Similar proficiency sets could be designed for any species with multiple attacks.
Showing posts with label Weapon Proficiencies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weapon Proficiencies. Show all posts
Friday, October 19, 2012
Proficiency of the Week: Zandar Martial Arts (an example non-human martial arts set)
I was very specific in using the term human/demi-human martial arts the last time we touched on martial arts because monster or non-human martial artists would have a different set of skills. Maybe claw/claw/bite or the like. The martial arts 'worksheet' below is an example of how a non-humanoid (or barely humanoid, in the case of the felinoid Zendarin) species might nest proficiencies to improve what would normally be an animal-type attack.
Similar proficiency sets could be designed for any species with multiple attacks.
Similar proficiency sets could be designed for any species with multiple attacks.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Proficiency of the Week: Special Attacks
The "Special Attack" weapon proficiency is not a proficiency in and of itself, but is a type of weapon proficiency. Ones included in the core rules are Sweep, Pummeling, Sapping, Shield Bash and specific martial arts attacks (flying kick, etc.)
The Special Attack proficiency can also be used by the player to create a player character version of a monster's special attack, based on his knowledge of weapons, combined with experience, various non-weapon proficiencies, etc.
Special attacks are created by the player and approved by the DM, similar to the process used when a mage creates a new spell. As with a new spell, the player character may choose to share the special attack or not with other characters. A special attack can take 1 weapon proficiency slot or more.
A special attack may have as many requirements as the DM allows. In general, the more restrictive the special attack, the more powerful it can be.
Typical special attacks include things such as an extra +1 to +3 to hit a specific type of monster, using a weapon in an area where it could not normally be used, forgoing an extra attack to do higher damage on one attack and the like.
A DM may allow a spell-duplicating effect from such an attack, although the more powerful the attack, the more limited or expensive a special attack should be. It is often easier for a character to find an enchanter to make him an enchanted item to do these things than it is to duplicate them with a special attack. (I have allowed it. I allowed a ridiculously strong dwarf with a deeper (ha, ha) knowledge of caves and the like than a normal dwarf have the special ability to cause small, directed, earthquakes, including one that killed a big beastie with a stalactite.)
Some special attacks are so 'easy' (that is, with your complex set of skills) that if you have the right combination of proficiencies they are 'free' (that is, anyone who has those proficiency groups can do them) examples of such attacks include sniping with a bow, crossbow or blowgun, stabbing someone with an arrow (given to people who have both a bow and a dagger/dirk proficiency, or high level bow proficiencies), called shots with a horse lance (only allowed with Jousting proficiency and Lance or Lance specialization.) These special attacks generally begin as DM's judgement calls and end up so common (or are so limited in use) that the DM uses established rules for them. A list of such effects is in our core rules.
Nearly anything used as a "feat" in non-advanced D&D systems that is not broken either already exists in uAD&D as a Proficiency or Special Attack.
Sources for special attacks include learning them from monsters (or trying to recreate a monster's attack) and the player's imagination.
The Special Attack proficiency can also be used by the player to create a player character version of a monster's special attack, based on his knowledge of weapons, combined with experience, various non-weapon proficiencies, etc.
Special attacks are created by the player and approved by the DM, similar to the process used when a mage creates a new spell. As with a new spell, the player character may choose to share the special attack or not with other characters. A special attack can take 1 weapon proficiency slot or more.
A special attack may have as many requirements as the DM allows. In general, the more restrictive the special attack, the more powerful it can be.
Typical special attacks include things such as an extra +1 to +3 to hit a specific type of monster, using a weapon in an area where it could not normally be used, forgoing an extra attack to do higher damage on one attack and the like.
A DM may allow a spell-duplicating effect from such an attack, although the more powerful the attack, the more limited or expensive a special attack should be. It is often easier for a character to find an enchanter to make him an enchanted item to do these things than it is to duplicate them with a special attack. (I have allowed it. I allowed a ridiculously strong dwarf with a deeper (ha, ha) knowledge of caves and the like than a normal dwarf have the special ability to cause small, directed, earthquakes, including one that killed a big beastie with a stalactite.)
Some special attacks are so 'easy' (that is, with your complex set of skills) that if you have the right combination of proficiencies they are 'free' (that is, anyone who has those proficiency groups can do them) examples of such attacks include sniping with a bow, crossbow or blowgun, stabbing someone with an arrow (given to people who have both a bow and a dagger/dirk proficiency, or high level bow proficiencies), called shots with a horse lance (only allowed with Jousting proficiency and Lance or Lance specialization.) These special attacks generally begin as DM's judgement calls and end up so common (or are so limited in use) that the DM uses established rules for them. A list of such effects is in our core rules.
Nearly anything used as a "feat" in non-advanced D&D systems that is not broken either already exists in uAD&D as a Proficiency or Special Attack.
Sources for special attacks include learning them from monsters (or trying to recreate a monster's attack) and the player's imagination.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Proficiency of the Week (Backdated): Martial Arts (Human/Demihuman)
There are about ten different (unarmed) Martial Arts forms that have been allowed in AD&D. A lot of systems have come and gone, and we settled upon a multi-proficiency 4-style format, and created a worksheet for people whose characters invested in it. Remember that in our variation on the system, characters have an additional starting weapon proficiency, and can also choose to take additional proficiencies in lieu of experience points if they so desire. If their character spends dozens of years doing nothing but refining his skills, he can become the ultimate master of those skills.
The idea behind this was not to make the old high master of the Eighth Temple of the Flying Tiger the same as the Seven Ancient Brothers of the Cherry Blossom. The idea was, instead, to allow those players who wanted to describe a complex unarmed art form to use a combination of the 4-style format and the Special Attack Weapon Proficiency to create their own martial art legends, based on their own style.
