The Who, What, Where, When, Why of Weapons!

[Mark CMG]

Perhaps you want to make things simple. Perhaps you're just a real bastard of a DM, but you're decided to limit the number of weapon choices in your medieval fantasy game to a meager twenty. That's right, just twenty. What makes it on the list (and why if you like) and what gets chucked to the side right from the start? Treat various types of swords as individual choices, for the most part, though one might see some variation from culture-type to culture-type, so no need to get too exotic. Let's stick with a pseudo-European theme for the most part and if you have tons of room on the list beyond that, feel free to explore the far reaches of your homebrew worlds. No need to list all twenty if you just want to chime in with some definite must-have weapons so others don't forget your favorite!

 

[Morrus]

Dagger, Sword (1H), Sword (2H), Mace, Staff, Axe (1H), Axe (2H), Spear, Lance

Longow, Xbow, Sling

I could probably get by with just that list.

 

[Numlock]

Well, this depends on your combat system. If your combat system is simple, like one attack a turn, no difference in weapon speeds and durabilities, no different types of damage, no differences in parrying, etc. then I could live with Morrus' list above.

If using a system that incorporates any of all of the properties of weapons I listed above, I don't think I could keep the list under 20. You'd have to consider center of mass, which determines damage and weapon handling, thickness of material, which determines weight, damage, and durability. You'd have to consider length, sharpness and all kinds of properties. If this is what you are looking for, you'd be better of with a weapon calculator instead of pre-made weapon lists.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

My K.I.S.S. list of weapons:

1. Short Blade
2. Long Blade
3. 2 Hand Blade
4. Hand/Throwing Axe
5. 2 Hand Axe
6. Club
7. 2 Hand Club
8. Mace/Hammer/Morningstar
9. 2 Hand Mace/Hammer/Morningstar
10. Flail
11. Whip
12. Net/Entangler
13. Hand Load/Kosh/Gauntlet
14. Staff
15. Javelin/Spear
16. Polearm
17. Lance
18. Bow
19. Crossbow
20. Sling
21. Sm. Thrown
22. Improvised

I could get simpler: 1Hd E, 2Hd E, 1Hd B, 2Hd B, 1Hd P, 2Hd P, Thrown P, Thrown E, Thrown B, Projectile P, Projectile E, Projectile B, Entangling, Improvised

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

I'd probably separate "spear" from "polearm" (mainly to differentiate throwable from non-thrown), and maybe toss "wrunglestib" onto the list.
But otherwise I think DannyA has it covered.

 

[wolfpunk]

Whip and Gauntlet might warrant places on the list.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

My K.I.S.S. list of weapons:

1. Short Blade
2. Long Blade
3. 2 Hand Blade
4. Hand/Throwing Axe
5. 2 Hand Axe
6. Club
7. Mace
8. Flail
9. Staff
10. Javelin/Spear
11. Polearm
12. Lance
13. Bow
14. Crossbow
15. Sling
16. Sm. Thrown
17. Improvised

Yeah, pretty much this, but I too would seperate out spear/javelin. And I'd add war hammer. (And give it a lot better damage than most systems do, they were vicious!)

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Just two: Weapon (melee), damage 1d6 and weapon (ranged), damage 1d6.

Everything else is just player fluff, er -- description.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

For me it's

1. sword
2. mace
3. axe
4. pick
5. knife
6. spear
7. lance
8. pole arm
9. bow
10. crossbow

I guess I'd be satisfied with a pretty short list.

If I were trying to cut down the weapon list though I'd be tempted to just give all weapons with similar characteristics the same stats. For characteristics I'd use

Length: knife, short sword, long sword, two handed sword, spear, pike
Contact: blunt, sharp, piercing
Held/Thrown
Mounted/standing

 

[SiderisAnon]

Assuming D&D type scale, all you really need is a die code (d4, d6, d8, d10, 2d6), whether it's 1h or 2h, and whether it's melee or ranged.

Honestly, anything that isn't a vital mechanical difference is just fluff and you don't really need it.

I've seen games where all weapons were the same damage or where there were only two or three possible damage dice.

However, I think a lot of players like the idea of choosing a type of weapon. A Great Sword. a Claymore, and a Dwarven Heavy War Axe could have identical stats, but the picture of them can make all the difference.


If you want to boil it down to only a few weapons: Knife, short blade, long blade, big heavy blade, axe, big heavy axe, club, big heavy club, bow, crossbow, spear, and quarterstaff. If you're feeling fancy, things like flail, fencing sword, throwing knife.