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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    NinjaGuy

    Join Date
    Jul 2014

    Default Weapon Creation System

    Hello!

    I was tired of browsing through splatbooks to find a weapon that did what I wanted, so I homebrewed a system to let me create my own.

    Important!
    This system would probably be broken if you used the normal D&D damage values for each size, so I made my own.
    My version is a much smoother progression of damage, and also scales slower into big sizes.

    Damage size categories:
    1 1d2 1d3 1d4 1d6 1d8 1d10 2d6 2d8 2d10 4d6 ...
    Average damage:
    1 1.5 2 2.5 3.5 4.5 5.5 7 9 11 14 ...





    To make a weapon, simply choose a base to start with, and apply as many qualities as you wish. Some qualities are incompatible with each other, and may not be applied to the same weapon. Qualities can never be applied multiple times.
    All weapons start off as One-Handed Martial weapons that deal 1d8 damage. If you want to make a weapon a Two-Handed Exotic weapon, for example, you should apply the Two-Handed and Exotic qualities to change it.

    Base options
    All bases are One-Handed Martial weapons. All bases deal 1d8 damage. All bases cost 10 gp and weigh 4 pounds.

    Piercing
    This weapon deals piercing damage. The critical threat range of this weapon is 20, and its critical multiplier is x3.

    Slashing
    This weapon deals slashing damage. The critical threat range of this weapon is 19-20, and its critical multiplier is x2.

    Bludgeoning
    This weapon deals bludgeoning damage. The critical threat range of this weapon is 20, and its critical multiplier is x3.


    Qualities

    Simple
    Reduce the damage by one size. The weapon is now a simple weapon. Simple is incompatible with Exotic.

    Exotic
    Increase the damage by one size. The weapon is now an exotic weapon. Exotic is incompatible with Simple.

    Light
    Reduce the damage by one size. The weapon is now a light weapon. Light is incompatible with Two-Handed, Double, Anti-Charge, Charging, and Finesse.

    Two-Handed
    Increase the damage by one size. The weapon is now a two-handed weapon. Two-Handed is incompatible with Light and Double.

    Double
    Reduce the damage by one size. The weapon is now a two-handed double weapon. Double is incompatible with Light and Two-Handed.

    Anti-Charge
    This weapon deals double damage when readied against a charge, similarly to a spear or a trident. Anti-Charge can only be applied to piercing weapons. Anti-Charge is incompatible with Light.

    Cavalry
    Reduce the damage by one size. This weapon deals double damage when used while charging on a mount, similarly to a lance. Charging can only be applied to piercing weapons. Charging is incompatible with Light.

    Finesse
    The weapon is now a finesse weapon. Finesse weapons can be used with the feat Weapon Finesse, but cannot be held in 2 hands for 1 ˝ Str to damage. Finesse is incompatible with Light.

    Nonlethal
    This weapon deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage.

    Powerful Criticals
    Reduce the damage by one size. If the weapon is a slashing weapon, the critical threat range improves to 18-20. If the weapon is a piercing or bludgeoning weapon, the critical multiplier improves to x4. Powerful Criticals is incompatible with Weak Criticals.

    Reach (close, far)
    The weapon is now a reach weapon. If the weapon can be used against adjacent enemies, reduce the damage by two sizes.

    Throwing (melee, ranged)
    The weapon can now be thrown, with a range increment of 30 feet (20 feet if it’s a light weapon). If the weapon can still be used in melee without being considered an improvised weapon, reduce the damage by one size and reduce the range increment by 10 feet.

    Tripping
    Reduce the damage by one size. The weapon can now be used to make trip attempts and gains a +2 bonus on disarm attempts, similarly to a spiked chain or a guisarme.

    Weak Criticals
    Increase the damage by one size. If the weapon is a slashing weapon, the critical threat range decreases to 20. If the weapon is a piercing or a bludgeoning weapon, the critical multiplier decreases to x2. Weak Criticals is incompatible with Powerful Criticals.