As my players will attest, there is very little I think can't be fixed with a sheet or handout. It's not that I think players should have a million sheets, I think that players should feel comfortable using worksheets and logs and journals to keep track of stuff. Your martial arts, for example, might just be a list of proficiencies and a line on your combat block but the calculator sheet is how you 'make' your martial arts, and how to keep track of it. Your character can call his +3 to hit with a fist the 'flying fist of the tuna,' but the worksheet tells the DM how it works.
In addition to the worksheet and the special attack proficiency, when using martial arts, I allow the following optional rule to be in effect:
So, without further ado, here is the worksheet itself. More details about the martial arts styles A-D can be found in the Player's Option: Combat and Tactics book, but as the uAD&D players know, that book should be taken with a grain of salt.
The idea behind this was not to make the old high master of the Eighth Temple of the Flying Tiger the same as the Seven Ancient Brothers of the Cherry Blossom. The idea was, instead, to allow those players who wanted to describe a complex unarmed art form to use a combination of the 4-style format and the Special Attack Weapon Proficiency to create their own martial art legends, based on their own style.
As my players will attest, there is very little I think can't be fixed with a sheet or handout. It's not that I think players should have a million sheets, I think that players should feel comfortable using worksheets and logs and journals to keep track of stuff. Your martial arts, for example, might just be a list of proficiencies and a line on your combat block but the calculator sheet is how you 'make' your martial arts, and how to keep track of it. Your character can call his +3 to hit with a fist the 'flying fist of the tuna,' but the worksheet tells the DM how it works.
In addition to the worksheet and the special attack proficiency, when using martial arts, I allow the following optional rule to be in effect:
Optional Rule: HANDS/FEET as Magical Weapons:
If the DM allows it, the mental discipline
required to allows hand/feet to count as a magical weapons (+1 or higher) can
be enough ‘magical energy’ to break through the innate protection of a creature
that can only be hit by magical weapons, at a penalty of one. Thus, a monster
that can only be hit by +1 weapons can be hit by a martial artist who
hits/kicks at +2 (the player still hits at +2, but in terms of what monsters he
can hit, it is those who are hit by +1 weapons or lower.) This magical energy
is considered psionic energy in nature and is not injured by areas of null
magic, but may be disrupted by anti-psionic attacks.
If a player with these pluses hits a monster with
a touch attack (wights, acidic creatures, etc.) he gains an extra saving throw
per plus to avoid or reduce the damage of the touch attack. If the attack does
not normally have a save, he may save for half damage each time (if it is save
or die, half-damage is ½ the character’s current HP) Thus a character with +3
who used his touch attack on a wight (normally an attack without a save) would
have three saving throws, being able to go as low as 1/8 of a level loss.) Punching
a carrion crawler in the tentacles, which would normally force a save vs
paralyzation, would allow a 2nd save if the character was +1 to hit.
On save or take a status effect change, any save prevents the status effect. If
save or take damage, each save reduces the damage by half.
So, without further ado, here is the worksheet itself. More details about the martial arts styles A-D can be found in the Player's Option: Combat and Tactics book, but as the uAD&D players know, that book should be taken with a grain of salt.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Proficiency of the Week: Sword, No-dachi to Scimitar
Again, with the caveat that people will always complain that their sword isn't where they want it, here are swords, again, requiring one slot each:
- Sword, No-dachi
- Sword, Ninja-to
- Sword, Rapier
- Sword, Sabre
- Sword, Scimitar
Proficiency: #Slots: Can Specialize? Description:
Sword, No-dachi 1 Yes Proficient in no-dachi, reduced penalty for
2-handed
swords
Sword, Ninja-to 1 Yes Proficient in Ninja-to, reduced penalty for
other one-
handed
swords.
Sword, Rapier 1 Yes Proficient in Rapier, reduced penalty for
other one-
handed
swords, reduced penalty for ‘fencing’ swords.
Sword, Sabre 1 Yes Proficient in Sabre, reduced penalty for
other one-
handed
swords, reduced penalty for ‘fencing’ swords.
Sword, Scimitar 1 Yes Proficient in Scimitar, reduced penalty for
other two-
handed
swords.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Proficiency of the week: Sword:Estoc to Long
The following proficiencies take one weapon proficiency slot each:
While people are always free to argue over the 'proper placement' of their sword of choice, in game terms, swords are either one handed, two handed, hand-and-a-half or so weird that wielding them grants no bonuses to other weapons. One such 'weird' weapon is the Khopesh. If, however, you were playing in Essos, I imagine a Khopesh proficiency would allow you to use a Dothraki Arakh with the related weapons penalty. You would probably have bigger problems on your hands, however.
- Sword, Estoc
- Sword, Falchion
- Sword, Katana
- Sword, Khopesh
- Sword, Long
While people are always free to argue over the 'proper placement' of their sword of choice, in game terms, swords are either one handed, two handed, hand-and-a-half or so weird that wielding them grants no bonuses to other weapons. One such 'weird' weapon is the Khopesh. If, however, you were playing in Essos, I imagine a Khopesh proficiency would allow you to use a Dothraki Arakh with the related weapons penalty. You would probably have bigger problems on your hands, however.
Proficiency: #Slots: Can Specialize? Description:
Sword, Estoc 1 Yes Proficient in Estoc, reduced penalty for
other one
handed
swords.
Sword, Falchion 1 Yes Proficient in Falchion, reduced penalty for
other one
handed
swords.
Sword, Katana 1 Yes Proficient in Katana, reduced penalty for
other hand-
and-a-half
swords. Can use one or two handed.
Sword, Khopesh 1 Yes Proficient in Khopesh. No bonuses.
Sword, Long 1 Yes Proficient in Long Sword, reduced penalty
for other one-
handed
swords
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