Ashtagon
2010-05-04, 07:52 AM
Part of my ongoing war with the 3e weapons system.
I was analysing the weapon damage table. There's a strong pattern of "add a die size type each time you increase the weapon one size level". But the table has some odd regularities. I'm here to fix it (tm).
The new sequence - for all weapons - is:
* 1 - 1d2 - 1d3 - 1d4 - 1d6 - 1d8 - 1d10 - 2d6 - 2d8 - 3d6 - 4d6 - 4d8 - 6d6 - 6d8 - (+2d6)
Going through the weapons list with a toothpick has made me realise there are a number of regularities in the system. Most weapons have damage ratings that can be reliably predicted based on their size and type (eg. one-handed is generally 1d8, with "clubs" doing one die size lower). But there are odd jumps (such as throwing hammers and warmaces doing less than expected). So, to regularise things...
* Tiny - 1d4
* Light - 1d6
* One-Handed - 1d8
* Versatile - 1d10 (2d6 if used two-handed)
* Two-Handed - 2d8
If this is combined with a list of standard weapon abilities for each weapon type, a certain amount of real regularity is possible.
* club - Bludgeoning, smaller die size
* club, monk's - Bludgeoning, smaller die size, monk (jo stick, bo stick)
* mace - Bludgeoning
* mace, spiked - Bludgeon/Pierce (morning star)
* hammer - Bludgeoning, impact
* flail - Bludgeoning, disarm +2, trip
* flail, stunning - Bludgeon, smaller die size, non-lethal
* straight sword - Slashing, parry
* curved sword - Slashing, high crit
* curved sword, sickle - Slashing, high crit, trip (khopesh)
* axe - Slashing, impact
* scythe - Slashing, high crit (sickle/kama, scythe, lajatang)
* whip - Slashing, smaller die size, trip, disarm +2, finesse, reach, non-lethal
* whip, chain - Bludgeoning, smaller die size, trip, disarm +2, reach
* spear - Piercing, reach, set
* thin sword - Piercing, high crit, finesse, parry
* Pick - Piercing, super crit, impact
Weapon properties are:
* finesse: You can always choose to use Dex n place of Str on attack rolls. No feat needed.
* parry - These weapons make excellent defensive weapons. You gain +1 on attack rolls with attacks of opportunity, and +1 AC if your off-hand is empty (must actually be empty, as you use it to help balance while dodging) or holding a shield.
* impact - These weapons have a centre of balance close to the head of the weapon. They ignore a small amount of DR.
* high crit - These weapons inflict x3 damage on a critical hit, instead of x2 damage.
* super crit - These weapons inflict x4 damage on a critical hit, instead of x2 damage.
Obviously, some weapons will not fit strictly into such a grid. Pole arms will almost always have the reach quality, while tiny and light weapons will almost always have the finesse quality.
I was analysing the weapon damage table. There's a strong pattern of "add a die size type each time you increase the weapon one size level". But the table has some odd regularities. I'm here to fix it (tm).
The new sequence - for all weapons - is:
* 1 - 1d2 - 1d3 - 1d4 - 1d6 - 1d8 - 1d10 - 2d6 - 2d8 - 3d6 - 4d6 - 4d8 - 6d6 - 6d8 - (+2d6)
Going through the weapons list with a toothpick has made me realise there are a number of regularities in the system. Most weapons have damage ratings that can be reliably predicted based on their size and type (eg. one-handed is generally 1d8, with "clubs" doing one die size lower). But there are odd jumps (such as throwing hammers and warmaces doing less than expected). So, to regularise things...
* Tiny - 1d4
* Light - 1d6
* One-Handed - 1d8
* Versatile - 1d10 (2d6 if used two-handed)
* Two-Handed - 2d8
If this is combined with a list of standard weapon abilities for each weapon type, a certain amount of real regularity is possible.
* club - Bludgeoning, smaller die size
* club, monk's - Bludgeoning, smaller die size, monk (jo stick, bo stick)
* mace - Bludgeoning
* mace, spiked - Bludgeon/Pierce (morning star)
* hammer - Bludgeoning, impact
* flail - Bludgeoning, disarm +2, trip
* flail, stunning - Bludgeon, smaller die size, non-lethal
* straight sword - Slashing, parry
* curved sword - Slashing, high crit
* curved sword, sickle - Slashing, high crit, trip (khopesh)
* axe - Slashing, impact
* scythe - Slashing, high crit (sickle/kama, scythe, lajatang)
* whip - Slashing, smaller die size, trip, disarm +2, finesse, reach, non-lethal
* whip, chain - Bludgeoning, smaller die size, trip, disarm +2, reach
* spear - Piercing, reach, set
* thin sword - Piercing, high crit, finesse, parry
* Pick - Piercing, super crit, impact
Weapon properties are:
* finesse: You can always choose to use Dex n place of Str on attack rolls. No feat needed.
* parry - These weapons make excellent defensive weapons. You gain +1 on attack rolls with attacks of opportunity, and +1 AC if your off-hand is empty (must actually be empty, as you use it to help balance while dodging) or holding a shield.
* impact - These weapons have a centre of balance close to the head of the weapon. They ignore a small amount of DR.
* high crit - These weapons inflict x3 damage on a critical hit, instead of x2 damage.
* super crit - These weapons inflict x4 damage on a critical hit, instead of x2 damage.
Obviously, some weapons will not fit strictly into such a grid. Pole arms will almost always have the reach quality, while tiny and light weapons will almost always have the finesse quality.