Skill Divisions between Swords/Blades

[VoxRationis]

I'm trying to come up with a variant d20 system to suit my tastes, and I'm replacing base attack bonus with skill ranks. I currently don't want to have every weapon use its own skill, so I have to group up the weapons. When it comes to swords, I'm having an issue. I'll probably want to split them into at least, because using a short sword is obviously very different from using a zweihander. But I don't know where a good cutoff would be. Any thoughts?

[lightningcat]

Light, one-handed, two-handed.
No need to complicate things.

[Lalliman]

How specific are your other groups?

Maybe have a look at D&D 4e, which has light blades and heavy blades as two different groups. Shortswords, rapiers and scimitars as light blades / longswords and greatswords as heavy blades makes sense.

Alternatively, you could put shortswords, rapiers, scimitars and longswords all into the light blade category, and then group greatswords and axes together into heavy blades. Makes sense to me given how large and choppy greatswords are, especially in fantasy depictions. The way in which you wield a greatsword is probably more similar to a greataxe than to a longsword (given that "longsword" in D&D speak usually means arming sword).

[Logosloki]

Light/One-hand/Heavy and then Cut/Thrust. There are cut and thrusters but most of those are heavy into cut or heavy into thrust. Really depends on how many skill points people are getting though.

[VoxRationis]

How specific are your other groups?
Still working on the other groups. I figure "archery" will be separate from "sharpshooting", which I'll use in the context of the game rules to mean shooting with guns and crossbows. I'm going to stick most polearms in their own category, but separate out spears, including pikes. There will probably be a single category for clubs, maces, and one-handed axes; I'm not sure if I'll include two-handed axes there or not. Slings and flexible weapons will have their own respective categories.


Maybe have a look at D&D 4e, which has light blades and heavy blades as two different groups. Shortswords, rapiers and scimitars as light blades / longswords and greatswords as heavy blades makes sense.
See, I've heard of that division, but the cutoff seemed strange and artificial to me. There's sort of a continuum between arming swords, side swords, and rapiers, and having it such that someone's skill in one is inapplicable to the other seems odd. Moreover, a rapier is very different from a scimitar. I suppose if I wanted to make it really granular, I could have a rule where such weapons exist on a continuum, and certain proportions of one's skill ranks applied to weapons at different distances on a continuum, but that sounds a bit much.


Alternatively, you could put shortswords, rapiers, scimitars and longswords all into the light blade category, and then group greatswords and axes together into heavy blades. Makes sense to me given how large and choppy greatswords are, especially in fantasy depictions. The way in which you wield a greatsword is probably more similar to a greataxe than to a longsword (given that "longsword" in D&D speak usually means arming sword).

I'm given to understand that that's mostly in fantasy depictions, and that actual use of two-handed swords involves a lot of thrusting and controlled movements, rather than weedwhacker-style swings. But I'll ask the Real-World Weapons thread about that.

[AOKost]

I have a similar skill option in my games for those that want to specialize in weapon categories and have set it up so that there are 3 categories for each type of weapon: Light, One-handed, and two-handed. Then there's categories for wands, ranged weapons, Combat Maneuver Bonus (each combat maneuver taken separately), etc. I personally love the system, but few delve into it because it's just easier to keep track of a BAB than a bonus for each category of weapon.

If you use Experience as a form of currency, it makes it a bit easier for characters to pick up skills, feats, etc. but that's not what the OP was about...