Weapons

If all other factors are equal, the type of weapon used is still going to have a bearing on how well you are able to fight. An expert armed with a six inch knife fighting an opponent equally-well trained in the use of an eight foot polearm is going to be at a disadvantage, despite their equivalent levels of training.

Also, some weapons are better at attack than defence, and vice-versa. While a rapier is excellent for swift, precise attacks, the long, slender blade makes it less effective at parrying, leading to the use of parrying daggers and cloaks. An axe is an excellent weapon for heavy blows, but unwieldy for quick blocks and parries.

To take this into account, each weapon gives modifiers to your Attack and Defence rolls. Below is a table of various weapon types, examples of that type, the Speciality needed to use them, their Attack and Defence modifiers and the line on the Damage Table (See Below) used for that weapon:

Weapon Examples Speciality Required Attack Modifier Defence Modifier Damage Other
Unarmed Fists, Feet Unarmed -4 -4 Unarmed
Knife Kitchen Knife, Eating Knife, Pen Knife, Stiletto Knife Fighter -3 -3 Knife May be thrown
Dagger Dagger, Bowie Knife, Combat Knife, Kukri, Detached Bayonet, Tanto, Seax Knife Fighter -3 -2 Knife
Parrying Dagger Main Gauche, Sword Breaker, Sai Parrying Weapon -3 - Knife
Long Knife Langsax, Machete, Messer, Dussack Knife Fighter -2 -1 Short sword
Swordcane Swordcane Thrusting Swordsman -1 -2 Thrusting Sword
Short Sword Gladius, Cutlass, Hanger, Wakisashi Cutting Swordsman -1 - Short Sword
Cutting Sword Backsword, Sabre, Scimitar Cutting Swordsman - - Cutting Sword
Heavy Cutting Sword Broadsword, Tulwar, Falchion, Heavy Cavalry Sabre Cutting Swordsman +1 -1 Cutting Sword
Rapier Thrusting Swordsman +2 -2 Thrusting Sword
Smallsword/ Epee Thrusting Swordsman +1 -1 Thrusting Sword
Longsword Bastard Sword, Claymore, Katana Longswordsman +2 -1 Longsword Two handed, Can be used single handed with Cutting Swordsman, doing damage as Cutting Sword +2A, -3D
Two-handed Sword Greatsword, Zwei-hander, Daikatana Longswordsman +4 -3 Longsword Two handed
Axe Hatchet, Hand-axe, Tomahawk Axeman +3 -2 Axe
Great Axe Long-Axe, Battle-axe Greataxeman +6 -5 Great Axe Two Handed
Light Club Sap, Club, Walking Stick, Truncheon, Baton, Reversed Pistol Cudgel Fighter -1 -1 Light Club
Heavy Club Cudgel, Mace, Metal Pipe, Hammer, Baseball Bat, Reversed Musket/Rifle Cudgel Fighter +1 -1 Heavy Club
Flail Morningstar, Flail, Nunchuka Flail +3 -5 Heavy Club
Warhammer Warhammer, Warpick Cudgel Fighter +2 -2 Heavy Club
Two-Handed Club Two-Handed Mace, Great Hammer, Maul Greatcudgel Fighter +4 -4 Heavy Club
Staff Quarterstaff, Bo Staff Staff Fighter - +2 Staff Two Handed
Light Spear Spear, Assegai Spearman +1 - Spear May be thrown
Heavy Spear Longspear, Fixed Bayonet, Pike Spearman/ Bayonet Fighter +2 -1 Spear Two Handed
Lance Lance Lancer +4 -4 Spear Used when mounted. Can be used on foot as a heavy spear.
Polearm Halberd, Bill, Poleaxe, Glaive, Naginata Halbadier +4 -2 Polearm Two Handed
Laserblade Laserblade Cutting Swordsman +2 - Cutting Sword Ignores Armour, if successfully parried, roll attack again. If defence fails, weapon is sliced through (but defender is not harmed)
Two-Handed Laserblade Two-Handed Laserblade Longswordsman +4 - Longsword Two Handed, Ignores Armour, if successfully parried, roll attack again. If defence fails, wepaon is sliced through (but defender is not harmed)
Very Small Shield Buckler Parrying Weapon:Shield -3 - Light Club Cannot be used to defend against missile fire
Small Shield Target, Targe, Rotella, Small Riot Shield Parrying Weapon: Shield -4 +1 Light Club
Medium Shield Heater Shield, Round Shield, Hoplon Parrying Weapon: Shield -4 +2 Light Club -1 RS
Large Shield Kite Shield, Scutum, Large Riot Shield Parrying Weapon: Shield -5 +3 Light Club -2 RS No bonus for Evasion
Cloak Parrying Weapon: Cloak -3 - See Other A successful attack will tangle your opponent, leaving them at a -4 penalty to attack and defence rolls, unless they spend a turn disentangling themselves. During this turn they may not attack, but may still defend, still with the -4 penalty.
Small Claws Rat, Cat, Pirranha, Small Dog, Compsognathus Teeth/Claws -3 -4 Small Claws
Medium Claws Large Dog, Wolf, Leopard, Wolverine, Velociraptor Teeth/Claws -2 -4 Medium Claws
Large Teeth/Claws Lion, Tiger, Bear, Tiger Shark, Young Dragon Teeth/Claws -1 -2 Large Teeth/Claws
Very Large Teeth/Claws Tyrannosaurus, Great White Shark, Adult Dragon Teeth/Claws - -1 Very Large Teeth/Claws

Weapons

Generic, Endlessly Applicable Roleplay System (3rd Ed.) DrMagister