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