    To test the balance of this system, I made a few example weapons, similar to the ones in the PHB:

    Dart
    Base: Piercing
    Qualities: Simple, Light, Throwing (ranged)
    Changes: x3 instead of x2 crit multiplier

    Greatsword
    Base: Slashing
    Qualities: Two-Handed, Weak Criticals
    Changes: 20 instead of 19-20 critical threat range

    Guisarme
    Base: Piercing
    Qualities: Two-Handed, Reach (far), Tripping
    Changes: piercing instead of slashing, 1d8 instead of 2d4 damage

    Halberd
    Base: Piercing
    Qualities: Two-Handed, Tripping, Anti-Charge
    Changes: 1d8 instead of 1d10 damage, piercing damage only

    Javelin
    Base: Piercing
    Qualities: Simple, Throwing (ranged)
    Changes: x3 instead of x2 crit multiplier

    Katana
    Base: Slashing
    Qualities: Exotic
    Changes: None (from bastard sword)

    Kusari-Gama
    Base: Slashing
    Qualities: Exotic, Light, Reach (close), Tripping, Weak Criticals
    Changes: 1d4 instead of 1d6 damage

    Lance
    Base: Piercing
    Qualities: Two-Handed, Cavalry, Reach (far)
    Changes: cannot be used in one hand while mounted

    Longspear
    Base: Piercing
    Qualities: Simple, Two-Handed, Reach (far), Anti-Charge
    Changes: None

    Punching Dagger
    Base: Piercing
    Qualities: Simple, Light
    Changes: None

    Quarterstaff
    Base: Bludgeoning
    Qualities: Simple, Double, Weak Criticals
    Changes: None

    Rapier
    Base: Slashing
    Qualities: Finesse, Powerful Criticals
    Changes: slashing instead of piercing

    Scythe
    Base: Piercing
    Qualities: Two-Handed, Powerful Criticals
    Changes: piercing damage only, 1d8 instead of 2d4 damage, cannot trip

    Shortspear
    Base: Piercing
    Qualities: Simple, Throwing (melee), Weak Criticals
    Changes: None

    Spear
    Base: Piercing
    Qualities: Simple, Two-Handed, Throwing (melee), Anti-Charge, Weak Criticals
    Changes: x2 instead of x3 crit multiplier

    Spiked Chain
    Base: Piercing
    Qualities: Exotic, Two-Handed, Tripping, Reach (close), Finesse, Weak Criticals
    Changes: 1d8 instead of 2d4 damage

    Sugliin
    Base: Slashing
    Qualities: Exotic, Two-Handed, Weak Criticals
    Changes: no longer has reach, doesn’t require a full-round action

    (Throwing) Dagger
    Base: Slashing
    Qualities: Simple, Light, Throwing (ranged)
    Changes: slashing damage only,-4 when used in melee

    Trident
    Base: Piercing
    Qualities: Throwing (melee), Weak Criticals, Anti-Charge
    Changes: 20 feet instead of 10 feet range increment

    Two-Bladed Sword
    Base: Slashing
    Qualities: Exotic, Double
    Changes: None



    Thanks for reading this far! Please tell me what you think of this system, and what you believe I should change about it.
    Last edited by Weirdbob95; 2014-07-24 at 10:39 AM.

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    SamuraiGuy

    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Denmark
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Weapon Creation System

    I like the concept alot!
    Seems like an easy use, but I think you are missing Martial Weapons..? No?
    Also, Powerful Criticals seems dangerously good to me. If you also take feats to increase your threat range then well...

