Weapon Group Feats

In the D&D game the use of certain skills and abilities are determined or improved by the use of feats rather than the skills system. Sometimes this is to provide a certain character class with a schtick the other players don't have - there is no tracking skill, you have to have the Track feat. Because this costs a feat, few people take it unless they are really serious about tracking. No-one therefore has tracking as a sideline, and therefore the Ranger enjoys a unique place in the party. In other d20 games the ability to drive certain vehicles or perform other complex actions also relies on a feat, and for exactly the same reasons.

However, it is weapon proficiencies where this way of thinking is the most pronounced. In the standard D&D rules there are no skills with weapons or armour. Their use is entirely dependent upon the player's choice of feat. Certain classes, such as the Fighter, get a very large amount of bonus feats at first level that cover also every conceivable weapon.

Now, I agree that it is far more logical if all skills (including weapon skills) used the same system. However, I have chosen not to go down that route. To do so would be a lot of work for very little material gain in the actual game. Also, consider that the entire reliance on feats comes from a need to make character classes distinct. If I choose to keep character classes (which I do) I must also choose to keep the things that make them different from one another. However, I have made some changes to the way that the weapon proficiency feats work.

The Standard Rules

In the normal D&D rules there are three sorts of weapons: Simple Weapons (that mostly anyone can use), Martial Weapons (that only trained fighters can use) and Exotic Weapons (that practically no-one can use). These weapon cateogories map onto three feats: Simple Weapon Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency and Exotic Weapon Proficiency. Certain classes receive these feats for free at first level.

A character with either Simple or Martial Weapon Proficiency can use (without penalty) any weapon noted as "simple" or "martial" in the rules. A character with the Exotic Weapon Proficiency must choose one exotic weapon that he can use without penalty. If he wants to know how to use another exotic weapon without penalty he must choose the Exotic Proficiency Feat again. A character wielding a weapon he is not proficient in takes a -4 penalty to hit that stacks with any other penalty he might currently be suffering.

This system works perfectly well, and to tell the truth I really had no intention in doing the work necessary to change it. Then I read the section on Weapon Group Feats in the Unearthed Arcana (p94) and realised how much better that system was. I had two problems with the original system. Firstly, most characters know how to use 90% of all the weapons they come come across. Secondly, it is very difficult and costly for players for acquire multiple exotic weapon proficiencies. The Weapon Group Feats are a change for the better which is why I am using them in favour of the standard rules. Read on for further information.

A Note on Armour

In the standard rules armour proficiency works in the same manner as weapon proficiency. There are five feats: Armour Proficiency (Light), Armour Proficiency (Medium), Armour Proficiency (Heavy), Shield Proficiency and Tower Shield Proficiency and they do exactly what they say on the tin. Those not proficient in the armour they are wearing apply the armour check penalty to their attack rolls and to all skills that involve movement (including riding). There is no equivalent exotic armour proficiency. The rules for using armour have not changed. However, I have changed the rules for Spell Failure for those wearing armour.

Weapon Group Feats

The following text has been copied and paraphrased by pp94-97 of the Unearthed Arcana. I have done this because these rules are fundamental to character generation and access to the UA among my players is not widespread.

At its simplest, this variant establishes a new list of feats called Weapon Group Feats. Each feat allows a character to use a small number of weapons without penalty. Although most characters using this system are proficient with fewer weapons than the character classes from the Player's Handbook the weapons they know how to use will be grouped along a similar theme, providing a little more flavour to each character's weapon choice, at the expense of a small amount of versatility. The weapons in the following list take into account weapons published in Complete Warrior and the Arms and Equipment Guide.

Replacing Class Weapon Proficiencies

At first level a character class's exisiting weapon proficiencies a substitued for a number of Weapon Group Feats. In the section on classes I reveal what weapon group proficiencie a character begins play with. Sometimes the player has a large degree of choice. For example, the barbarian gains Weapon Group (Basic Weapons) and any three other weapons group feats at first level. Other classes, such as clerics, might find their choice greatly constrained.

Replacing Racial Favoured Weapons

Certain races gain free weapon proficiencies in certain weapons. Others gain weapon familiarity with some exotic weapons. The details of which races receive what benefit are detailed in the section on Races.

Weapon Specific Feats

Just because weapons are arranged in weapon groups does not mean that weapon specific feats apply to every weapon in that group. Characters that select Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialisation, Improved Critical or any other feat that a requires the player to nominate a certain weapon are unchanged. This is not the advice for GMs laid down in the UA, but frankly granting these abilities to all weapons in a group, while not game-destabilising, really doesn't make any sense.

Weapon Group Feat List

The following are the Weapon Group Feats available to characters. They are presented in the same format used for feats throughout the D&D game. Note that GMs or players can very easily come up with new feats encompassing a different group of weapons based upon circumstances or culture. Such feats could highlight the preferred fighting techniques of certain races. If creating new feats, use the folllowing list as a guide to their power and versatility.

