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noleafclover
2015-01-23, 08:36 PM
Simple Pleasures: a guide to Simple Weapons

“I found the simple life ain't so simple/When I jumped out on the road…”
– David Lee Roth, Runnin’ With the Devil (1978)

Note: This guide was written from the points of view of various D&D and Pathfinder editions. Various weapons may need to be added, adjusted, or eliminated to fit your particular game system, but by and large this advice should remain sound. I included the damage dice for comparison’s sake.

Much credit belongs to borg286’s “Complete MacGyver” thread, from which I shamelessly borrowed. It’s full of great ideas on all sorts of mundane tools and gear, not just weapons. Go read it if you haven’t yet, and thank the gods for your Handy Haversack, Portable Hole, or army of porters to carry it all. The thread can be found at

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11066.0



What’s a simple weapon? The most basic definition is, a weapon that nearly everyone knows how to use. The weapon may be easy or intuitive to use, or could be extremely common and everyone would have some experience with it. Use of simple weapons is a society-wide skill, much like driving a car is in ours. A particular person might be an outstanding or terrible driver, but practically everyone can make it around the block.

Okay, why should anyone care about simple weapons? Nearly everyone who is meant for extensive weapon use has access to better weapons. And those who are limited to simple weapons often don’t care about them either, as they have class features that far outshine simple weapon use--like casting spells or a rogue’s Sneak Attack. Compared to martial weapons like greatswords and long bows, simple weapons are inefficient at dishing out punishment—and exotic weapons leave them both in the dust. We pity the combat cleric without the right god, feat, race, or background—these poor schlubs have been stuck with maces and morning stars since forever. Aren’t simple weapons are just taking up space in the Players’ Handbook that could be used on more palatable options?

This guide will not attempt to convince anyone otherwise. Nearly all warriors use martial or exotic weapons because they outclass simple weapons in a straight fight. More damage is a Good Thing. This is especially true for two-handed options, as simple weapons are particularly lacking in that department. Several are cumbersome too: it’s not easy to maneuver a ten-foot longspear inside a cramped dungeon—let alone fight with it—and crossbows are annoyingly slow to reload.

However, this is not to say that simple weapons don’t have their uses. That is why I wrote this: to highlight these uses, which may not be immediately obvious. Everyone—from the toughest warrior to the klutziest wizard—can get some use out of simple weapons. Simple weapons can do things that can be difficult for martial or exotic weapons to duplicate. Don’t believe me? Read on.

General benefits of most simple weapons:

1. They are cheap. It’s a nice break for dirt-poor penny-pinching adventurers. More money left over for other stuff.

2. They are ubiquitous. Every blacksmith/craftsman will have daggers and maces for sale. This often means that increased numbers of magical simple weapons will be floating around too. It’s much easier to find a +2 mace than a +2 glaive-guisarme.

2a. A corollary of the above two points is that simple weapons can be considered disposable. Need to leave your dagger jammed in a door hinge? Need to use your spear in creating a trap? No problem, you can easily get another one. This is even better if your game system involves fragile, scarce, or breakable weapons.

3. Many simple weapons can be improvised out of random household items, farm implements, and whatnot. If you’re a crafter yourself, then simple weapons are usually easier (lower skill check or even auto-success), faster, and cheaper to create than their martial brethren. More of a market for simple weapons too, as everyone can use at least some of them.

4. Many simple weapons are unobtrusive or easy to hide. Nobody’s going to notice someone carrying a scythe in an agricultural area during the harvest season, but that double sword will stick out like a sore thumb. Easy to hide my dagger in a boot or up a sleeve, but I’d like to see you do that with your dwarven urgrosh. Look like a random nobody street thug and carry a mace, but that double elven recurve greatbow labels you as Someone Worth Robbing.

5. Simple weapons can often double as tools or aids to exploration. Your dagger can be used as cutlery, your quarterstaff as a walking stick, and your longspear as a ten-foot-pole, which is nice when investigating that weird pool of green stuff that’s in every dungeon since forever. Or for hitting a switch that might be trapped. Weapon/tools save space and hassle, both on your character sheet and in your character’s backpack/toolbelt.

6. In a pinch, other people have a much greater chance at knowing how to use your weapons. Party barbarian broke/lost/ate his greataxe? Ranger dulled his short sword? Breaking someone out of prison and they may have to fight their way out? Monk doesn’t want to get burned when punching the flaming lava monster? No problem, hand him your spare club. Wait, all you have is a spiked chain? Oops, useless player/NPC. And if the party can afford only one weapon that can hurt a particular monster—you could do worse than making it a simple weapon. If the person wielding it keels over, someone else can continue the fight.

