Weapons - Special Properties & Types
Every adventurer has their preferred fighting style that uses specific weapons based on that style. The weapons listed on the weapons table are the most used weapons throughout the different cultures of the world. They are categorized into sections, archery, common, kobudo, martial, and throwing weapons. Common weapons are basic generalized weapons that anyone with even the most basic fighting skill can use without penalty. The other sections of weapons, however, are more advanced and require the respected masteries to wield without penalty.
Specifics on weapon damage, damage type, range, and improvised weapons can be found in the combat section of the game rules chapter.
Base Damage Die
Each weapon has a base damage die. It is the minimum die that is used when determining how much damage is dealt with the weapon. When a weapon is upgraded the upgrade, dice are added to this base die, which increases your chance to not only deal more damage but also to chain your rolls. The base damage die is used for critical strikes. See critical strikes in Combat: Attacking in the game rules chapter.
Melee Weapon Specials
Ranged Weapon Special Properties
Armor Penetration
These weapons have a unique ability to bypass armor damage reduction. On a critical strike, the armor takes one point of durability damage.
Assassin Strike
These weapons gain a +1d6 to their damage when attacked a surprised target. The additional damage works the same way the sneak attack mastery and can be stacked with sneak attack damage.
Bypass
These weapons can reach around shields which allow their attacks to ignore additional protection shields provide.
Disarm
Weapons with this special can disarm targets using the weapon itself. When making a disarm attack with a weapon, refer to the combat section of the game rules chapter.
Double Weapon
These weapons can be used as melee or ranged weapons. Melee weapons with this special can be thrown up to their ranged counterparts’ range.
Dual Weapon
Weapons with this special can make off-hand attacks using the same weapon. Either the two-handed weapon or single-handed weapon attack is used first, and then additional attacks are made with the off-hand skill. The type of initial attack is based on whether the weapon is a two-handed or single-handed weapon.
Flat Strike
These weapons can deal blunt damage using the flat of the blade, but damage is reduced by -2.
Grapple
Allow the character to make a grapple attack using the weapon or equipment. When making a grapple attack with a weapon, refer to the Combat section of the game rules chapter.
Heavy
Single-handed weapons that have extra weight giving them the extra damage two handed weapons give. Two handed weapons are heavy, but heavy weapons are not considered two handed. Two-Handed and Heavy properties do not stack on each other.
Interchangeable
These weapons can be used either or two handed. When wielding them two-handed, they gain the properties of Two-Handed.
Quick Draw
The special allows you to make an additional attack at a -2 if your first attack starts with your weapon sheathed. The additional attack requires one action and you must have an agility statistic of five or more. Sheathing a weapon with this special requires one action.
Reach
Allows the character to make an attack on a target that is ten or fewer feet away.
Ricochet
These weapons can bounce off a single secured object or wall when attacking. Using ricochet to aim for a target who has moved out of sight has a -2 to the attack.
Surprise Strike
Weapons with this special can quickly strike using an offhand attack when the weapon starts sheathed. The attack is considered a surprise even if facing your target head on, but has a -1 to the attack. Therefore, when using this special, you can use a sneak attack and other abilities that normally require a surprise attack to be used. This special can only be used when drawing and striking using the same off-hand attack. After the initial strike, this special cannot be used again until the weapon is sheathed.
Trip
Allows the character to make a trip attack using the weapon or equipment, refer to the combat section of the game rules chapter.
Two-Handed
These weapons require two hands to wield and cannot be used when mounted. The extra force behind attacks from using two hands adds extra damage. The extra damage is one and a half times the character’s might, rounded down. Except for Bo staff, spear, and trident, as they are, do not gain the Two-Handed or Heavy special property bonus because of their lightweight.
Damage die + (1.5 x might) = Damage
Although the Heavy property gives single handed weapons the Two-Handed special property, they do not stack on each other. Two handed weapons are considered heavy, but heavy weapons are not considered two handed.
Wounding
These weapons base damage dice chain range is increased by one increment. During a critical strike, if either of the two highest numbers on the damage dice are rolled, the dice can be chained.
Weapon Types
Each weapon (and some tools) regardless of if advanced weaponry, ranged, melee, etc. are categorized by type. The type helps to determine extra abilities or restrictions based on skills, masteries, and other areas. For example, if you take enough ranks in the Ambidextrous mastery, you can wield a two-handed weapon as a single-handed weapon as long as it is not part of the polearm weapon type. You can increase critical strike range by one increment for a related weapon type when a combat skill reaches adept tier (see skill tiers).
Sometimes an ability will specify a specific damage type, such as blunt for the weapon type. When this happens, base the weapon type off the specific weapon you are trying to use. Such as the Brawler combat trait, which says “+1 when attacking with your fists or a specific blunt weapon type of your choosing.”. Here, you would select a blunt weapon and look up its weapon type. For example, the Kusarigama is blunt and would apply to the Brawler trait whenever using the blunt part of the weapon. Since the Kusarigama falls under the flail weapon type the type for Brawler would be flail.
