Bastards - complex uses for simple weapons

[Altair_the_Vexed]

The bastard sword is a weapon with two proficiencies: two-handed, it's a martial weapon - but one-handed, it's an exotic weapon. It's familiar enough to a user of swords to wield two-handed without penalty, but the one-handed use requires more training.

Ignoring the fact that bastard sword are sub-optimal (please), we can apply the same idea to other weapons in the 3.x / PF game. Here are my houserules for the PEACHing.

Blowgun
Currently: simple
Houserule: You must use a move action to reload
Add exotic proficiency: You may reload as part of a move action

A blowgun is an exotic weapon, but it may be used a simple weapon with limited effect. You must use a move action to reload a blowgun. If you have the exotic weapon proficiency, and a base attack bonus of +1 or more, you may reload the blowgun as a free action combined with a regular move.


Bows
Currently: martial
Houserule: Add simple proficiency: you must use a move action to reload

All bows are martial weapons, but they may be used simple weapons with limited effect. If you do not have the appropraite martial weapon proficiency you must use a move action to reload a bow.


Crossbows
Currently: simple (hand crossbows: exotic)
Houserule: Hand crossbows become simple weapons
Add martial proficiency for hand and light crossbows: may reload as part of a move action

A crossbow is a martial weapon, but it may be used a simple weapon with limited effect. You must use a move action to reload a crossbow. If you have the appropraite martial weapon proficiency, and a base attack bonus of +1 or more, you may reload the crossbow as a free action combined with a regular move.


Repeating crossbows
Currently: exotic
Houserule: Add simple proficiency: may be reloaded as part of a move action
Add martial proficiency for repeating crossbows: may reload as a free action

A repeating crossbow is a martial weapon, but it may be used a simple weapon with limited effect. If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or more, you may reload the repeating crossbow as a free action combined with a regular move. If you have the appropraite martial weapon proficiency, you may reload a repeating crossbow as a free action.


Shuriken
Currently: exotic
Houserule: Add simple proficiency: treat as a thrown weapon for the purposes of drawing them

Shuriken are an exotic weapon, but they may be used a simple weapon with limited effect. They are treated as a thrown weapon for the purposes of drawing them. If you have the exotic weapon proficiency, you may draw shuriken as though they were ammunition.

Whip
Currently: exotic
Houserule: Can threaten an area for the purposes of determining flanking
Add simple proficiency: no disarm, flanking or trip benefit

The whip is an exotic weapon, but may be used as a simple weapon with limited effect. You may usethe whip to attack and deal damage. If you have the exotic wepon proficiency, you treat the whip as a disarm and trip weapon, and may threaten targets within reach for the purposes of determining flanking.

EDITED: added clarity to entries

[Falcon X]

This is actually a pretty good idea. It's like the next step past Weapon Proficiency. It gives fighters something cool besides just boosting numbers too.

I'm tempted to call it "Weapon Specialization" instead of "Exotic Weapon". Though, if you did that, you'd have to change the Weapon Specialty feat to Greater Weapon Proficiency.

[TuggyNE]

These look pretty good, but as written none of them work with Quick Draw, which makes me a little sad.

[Chaos_Laicosin]

For repeating crossbows, do you intend "reloading" to mean pulling the handle to load a new bolt from the magazine, or reloading a whole new magazine of bolts into the crossbow?

[Wardog]

Spear:
With martial proficiency, you can use it as a double weapon (one end dealing piercing damage, the other blunt).

[Altair_the_Vexed]

Huh! I look away for a few days and then a whole bunch of people post - all nice, too.

@ Falcon X: I'm using the term Exotic Weapon Proficiency because it already exist as a class of weapons.

@ Tuggy: Nope, I didn't want there to be free action reloads - then we end up with crazy fast shooting crossbow madness, in the style of Hawk the Slayer.

@ Chaos Laicosin: For repeaters, by "reload" I meant "crank the lever to load a new bolt from the case". Loading a case takes the same time as by the RAW.

@Wardog: Spears! Yes, totally - add it to the list.

[TuggyNE]

@ Tuggy: Nope, I didn't want there to be free action reloads - then we end up with crazy fast shooting crossbow madness, in the style of Hawk the Slayer.

For what it's worth, you can already get free-action crossbow reloading fairly easily. Hand/light crossbows in Core require SWP and one feat; heavy crossbows require a feat and a fairly cheap non-Core weapon special; and so on. Tying this to EWP + one feat seems perfectly reasonable, and indeed less crazy than existing rules.

And then there's blowguns, which are pretty weak and could use the boost.

[Soliloquy]

This thread is telling me it is time to make better exotic weapons master PrCs.
You know, ones more like the 3.0 ones. Lasher and what-not. Oh, and good job. Very nice.

Edit: What about the Net?

[Deaxsa]

waitwaitwait, we've got spears as double weapons, but NOT as the bastard sword? what happened to the sarissa? (or really any longspear/shield combo?)