Weapon Proficiency

Weapon proficiency determine which weaponry a character is able to wield, and in what specific way (if any) they can wield those weapons most effectively.

Acquiring Proficiencies

All characters are given Weapon Proficiency Slots (WPS) at 1st level, which they must immedieately exchange for weapon proficiencies. As initial WPs represent years of training and practice prior to becoming 1st level, those not exhanged during character creation are lost. Additional WPSs are earned at higher levels. A character is considered to be non-proficient in the use of a weapon or other weapon proficiency, unless they exchange a WPS to become proficient. Once a weapon proficiency has been chosen, the decision is permanent.
Class: Each class group is represented. Multi-classed characters use the most advantageous row for their respective classes, and do not add them together. A fighter/mage simply uses the warrior row. Note that priests and rogues have identical weapon proficiency potential.
Weapon Proficiency Slots: The table below indicates how many WPS the character receives at 1st level and the next divisible level that a character will receive one additional WPS. For example, a fighter has 4 WPS at 1st level and earns 1 additional WPS at 3rd level, another at 6th level, etc. Characters may also exchange their # of Languages Known from their Intellgience score to the number of WPS received at 1st level.

Non-Proficienct Penalty: The first number in the table above indicates the penalty applied to the character's THAC0 when using a weapon with which he is completely non-proficient in. For example, a mage that is not profient in daggers suffers a -5 penalty to his THAC0. The number following the slash indicates the penalty applied if a character wields a weapon that they are not proficient in, but they are proficient with a weapon in the same weaponry group (see below). For example, if the mage were to be proficient with a knife, he would only suffer a -3 penalty when wielding a dagger.

Weapon Proficiencies

One or more WPSs are usually exchanged for proficiency with a single weapon or weapon grouping, but they can also be exchanged to become proficient in specific fighting styles (see below). If a character becomes skilled in a group or type of weaponry, they are still unable to wield weaponry in that group or of that type that is not allowed to their class.

Single Weapon Proficiency

The character becomes proficient with a single weapon in exchange for 1 WPS and totally negates the unskilled penalty associated with that weapon and partially negates the penalties for related weapons (Refer to Non-Proficienct Penalty above).

Weapon Groups

Instead of exchanging WPS for single weapons, a character can choose to become proficient in entire groups of weapons for less overall cost.

Tight Weapon Group Proficiency

A tight group consists of weapons of similar design such as swords or pole arms. By exchanging 2 WPSs to become proficient with a tight group, a character becomes proficient in all weapons within that group that are allowed to their class. When adding new weapons to the world, the GM should consider which, if any, tight group that the new weapon belongs to.
Note that some weapons do not belong to any group and must be learned seperately.
Tight Groups

• Maces: Footman's mace, horseman's mace, mace-axe
• Clubs: club, great club, war club, ankus, morning star
• Flails: horseman's flail, footman's flail
• Crossbows: Hand crossbow, light crossbow, heavy crossbow, pellet bow, cho-ku-no
• Daggers & Knives: dagger, stiletto, jambiya, main-gauche, parrying dagger, knife, katar
• Lances: Light, medium, heavy, jousting
• Spear-like polearms: awl pike, partisan, ranseur, spetum
• Poleaxes: Bardiche, halberd, voulge
• Bills: bill, bill-guisarme, glaive-guisarme, guisarme-voulge, hook fauchard
• Glaives: glaive, fauchard, naginata, nagimaki, fauchard-fork
• Beaked: bec de corbin, lucern hammer
• Unrelated polearms: military fork, tetsubo, lajatang
• Spears: spear, long spear, awl pike
• Javelins: javelin, pilum, dart
• Unrelated spears: harpoon, trident, brandistock
• Ancient swords: broadsword, sapra, khopesh, sword-axe, short-sword
• Roman swords: broadsword, drusus, gladius, spatha
• Middle easter swords: short sword, scimitar, great scimitar, tulwar
• Oriental swords: cutlass, katana, wakizashi, no-dachi, ninja-to
• Short swords: short sword, gladius, drusus, sapara, dagger, tulwar
• Medium swords: broadsword, long sword, cutlass, sabre, falchion, estoc
• Large swords: bastard sword, claymore, two-handed sword, great scimitar, no-dachi
• Fenching weapons: rapier, sabre, main-gauche, parrying dagger
• Chain & rope weapons: chain, kau sin ke, kusari-gama, kawanga, chijikiri
• Martial arts weapons: sai, jitte, nunchaku, sang kauw, three-piece rod, bo stick

