[3.5E] Weapon Familiarity!

[frankthedm]

It has always made me wonder at how the Urgrosh or Orc Double Axe came to be associated with their respective races. After all a Dwarven Fighter couldn't have all of the respective feats to use it to full effect (Ambi/TWF/Exotic WP) until 2nd level, and a Half-Orc or Orc barbarian would be 6th level before they could use the double axe without at least a -4 penalty on all attacks. I mean, humans are better at using these weapons than dwarves or half-orcs.

Flavor text pure and simple. The dwarves got the hand and a half axe named after them along with the tacticly sound urgosh. while the 'i am gonna chop it to bits' double ax got the orc descriptor.

To me the whole Weapon Familiarity bit reeks of the dumbing down of D&D. When 3e came out there were a lot of people who whined their non humans should have the weapons named after thier race for free and now we see Wotc cater to that camp.

The thing is the games I play in are very tactical and most players avoid dwarves for the speed loss. So I guess this may help keep them up to speed, so to speak, with the spring attacking fighters and such. But if combat in your game is a close in and start swining affair then this is a big bonus.

 

[Amrynn Moonshadow]

thinblade smimblade . . .

elves should get some sort of elven longbow . . .

these guys spend centuries in the forest around wood, and far far away from forges...

maybe some sort of longbow which can be used as a martial weapon in a pinch. (not unlike a bludgeoning weapon or something . . .)

being in a thick forest doesn't give much time for switching weapons, esp. with elven archers probably being more numerous than elven swordsmen (on the whole).

I dunno . . .

it makes little sense in game mechanic terms though.

probably some sort of "polearm" which deals subdual damage (like a whip) which can be broken / sundered easily and does something like 1d4 damage as a melee weapon. arguably finessable.

or maybe i'm just on crack . . .

 

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Guilt Puppy

I have to stand up for the pro-Weapon Familiarity camp... I've been using these rules for a while (not just for, but including, PHB material), and I think they carry a well-needed flavor to them.

Since you use these rules does it cause the majority of Dwarves to use the "exotic" weapon.

I am not sure from your post but it seems that you don't apply this to the Dwarven Waraxe because in all likelyhood if you did all dwarvers would then be using them as a superior weapon.

I don't think this rule breaks the game but it could sure take away some of the individuality 3e has brought to D&D.
I thought making a character is about hard choices. No hard choice for a Dwarven fighter - I'm going dwarven waraxe. It will be the same if Humans get the bastard sword.

I guess I've changed my mind - from my understanding of how this works I don't think its a good idea.

M.

 

[Zerovoid]

I'm ok with something like the Urgosh being available to dwarves for free, because it is strange and exotic, and not really overpowering.

But, if elves get thinblade profeciency for free, what elven fighter would possibly choose not to use that weapon? At least now there's a valid choice between long sword, rapier, and all the rest of the weapon options. But, with a 1d8/18-20crit weapon so readily available, I think it will have a homogenizing effect on elves.

 

[Fast Learner]

Half-Orcs Raised by Humans

I really like the idea of Weapon Familiarity, but I think it's important to add the proviso that the DM should consider overriding it if the character's background isn't appropriate, specifically when a character wasn't raised by his own race. The most common example I see as a DM and player is half-orcs who are raised by humans: not sure where they'd have learned how to use an orc weapon.

 

[Janos Antero]

I'm against the idea of non-human races getting superior weapons in the normal sense, as several here have said.

I.E. I don't want to see Elves, Dwarves, Half-Orcs, etc with a weapon inherently superior in damage/crit/attack bonus/threat range, whatever.

But I really do like the idea of flavor weapons, specifically double weapon options, or bonuses on combat styles maybe, like a halfling weapon with a bonus on trip.

Something to give a slight encouragement to demihumans to use non generic weapons, but nothing unbalancing as every elf running around with an improved rapier.

 

[John Smallberries]

This is the *only* part of (the revealed) 3.5 that I dislike.

Having flavor text trump mechanical balance is indicative of pre-3e thinking---and I'll have none of it.

 

[Ranger REG]

Re: Re: Waraxe not Dwarven Enough...

I agree about the drop 'dwarven' from dwarven waraxe thing but what about the thri-kreen in the back of Savage Species? Thri-kreen have Weapon Familiarity with both the gythka and chatkcha. It that case, it seems appropriate. At least, IMO.

That's what I mean about giving automatic weapon proficiencies, like the elf. If all thri-kreen are taught with those weapons since childhood, then they should have them ... automatically.

 

[zoroaster100]

thumbs down for weapon familiarity

I've liked almost all of the proposed new rules for D&D 3.5 ed., but weapon familiarity is not one of them. Giving dwarves automatic ability to use the dwarven waraxe is equivalent to giving them a free feat in terms of power, as that is what it takes for a human to use a bastard sword one handed. I don't see the point for weapon familiarity and hope WotC drop this from the new rules before they publish. Otherwise, I'm looking forward to the revised rules.

 

[I'm A Banana]

(rant mode: ON!)
I can't believe people are getting their undies in a bundie over this.

They're freakin' WEAPONS. They'll be the most powerful thing the party posessess for about 4-5 levels, and then they'll be taking a back seat to the wizard.

Damage is almost a nul factor, here. Not entirely, but almost.

So dwarves can take a waraxe now? Guess what, the rule was implemented in the last game, and nobody thought it made the dwarf too powerful.

Nor did it nerf the human special ability (since one feat is always going to be more versatile than a frickin' weapon...how many PC's have you seen that blow a feat on weapon proficiency, when they could be doing, y'know, *effective* things...).

Come on, people, you can't seriously herald *this* as the destruction of balance amongst the game?

Whopee. A dwarf fighter gets two more points of damage!

Yipee, orcs and gnomes get to use a double-weapon and miss more often!

Yeesh!

And as for the elves -- I would imagine that they would have WF with the Longsword and Longbow (treating them as Simple weapons). I can't see it changin' a whole lot...
(rant mode: OFF)