User:ThunderGod Cid/Variant Weapons (3.5e Variant Rule)

Author:	Ghostwheel (talk)
Co-Authors:	ThunderGod Cid
Date Created:	September 6, 2014
Status:	Incomplete
Editing:	Clarity edits only please

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Variant Weapons

Weapons are kind of finagly in D&D. As an iconic hallmark of characters that tend to go along and exemplify qualities, a weapon should be impressive in its own right, and differentiate itself from other weapons. That, however, is rarely the case. People will usually go for the weapon with the highest crit value and damage roll, bu to be honest, that's quite boring. Instead, this variant allows all weapons to have additional abilities that can be gained through rigorous martial training in their use, represented by the appropriate proficiency possessed by the wielder. This seeks to accomplish two goals:

First, weapon selection becomes a more significant decision beyond base damage and critical range/multipliers. Picking a dagger versus a shortsword, shortsword versus longsword, etc., actually has real ramifications beyond the 1 point of average damage. This allows other weapons to actually be selected, since the damage is not the only factor at play anymore.

Second, weapon proficiency now means more, and characters that have it as part of their kit (that is, the oft-disadvantaged martial characters) get more benefit from these options.

How it Works

For the purpose of proficiency, all weapons are treated as Simple ones. After all, does it really matter if someone does 1d8 or 1d10 damage? The difference is just one point of damage on average, which, while significant at very early levels, is entirely insignificant at higher ones.

Instead, all weapons have a minor and major ability. Minor abilities are unlocked by having martial weapon proficiency, while major abilities are unlocked by having exotic weapon proficiency with that item. Characters who would normally have proficiency in a weapon treat those weapons as though they had martial weapon proficiency with them.

Weapons, with the exception of any notes below, are treated as normal except that there are no penalties for wielding those that characters are normally "non-proficient" with. However, double weapons treat both heads as one-handed weapons (incurring two-weapon fighting penalties as such, when applicable).

Weapon Abilities List

Axe, Orc Double

The orcs rarely have good ideas, but this was one of them.

Minor Ability: When attacking with both ends of this weapon, you may treat the off-hand one as a Light weapon.
Major Ability: You gain the ability to take a swift action in order for the next attack you make with this weapon to target two adjacent creatures within your reach. Roll your attack roll once at a -4 penalty and compare the result to the target Armor Classes, dealing damage as normal to each creature whose AC you beat.

Axe, Throwing

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Battleaxe

May I AXE you a question!?

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Bolas

When fighting you, people have to get used to taking balls to the face.

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Chain, Spiked

Minor Ability: When attacking with both ends of this weapon, you may treat the off-hand one as a Light weapon.
Major Ability: You threaten out to the area you would threaten with a reach weapon on top of your normal threatened area.

Special: Under this variant, the spiked chain counts as a double weapon without reach.

Club

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Crossbow, Hand

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Crossbow, Heavy

Minor Ability: You can reload heavy crossbows as a move action.
Major Ability: If you make only a single attack during your turn using the heavy crossbow, you ignore any armor and natural armor bonuses the enemy might have.

Crossbow, Light

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Crossbow, Repeating Heavy

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Crossbow, Repeating Light

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Dagger

Countless men have been killed by nothing more than a knife in the dark.

Minor Ability: Deal an extra point of damage to opponents you hit with this weapon while they are flanked, or while they would be denied their Dexterity bonus to AC.
Major Ability: Before making an attack with this weapons, you may Feint in combat as a swift action. You may use this as a free action once per round upon reaching +6 BAB, and is usable twice per round upon reaching +11 BAB. Furthermore, the range that you may feint at enemies is increased to 30'.

Dagger, Punching

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Dart

Sporting equipment or deadly weapons? You decide.

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Falchion

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Flail

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Flail, Dire

Minor Ability: When attacking with both ends of this weapon, you may treat the off-hand one as a Light weapon.
Major Ability:

Flail, Heavy

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Gauntlet

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Gauntlet, Spiked

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Glaive

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Greataxe

Minor Ability: As long as you threaten one or more enemies, you deal +1 damage when using the greataxe.
Major Ability: Once per round upon hitting an enemy with the greataxe, you may immediately make another attack with the same weapon against a different enemy within your threatened area.

Greatclub

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Greatsword

Size matters.