Broad Weapon Group Proficiency

Broad groups provide the character with the most diverse and widest selection of weapons. They reflect those weapons that share similar properties across multiple types of weapons. Often broad groups include multiple tight groups. By exchanging 3 WP slots the character becomes proficient with all weapons in the broad group that are allowed to the class.
The follow list provides the broad weapon groups followed by the tight groups that are included in them. For a detailed list of weapons in each of the tight groups, see Tight Groups above.
Broad Groups

• Axes, Picks, and Hammers: Axes, Picks, Hammers, Unrelated
• Clubs, Maces, and Flails: Maces, Clubs, Flails
• Polearms: Spear-like polearms, Poleaxes, Bills, Glaives, Beaked, Unrelated polearms
• Spears & Javelins: Spears, Javelins, Unrelated spears and javelins
• Swords: Ancient swords, Roman swords, Middle Eastern swords, Oriental swords, Short swords, Medium swords, Large swords, Fencing weapons

Character Classes and Weapon Proficiencies

Most character classes are limited in their selectio of weapons. However, characters may choose to be proficient in weapon they normally wouldn't be allowed to use. This is reflected by requiring the character to spend more WPSs than normal to become proficient.

Classes and Barred Weapons

Classes that are restricted to not use certain weapons may learn those weapons by paying an extra proficiency slot.

Kits and Barred Weapons

Some kits may bar characters from certain weapon selections or allow other weapons to be used that norally wouldn't be allowed to the class. Characters with a kit may not learn weapon proficiencies barred by their kit.

Shield Proficiency

By spending a WPS, characters can become proficient with the use of their shield (see table below for more details).

The number of attackers is the maximum number of times the shied bonus can be used in a single round. Shields may only be used against attackers in the character's front spaces or on their shield arm flank.

Armor Proficiency

Characters can exchange a WPS to become proficient in the use of a specific type of armor. Armor proficiency reduces the felt weight of an armor by half. For example, a 40 lb. suit of chain mail would effectively weigh 20 lb. to someone proficient in chain mail armor.

Weapon Expertise

Regular weapon specialization (see below) is only available to sinlge-classed fighters, but expertise can be learned by paladins, rangers, and multi-classed fighters. Weapon expertise allows a character to gain extra attacks as if they were a weapon specialist. At 1st level, an expert with a longsword gets to attack three times per two rounds. Expertise does not grant extra attack or damage bonuses, as weapon specialization does.

Weapon Specialization (Fighters Only)

Single-classed fighters are allowed to specialize as many weapons as they like. Paladins, rangers, and multi-class fighters can never specialize with a weapon. Benefits and costs very depending on the weapon type. A 1st level fighter is only allowed to specialize in one weapon at level 1 but may take additional specializations as they level up. Fighters gain additional attacks per round with weapons they are specialize in (see table below).

Melee Weapon Specialization

Specializing with a melee weapon requires that a character exchange one addition WPS for a weapon they are already proficient in. A fighter specialized in with a melee weapon gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls and a +2 bonus to damage with that weapon.

Missile Weapons

Missile weapons includes slings and thrown weapons. Specialists in missile weapons gain an increased rate of fire with these weapons and a +1 bonus to attack rolls. Weapons that can be used for either melee or as a missile (spears, daggers, hand axes, etc.) gains the melee benefit described above when using the weapon for hand-to-hand combat and the increased rate of fire for using the weapon for ranged attacks.

Bows

Characters that specialize in a bow gain a +1 bonus to hit at any rnage, an increased rate of fire, and a new range category: point-blank. Point-blank is any shot of 30 feet or less. At point-blank range, the character gains a +2 to damage. Additionally, bow specialists can automatically fire if they have their target covered.

Crossbows

Specialists with crossbows gain a +1 bonus to hit at any range and a point-blank range like bow specialists. For crossbows, point-blank range extends out to 60 feet. Crossbow specialists have a +2 bonus to damage rolls against targets at point-blank range and gain the quick shot benefit for covered enemies like bow specialists.

Firearms

Firearm specialists are referred to as marksmen or sharpshooters. Specializing in firearms provides a character with three benefits: improved rate of fire; +1 to hit at any range; and 50% chance that any misfire he rolls while attacking is simply a miss instead.

