Exotic Weapon Proficiencies and Changing Weapon Categories

[pabelfly]

This miniguide has the following:
1) A list of ways to gain exotic weapon proficiencies through classes and racial feats
2) A list of ways to change exotic weapons to martial weapons and martial weapons to simple weapons

Granted Exotic Weapon Proficiencies

Base Classes

Bard - whip
Beguiler - hand crossbow
Jester - whip
Monk - kama, nunchaku, sai, shuriken & siangham
Ninja - hand crossbow, kama, nunchaku, sai, shuriken & siangham
Rogue - hand crossbow
Samurai - bastard sword (bonus feat)

Prestige Classes

Arcanopath Monk - kama, nunchaku, shuriken & siangham
Assassin - hand crossbow
Cavestalker 4 - spiked chain or hand crossbow
Crimson Scourge - bolas, net, or whip
Dragonstalker - net
Fatemaker - whip
Guild Thief 2/4 - hand crossbow
Hathran - whip
Justiciar - manacles
Justicar of Taiia - any single weapon (simple, martial or exotic)
King/Queen of the Wild 4 - Exotic Weapon Proficiency (net) as bonus feat
Maiden of Pain - whip
Mantis Mercenary - chijiriki, jitte, kama, kusari-gama, nunchaku, shikomi-zue, siangham, and tonfa as proficiencies
Master of Masks 1/2/4/6/8/10 - gladiator mask gives proficiency with all martial and exotic weapons
Ninja Spy 1/3/6/9 - blowgun, chain, chijiriki, fukimi-bari, hand crossbow, kusari-gama, nekode, ninja-to, shikomi-zue, shuriken, spiked chain, or war fan (bonus feat)
Outlaw of the Crimson Road - net
Royal Explorer - any one weapon
Shadowdancer - hand crossbow
Shadow Theif of Amn 2/4 - hand crossbow or shuriken
Shou Disciple - kama, nunchaku & siangham
Techsmith - firearms
Thayan slaver - net, spiked chain & whip
Yathchol Webrider - hand crossbow

Honourable Mention:

Warblade 1 - with their Weapon Aptitude ability, can swap which weapon an EWP feat applies to

Exotic Weapons to Martial Weapons
Races

Asherati - Eagle's Claw treated as a Martial Weapon. (Sandstorm)
Azerblood - Dwarven Waraxes and Dwarven Urgroshes treated as Martial Weapons (Dragon #350)
Dwarves - Dwarven Waraxes and Dwarven Urgroshes treated as Martial Weapons (Player's Handbook)
Cactacae - Greatcleaver treated as a Martial Weapon (Dragon #331)
Flind - Flindbars treated as Martial Weapons (Monster Manual III)
Giant, Sand - Sand Blasters treated as Martial Weapons (Monster Manual III)
Gnome - Gnome Hooked Hammers treated as Martial Weapons (Player's Handbook)
Greenspawn Sneak - treated as being proficient with Dragonsplits (not treated as a Martial Weapon) (Monster Manual III)
Grippli - Bolas and Nets treated as Martial Weapons (Dragon #324)
Goblin, Forestkith - Nets treated as Martial Weapons (Monster Manual III)
Kobold - Greatpick treated as a Martial Weapon (Web Enhancement)
Kuo-Toa - Pincer Staff treated as Martial Weapon (Underdark)
Neraph - treat Annulat as a martial weapon rather than an exotic weapon (Planar Handbook)
Poison Dusk Lizardfolk - bolas and nets treated as Martial Weapons (Monster Manual III)
Raptoran - Footbow treated as a Martial Weapon (Races of the Wild)
Slyth - treat Flutter Blades as Martial Weapons (Underdark)
Thri-Kreen - Gythka and Chatkcha treated as Martial Weapons (Expanded Psionics Handbook)

Feats

Bladebearer of the Valenar - Elves treat the Valenar double scimitar as a martial weapon (Races of Eberron)
Darguun Mauler - Goblinoids treat the Dire Flail and Spiked Chain as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons (Races of Eberron)
Drow Skirmisher - Drow treat the Xen'drik boomerang, the drow scorpion chain*, and the drow long knife as martial weapons (Races of Eberron)
Improved Weapon Familiarity - treat exotic weapons associated with your race as martial weapons (Complete Warrior)
Shadow Marches Warmonger - Orcs and half-orcs treat the orc double axe as a martial weapon (Races of Eberron)
Talenta Warrior - Halflings treat the Talenta sharrash, the Talenta tangat, and the Talenta boomerang as martial weapons (Races of Eberron)
Unorthodox Flurry - turns one light weapon into a Monk weapon. Can include exotic weapons if you are proficient with them.

