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YPU
2009-07-30, 09:13 AM
Ive been mulling over a RPG system for some time. Now of course this project is probably never going to see a shimmer of daylight, but I would like your opinion on this idea non the les, just as a creative exercise.

In this system weapons are made up of descriptors.
One trains in descriptors by sticking points in them and gains a +1 for each point trained.
Somebody could for instance have edged 2 and pointed 1 a one handed sword, which has the descriptors edged and pointed would thus be at +3 for attacks. You gain a -1 penalty for each descriptor in which you are not trained. Thus if this fighter was to use a dagger which is small, pointed, edged he would only get a +2.
The idea is that weapons which are more difficult to use are the most effective when fully mastered due to their versatility. However any descriptor can be a hindrance if one is not trained in its use.

Almost every weapon has descriptors.
Descriptors depend on size shape and use. The standard here is a blunt one handed weapon that is not balanced. Thus a simple club, the most basic of weapons, has no descriptors.

Some descriptors will have additional effects, such as small weapons doing les damage but being easier to conceal. Large weapons will deal more damage of course.

Descriptors:
edged: Using a weapon with a blade is slightly harder as one needs to bring the sharp edge to bear rather then the blunt side.
Balanced: most weapons are crafted to be partially balanced however they still carry more weight at the business end due to leverage or build. A sword for instance cant be stopped in mid swing without some strain. A balanced weapon can be controller much more easily due to design and build thus allowing for more flexible movement.
pointed: the weapon has a sharp top end and can be used to stab, a very different way of attacking then swinging.
Flexible: the weapon is extremely bendable, it might contain rope or chain in between the handle and the business end. A flail for example. This makes blocking a lot harder.
Large: the weapon is larger and requires two hands to use.
Small: the weapon is smaller then your average club and generally has decreased reach, it small size and light weight allow it to be handles fast and nimble, making it very usefull at extremely close ranges.
Cumbersome: there was no intention of balance in this weapon, it was designed to hit hard and heavy.
Defensive: the weapon has a guarding component or is bended so that it offers superior defense besides the normal attack.
Hooked: the weapon has a hook, such as a sickle or scythe making it more effective on trips disarms and similar attacks.
switching: the weapon can be folded into a smaller of different shape, quickly changing between the two modes can surprise the enemy. These weapons tend to have two different stat lines for different modes, you can switch them for free during any action, but only once per action.
Pole arm: a large part of the weapon is a shaft for holding it. This allows for blocking and significant shifting of the hands. Most pole arms are two handed, but not all.
Double: the weapon has multiple sides that can be used as a weapon. If they are different each side has its own stat line.
Catching: some weapons have special prongs or slits that are designed to help with disarming the opponent.
Long: the weapon is designed to be used at a distance, such as most spears.
Short: the weapon is designed to be used very close to the wielder, such as a dagger.

Custom descriptors: some weapons have special descriptors that do not have any direct effect in combat, but might be significant in some other way. A weapon might be s badge of office, such a katana’s were for samurai. A fan might have a descriptor that allows it to improve wind based powers, it might even be a prerequisite.

Now my question to you guys is this, do you see any merit in this? Any obvious flaws? Also, what descriptors do I miss to encompass all mellee weapons? Any big groups I have not covered.

So, try to stat up your favoured over the top flashy weapons and see if anything is missing.

A side note, I am thinking of implementing a battle grid with shorter distances then normally used, this way a normal sword would have reach 1 and a dagger would have reach 0. every squire the target is inside the reach you get a -1 somebody standing right against you stabbing you with a dagger can be hard to with a sword after all.

AstralFire
2009-07-30, 09:34 AM
My first thought is that I hope this system isn't going to try to get much broader than RPing a bunch of duels because this will result in an awful lot of numbers going into the weapons for pencil and paper. It's very detailed and thought out, which can be a backfire.

YPU
2009-07-30, 09:39 AM
Truth be told the main inspiration for this has come after watching to many cheesy kung fu and ninja movies and series. (not even that a big fan of the genre but still) and those do indeed tend to end up much as a lot of duels in a line.

