Weapon Proficiencies
A weapon proficiency measures a character's knowledge and training with a specific weapon. When a character is created, the player checks the Proficiency Allocation table to see how many weapon proficiency slots the character has. These initial slots must be filled immediately, before the character embarks on his first adventure. Any slots that aren't filled by then are lost.
Each weapon proficiency slot must be assigned to a particular weapon, not just a class of weapons. Each weapon listed in the Weapons Table requires its own proficiency; each has its own special tricks and quirks that must be mastered before the weapon can be handled properly and effectively. A fencer who is master of the epee, for example, is not necessarily skilled with a saber; the two weapons look similar, but the fighting styles they are designed for are entirely different. A player character could become proficient with a long bow or a short bow, but not with all bows in general (unless he devotes a proficiency slot to each individually). Furthermore, a character can assign weapon proficiency slots only to those weapons allowed to his character class.
As a character reaches higher experience levels, he also earns additional weapon proficiencies. The rate at which proficiencies are gained depends on the character's class. Warriors, who concentrate on their martial skills, learn to handle a great number of weapons. They gain weapon proficiencies quickly. Wizards, who spend their time studying forgotten magical arts, have little time to practice with weapons. They gain additional weapon proficiencies very slowly. Multi-class characters can use the most beneficial line on the Proficiency Allocation table to determine their initial proficiencies and when they gain new proficiencies.
Effects of Weapon Proficiencies
A character who has a specific weapon proficiency is skilled with that weapon and familiar with its use. A character does not gain any bonuses for using a weapon he is proficient with; the combat rules and attack chances assume that everyone uses a weapon he is proficient with. This eliminates the need to add a modifier to every die roll during battle.
When a character uses a weapon that he is not proficient with, however, he suffers a penalty on his chance to hit. The size of this penalty depends on the character's class. Warriors have the smallest penalty because they are assumed to have passing familiarity with all weapons. Wizards, by comparison, are heavily penalized because of their limited study of weapons. The modifiers for each class (which are taken as penalties to the attack die roll) are listed in the Proficiency Allocation table.
Related Weapons Bonus
When a character gains a weapon proficiency, he is learning to use a particular weapon effectively. However, many weapons have similar characteristics. A long sword, bastard sword, and broad sword, while all different, are all heavy, slashing swords. A character who is trained with one can apply some of his skill to the others. He is not fully proficient with the weapon, but he knows more about it than someone who picks it up without any skill in similar weapons.
When a character uses a weapon that is similar to a weapon he is proficient with, his attack penalty is only one-half the normal amount (rounded up). A warrior, for example, would have a -1 penalty with a related weapon instead of -2. A wizard would have a -3 penalty instead of -5.
Some related weapon categories are shown in the table below. There may be others: Consult the DM.
| Melee Weapons |
|---|
| Long Sword, Broad Sword |
| Two-Handed Sword, Bastard Sword |
| Footman's Flail, Horseman's Flail |
| Scimitar, Saber |
| Bo-Stick, Quarterstaff |
| Dagger, Knife |
| Hand Axe, Battle Axe |
| Military Fork, Ranseur, Spetum, Partisan |
| Footman's Mace, Horseman's Mace, Morning Star, Hammer, Club |
| Glaive, Halberd, Bardiche, Voulge, Guisarme, Glaive-Guisarme, Guisarme-Voulge |
| Spear, Trident |
| Missile Weapons |
| Short Bow, Long Bow, Composite Bow |
| Heavy And Light Crossbows |
| Sling, Staff Sling |
| Harpoon, Spear, Trident, Javelin |
Attacking with Two Weapons
A tricky fighting style available only to warriors and rogues is that of fighting with two weapons simultaneously. The character chooses not to use a shield in favor of another weapon, granting him a greater number of attacks, with a penalty to his attack rolls.
When using a second weapon in his off-hand, a character is limited in his weapon choice. His principal weapon can be whatever he chooses, provided it can be wielded with one hand. The second weapon must be smaller in size and weight than the character's main weapon (though a dagger can always be used as a second weapon, even if the primary weapon is also a dagger). A character can use a long sword and a short sword, or a long sword and a dagger, but he cannot use two long swords. An exception to this is allowed to fighters (but not rogues) if they choose to specialize in fighting "Florentine Style" in which case they CAN use 2 longswords (or 2 of any 1-handed type weapon).
When attacking, all characters suffer penalties to their attack rolls. Attacks made with the main weapon suffer a -2 penalty, and attacks made with the second weapon suffer a -4 penalty. The character's Reaction Adjustment modifies this penalty. A low Dexterity score will worsen the character's chance to hit with each attack. A high Dexterity can negate this particular penalty, although it cannot result in a positive modifier on the attack rolls for either weapon (i.e., the Reaction Adjustment can, at best, raise the attack roll penalties to 0).
The use of two weapons enables the character to make one additional attack each combat round, with the second weapon. The character gains only one additional attack each round, regardless of the number of attacks he may normally be allowed. Thus, a warrior able to attack 3/2 (once in the first round and twice in the second) can attack 5/2 (twice in the first round and three times in the second).