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    NinjaGuy

    Join Date
    Jul 2014

    Default Re: Weapon Creation System

    Quote Originally Posted by Ilinoris View Post
    I like the concept alot!
    Seems like an easy use, but I think you are missing Martial Weapons..? No?
    Also, Powerful Criticals seems dangerously good to me. If you also take feats to increase your threat range then well...
    Thanks!
    Sorry if it wasn't clear, weapons are by default One-Handed Martial Weapons until you change them to something else. I'll edit the OP to try to make it more clear.
    Powerful Criticals lets you increase the threat range from 19-20 to 18-20. It lets you create weapons similar to the kukri, rapier, and falchion in the SRD here:
    http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm
    Taking feats and other abilities to increase your threat range is still a powerful strategy, but I don't think it's any stronger than normal D&D.

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    jqavins's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Howard, NY
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Weapon Creation System

    Quote Originally Posted by Weirdbob95 View Post
    Powerful Criticals lets you increase the threat range from 19-20 to 18-20. It lets you create weapons similar to the kukri, rapier, and falchion in the SRD here:
    http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm
    Taking feats and other abilities to increase your threat range is still a powerful strategy, but I don't think it's any stronger than normal D&D.
    Indeed. A character with Improved Weapon Focus, Improved Weapon Specialization, and Improved Critical all in Rapier is a fearsome thing despite the low (1d6) base weapon damage.

    What about weight and price? You give them for the base, but one needs to know how they change with the various qualities.

    And how about adding a quality Heavy that just increases the damage category. It would be incompatible with Light but that's probably about all. Otherwise, how is one ever going to get into the big damage categories?
    -- Joe
    “Shared pain is diminished. Shared joy is increased.”
    -- Spider Roninson
    And shared laughter is magical

    Always remember that anything posted on the internet is, in a practical if not a legal sense, in the public domain.
    You are completely welcome to use anything I post here, or I wouldn't post it.

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    NinjaGuy

    Join Date
    Jul 2014

    Default Re: Weapon Creation System

    Quote Originally Posted by jqavins View Post
    What about weight and price? You give them for the base, but one needs to know how they change with the various qualities.

    And how about adding a quality Heavy that just increases the damage category. It would be incompatible with Light but that's probably about all. Otherwise, how is one ever going to get into the big damage categories?
    Weight and price aren't there because the SRD weapons don't seem to follow a pattern at all. A quick draft would be simple weapons cost half, exotic cost double, light weapons weigh half, and two-handed weapons weigh and cost double. Do you have ideas on how I could make this more interesting?

    I don't like the idea of a quality that doesn't come with any significant downsides. Everyone making a weapon would take it without any thought. I used to have a quality "Well-Crafted", which increased the cost and damage, but it was a no-brainer to just stick it on every weapon you create.
    Also, I don't see the need for a quality that increases damage more. For example, greatswords have the highest damage of all the weapons in the SRD, at 2d6. A weapon with the Two-Handed and Weak Criticals qualities also has 2d6 damage.

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    jqavins's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Howard, NY
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Weapon Creation System

    Quote Originally Posted by Weirdbob95 View Post
    Weight and price aren't there because the SRD weapons don't seem to follow a pattern at all. A quick draft would be simple weapons cost half, exotic cost double, light weapons weigh half, and two-handed weapons weigh and cost double. Do you have ideas on how I could make this more interesting?
    Not really.
    Quote Originally Posted by Weirdbob95 View Post
    I don't like the idea of a quality that doesn't come with any significant downsides. Everyone making a weapon would take it without any thought. I used to have a quality "Well-Crafted", which increased the cost and damage, but it was a no-brainer to just stick it on every weapon you create.
    Also, I don't see the need for a quality that increases damage more. For example, greatswords have the highest damage of all the weapons in the SRD, at 2d6. A weapon with the Two-Handed and Weak Criticals qualities also has 2d6 damage.
    I figured it would increase both weight and cost. Really, I asked because you included higher damage in your little chart at the top of the post but no way to get it.
    -- Joe
    “Shared pain is diminished. Shared joy is increased.”
    -- Spider Roninson
    And shared laughter is magical

    Always remember that anything posted on the internet is, in a practical if not a legal sense, in the public domain.
    You are completely welcome to use anything I post here, or I wouldn't post it.

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