Weapon Enchantments

Skillful - grants proficiency with a weapon.
Aptitude Weapon - lets you change a weapon proficiency feat into a proficiency with the weapon that's been enchanted with Aptitude Weapon

Other

Fire Shuriken Spell - automatically become proficient with fire shurikens while spell is being cast
Metal Domain - grants a Martial Weapon Proficiency in either Light Hammer or Warhammer (Spell Compendium)
Revered Ancestor Domain - gain Exotic Weapon Proficiency with Valenar Double-Scimitar
Shapechanger Subtype - gains proficiency with natural weapons, simple weapons, and any weapons mentioned in the creature's description.
The Triad Vestige - 6th-level vestige (requires at least 10 levels of Binder), grants proficiency with all weapons (here) (Web Enhancement)
War Domain - grants a Martial Weapon Proficiency feat in respect to a deity's weapon if it is a martial weapon. (Player's Handbook)
Weapon Groups variant rule, grants proficiencies with all exotic weapons of a similar type (Unearthed Arcana)
Wieldskill spell - Initiate of Gond level 1 spell, can gain proficiency with any single simple, martial or exotic weapon

Martial Weapons to Simple Weapons
Races

Chitine - treat Shortswords as Simple Weapons (Underdark)
Diabolus - treat Tridents as Simple Weapons (Dragon Compendium)
Sea Kin - treat Tridents and Nets as Simple Weapons (Races of Destiny)
Underfolk - treat Light and Heavy Picks as Simple Weapons (Races of Destiny)

I'm sure I'm missing a bunch though, and I would appreciate any suggestions to expand this list.

[pabelfly]

Reserved because I'll probably regret it if I don't.

[Anthrowhale]

Not quite what you are looking for, but Greenspawn Sneaks (MMIV) are automatically proficient with Dragonsplits which are an oddball exotic weapon.

Edit: Oddball = slashing or piercing one-handed exotic weapon that applies to two-weapon fighting and weapon finesse as a light weapon. Combos well with exotic weapon master's Uncanny blow.

[pabelfly]

Not quite what you are looking for, but Greenspawn Sneaks (MMIV) are automatically proficient with Dragonsplits which are an oddball exotic weapon.

For the sake of completeness, I'll add it in tomorrow. I'm sure someone might use that information.

[Daisy]

...which is nice when the exotic weapons is stronger than a martial weapon but does not justify a feat to pick it up.

I agree that spending a feat for Exotic Weapon proficiency is a bit of a steep tax to pay. I always wanted to encourage Exotic weapons because of their flavour and just to spice things up a bit. In my campaign right now I'm using the alternative character building from Unearthed Arcana (in SRD) that uses Weapon Groups, because martials are generally underpowered compared to spellcasting classes and it gives them a small boost. This means that a fighter (who gets simple weapons plus four others) might choose Heavy Blades, Bows, Maces and Clubs as his first three, and Exotic Weapons as his fourth. He can then use the warmace (one-handed use), tonfa, bastard sword (one-handed use), khopesh, mercurial longsword, mercurial greatsword, elven double bow, greatbow and composite greatbow* exotic weapons.

* Note that some of these are in Arms and Equipment Guide and/or Complete Warrior.

He gets all these, and it doesn't cost him a single feat! Of course he's had to sacrifice a weapon group to get it - he could have picked Axes, for example, but in my experience most martial characters end-up very quickly specialising in a single weapon, so having that versatility is often wasted. As a bonus, as a DM I could let him find a +1 mercurial longsword, for example, and not watch with dismay as it immediately gets sold. Because who on earth ever spends a feat on Exotic Weapon Proficiency - mercurial longsword?