7. In general, anyone who fights will want a backup weapon. Things happen and primary weapons can get lost, stolen, or rendered useless (e.g. some undead take more or less damage from various weapon damage types). Ranged fighters and spellcasters can get trapped in melee. If you’re going to carry a backup, might as well make it a simple weapon for the above reasons.

8. Nearly every simple weapon can be created in primitive or resource-scarce settings. I’m looking at you, Dark Sun.


Without further ado, here are the weapon-by-weapon breakdowns. All weapons are one-handed unless specified otherwise.


Punching, Gauntlet, Brass knuckles
Cost/Availability: essentially free. Aside from Captain Hook, everyone has fists. Brass knuckles are extremely cheap and/or easily improvised. Gauntlets often come as part of more advanced armor like plate mail.

Damage type: Bludgeoning. 1 to 1d4, with fists on the low side and gauntlets on the high side. Without monkish or other training, bare fists do nonlethal damage. Your game system may have ways to increase your natural attack rate and damage.

Other uses: Punching things is pretty much what these are good for.

Who would want to use this? Anyone in a bar fight or who wants to rough someone up without seriously hurting them. The ultimate hidden weapon: if you must be disarmed before appearing in front of the king, you’ll probably still get to keep your gloves/armor. And you’ll always have your fists. Gauntlets and fists are legal everywhere, and can be instantly “equipped” in a pinch. Brass knuckles are tiny and easy to hide or make. Drawback: these do pitiful damage that may be nonlethal, and you don’t always want to touch the bad guy (because he’s spiky, a fire elemental, or whatever).

Carrying/Using this makes you look like a: intact human being. Boxer. Wearing brass knuckles makes you look like a brawler, thug, or gladiator. I suppose you could get pimped-out brass knuckles and look like a crime syndicate kingpin. Gauntlets (as part of a suit of armor) make you look like a warrior, noble, or someone important/wealthy.


Dagger
Cost/Availability: 1-2 gold. Extremely common everywhere.

Damage type: Piercing, generally. A case can be made for the occasional slash. Also can be thrown a short distance. 1d4.

Other uses: Too numerous to list. Eating. Carving/whittling. Cut a rope, tent flap, or whatever. Butcher an animal/survive in the wilderness. Assassinate someone or hold them hostage. Improvised screwdriver. Put it between your teeth and look/act like a pirate. Useful as a backup (or primary!) melee or missile weapon—that’s two birds with one stone. Good in tight spaces—got swallowed by a big nasty? Grappled by a bad guy? Use this to cut your way out. Very unlikely to stand out in a crowd.

Who would want to use this? Everyone who ever fights, explores, adventures, or uses tools. Small and light, easy to hide. Common to find enchanted versions. Nearly every NPC will have a dagger.

Carrying/Using this makes you look like a: carrying a dagger can be part of a disguise as practically anyone. Nobles, craftsmen, warriors, academics, and even peasants all frequently wear daggers. Deliberately fighting with a dagger makes you look like an assassin (except for Halflings and other small races who routinely fight with daggers). If you’re dual-wielding two daggers, then you look like a badass.


Sickle
Cost/Availability: 2-5 gold. Common farming/harvest tool.

Damage type: Slashing. 1d6.

Other uses: Farming, obviously: harvest grain or grass. Useful for clearing brush or hacking your way through a jungle, though a machete or axe is better. If a dagger can do it, sometimes this can too. Some game systems give bonuses with this to trip someone. Won’t look out of place in agricultural regions.

Who would want to use this? It’s a small melee weapon that outdamages a dagger, can be used to trip someone, and get through a jungle. You could do worse than pick this as a backup melee weapon. Druids and followers of harvest gods may find special significance in this.

Carrying/Using this makes you look like a: farmer, backwoods hick, or druid (with an appropriate outfit).


Club
Cost/Availability: free or 1 gold. Absolutely everywhere. Unbelievably easy to improvise.

Damage type: Bludgeoning. 1d4 or 1d6. Can be thrown a very short distance. Larger versions can be used with both hands and do 1d8-1d10 damage.