Tough actually is it that much more numbers? I mean even 4e has something partially along these lines, and we all know that was numerific step back from 3.5.

AstralFire
2009-07-30, 09:44 AM
4E has heavy thrown, light thrown, heavy critical, light, heavy, versatile, reach - and then most of the variation comes from mixing this up with weapon groups.

Non-proficiency penalties are so crippling that no one uses non-proficient unless they're naked, so the effect is they have about half the descriptors you do. Whereas here, you can be partially proficient...

YPU
2009-07-30, 10:14 AM
Truth be told the main inspiration for this has come after watching to many cheesy kung fu and ninja movies and series. (not even that a big fan of the genre but still) and those do indeed tend to end up much as a lot of duels in a line.

Yes, and you could have bonuses coming from powers which work better with specific weapons, weapon focus feat and for instance dwarves weapon training.

Anyhow, it might be number heavy on the weapons, but then again is that appropriate for the genre?
Anyhow, a few softening factors. Many characters have a trademark weapon, I mean how often does your dnd (or whatever) group switch weapon type?
Secondly one could note down the modifier for a weapon as it becomes significant. Let say the party will be getting training with staffs, no exception. Everybody looks up what he has for pole arm and balanced. Every 0 counting as a -1. then ad that together and write it down, doesn’t take long, stays the same as long as you use a staff. Heck how often do you switch weapon anyway? Lets say five times, five lines on your sheet, takes a lot les space then five dnd weapons right?

Something I’m thinking now. What about unbalanced one handed sticks (the base line) how does one train in those? Perhaps a “base” skill that costs double to take might be in order here.
Also this way a 0 in a skill translates into a -1. perhaps it is better to have everything start at -1 and go up from there. Ie you can wield a stick but anything else is a bit harder (that is true right?) from there you first take 0 thus knowing how to use it with “normal” skill and from there you take extra bonuses.

AstralFire
2009-07-30, 10:20 AM
It's not a lot, as long as the focus of the system is heavily on weapon fighting. The broader a system's scope, generally the less detailed the mechanics should be for an individual part.

YPU
2009-07-30, 11:12 AM
Or you end up with something like GURPS...

YPU
2009-07-31, 09:18 AM
To elaborate on that, I find that gurps is so all round detailed it becomes practically unplayable due to the huge number of rules that might come into play.

The system I am thinking about will have non combat elements for sure, and probably a good deal of infiltration based rules as well, but the focus will be on combat.

imp_fireball
2009-07-31, 10:34 PM
Here's some weapons.

Chain Hammer
Classification: Exotic Two Handed
Damage: 3d6 Bludgeoning/Slashing (Medium), 20/x2
Special: STR 15 to wield (-4 penalty if not met)

The chain hammer combines the grit of a chainsaw with the sheer power of a war hammer... somehow. Its motor also causes violent vibration that effectively increases concussive damage, but makes it very difficult to hold stable.

Power Saw
Classification: Exotic One Handed
Damage: 3d4 Slashing (medium), 19-20/x3
Special: Can be powered on or off.

The power saw is a circular saw that can spin automatically. Often witnessed as one of the many weapons of the constructs inhabiting Helsh'vand, a gnome finally disassembled one at one point (presumed most likely) and began modeling it as a weapon for proper, organic mortals.

Powering the saw on or off is a free action. A saw that is recovered can remain powered for up to 4d10 rounds before losing this function (essentially switching to 'off' permanently). A freshly manufactured power saw being sold by a merchant (assuming they don't cheat the PCs), adds +10 to the number of rounds it can remain on, or +20 if masterwork.

When 'off', the saw does not spin and only deals 1d4 slashing damage, threatening 20/x3.

Electric Barb
Classification: Exotic Two Handed
Damage: As Trident
Special: Has reach, Electric when 'on'

The Electric Barb is essentially a trident unless powered 'on', in which case it deals 1d4 electric damage in addition to trident damage. The effected target must also make a DC 15 FORT save or be stunned 1d20 rounds - HD + CON modifier.