I appreciate this isn't actually answering your question, I just felt it might be of interest to you.

[Thurbane]

I could've sworn there's a race that treats bolas and nets as martial (or simple), but I'm struggling to find it. I thought it was Jungle Halflings from UA, but I was wrong...

Not really in the spirit of the OP, but there's a psionic vestige that gives proficiency in all Exotic weapons, and one of the Master of Masks masks does the same.

[edit] Sea Kin (MM3) treat nets as simple (as well as tridents). [/edit]

[edit 2] Poison Dusk Lizardfolk (MM3) is the race I was thinking of. They treat bolas and nets as martial. [/edit 2]

[pabelfly]

Not really in the spirit of the OP, but there's a psionic vestige that gives proficiency in all Exotic weapons, and one of the Master of Masks masks does the same.

[edit] Sea Kin (MM3) treat nets as simple (as well as tridents). [/edit]

[edit 2] Poison Dusk Lizardfolk (MM3) is the race I was thinking of. They treat bolas and nets as martial. [/edit 2]

Got the two races, but what's the vestige that gives exotic weapon proficiency? I'll look up Master of Masks and add that too.

[St Fan]

I honestly think it is simpler to ditch the whole simple/martial/exotic weapons rule and use instead the Weapon Group Feats from Unearthed Arcana. It may require a bit of tweaking there and then, but overall it makes it much easier for characters to master precisely the weapons they want to or need to, and not a bunch of useless ones, while even eventually saving one or two precious feats.

[Thurbane]

Got the two races, but what's the vestige that gives exotic weapon proficiency? I'll look up Master of Masks and add that too.

The Triad...

Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency in all simple, martial, and exotic weapons.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

The skillful weapon property automagically grants proficiency, essentially granting whatever proficiency you need for that character.

The aptitude weapon property turns whatever weapon proficiency feat you've got into proficiency with that weapon.

[smetzger]

Unearthed Arcana Weapon Groups...

[Saintheart]

Obscure, but the Cactacae (Dragon 331) treat their massive two-hander, the Greatcleaver, as a martial rather than exotic weapon.

Per the RoTD web enhancement (Wayback Machine link here) Kobolds also treat the Greatpick, an exotic weapon, as a martial weapon.

[Thurbane]

I think Thri-Kreen (EPH version) treat gythka and chatkcha as martial.

[pabelfly]

Okay, added all that were mentioned so far. Thanks for the contributions.

[Saintheart]

Indirectly, there's Unorthodox Flurry (Dragon Compendium):

Choose one light weapon. You become proficient with that weapon and can use it as a special monk weapon. You can make a flurry of blows attack with the chosen weapon. (You cannot choose a light exotic weapon unless you already have proficiency with that weapon.)

Therefore anyone who's got a flurry of blows feature can become proficient with any single light martial weapon.


Fire Shuriken spell confers automatic proficiency with the weapon created by the spell.

Whisper Gnomes (Races of Stone) specifically get the same Weapon Familiarity as normal gnomes, in case that's significant.


Also, it's worth noting that weapon proficiency can be granted according to creature type: Undead and Monstrous Humanoids are automatically proficient with whatever weapon is mentioned in their statblock. Outsiders are automatically proficient with all martial and simple weapons.

[pabelfly]

Indirectly, there's Unorthodox Flurry (Dragon Compendium):

Choose one light weapon. You become proficient with that weapon and can use it as a special monk weapon. You can make a flurry of blows attack with the chosen weapon. (You cannot choose a light exotic weapon unless you already have proficiency with that weapon.)

Therefore anyone who's got a flurry of blows feature can become proficient with any single light martial weapon.


Fire Shuriken spell confers automatic proficiency with the weapon created by the spell.

Added.

Whisper Gnomes (Races of Stone) specifically get the same Weapon Familiarity as normal gnomes, in case that's significant.

As far as I can tell, all subracial variants share the same weapon proficiency traits. Like, all gnomes will grant weapon familiarity.

[Saintheart]

Also, on the types proficiencies - almost uniquely, the shapechanger subtype is automatically proficient with any weapon mentioned in its description, aside from its natural weapons and simple weapons.

