Chapter 6: Equipment

This is my greataxe. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

Weapons

In most campaigns, every character will carry at least one weapon. Weapons are useful for fighting off the snarling hordes of the abyss, orc warbands, and various tentacle monsters.

Weapon Effort

Light : The weapon's weight is equal or less than half the medium weapon limit. Light weapons can be used in your off-hand.

Medium : The weapon's weight is equal or less than your Scale Multiplier times your Strength Multiplier times 3kg. For human-sized characters, this works out to  be equal to your Strength Multiplier. Medium weapons only require one hand, and it may be a primary or off-hand.

Heavy : The weapon's weight is equal or less than double the medium weapon limit. Heavy weapons require two hands to use effectively.

Note: Some weapons simply require two hands to use properly anyways, like a bow. Those weapons are marked with '2H' (short for Two-Handed) in the Specials column. Double weapons must be used in two hands in order to attack with both ends.

Scale: A non-firearm weapon may be scaled up. This multiplies the weight by 4 and adds +3 to the damage. Weapons can be wielded that are designed for a size category other than your own, but for every step up or down you get a cumulative -1 penalty to attack. All weapons presented on the chart are scale 0 weapons (in that they are designed for scale 0 people, not that they are all as large as a human)

Weapon Descriptions

Cost : How much it costs to buy the weapon in normal circumstances. The cost may vary enormously depending on availability.

Damage: How much damage this weapon deals on a successful hit. This is before you add your strength, unless it has the Machine special.

Reach:

Close: You can only attack targets in your natural reach (in your occupied area for most creatures)

Standard: You can only attack targets who are one square outside of your natural reach (adjacent squares for most creatures)

Long: You can attack targets that are two squares outside your natural reach (one square away from your area for most creatures)

Range Increment: You may fire at targets up to 4 full doublings of the range increment away. Each doubling imposes a -1 attack penalty. So, for example, with a bow (range increment 10m); you could attack targets up to 10m away with no penalty, 11-20m away with a -1 penalty, 21-40m away with a -2 penalty, 41-80m away with -3, and finally 81-160m away with a -4 penalty.

Thrown: Thrown weapons have a range given in multiples of your strength. This means that if you have a strength of 2, you can throw a knife with a range increment of 2m. If it is 3, you can throw at 3m. Throwing a Javelin with a strength of 4 would give it a range of 8m because it has a range of 2x strength.

Improvised Thrown: Weapons and objects not explicitly designed for throwing can be thrown as well. If a weapon that is not part of the Thrown weapons family and has no range increment listed (such as a sword) is thrown, attacks suffer a -1/-1 improvised penalty to attack. The weapon deals its normal damage (adding your strength, as usual). The range increment is your strength score in squares of your scale.

Specials

Mounted : Weapons with this special deal one die higher damage (d4 becomes d6, which becomes d8, etc.) when used while mounted on an animal (or motorcycle, or in similar situations) in any combo that includes Charge.

Brace : You do one higher die of damage against an enemy that moved more than 4 squares this turn

Double : This weapon is a double weapon. You may choose which end to attack with on every attack. In addition, if you have the Dual Wield technique, you may attack with both ends as if your off-hand weapon is Light and your primary is Medium. In any case, in order to attack with both heads in a single combo (Dual Wielding or not) you must hold the weapon in two hands.

2H : This weapon requires two hands to be used properly.

Machine : This weapon is machine-powered, and uses its own built-in strength. You do not add your strength to damage.

Trip : You may make trip attempts with this weapon, using the weapon's reach.

Disarm : You may make disarm attempts with this weapon, using the weapon's reach.

AP1 or 2: “AP” stands for Armour-Piercing, and is rare outside of firearms and other futuristic weaponry. AP1 means that the weapon treats the target‚s toughness as 1 point higher, but the its minimum toughness as one point lower „ resulting in a weapon that is more likely to wound, but less likely to kill the target. AP 2 increases the target‚s toughness by 2, but decreases its minimum toughness by the same amount. AP weapons are recommended against enemies with high toughness that you would have trouble even wounding normally.

AP-1 or -2: These types of weapons are the opposite of Armour-Piercing weapons. While Armour-Piercing weapons concentrate as much force as possible in a small area to penetrate heavy armour, these weapons are designed for use against unarmoured enemies by causing severe internal damage. They decrease the target‚s toughness by 1 point, but increase the target‚s minimum toughness by 1 point (for AP-1), and by 2 points (for AP-2). Negative AP weapons are recommended against unarmoured targets with a relatively low toughness.

Blades

Bladed weapons are among the most versatile of melee weaponry, and fill a huge range from concealable daggers to the massive greatswords. Weapons with the Thrown family require Thrown weapon proficiency to be thrown without penalty, but can be used in melee (with the exception of the throwing dagger) normally with the Blades proficiency. Those marked with the Blades (Specialized) family require both the Blades family proficiency, and specialized training with that particular weapon.