The Electric Barb can remain 'on' when recovered up to 2d10 rounds before switching 'off' permanently. A freshly manufactured Electric Barb being sold by a merchant (assuming they don't cheat the PCs), adds +5 to the number of rounds it can remain on, or +10 if masterwork.

Rat Biter
Classification: Exotic Two Handed
Damage: 1d6 Piercing 20/x2
Special: Can entrap an opponent, has reach

The rat biter is essentially an awkward pole with a combination of something like a lacrosse net and various spikes at the end of it. The spikes appear to be caught under some force of tension, like a bear trap.

If the person equipped with the rat biter makes an attack roll that's at least 5 higher than the victim's AC, they may make a free grapple that does not provoke attacks of opportunity against this victim with a +4 circumstance bonus to succeed. If successful, they may pull the switch on the rat biter as a free action; but only once per allowed attacks in a full action. The rat biter closes upon the hapless victim, dealing triple damage. The victim has the chance to make a reflex save for half damage, but cannot escape the net after failing an opposed grapple check.

The wielder must then pull the weapon away from the victim as a move action, or continue grappling for the next round - pulling the switch again to open the spike-filled harness is a free action and required to close it and deal triple damage once more.

Razor Spitter
Classification: Exotic One Handed
Damage: 2d4 slashing 20/x3
Range: 40ft.
Special: Repeater, Vibro, Harvest

The technology of Helsh'vand is eldritch, a mystery to academics everywhere, and unmistakable.

The razor spitter is a weapon that harvests scrap metal and then fashions it into beautiful, seemingly delicate, circular serrations.

Harvesting scrap metal is a full action for the wielder, since they must place scrap metal in the weapons chamber. The weapon will then shape the metal into proper munition (which can take 1d4 minutes). This is the only way in which the wielder may acquire munition for the weapon. The amount of munition created from a single piece of scrap metal is 1d4 if the piece is tiny, 4d4 if small, 12d4 if medium and 48d4 if large (double for every category beyond this; anything smaller than 'tiny' is too small, although a diminutive piece might provide 1 munition). The weapon can store an unlimited number of razors and is 'semi-automatic', functioning like a repeater crossbow, without the limit of a cartridge.

The serrated edges vibrate with incredible intensity upon being fired. If the wielder rolls at least 5 higher than the target's AC, then damage is tripled, however the target can make a reflex save to halve damage (improved evasion does not eliminate all damage in this circumstance).

Explosive Morning Star
Classification: Exotic One Handed
Damage: As regular morning star
Special: Explodes upon impact

The explosive morning star, discovered in Helsh'vand, is loaded with explosive grenade like charges, designed to go off at a specific impact, adaptable to their wielder. After exploding, the grenades regrow in 1d6 rounds. The morning star itself is immune to this explosive force, possibly crafted of a metal with enough hardness and heat resistance to remain unaffected. This is noted particularly when the metal is cool to the touch, immediately after a detonation.

If the wielder deals at least 3 damage with the morning star, the grenades will explode into a 20ft. radius, dealing 6d6 bludgeoning/fire damage. The target of this attack must make a FORT save equal to the wielder's attack roll +10, or be affected as if by an awesome blow of a STR check equal to the FORT DC needed to save against it.

The grenades affect everyone in a 20ft. radius, including the wielder, however nobody but the target is forced to save against awesome blow. The direction in which the target flies is at GM discretion.

AstralFire
2009-07-31, 11:10 PM
...

You do realize he's making his own system, so providing D&D stats didn't really matter, right?

imp_fireball
2009-08-01, 12:05 AM
It's called translation.

Also it goes to show that D&D stats can probably accommodate what he was thinking of anyway.

BisectedBrioche
2009-08-01, 06:31 AM
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119992

Look in the appendix for "Fire Punch" and "Firewhip"

Also, I homebrewed these a while ago;

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65079&highlight=Defensive+weapons