EDIT: Also, two domains - War domain and Metal domain.

War domain grants the Martial Weapon Proficiency feat (if required) in respect of a deity's weapon if it is a martial weapon itself. The narrow RAW reading is that this means that even if the deity has the War domain, if its preferred weapon is not itself a martial weapon, then War domain does nothing.

The Metal domain (originally FRCS, updated in SpC dammit) also grants Martial Weapon Proficiency in either the light hammer or the warhammer. The original version just let you have proficiency in any hammer, whether exotic or not.

[pabelfly]

Also, on the types proficiencies - almost uniquely, the shapechanger subtype is automatically proficient with any weapon mentioned in its description, aside from its natural weapons and simple weapons.

EDIT: Also, two domains - War domain and Metal domain.

War domain grants the Martial Weapon Proficiency feat (if required) in respect of a deity's weapon if it is a martial weapon itself. The narrow RAW reading is that this means that even if the deity has the War domain, if its preferred weapon is not itself a martial weapon, then War domain does nothing.

The Metal domain (originally FRCS, updated in SpC dammit) also grants Martial Weapon Proficiency in either the light hammer or the warhammer. The original version just let you have proficiency in any hammer, whether exotic or not.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

They're rare, but any weapon that doesn't require attack rolls takes no penalty to use unless the description says otherwise. The MMIII's sand blaster (listed in the sand giant's entry) is one such example. However, you're not actually proficient with it, so any feat, PrC, or whatever that requires proficiency doesn't qualify unless you take the feat, have the skillful or aptitude enhancement, etc.

The pyrokineticist PrC gains proficiency in its fire whips, and soulknife retains proficiency in its mind blade regardless of its shape, and there are several feats that can reshape it into other weapon types.

[Saintheart]

Found a weapon quality while looking for something else - Mouthpick weapons grant a creature proficiency in the weapon used when it's in the creature's mouth. +1 weapon quality, Lords of Madness p.46, also see "I don't like how little damage my bite attack does and would like to wield a Greatcleaver in my fangs."

[Thurbane]

Has anyone ever made a list of base and prestige classes that grant exotic weapon proficiencies? If not, might be something I'd be interested in.

[pabelfly]

Has anyone ever made a list of base and prestige classes that grant exotic weapon proficiencies? If not, might be something I'd be interested in.

I'd be happy to add it to this if anyone had any listed.

I'd really love to find more ways to expand the simple weapon list, which is disappointingly short. To be honest, I'm looking at optimizing Vow of Poverty and a VOP character is limited to simple weapons. I've figured out how to add nets, tridents and light and heavy picks to the simple weapon list, but I would love more good weapons to add to that.

[Thurbane]

Base Classes:

Bard - whip
Beguiler - hand crossbow
Jester - whip
Monk - kama, nunchaku, sai, shuriken & siangham
Ninja - hand crossbow, kama, nunchaku, sai, shuriken & siangham
Rogue - hand crossbow
Samurai 1 - bastard sword (bonus feat)

Prestige Classes

Arcanopath Monk - kama, nunchaku, shuriken & siangham
Assassin - hand crossbow
Cavestalker 4 - spiked chain or hand crossbow
Crimson Scourge - bolas, net, or whip
Dragonstalker - net
Fatemaker - whip
Hathran - whip
Justiciar - manacles
Ninja Spy 1/3/6/9 - blowgun, chain, chijiriki, fukimi-bari, hand crossbow, kusari-gama, nekode, ninja-to, shikomi-zue, shuriken, spiked chain, or war fan (bonus feat)
Shadowdancer - hand crossbow
Shou Disciple - kama, nunchaku & siangham
Thayan slaver - net, spiked chain & whip
Yathchol Webrider - hand crossbow

Honourable Mention

Warblade 1 - with their Weapon Aptitude ability, can swap which weapon an EWP feat applies to


...no idea if that is a full list. I haven't mentioned the ton of classes that can select EWP as a bonus feat, aside from one or two.