Arming Sword: This is the weapon that comes to most people's minds when they think "sword." It is a straight blade, sharp on both edges, suitable for stabbing and cutting.

Dagger: This is probably the most common weapon in existence. It is favoured for its light weight, concealability, and low cost. Daggers are carried as sidearms by soldiers, by cutpurses, and by civilians.

Dagger, Hooked: This is a dagger with one or more ugly hooks and barbs, sometimes with a serrated edge. Hooked daggers devastate the internal organs of their targets, and deal more damage coming out than going in. However, they are ineffective against even lightly armoured targets.

Dagger, Throwing: This is a light dagger designed only for throwing. When used in melee, it imposes a -1 penalty without both blades and improvised weapons proficiency.

Falchion: This short, heavy blade is relatively cheap and has a tendency to cause grizzly wounds.

Kukri: This is a heavy, curved knife. Unlike most curved weapons, the blade runs along the inside edge. A Kukri can be used to make trip attacks.

Longsword: These expensive swords are often extremely well made. They are generally about a metre and a half long, and require special training to use properly. The stats presented for a long sword can also be used to represent a Japanese katana.

Poignard: This long, thin stabbing dagger is used to puncture heavy armour. It makes a good secondary weapon against heavily armoured foes.

Rapier: This elegant, thin sword allows you to make complicated fencing manoeuvres.

Sabre: This long, heavy, slightlycurved sword is sharp along one edge. It is generally used by cavalry.

Scimitar: This lightweight blade can be used with Weapon Finesse, even if it is a standard weapon. Its curved blade makes it effectively sharper than a straight weapon.

Shortsword: This light weapon makes an excellent sidearm. It is long enough to attack enemies at standard reach, and short enough not to be awkward at close reach.

Sickle: This is a heavy, curved weapon that resembles a farmer‚s sickle, but is reinforced for war. The blade runs along the inner edge. A farmer‚s sickle functions the same as the more warlike version, but counts as an improvised weapon (-1 to attack without Improvised Weapon Proficiency). A farmer‚s sickle costs half as much, and can be upgraded to a military one with a Simple (DC 6) Engineering (Blacksmithing) check.

Blunts

Blunt weapons tend to be the least expensive, and the heaviest. If you are playing with the more detailed armour special rule (see the appendix), they are highly effective against armoured opponents.

Club: This weapon is basically just a heavy stick of wood. Its stats can be used to represent many improvised weapons, such as baseball bats and table legs; as well as other types of club-like weapons, such as cudgels and truncheons.

Flail: A flail is sometimes confused as a mace or morningstar. A flail has a heavy blunt head hanging from a chain attached to a wooden handle. It can be used to make trip or disarm attacks.

Hammer: These statistics can be used to represent the civilian tool, or as a deliberate weapon.

Mace, Light or Heavy: A mace is a hafted weapon with a heavy metal, blunt head on one end. Light maces generally have wooden hafts, but heavy ones are solid metal. Improvised weapons such as crowbars use a light mace‚s stats, though (as always) require Improvised Weapons Proficiency to use without penalty.

Morningstar: A Morningstar is a spiked metal head on a wooden haft. It resembles a mace, except for the spikes. Morningstars are not to be confused with flails, which have their metal heads on short chains.

Quarterstaff: This is a simple wooden pole, carried by travellers and some of the more traditional wizards. A quarterstaff is a double weapon, but using both ends requires it to be held in both hands.

Sap: This light weapon, favoured by muggers and other criminals for its concealability and small size, deals nonlethal damage. It is also called a blackjack.

Axes

Axes are inexpensive, extremely common weapons that double as tools. The axe family also includes picks, which are sometimes used in battle because of their impressive ability to penetrate even the thickest armour.

Handaxe: This light axe can be thrown.

Battleaxe: This single-bladed weapon packs a lot of punch for a low cost. It has a wooden haft, and is an extremely common weapon.

Pick, Light or Heavy: These resemble the mining tool, but are designed for war. A mining pick functions as a light pick, although is an Improvised weapon. Light picks have wooden hafts, and heavy picks have metal ones. A mining pick can be converted into a light pick with a Simple (DC 6) Engineering (Blacksmithing) check.

Halberd: A halberd is a heavy polearm with an axelike head and a spear point. The piercing damage is done with the spear head, which is the end used when making a Brace attack. Halberds can be used to trip enemies.

Waraxe: A waraxe is an expensive, single-bladed axe designed exclusively for war. It is favoured by dwarves.

Greataxe: This is a mammoth double-bladed axe. A man carrying a greataxe is not a man to be trifled with.

Martial Arts

Gauntlet: The "Gauntlet" weapon entry also covers weapons such as Brass Knuckles, Steel-Toed Boots and the like. Gauntlets come for free (the weight is included) with any metal armour that has coverage: full. Gauntlets (but not brass knuckles) grant a +4 defence bonus to your hands‚ toughness. Further, they allow you to make unarmed attacks using the gauntlet‚s weapon damage. Gauntlets deal lethal damage.

