacker takes double damage.

critical hit - attacker also fells victim

deflect The attacker must make a called shot attack roll to the victim's weapon, with a penalty of 3 if the weapon is small, 2 if medium, and 1 if large. If he hits, the victim must make a STR check with a penalty of the attacker's mastery. If this fails, the blow is deflected.

critical hit - chance of weapon breakage

critical STR failure - attacker also disarms the victim

critical STR success - attacker is disarmed

disarm The attacker must make a called shot attack roll to the victim's hand and weapon, with a penalty of 3 if the weapon is small, 2 if medium, and 1 if large. If he hits, the victim must make a STR check with a penalty of the attacker's mastery. If this fails, he must make a DEX check with the same penalty, or drop the weapon about 1D(attacker's mastery) + STR adj. ft. away.

critical hit - victim is literally disarmed (well dishanded actually, percent of hand dismembered is percent of potential damage inflicted)

critical STR failure - weapon goes maximum distance.

critical DEX failure - weapon double distance.

critical STR success - attacker is disarmed (if applicable)

critical DEX success - victim gains an extra attack

fall The attacker must make a called shot attack roll to the victim's lower legs, with a penalty depending on the sizes of the combatants, as follows:

	vict	im's	size
attacker's size	S	M	L
S	4	3	2
M	5	4	3
L	6	5	4

If the attacker hits, the victim must make a DEX check with a penalty of the attacker's mastery or fall. If he falls, he takes double damage. A critical entangle causes a fall.

critical hit - victim must make a CON check each round to rise, with a cumulative bonus of 1 after the first

critical DEX failure - considered a critical hit.

critical DEX success - chance of weapon breakage

impale The attacker must make an attack roll of 20 or higher, which is not required to be natural. If he hits, maximum damage is inflicted, and the weapon is stuck in the victim. Anyone may pull it out by making a STR check, and the victim must make a CON check. The victim takes the removal damage points of damage if the weapon is removed. A critical cut causes an impale.

critical hit - see critical hit table, no CON check, system shock rolled immediately

critical STR failure - victim takes half damage and but weapon is not removed.

critical STR success - victim takes maximum damage as weapon is ripped out

critical CON failure - victim must make system shock roll or die

critical CON success - victim takes half damage from removal

knock The attacker must simply make an attack roll, and if he hits, the victim must make a STR check with an adjustment of the attacker's damage adjustment, or be knocked back 1D(attacker's mastery) + STR adj. ft.. The victim must make a DEX check. If he succeeds, he goes half distance. A critical crush or swing causes a knock.

critical hit - see critical hit table, distance is doubled

critical STR failure - attacker has also felled victim

critical STR success - victim goes half distance

critical DEX success - victim goes quarter distance

critical DEX failure - victim goes double distance

stun The attacker must make a called shot to the head or torso, with a penalty depending on the sizes of the combatants, as follows:

	vict	im's	size
attacker's size	S	M	L
S	3	4	5
M	2	3	4
L	1	2	3

If he hits, the victim must make a CON check with a penalty of the attacker's mastery + STR adj., or be stunned.

critical hit - victim is knocked out, must make a CON check, if

critically failed, must make system shock roll or die

critical CON failure - victim is knocked out, must make another CON check, if failed, must make system shock roll or die

critical CON success - no effect

throw The attacker may throw his weapon a certain distance, depending on the weapon and his mastery. He must simply make an attack roll, and if he hits, normal damage is taken.

critical hit - see critical hit table