D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 Racial Weapon Proficiency?

[Azaar]

I'm having trouble trying to find the rules and such for how racial weapons are handled for all races. I know some races have Weapon Familiarity (like the Dwarves and Gnomes). Specifically, I want to be certain as to whether the elven lightblades/thinblades/courtblades are considered racial weapons and therefore would apply as Martial Weapon Proficiency for elves, or if Exotic Weapon Proficiency would be required, regardless.

 

[Deset Gled]

If a race's description says it has weapon familiarity with a certain weapon, it does. If it doesn't say anything, it doesn't.

Most races are relatively well balanced by other factors. Handing out free exotic weapon proficiencies can screw that up more than you think.

 

[Azaar]

Huh, okay. Reason I was asking was because I thought I'd seen something in one of the books about how a weapon that has a racial element (like the elven thinblade, or the dwarven urgosh) could be learned as a Martial Weapon Proficiency by that race, rather than as an Exotic Weapon Proficiency. I admit to possibly having been confused.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Most races are relatively well balanced by other factors. Handing out free exotic weapon proficiencies can screw that up more than you think.

Considering how many players seem to make humans (which char optimization board like to call "always the best choice"), I'm not sure there's much need for concern about that.

Just saying...

Huh, okay. Reason I was asking was because I thought I'd seen something in one of the books about how a weapon that has a racial element (like the elven thinblade, or the dwarven urgosh) could be learned as a Martial Weapon Proficiency by that race, rather than as an Exotic Weapon Proficiency. I admit to possibly having been confused.

There's an Improved Weapon Familiary feat in some of the Races of X books. It is like Exotic Weapon Proficiency, except it nets you proficiency with ALL of your race's exotic weapons (anything with "Elven" in the name, for example). Either Races of Stone or C.Warrior had some line in the equipment section about asking your DM to swap which exotic weapons your race came proficient with or treated as Martial weapons, so there's also that.

 

[Azaar]

Complete Warrior does say something about it -- also has Improved Weapon Familiarity as a listed feat in the book. Cool deal. Thanks guys.

 

[irdeggman]

Races of Stone pg 141

Improved Weapon Familiarity - all racial exotic weapons are treated as martial weapons for your race, prereq +1 BAB