Other uses: Knock someone out cold. Smash something breakable, like a window or a lock. Disposable: use this to check if that greenish pool is acid. If wooden, then it’s an emergency torch, firewood, or flotation aid. Paperweight. Emergency undead smasher. Against electrically charged enemies, use this instead of your metal sword to avoid being zapped. Improvise this in no time from a candlestick, chair leg, tree branch, or enemy. The world is your armory.

Who would want to use this? Anyone caught in an unexpected situation. Anyone in a primitive campaign setting (other simple weapons can be primitive too, but the club is the easiest to make/find). Other items can often do the job better than the club, but the club is frequently the second-best choice at many of those jobs. Need not be metal, which is good if you worship the god of trees or are concerned with electrical enemies.

Carrying/Using this makes you look like a: dimwitted brute, scruffy street thug/urchin, wild hermit, or someone who’s been surprised and grabbed the first thing they could. Vicious-looking examples of clubs can be used to intimidate.


Mace
Cost/Availability: 5-10 gold. Fairly common fighting weapon.

Damage type: Bludgeoning. 1d6-1d8.

Other uses: This is one of the more damaging simple weapons. Many martial and exotic weapons tend to be slashing and/or piercing, so it can be nice to have a deadly bludgeoning backup. Anything susceptible to bludgeoning weapons is susceptible to this. You won’t get laughed off the battlefield for using this.

Who would want to use this? For some reason, many priestly enchantments can be found on maces. Can be handy to use from horseback. These things can take a LOT of punishment, so presumably they don’t need much maintenance (rugged, and no blade or point to sharpen). If it can be smashed, this will get through it (eventually). Drawback—can be a bit heavy.

Carrying/Using this makes you look like a: vanilla cleric or professional warrior. Exquisite examples can be symbols of royalty or the highest echelon of society (think of a king’s scepter or a parliamentary or university mace). Crude examples make you look like a backwoods hick or street thug and can be part of an intimidating, menacing appearance. Some units dedicated to hunting undead favor maces.


Morning Star
Cost/Availability: 10 gold. Fairly common fighting weapon.

Damage type: Bludgeoning and Piercing. 1d8. Generally one-handed, though some game systems consider it two-handed.

Other uses: Look menacing—brandish a club with all sorts of crazy spikes coming out of it. As with the mace, it’s one of the most damaging simple weapons. It can do two damage types, which adds to versatility against resistant enemies. Somewhat improvisable from a club and a bunch of nails or spikes. Can also be professionally crafted. Definitely not out of place on the battlefield.

Who would want to use this? If you’re limited to simple weapons and you want to frequently mix it up in melee, this is probably your pick. It’s also nice as a backup weapon that does two damage types—be ready for anything, especially if your primary weapon is slashing (like a sword or axe). Easy enough to create, which is handy if you’re cheaply equipping a militia/arming a rebellion and you want it to be able to hurt things.

Carrying/Using this makes you look like a: professionally crafted examples make you look like a professional warrior. Handcrafted impromptu versions (club with nails) make you look like a peasant warrior. Can definitely look menacing if the spikes are crazy-looking enough.


Spear, Longspear
Cost/Availability: 5-10 gold. Common fighting weapon, especially in formation combat (phalanx).

Damage type: Piercing. 1d6-1d8 spear, 1d8-1d10 longspear. Some spears can also be thrown a short distance. Spears can generally be used with one or both hands, and longspears are exclusively two-handed.

Other uses: Longspears have reach. Poke enemies or dangerous things from far away. Attack from behind your party’s meatshield. Ten foot poles (and shorter ones too) are useful to adventurers. Can be improvised. Some spears are throwable. Set to receive a charge (big damage!). Dissuade something from charging or approaching you by readying an action—bad guys know that the first one in is gonna get impaled. Some game systems assign more critical hit damage to spears, which is nice if you’re in a coup-de-grace situation. Suddenly the wimpy sorcerer can auto-crit sleeping, unconscious, or paralyzed guys and dish out one-hit kills/save-or-die! Flagpole or standard-bearer.

Who would want to use this? Hunters. Cowardly or wimpy melee-ers. People in formation combat or fighting in tight spaces next to allies—good luck swinging that heavy mace all about without whacking the guy next to you. Much easier to take a selective spear-poke.

Carrying/Using this makes you look like a: vanilla warrior, especially one who fights in formation with others of similar ilk. You can look like a military unit’s standard bearer, if a flag or pennant is attached (and you are otherwise appropriately outfitted). Both elite professional armies and scraggly revolutionary rabble can include plenty of spearmen and pikemen. Many of the greatest warriors in history and mythology used spears. Makeshift spears can be cheaply/easily crafted/adapted from random tools and implements, so peasants and militias use them too.