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Guisarme

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Halberd

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Hammer, Gnome Hooked

Minor Ability: When attacking with both ends of this weapon, you may treat the off-hand one as a Light weapon.
Major Ability:

Hammer, Light

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Handaxe

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Javelin

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Kama

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Kukri

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Lance

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Longbow

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Longbow, Composite

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Longspear

Minor Ability:
Major Ability: In response to being charged, you may set your spear to meet your opponent. Make a single attack against the charging opponent, dealing double the normal damage with the attack on a successful hit. If you hit, your target must make a Reflex or Fortitude save (whichever is higher) against a DC equal to the amount of damage dealt. On a failed save, they are unable to complete their charge, and don't make an attack roll against you whatsoever.

Longsword

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Mace, Heavy

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Mace, Light

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Morningstar

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Net

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Nunchaku

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Pick, Heavy

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Pick, Light

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Quarterstaff

Minor Ability: When attacking with both ends of this weapon, you may treat the off-hand one as a Light weapon.
Major Ability:

Ranseur

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Rapier

Minor Ability: You may use your Charisma bonus instead of Strength for determining your attack bonus with this weapon.
Major Ability: When dealing damage with this weapon, you may choose to deal no weapon damage (though you still deal any extra damage, such as from enhancements or precision-based damage). If you do, your enemy begins to Bleed for a number of hit points every round equal to the number of dice you would have rolled. This bleeding damage stacks cumulatively with any bleeding damage they might have already had, as well as with itself.

Sai

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Sap

Minor Ability: You may deal lethal or nonlethal damage at no penalty using a sap.
Major Ability:

Scimitar

Minor Ability: Your first square of movement each round does not provoke an attack of opportunity (as though you were tumbling and automatically made the check against all adjacent creatures).
Major Ability: As a full round action, you may move up to your speed and make a number of attacks using the scimitar equal to those derived from your BAB.

Scythe

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Shield, Heavy

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Shield, Light

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Shortbow

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Shortbow, Composite

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Shortspear

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Shuriken

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Siangham

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Sickle

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Sling

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Spear

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Spiked Armor

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Spiked Shield, Heavy

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Spiked Shield, Light

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Sword, Bastard

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Sword, Short

Minor Ability: Deal an extra point of damage to opponents you hit with this weapon while you flank them, or while they would be denied their Dexterity bonus to AC.
Major Ability: As long as you and an ally are adjacent to an enemy, you gain the benefits of flanking for the purpose of being able to sneak attack them with this weapon.

Sword, Two-bladed

Just carrying two swords was too mainstream.

Minor Ability: When attacking with both ends of this weapon, you may treat the off-hand one as a Light weapon.
Major Ability: Once per round you may attempt to deflect an attack made against you by making an opposed attack roll as an Immediate action. Treat your attack roll as your AC against the incoming attack.

Trident

You fight like the devil.

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Unarmed Strike

Only a fool would rely entirely on a hunk of steel.

Minor Ability: You can deal nonlethal or lethal damage at no penalty and provoke no attack of opportunity when attacking with your unarmed strikes.
Major Ability: Upon hitting a foe wielding a weapon, as an Immediate action you may make a disarm check against them, and you are considered to have all the benefits of Improved Disarm when doing so. You are considered to be wielding a two-handed weapon for the purpose of this disarm attempt. Should you succeed in your attempt, you are considered to have unlocked the Minor ability of the weapon when using it.

Urgrosh, Dwarven

Minor Ability: When attacking with both ends of this weapon, you may treat the off-hand one as a Light weapon.
Major Ability: During any round in which you make attacks with this weapon, you gain DR 1/--. The DR is increased by one upon reaching BAB 4, and every 4 BAB afterwards up to a max of DR 6/-- at BAB 20.

Waraxe, Dwarven

Ever industrious and resilient, the dwarves cut from the ground up.

Minor Ability: You gain a +1 bonus to damage against foes taller than you when attacking with a dwarven waraxe.
Major Ability: Enemies you hit with your dwarven waraxe have their speed halved for one round.

Warhammer

Those who believe suits of mail will keep them safe shall be taught the error of their ways.

Minor Ability:
Major Ability:

Whip

Minor Ability: You can deal lethal damage with this weapon, and can damage enemies with natural armor.
Major Ability: You threaten the area within the reach of this weapon even when it is not your turn, though attacks of opportunity using it can only be used to Trip enemies.

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