Fighting Styles

Various fighting styles allow for different methods of combat. Warriors automatically know every style, while other character types are limited in their knowledge of fighting styles. Nonwarriors can choose to learn a fighting style unknown to them for 1 WPS.
Warriors, priests, and rogues can specialize in a fighting style they are currently proficient in by spending 1 additional WPS. Warriors can specialize in as many styles as they like, while priests and rogues may only specialize in one style.  Only single-classed fighters can specialize in more than one style. 

One-Handed Style

Classes: all characters, regardless of class, are proficient in the One-Handed Style.
One-handed style is when a character wields one weapon in their dominant hand and no other weapons or shields in their non-dominant hand, although small items (such as a potion) may be held. The free hand can be treated as a secondary weapon for punching, grabing, or otherwise annoying an enemy in combat. In this case, the normal two-weapon fighting penalty applies (-2 / -4 to attack rolls).
Specialization: Characters that specialize in this style gain a AC bonus of +1 while fighting with a one-handed weapon and no shield or off-hand weapon. By spending an additional WPS, the character can increase their AC bonus to a maximum of +2 for this style specialization.

Two-Handed Style

Classes: warriors, priests, and mages are proficient in the Two-Handed Style.
Size and Two-handed Weapons: The rule of thumb is that a character may wield a weapon that is equal to or less than their size with one hand and use a weapon one size larger than their size if they wield it two-handed.
One or Two-handed Weapons: Many weapons are designed to be used with one or two hands. These weapons characteristics change when used two-handed.
One-handed Weapons used Two-handed: There is no particular reason to wield a one-handed weapon with both hands unless the weapon is one size larger than a character.
Specialization: Characters specialized in Two-handed Style gain a bonus to their weapon speed factor. The weapon's speed factor drops by 3 to a minimum of 0. One-handed weapons used with two-hands gives a +1 to damage rolls for a two-handed weapon specialist.

Weapon and Shield Style

Classes: Warriors and priests are proficient in the Weapon and Shield Style.
Wielding a shield and a weapon gives the benefit of added defensive capabilities and also gives the character the Shield-Punch, Shield-Rush, block, or trap attack option. Performing any of these attack options negates the shields AC bonus for the round.
Disadvantages of using weapon and shield style include: limited to one-handed weapons; swapping the shield to the opposite arm requires the character to drop their weapon. Shields that are strapped to the character's arm take a full round to remove.
Specialization: Characters specialized in this fighting style can perform a Shield-punch, Shield-rush, block, or trap attack once every round and still have the benefit of the shield.

Two-Weapon Style

Classes: Warriors and rogues are proficient in the two-weapon fighting style.
Two-weapon fighting uses a weapon in both of the character's hands. The weapon in the off hand must be a size smaller than the primary weapon. Knives and daggers can be used in the off hand regardless of the primary weapon's size. Characters using two-weapon fighting suffer a -2 to attack with their primary weapon and -4 to attacks with their secondary weapon. This penalty can be offset by a characters high Dexterity.
Specialization: Specializing in two-weapon style reduces the penalty to the attacks to 0 and -2, respectively. Ambidexterous characters that specialize in this style suffer no penalty with either attack (see Ambidexterity in Special Talents).
Characters that spend an additional WPS on Two-Weapon style can wield two weapons of equal size. Rangers are considered to have the first slot of this style specializatio for free as a character ability.

Missile or Thrown Weapon Style

Classes: All classes are proficient in Missile or Thrown Weapon style.
Regardless of a character's size, using a bow, crossbow, sling, blowgun, or firearm at their normal rate of fire requries both hands. Crossbows and firearms must be loaded two handed and can be fired one handed. However, heavy crossbows, arquebuses, calivers, and muskets suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls if aimed one-handed.
Multiple Loaded Weapons: Several pre-loaded weapons can be fired very quickly. Having several pre-loaded weapons allows a character to fire at triple their normal rate of fire.
Thrown Weapons: Most thrown weapons only require one hand to use. Characters cannot throw a weapon and make a melee attack in the same round.
Size M or larger weapons can be used in conjunction with a harge attack. The character performs his charge as normal, but pulls up short of their target by 10 to 20 feet and uses the momentum to add to the throw. This attack confers the movement and +2 attack bonus of a charge, but also gains the charge penalties too.
Specialization: Specialized characters gain two benefits. First, they can move up to 1/2 their movement rate and still fire at their full rate of fire, or make a full move and attack at half their rate of fire. Second, they gain a bonus of -1 to their AC against enemy missile fire while attacing with a ranged weapon.
Horse Archers: Characters proficient with a bow and in Land-Based Riding (Horse) who specialize in missile style gains a special benefit when mounted: any penalties suffered while shooting from horseback are reduced by 2. Normally a character suffers a -2 penalty if the mount is moving at half speed or less, and a -4 penalty if the mounting is moving up to full speed. Horse arches suffer no penalty for half speed or less and -2 for full speed movement.