Quarterstaff
Cost/Availability: free or 2 gp. Nearly everywhere.

Damage type: Bludgeoning, two-handed. 1d8. Some game systems allow one-handed use at 1d6, and some classify them as double weapons (both ends can be used simultaneously with sufficient training).

Other uses: Walking/hiking stick or cane. Ski pole (get another one or halve a long one). Sleeping beast poker and trap triggerer. Pool cue. Martial art. Makeshift fishing rod. Pole vault over things. Used as a base for countless tools and weapons. Hiding place for a flask or a thin blade. Monopod base for a camera in modern settings. Disposable enough to investigate that ubiquitous greenish dungeon pool for acid. Check the depth of water or see if anything’s in the dark hole. Short flagpole or standard carrier. Can be used more or less non-lethally.

Who would want to use this? Adventurers and explorers often find themselves doing many of the above activities. Magical staves can have incredible arcane power. Because staves are as much a tool as a weapon, you can carry one and not appear armed to the teeth.

Carrying/Using this makes you look like a: adventurer, explorer, or wanderer. Wise person or priest. Wizard or academic. Elderly/injured person. Ornate versions can be a badge of political or religious office.


Scythe
Cost/Availability: 5 gold. Like the sickle, a common farming/harvest tool.

Damage type: Slashing, two-handed. 2d4.

Other uses: Farming, obviously: harvest even more grain or grass than a sickle. Clear brush or hack your way through a jungle—though a machete or axe is better. Some game systems give bonuses with this to trip someone. Won’t look out of place in agricultural regions.

Who would want to use this? It does decent damage and can trip people. Every farm will have these, especially at harvest time. Pick one up and you instantly have a serious beatstick.

Carrying/Using this makes you look like a: farmer, farmer-turned-warrior. Death god worshiper/death incarnate, especially if paired with a black robe.


Crossbow
Cost/Availability: 25-50 gold, plus 1 gold per 10-20 bolts. Common ranged weapon, and a common choice for missile troops.

Damage type: Piercing. 1d8 damage for light/standard crossbows. Heavier versions may exist that do 1d10 per shot. Tiny hand crossbows might be considered simple weapons, and they do 1d4 or 1d6 damage. Repeating crossbows may count as simple. Crossbows have absurdly long range, and even the tiny ones have reasonable range.

Other uses: Favored by assassins and ambushers because you can dip the bolts in poison, crank the bow beforehand, and lay in wait. When the target appears, all you have to do is pull the trigger. Warriors and adventurers love its long range—probably among the longest range of anything in the game. Plink away at things before they can reach or escape you. In addition to poison, crossbow bolts can carry rolled-up messages or possibly be set aflame before firing at a flammable target. Hold-ups can be facilitated by loaded crossbows: point one at somebody’s neck or genitals at point-blank range and compliance is nearly assured.

Who would want to use this? Wizards, wimpy priests, and anyone else who wants to safely contribute to a fight and has exhausted other (magical) options. Ranged combat specialists—feats exist to get around the crossbow’s slow load time. Melee fighters (especially those who use dexterity) may want to take a look if they anticipate encountering enemies at long range.

Carrying/Using this makes you look like a: ranged combat specialist, especially if your crossbow is large or repeating. Big game or bounty hunter. Robber or assassin.


Dart
Cost/Availability: ½ gold per dart. Can be common or uncommon, depending on setting. Some Roman legionaries carried up to 5 darts on the inside of their shields.

Damage type: Piercing. 1d4 damage per dart. Fairly short range

Other uses: Darts are a reasonable ranged/secondary option for a melee specialist. They’re small, cheap, light, and have enough range to be functional. Unlike projectile weapons such as crossbows, hand-hurled darts allow Strength bonuses on damage rolls. It’s gone after it’s thrown, so you can grab another dart or your melee weapon. Win beer money down at the pool hall. Darts can be poisoned, and unlike the crossbow they can be fired silently.

Who would want to use this? Melee fighters looking for a secondary ranged option. Assassins, though the range is a bit short for them. Maybe a dedicated skirmisher like the Roman peltast—though these tended to rely more on javelins.

Carrying/Using this makes you look like a: melee fighter trying to stay useful at range, especially if you’re also carrying a prominent melee weapon. Barfly.


Javelin
Cost/Availability: 1-5 gold. Somewhat common to extremely common, depending on campaign setting.