I have created new Weapon Group Feats beyond the list as presented in Unearthed Arcana. For the sake of clarity I list them seperately here: Weapon Group (Farming Implements), Weapon Group (Marine Weapons).

Weapon Group (Axes)
You understand how to use axes and axe-like weapons.
Benefit: You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: handaxe, battleaxe, great-axe and dwarven waraxe (two-handed use).
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon (Basic Weapons)
You understand how to use a few basic weapons:
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: club, dagger and quarterstaff.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Bows)
You understand how to use bows.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: shortbow, longbow, composite shortbow and composite longbow.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Claw Weapons)
You understand how to use weapons strapped to the hands.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: punching dagger, spiked gauntlet.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Crossbows)
You understand how to use crossbows.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: heavy crossbow, light crossbow, repeating heavy crossbow, repeating light crossbow.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Druid Weapons)
You understand how to use the weapons favoured by druids.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, short spear, sling and spear.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Exotic Double Weapons)
You understand how to use the exotic double weapons associated with the weapon groups you have mastered.
Prerequisite: Base Attack Bonus +1.
Benefit: When you take this feat, you gain proficiency in the exotic double weapons associated with the weapon groups that you already know, and any weapon groups you select in the future. Some exotic double-weapons require you to be proficient with two weapon groups to gain proficiency in their use from this feat (marked in parenthesis below):
Axes: orc double axe, dwarven urgosh (also requires Weapon Group (Spears and Lances)).
Flails and Chains: dire flail, gyrspike (also requires Weapon Group (Heavy Blades)).
Heavy Blades: doubtle scimitar, gyrspike (also requires Weapon Group (Flails and Chains)), two-bladed sword.
Maces and Clubs: double mace.
Picks and Hammers: double hammer, gnome hooked hammer.
Spears and Lances: dwarven urgosh (also requires Weapon Group (Axes)).
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.
Special: If you include exotic weapons from sources other than the PHB, A&EG and CW, the GM should assign those weapons to a weapon group appropriate for the campaign.

Weapon Group (Exotic Weapons)
You understand how to use the exotic weapons associated with the weapon groups you have mastered.
Prerequesite: Base Attack Bonus +1.
Benefit: When you take this feat, you gain proficiency in the exotic weapons (but not exotic double weapons) associated with the weapon groups that you already know, and any weapon groups you select in the future. For example:
Axes: dwarven war-axe (one-handed use)
Bows: elven double bow, greatbow, composite greatbow
Claw weapons: bladed gauntlet, claw bracer, panther claw, stump knife, tiger claws, war cestus.
Clubs and maces: warmace (one-handed use), tonfa
Crossbows: great crossbow, hand crossbow.
Druid weapons: greatspear.
Flails and chains: chain-and-dagger, scourge, spiked chain, three-section staff, whip, whip-dagger.
Heavy blades: bastard sword (one-handed use), khopesh, mercurial longsword, mercurial greatsword.
Light blades: kukri, sapara, triple dagger, war fan
Monk weapons: butterfly sword, tonfa.
Picks and hammers: dire-pick, gnome battlepick, maul (one-handed use)
Polearms: heavy poleaxe.
Slings and Thrown Weapons: bolas, chakram, gnome calculus, halfling skiprock, orc shotput, shuriken, throwing iron.
Spears and lances: duom, greatspear, harpoon, manti, spinning javelin.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.
Special: If you include exotic weapons from sources other than the PHB, A&EG and CW, the GM should assign those weapons to a weapon group appropriate for the campaign.

Weapon Group (Farming Implements)
You understand how to use weapons derrived from farming implements.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: handaxe, light flail, pitchfork (trident), scythe, sickle.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Flails and Chains)
You understand how to use flails and chain weapons.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: light flail and heavy flail.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Heavy Blades)
You understand how to use large bladed weapons.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: longsword, greatsword, falchion, scimitar and bastard sword (two-handed use).
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Light Blades)
You understand how to use light bladed weapons.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: dagger, punching dagger, rapier and short sword.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Maces and Clubs)
You understand how to use maces and clubs.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: club, light mace, heavy mace, greatclub, quarterstaff, sap and warmace (two-handed use).
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Mariner Weapons)
You understand how to use weapons favoured by sailors and fishermen..
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: belaying pin, cutlass, harpoon, net and trident.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Monk Weapons)
You understand how to use weapons normally favoured by monks.
Prerequisite: Improved Unarmed Strike.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken and siangham.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Picks and Hammers)
You understand how to use picks and hammers.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: light pick, heavy pick, light hammer, warhammer, scythe and maul (two-handed use).
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Polearms)
You understand how to use polearms.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: glaive, guisarme, halberd and ranseur.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Slings and Throw Weapons)
You understand how to use slings and handheld thrown weapons.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: dart and sling.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Spears and Lances)
You understand how to use spears and javelins.
Benefit: You can make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: javelin, lance, longspear, shortspear and trident.
Normal: When using a weapon in which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.