Punch Dagger Punch daggers do not protect your hands from attack.

Spiked Gauntlet: These function like gauntlets (above) except as listed on the chart.

Unarmed Strike: An unarmed strike is any attack made without a weapon or other natural weapon. It could be, for example, a punch, kick, uppercut, elbow to the stomach, etc.. Without the Living Weapon technique in the Combat Arts skill, all unarmed attacks made in a combo count as if they were made with a single 'weapon.' If you are not proficient with Unarmed Strike, it does not count as a weapon ƒ so, for example, you could not use your fists to parry an attack.

Nunchaku: Also known as "nunchucks," these simple-looking weapons are deadly in the hands of a master. A Nunchaku can be used to make disarm attacks.

Spears

Pike: Basically just a very long spear, Pikes deal extra damage against charging targets. Pikes are favoured by military infantry units as they are cheap, effective, and easy to learn.

Shortspear: This lightweight weapon, about a metre long, is one of the most versatile weapons ever devised. You can stab with the sharp end, bash people with the blunt end, or throw it across a room. Attacks made with the tip deal piercing damage and require Spear or Simple Weapons proficiency, those with the blunt end deal bludgeoning damage and require Blunt proficiency, and thrown attacks require Thrown proficiency to attack without penalty.

Spear: Resembling a shortspear though slightly longer, and with a larger head, a Spear deals d10 damage against a charging foe.

Trident: This three-pointed spearlike weapon is an uncommon sight on the battlefield. It can be braced against a charge for extra damage, or thrown. A trident resembles a pitchfork, which uses the same stats as a trident but costs half as much, although is Improvised. A pitchfork can be reinforced for war with a Simple  (DC 6) Engineering check.

Ranged Weapons

Arrow: Arrows are similar to bolts, and come with their own quiver. Arrows are fired from bows and longbows, and deal the weapon's damage. An arrow can be used as a crude Improvised melee weapon,  dealing 1d4-1 piercing damage. Arrows used in melee break on an attack roll of 1, but when fired at range are generally recoverable. Arrows from different types of bow are compatible with each other.

Bolts: Bolts come with their own quiver, and are also known as quarrels. They resemble arrows, but are shorter and heavier. Bolts are fired out of crossbows (dealing the crossbow's damage) but can also be used as a crude Improvised melee weapon. A bolt deals 1d4-1 piercing damage. Bolts used in melee break on an attack roll of 1, but when fired at range are generally recoverable. Bolts fired by heavy, repeater, and light crossbows are compatible with each other, but hand crossbows fire more compact, solid metal bolts.

Bullets: Lead bullets come in bags, and are fired by slings. See the sling description for more information. Bullets can be thrown by themselves, and do 1d4-2 bludgeoning damage with a range increment of Thrown.

Crossbow, Hand: Hand crossbows are a feat of engineering and machinery. They pack a lot of force into a tiny machine that can be fired (but not reloaded) with one hand. A hand crossbow takes 2 seconds to reload, or twice as long without Crossbow Proficiency. A hand crossbow cannot effectively be used as a melee weapon.

Crossbow, Heavy: A heavy crossbow takes 6 seconds to reload, or twice as long without Crossbow Proficiency. A heavy crossbow butt can be used as a sort of a club, treated as an Improvised Blunt weapon dealing 1d4 bludgeoning damage at standard reach.

Crossbow, Light: A light crossbow takes 3 seconds to reload, or twice as long without Crossbow Proficiency. A light crossbow butt can be used as a sort of a club, treated as an Improvised Blunt weapon dealing 1d4 bludgeoning damage at standard reach. A light crossbow butt can be used as a sort of a club, treated as an Improvised Blunt weapon dealing 1d4 bludgeoning damage at standard reach.

Crossbow, Repeater: Repeater crossbows have a magazine of five bolts. The Repeater crossbow can fire five times before needing to be reloaded, as if it were a firearm with the Single rate of fire. A repeater crossbow takes 6 seconds to reload, or twice as long without Specialized: Repeater Crossbow Proficiency. The price given for the bolts includes the box magazine.

Dart:  Darts are lightweight projectiles that can be thrown at fairly long range. Darts are frequently poisoned to make up for their lack of damage. They can be used in melee, but are treated as Improvised.

Javelin: Javelins are light, flexible spears designed for throwing at long distances. They can be used in melee, but are treated as Improvised.  

Sling: Slings are common peasant weapons used to drive off wolves and hunt small game. You add your strength to sling attacks. A sling can be easily improvised from cloth or scarves, and with a few minutes of effort (no skill check necessary) they don‚t count as improvised weapons. Slings fire lead bullets. They can also throw stones, which deals 1 point less damage and makes the weapon count as Improvised.