Damage type: Piercing. 1d6. This spear variant is designed for throwing, so unsurprisingly it has decent range. Used with a spear-thrower or atlatl and it can have very good range. Can be used in melee but may take penalties.

Other uses: It’s a decent choice for a backup melee weapon and primary throwing weapon. Fairly long, though not as big as a spear, and surprisingly light. It’s hard to carry huge stacks of these, but two to five should not be a problem.

Who would want to use this? A dedicated melee fighter who wants a ranged option. Acceptable range and damage, and it allows you to use your Strength bonus. Mobile skirmishers will like this too.

Carrying/Using this makes you look like a: Hunter. Athlete. Warrior or skirmisher, depending on how your armor and melee weapon relates to this.


Sling
Cost/Availability: free or 1 gold, plus 1 gold per 10-20 lead sling bullets. Sling stones are free, go outside and collect a few. Slings and bullets are uncommon to ubiquitous depending on campaign setting. They’re easy to make in any case.

Damage type: Bludgeoning. 1d4 to 1d6, depending on game system and choice of ammo. Good range.

Other uses: Slings can hurl things other than mundane bullets and stones. Shot exists that creates a loud “groaning” as it flies through the air. Smoke “bullets” also exist that release nauseating gas upon hitting something. Or hurl a ring, coin, gem, grenade, or any other small round-ish thing that you want to be far away. Slings themselves are tiny and weigh next to nothing, and are easy to carry or hide (the ammunition is another matter). Round stones are freely available in many outdoor settings. Slings are one of the few missile weapons that do bludgeoning damage. Useful in bringing down vermin (like rats) and small game.

Who would want to use this? If you want a small, easy-to-carry ranged weapon, check out the sling. Slings allow for Strength bonuses and have good range. The ammunition can be heavy, but melee-focused warriors may not use many stones. You can always pick up more stones anyway—refill your ammo pouch without a weaponsmith, which is nice if you’re broke or away from civilization. Halflings have an affinity for slings and may be able to learn special sling tricks. Despite the sling’s size, no Goliath should underestimate it.

Carrying/Using this makes you look like a: Slings tend to be low-status weapons favored by peasants (nobles and professional warriors prefer bigger weapons like bows and crossbows). Shepherds have to chase the wolves away, and are already roaming outdoors where they might find sling stones. Primitive cultures may frequently use slings as they’re infinitely quicker and easier to craft than bows, and have better range than anything else.


Honorable mention: Hand Axe/Hatchet, Machete

These may not be considered simple weapons but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t carry one. They’re useful for chopping firewood, hacking paths through brush, and clearing wreckage. They’re good survival tools as well. Consider carrying one if you’re a ranger, druid, hermit, or someone who lives an outdoor life. They’re plenty good as off-hand weapons too—or primary, for machetes--and hand axes are also throwable.

Knaight
2015-01-23, 11:06 PM
You left out the best advantage of the spear, which is that it's just the coolest weapon. A similar argument applies to the glory that is the sling.

Marlowe
2015-01-24, 12:11 AM
In 3.5 at least, scythes are martial.

A little disappointed by your insinuation that a Spear is the mark of the coward or a wimp. It's the classic pre-gunpowder infantry melee weapon after all.

Khedrac
2015-01-24, 03:55 AM
I'd also disagree on the quarterstaff. Essentially there are two different weapons present:

The first is the basic long, thin club - which is how most live-action RPers use it (as I did at Uni :smallredface:)

Then there is using it as a quarterstaff - think Robin Hood movies. Here you hold it in the middle and attack/parry with both ends.

The first use is a simple weapon

The second requires a lot of skill and practice, and is often reckoned to be one of the most effective close-quarters weapons ever developed - it just requires too much space for armies.
It used to be fairly often stated that given equal skill, the quarterstaff-wielder would beat a swordsman without much trouble.

The other thing in terms of "ability to use" is it will also depend on people's background. Less so that today, but it will still make a difference.

The city-dwellers won't be familiar with most agricultural tools - notably the sickle, scythe and sling - and whilst they may be able to threaten with them, they will not be nearly as effective as the farm-hand who uses them regularly. I know someone who used to mow his lawn with a scythe, and my dad has a scythe - but I don't know how to use it. I could try, but I would be bad at cutting grass, and would probably break it very quickly in a fight. I have used a sickle clearing scrub growth a few times, it isn't that hard to use, but I wouldn't say I am that effective with it either...

Despite my negativity - nice post :smallsmile: