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Tvtyrant
2013-04-04, 01:08 AM
I have been thinking of replacing weapon proficiency with a proficiency check. Melee classes get a +10 to the check, and there is a weapon proficiency skill. Basically because I hate how many weapons characters cannot use.

When a character picks up a weapon they roll a D20 against a DC dictated by the commonality of the weapon. The character gets one check per turn as a free action. A character with sufficient time can take 10 or 20 on the check (20 would take 24 hours to try to learn how to use it, 10 would take an hour.)

A successful check would make the character proficient with the weapon permanently, and the character can try again whenever they have turns available.


Simple Weapon: DC 15-20
Martial Weapon: DC 20-25
Exotic Weapon: DC 30-35
Exotic Materials: +5 to DC (Kaorti Resin, Heavy, etc.)

Ashtagon
2013-04-04, 01:44 AM
As soon as they have two minutes of downtime, expect them to take 20 with every weapon they can lay their hands on. Including having the party wizard borrow the barbarian's greataxe for a couple of minutes for cross-training purposes.

TuggyNE
2013-04-04, 02:12 AM
If you only allow one check per hour, it solves the math problems for timing.

Also, does this apply per weapon, or per weapon type? In other words, is it one check per greatsword you pick up, or one check the first time you pick up a greatsword?

Incidentally, you should probably have different classes give different bonuses; clerics get +5 on checks for the favored weapon of their deity, which War domain bumps up to +10 (or something like that); Fighters get +10 on all checks; Barbarians get +5 or +6; Rangers get +4 or +5; Paladins get +5; Rogues get +2; etc. (All of this is just eyeballed in the roughest way.)

Similarly, I guess your idea is to have different weapons have slightly different proficiency DCs.

The next question is, what ability score should Weapon Proficiency be? Int or Dex make the most sense to me.

Math, assuming the variable class-based bonuses to a max ranks Dex-based skill at level 1:
{table=head]Class|Likely Bonus|15|20|25|30|35|40
Fighter|+15|100%|80%|55%|30%|5%|0%
Ranger|+13|95%|70%|45%|20%|0%|0%
Paladin|+9|75%|50%|25%|0%|0%|0%
Rogue|+10|80%|55%|30%|5%|0%|0%
Cleric|+10|80%|55%|30%|5%|0%|0%
Wizard|+5|55%|30%|5%|0%|0%|0%
Druid|+3|45%|20%|0%|0%|0%|0%[/table]
Bold for take-10, struck through for no ability to take 20.

By level 6, though, a Fighter can take 20 with any weapon up to DC 40 (assuming +1 Dex and max ranks) and become proficient.

Tvtyrant
2013-04-04, 02:19 AM
I think Dex is the best choice, as weapon proficiency is a muscle memory issue IMO.

I was thinking weapon type, because with each individual weapon it becomes slightly restraining, and the idea is to make weapons become more available as you level.

I'll make a list of weapon DCs tommorrow. I am up past my bedtime, I just needed to post this before I forgot.

Amechra
2013-04-04, 02:36 AM
It might be interesting to be able to gain permanent benefits from training with a weapon.

Like getting +X to the hardness of any weapon of that type you pick up, or giving it higher HP, or even getting pluses to attack and damage when using them.

I'd suggest maybe not having a skill for it, but instead make it a BAB check.

TuggyNE
2013-04-04, 02:56 AM
I was thinking weapon type, because with each individual weapon it becomes slightly restraining, and the idea is to make weapons become more available as you level.

Although, if you make it individual weapons it focuses on the possible small differences between weapons, even of the same type. To an experienced warrior, these differences can easily be handled, but someone relatively unskilled with weapons might have a hard time.


I'd suggest maybe not having a skill for it, but instead make it a BAB check.

Yeah, if it is a skill, all martial classes with 2+int skill points need to be kicked up to 4+int.