Special Talents

Weapon Proficiency Slots can also be used to acquire special talents. Talents presented with a asterick "*" can be purchased with a WPS or NWP.
Alertness*: (1 slot Wisdom +1; All Groups
A character with this proficiency reduces their chance of being surprised by 1 if they make a successful proficiency check. In situations where surprise is automatic, tey may still attempt a proficiency check. If he passes, he is surprised at the normal chance instead of automatically.
Ambidexterity: (1 slot Dexterity; Warriors, Rogues
Ambidextrous characters are able to use either hand with equal coordination and skill. They are neither right-handed or left-handed. When fighting in two-weapon style, an ambidextrous character has two "primary" hands, and suffers a -2 penalty to hit with either weapon. If the ambidextrous character spends a slot to specialize in two-weapon fighting style, he suffers no penalty to attacks with either weapon.
Ambush: (1 slot Intelligence; Warrior, Rogues
A character with this proficiency is skilled at laying ambushes and setting up surprise attacks. Ambushes are impossible if the attackers have already been spotted by the victims. If the party knows their enemy is coming to them, they can lay an ambush. If the attack is goig to take place in difficult or unusual circumstances, a proficiency check may be called for; failure indicates that the victims have spotted the ambush before they walk into it. Otherwise, the ambush is guaranteed to achieve surprise.
Camouflage: (1 slot Intellience; Warrior, Rogues
Characters skilled in camouflage understand how to stay out of sight in natural surroundings. Unlike hiding in shadows, camouflage requires one of two things: good cover nearby or a lot of prepartion. If the character passes his camouflage check, he is considered to be effectively invisible as long as he doesn't move. He can avoid encounters if he chooses, or gain a -1 bonus on his chance to surprise someone who doesn't spot him. The character's check is modified as noted below:

• Ground Cover: -4 penalty if no vegetation is nearby;
• Terrain: +1 bonus if terrain is rocky, hilly, or broken, +2 if very rocky;
• Preparation Time: -2 if the character has only one round of warning, -4 if the character has no warning.

Ranges and thieves gain a +40% to their chance to hide in shadows if they pass a camouflage check in conjunction with their attempts to hide in shadows.
Dirty Fighting
Endurance
Fine Balance
Iron Will
Leadership
Quickness
Steady Hand
Trouble Sense

Weapon Mastery (Fighters Only)

Single-classed fighters can devote their life to the study of a single weapon. A character may only achieve any level of mastery with a single weapon. To achieve mastery in a weapon, a character must first specialize in that weapon. Then, at any time after they reach 5th level, they can spend another WPS to become a weapon master. Starting at 6th level a character can spend an additional WPS to gain High Mastery. At 9th level or higher a character can spend a third and final WPS to achieve grand mastery.

Mastery

Weapon mastery of a melee weapon increases the attack and damge bonuses to +3 and +3, respectively. Bows and crossbows increase their point blank attack and damage bonuses to +3 / +3 along with gaining an additional +1 to hit at all additional range categories for a total of +2.

High Mastery

Spending a second slot on mastery, a character can become a high master. High masters gain a benefit to their weapon speed by dropping their speed by a factor of 3 to a minimum of 0. High masters also score critical hits on rolls of 16 or higher rather than 18 that hit their opponent by a margin of 5 or more.
Ranged weapon high masters gain an additional range category: extreme range. Extreme range is 1/3 farther than long range. Extreme range shots have a -10 penalty to hit before adjustments are made for the effects of mastery.

Grand Mastery

High masters that spend an additional WPS become grand masters of their weapon. Grand masters increase their attacks per round by one category. Grand masters also increase the amount of damage they deal with their weapon by one dice size. Thus, a longsword grand master would deal 1d10/1d20 points of damage. If a weapon causes multiple dice of damage, all of them are increased. Thus, a two-handed sword in the hands of a grand master inflicts 3d8 damage on large targets.

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