PDA

View Full Version : Improvised weapons



Origomar
2009-12-09, 10:30 PM
I know there is a penalty to using things like kitchen knives, sticks, and other non weapons as weapons but i forgot what it was called can someone tell me the specific term for it?

Skeletor
2009-12-09, 10:32 PM
From the d20srd


Improvised Weapons

Sometimes objects not crafted to be weapons nonetheless see use in combat. Because such objects are not designed for this use, any creature that uses one in combat is considered to be nonproficient with it and takes a -4 penalty on attack rolls made with that object. To determine the size category and appropriate damage for an improvised weapon, compare its relative size and damage potential to the weapon list to find a reasonable match. An improvised weapon scores a threat on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a critical hit. An improvised thrown weapon has a range increment of 10 feet.

Demons_eye
2009-12-09, 10:34 PM
Can you take weapon proficiency: improvised weapons?

Arundel
2009-12-09, 10:42 PM
As I recall, the drunken master PrC focuses on improvised weapons.

Jade_Tarem
2009-12-09, 10:54 PM
There is, occasionally, an additional penalty (http://goblins.keenspot.com/tf8.html) for using improvised weapons.

Darrin
2009-12-10, 12:05 AM
As I recall, the drunken master PrC focuses on improvised weapons.

Not exactly.

They get to use their unarmed strike damage when using improvised weapons. However, the PrC does not advance unarmed strike damage, so for the most part you're stuck with whatever unarmed strike damage you entered the PrC with. You do get a bit of bonus damage on improvised weapons, starting at 1d4 and moving up to 1d12, but this is nothing to write home about (and since it's extra dice rather than a flat bonus, Power Attack doesn't multiply it).

Also, by RAW, nothing in the Drunken Master description removes or alleviates the -4 penalty for using an improvised weapon. It's *implied* and most DMs handwave it as RAI, but there's nothing in the text that says they get any kind of proficiency with improvised weapons.

And those are just two of the problems with Drunken Master. The rest of its abilities are either underpowered or don't work well with the rest of the class.

There are a couple ways to reduce the improvised penalty. The best way to do this in 3.5 is taking a level of Hulking Hurler, which reduces the penalty to -2. You need to be large, or have access to expansion/enlarge person, or your DM has to decide Powerful Build (Ex) meets the requirements for HH. But some DMs have a tendency to ban HH because they can't be bothered to design a campaign world that can withstand a few depleted uranium moons being hurled through the center of the planet.

There's a City Brawler variant of the Barbarian in Dragon #349 that also reduces the improvised penalty to -2. You also get Improved Unarmed Strike (non-monk version) and TWF: Unarmed Strike Only at 1st level, which can be combined with Spirit Lion Totem (Pounce) and Whirling Frenzy (Flurry of Blows that doesn't suck). Paired up with Battle Dancer (Dragon Compendium), Shou Disciple (Unapproachable East) or Fist of the Forest (CompChamp), you can make the monk blubber tears of useless shame.

The only way to get rid of the improvised penalty completely in 3.x is a 3.0 PrC in Dragon #295, the Brawler. Entry requirements are a bit onerous: +7 BAB, Intimidate 5, Alertness, Combat Reflexes, and Imp. Unarmed Strike. However, at 1st level you get rid of the -4 improvised penalty, and at 2nd level, you can apply weapon-specific feats such as Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization to improvised weapons.

In other words, of all the ways to make an effective Drunken Master build, the most effective ones will use as few levels of Drunken Master as possible, preferably a number less than 1.