[Saintheart]

Obvious, but Exoticist from Dragon 310 gets proficiency with four exotic weapons of his choice. AFB but I think the Kensai from the same issue gets to pick one weapon as his signature weapon which can be exotic too.

[St Fan]

Has Swordsage been mentioned?

With the 1st-level Discipline Focus class feature, a Swordsage gains weapon focus with every weapon associated with the chosen discipline (and they can have access to six of the nine disciplines). It is not exactly spelled out, but weapon focus should imply weapon proficiency too, and the list of weapons associated to a discipline from Tome of Battle include some martial and exotic weapons.

[Saintheart]

Has Swordsage been mentioned?

With the 1st-level Discipline Focus class feature, a Swordsage gains weapon focus with every weapon associated with the chosen discipline (and they can have access to six of the nine disciplines). It is not exactly spelled out, but weapon focus should imply weapon proficiency too, and the list of weapons associated to a discipline from Tome of Battle include some martial and exotic weapons.

I like the argument, but I think most DMs would have a problem with that.

The Swordsage doesn't get a Weapon Focus feat. He explicitly gets the benefit of Weapon Focus in relation to weapons of the chosen discipline. The reason that language is usually used in 3e rules is to distinguish it from actually receiving the feat itself.

The other reason that language is used is because it gets around the problem of not being proficient with the weapon, which Weapon Focus as a feat requires. Some of the preferred weapons of certain disciplines are exotic weapons - Diamond Mind has the bastard sword, Iron Heart the bastard sword and the two-bladed sword. Swordsages are not proficient with these weapons - they're only proficient with simple weapons and martial melee weapons. Therefore, without EWP, a Swordsage can't get the Weapon Focus feat for them - so instead we have Discipline Focus, which gives you the benefit of the feat without providing the actual feat itself. I don't think you could reverse that to say "Because Discipline Focus, therefore proficiency" - Discipline Focus is more like half a dozen Weapon Focus^B feats on a monster, the feat is given without having to meet its prerequisites (or above and beyond the normal HD/3 allocation of feats all characters and monsters get.)

Also, Discipline Focus is worded that way or you'd have arguments about whether the person receives 6-8 free feats, since Weapon Focus as a feat can only apply to one type of weapon at a time.

[Anthrowhale]

The Targeteer Fighter variant also gets 2 free exotic weapon proficiencies for ranged weapons.

The greathorn minotaur (MMIV) is proficient with the exotic weapon Minotaur Greathammer by virtue of race.

[St Fan]

I like the argument, but I think most DMs would have a problem with that.

The Swordsage doesn't get a Weapon Focus feat. He explicitly gets the benefit of Weapon Focus in relation to weapons of the chosen discipline. The reason that language is usually used in 3e rules is to distinguish it from actually receiving the feat itself.

Yes, I perfectly agree, that's why I wrote that it wasn't clearly spelled out, and would require DM adjustication.

And indeed, the class feature doesn't give a load of feats, just the benefits of the feat.

For a while in 3.0, there was a notion of "virtual feats" for such a case. I regret it wasn't kept and clearly spelled out in 3.5, as in numerous cases a class feature giving a "bonus feat" should instead specify it is a "virtual feat" indispensable for the class, and thus it cannot be traded out (notably, Improved Unarmed Strike for monks, or the Combat Style-associated feats for rangers). This, to avoid some shenanigans such as the Dark Chaos Shuffle.

[ShurikVch]

Exotic Weapons to Martial Weapons
Races

Azerblood - Dwarven Waraxes and Dwarven Urgroshes treated as Martial Weapons (Dragon #350)
Flind - Flindbars treated as Martial Weapons (Monster Manual III)
Giant, Sand - Sand Blasters treated as Martial Weapons (Monster Manual III)
Grippli - Bolas and Nets treated as Martial Weapons (Dragon #324)
Goblin, Forestkith - Nets treated as Martial Weapons (Monster Manual III)
Slyth - treat Flutter Blades as Martial Weapons (Underdark)

Martial Weapons to Simple Weapons
Races

Chitine - treat Shortswords as Simple Weapons (Underdark)

[Telonius]

Maiden of Pain (PrC from Player's Guide to Faerun) grants whip proficiency.