Weapon Specialization
Only members of the Fighter class can make use of weapon specialization. This discipline is manifested in the character’s choice of one weapon to practice and use, to the exclusion of others. Any weapon may be chosen. Specialization is normally announced (and paid for with weapon proficiency slots) when the character is created. But even after a player character earns experience, he can still choose to specialize in a weapon, provided he has the weapon proficiency slots available. A character can only specialize in 1 weapon, even if they have multiple weapon proficiency slots available.
Multi-class characters cannot use weapon specialization; it is available only to single-class Fighters.
Cost of Specialization
Weapon specialization is obtained by devoting extra weapon proficiency slots to the chosen weapon. To specialize in any sort of melee weapon or crossbow, the character must devote two slots--one slot to become proficient with it, and then a second slot to specialize in it; that is, a fighter may choose a weapon of specialization in addition to two other weapons of proficiency to count for the character’s initial allotment of four weapon proficiencies.
Any bow (other than a crossbow) requires a total of three proficiency slots: one for proficiency and two to specialize, so that a fighter who specializes in the use of a bow may have only one other weapon of proficency to start with at the start of his or her adventuring career.
Effects of Specialization
Melee Weapons:
The character is +1 to hit and +2 to damage with the special weapon, on top of all other strength and magic bonuses. The attack bonuses are not magical and do not enable the character to affect a creature that can be injured only by magical weapons.The weapon must be a specific type, such as long sword or broad sword, as opposed to a general sword. In addition, the fighter gets additional attacks per round with the special weapon. The specifications for these additional attacks override the figures given on the Attacks Per Melee Round table hereafter, and are summarized on the Specialist Attacks Per Round table below.
Specialist Attacks Per Round
| Fighter Level | Melee Weapon | Bow, Long or Short | Light X-bow | Heavy X-bow | Thrown Dagger | Thrown Dart | Lasso and Staff Sling | (Non-bow) Missiles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-6 | 3/2 | 2/1 | 1/1 | 1/2 | 3/1 | 4/1 | 1/1 | 3/2 |
| 7-12 | 2/1 | 3/1 | 3/2 | 1/1 | 4/1 | 5/1 | 3/2 | 2/1 |
| 13+ | 5/2 | 4/1 | 2/1 | 3/2 | 5/1 | 6/1 | 2/1 | 5/2 |
Bows
Fighters using the long, short, or composite bow as a special weapon are entitled to a 'point blank' range category. Point blank range is from 6' to 30'. The character is + 2 'to hit' and on damage rolls against targets within this range, plus bonuses for strength or magic if applicable. Short range for a bow specialist is from 30' up to the lower limit of medium range for that bow. The bowman is + l to hit and damage at short range. Bow specialists may also gain additional attacks at higher levels. Additionally, a bow specialist who begins the round with arrow nocked and target in range and line of sight is entitled to loose that arrow prior to any initiative check.
Crossbows:
In the hands of a specialist, these weapons have a 'point blank' range of 6' to 60' (this completely overtakes the short range of a light crossbow in the dungeon). The crossbow specialist is + 2 'to hit' and damage against targets in this range. At short range the crossbowman is + 1 to hit and damage. At medium range the crossbow specialist is + 1 to hit, but gains no bonus on damage by virtue of specialization. Crossbow specialists also increase in rate of fire with level, and the amount of this increase is dependent on whether a light or heavy crossbow is used. Crossbowmen also gain the 'aimed shot' advantage of bowmen, so that if the crossbow is cocked and the target is in range and line of sight, the crossbowman gets a free shot before initiative is rolled.
Other Missile Weapons:
Users of other sorts of missile weapons gain a + 1 bonus 'to hit' and a + 2 bonus on damage. Their number of attacks per round depends on the initial fire rate of the missile weapon.
Fighting Florentine Style:
Fighting Florentine Style is a special type of specialization wherein the fighter chooses to specialize in fighting with two of the same weapon. The weapon must be normally wielded one-handed. It costs a total of 3 proficiency slots to specialize in Florentine Style fighting, and the character is +1 to hit and +2 to damage with the special weapon. The character cannot choose this when they create their character, but must first specialize with the weapon, and then, when they reach a level where they are granted another proficiency slot, they can choose Florentine Style as their second level of specialization.
Thus, a fighter who specializes in the Florentine Style may have only one other weapon of proficency to start with at the start of his or her adventuring career.
It is important to note that the penalties described in the section about fighting with two weapons still apply. However, with this specialization, since there is no "off-hand" weapon, both weapons suffer only the -2"to hit" penalty, and this can also be overcome by dexterity adjustments.
Final Note:
All 'to hit' bonuses granted by weapon specialization are not magical in nature, and will not affect creatures that are only hit by magical weapons. If a ranger or fighter is wielding a magic weapon that is of the weapon type that he or she is specialized in, all magical bonuses apply in addition to the bonuses gained for specialization.