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Chapter 9: Equipment
Weapons
There are 3 categories of weapons: melee
weapons for armed combat in close quarters, miscellaneous
weapons in which characters usually do
not train but may use nonetheless, and missile weapons
for distant combat. The weapons in the tables
are numbered to facilitate the determination of Plunder
in Chapter 14: Treasure.
Cost is listed in silver pieces (s.p.).
Type determines whether the weapon is a
Stabbing, Hacking, or Pounding weapon, or a combination
of these 3. For example, a horseman’s battle
axe is primarily a hacking weapon, though due to its
back spike the wielder may also reverse their grip
and use it for stabbing.
Each weapon also has either A (Agility), SA
(Strength and Agility), or S (Strength) listed. ‘A’
weapons may be used to attack twice per round in
combat, while ‘S’ and ‘SA’ weapons may be used to
attack once per round in combat. The number of
attacks per round may be increased with SP, as noted
in the Weapon (General) and Weapon (Specific) skills
(see Chap. 8: Skills). S, SA, and A weapons differ in
which sub-ability modifiers (Hand-Eye Coordination
and/or Agility) are used, and in what proportion.
For more information, see the Weapon (Specific)
skill.
Size of the weapon is Tiny (less than 24”),
Small (24-36”), Medium (37-48”), or Large (>48”).
For example, a battle axe is a weapon of medium
size (48”), while a hand axe (hatchet) is a tiny weapon
(15”). Weapons are always the same size listed. There
are not larger versions of these weapons for larger
humanoids. Weapon size and creature size affect
Smiting (see Chap. 10: Combat). Weapon size affects
Delivery Penalty.
Weight is listed in pounds, so a dagger
weighs 1 pound.
Weight Distribution is the location of the
balancing point of the weapon, considering the
handle or end closest to the wielder as 1, and the tip
or end closest to the foe as 100. The range of Weight
Distribution is 1-100.
Fulcrum Range is where the wielder places
their hand or hands. If both hands are used, then
the hand closest to the attacking-end of the weapon
430
is considered the fulcrum. The location of their
hands is the point from which leverage is gained.
The higher the number, the closer the fulcrum is to
the attacking-end of the weapon. The lower the
fulcrum on a hacking or pounding weapon, the more
damage is delivered but it has a higher Delivery Penalty
(see Delivery Penalty on the next page). Therefore,
the higher the fulcrum on a hacking or pounding
weapon, the less damage is delivered but it has a
lower Delivery Penalty.
Range lists the range increments of the
weapon. First, however, the maximum range and
maximum effective range must be calculated. The
maximum range of a hurled weapon (such as a dagger
or hatchet) is equal to the cube root of the
hurler’s Strength divided by the weight of the
weapon hurled, and the result is multiplied by 50.
For example, a human with 150 Strength has a maximum
range of hurling a hatchet 132 feet away. The
maximum effective range is only 75% of the maximum
range. For each SP invested in the Weapon
Specific skill, the maximum effective range is increased
by 1%, but it can never exceed the maximum
range. For example, a human with a maximum
range of 132 feet for hurling a hatchet has a
maximum effective range of 99 feet if 0 SP are invested.
If an object or weapon is hurled beyond
maximum effective range, yet within maximum
range, then it may only hit the target on a natural 30
of 3d10. The range increments of projectile weapons
(such as a bow or crossbow) are listed as a constant,
irrespective of the Strength of the attacker.
The maximum range of a projectile weapon is 10
times the amount listed. However, for hurled weapons
the Strength sub-ability is divided to determine
the range increment. For instance, if a human has
150 Strength and hurls a hatchet, which has
(Strength/10), then his range increment is 15 feet.
For each range increment, a penalty of - 3 is applied
to the Aim or Hurl skill check; the first range increment
is not penalized. For example, if a human
with 150 Strength hurls a hatchet at a human foe
who is 90 feet away, then he incurs a - 18 penalty (-
3 x 6). If the human foe in this example has average
abilities and wears only clothes, then the hurler with
the hatchet must roll 29 or better on 3d10 to hit the
foe. Conversely, if a short bow (60’ range incre-