New Weapons Help - Weighted Chain, Military Flail, Repeating Crossbow, etc.

[ColinChapman]

So, I wanted to plug the gaps in the PHB’s weapon entries, so got to crafting. I would appreciate some thoughts, especially on elements I haven’t added yet (such as the costs of the Mancatcher and Repeating Crossbow).

The weighted chain is a 3-ft. length of lighter chain with a weight at each end, definitely not to be confused with the ridiculous spiked chain of 3e. Basically, it covers the likes of the Japanese manriki-gusari, the weighted chain used as one part of the kusari-gama, shorter Chinese chain-whips, etc.

The man catcher represents the European weapon of the same name, but also the Japanese sasumata (and arguably the other torimono sandōgu too). The damage and grappling rules are taken from the Kuo-Toa entry in the new MM (where they use a pincer-staff – to all intents and purposes a man catcher). Not sure of price on this though.

The military flail is the long, heavy agricultural flail, but modified for war with the addition of studs or spikes (you choose whether it is a piercing or bludgeoning version; you don’t alternate between them). I reskinned the glaive/halberd stats with the exception being the type of damage being done.

The repeating crossbow is, of course, the Chinese chu-ko-nu with its hopper of 10 bolts. Really not sure of cost on it, and while I’m tempted to give it some sort of rapid-fire ability, I’m not sure how to implement it. As it stands, it also needs to have a note on lengthy reloading when the hopper is empty/partially empty. Without a rapid-fire ability it is basically a heavy, expensive shortbow with reduced range in terms of effectiveness.

I’m mulling over doing rules for bolas, throwing sticks (e.g. boomerangs, but non-returning), and the falchion (not the 2-handed scimitar rubbish, but the real falchion which is a heavy, one-handed chopping sword), but we’ll see. Never seen a falchion? Look: http://i1337.photobucket.com/albums/o673/AlaeSwords/fig_6a_Conyers_Falchion_Farbe_zps13ff6139.jpg

Simple Melee Weapons
Chain, weighted 15 sp 1d4 bludgeoning 3 lb. Finesse

Martial Melee Weapons
Man Catcher 1d6 piercing 6 lb. Heavy, reach, special, two-handed
On a successful attack, a Medium or smaller creature is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the wielder can't use the mancatcher on another target.

Military Flail 20 gp 1d10 bludgeoning or piercing 6 lb. Heavy, reach, two-handed
A modified version of the long, heavy agricultural flail, the military flail’s striking head is reinforced with either heavy studs (bludgeoning damage) or spikes (piercing damage). A given military flail only does one type of damage, not both.

Martial Ranged Weapons
Crossbow, repeating 1d6 piercing 7 lb. Ammunition (range 60/240), special, two-handed
Houses 10 bolts in a top-mounted hopper. It takes one action to load each bolt when the hopper is empty or partially full. Rapid-fire yadda, yadda…

 

[RhaezDaevan]

So long as it doesn't gain reach, the weighted chain could be a nice addition to the monk's weapons.

If the repeating crossbow is loaded one bolt at a time, then bolts would be the same price as regular crossbows, but the repeating crossbow itself would/should be expensive. Something to save up for, like plate armor. 500-800 gp range? Surely by 3rd level a character could afford one, but they'd have to use the regular crossbow until then.

Military flail seems fine as it's in line with the other pole-arms.

 

[ColinChapman]

Good grief, no, no reach. A Meteor Hammer, Flying Weight, or Mother and Son Hammer would have reach, two-handed and finesse (and probably 1d6 bludgeoning damage) but that would be a Martial Weapon, not a simple one.

The other possibility would be just to reskin the Club as let's face it, most weighted chain users would be monks and they can use Simple weapons as if they are all finesse weapons anyway. That way they could use a sickle (kama) in one hand and attached "club" (weighted chain) in the other, two weapon fighting effectively with a kusari-gama.

I may have to get around to typing up and posting the list of Weapon Equivalencies I've written for the Simple Weapons and Shortswords usable by the Monk.

Any thoughts on the cost of the Man Catcher?

 

[RhaezDaevan]

Good grief, no, no reach. A Meteor Hammer, Flying Weight, or Mother and Son Hammer would have reach, two-handed and finesse (and probably 1d6 bludgeoning damage) but that would be a Martial Weapon, not a simple one.

The other possibility would be just to reskin the Club as let's face it, most weighted chain users would be monks and they can use Simple weapons as if they are all finesse weapons anyway. That way they could use a sickle (kama) in one hand and attached "club" (weighted chain) in the other, two weapon fighting effectively with a kusari-gama.

I may have to get around to typing up and posting the list of Weapon Equivalencies I've written for the Simple Weapons and Shortswords usable by the Monk.

Any thoughts on the cost of the Man Catcher?

It's essentially a utility pole-arm, so price it like a pole-arm.

 

[Fion]

I'd perhaps make different versions of Asian chain weapons.

Manriki - (weighted chain) Simple weapon, 1d4 bludgeoning damage, finesse.

Sheng Biao - (rope dart) Martial 1d6 piercing, two-handed, finesse, reach.

Liuxing Chui - (meteor hammer), Martial 1d6 bludgeoning, two-handed finesse, reach.

 

[ColinChapman]

After much thought, I've decided to simple have the weighted chain be a reskinned club, and finalized several of the other weapons:

Martial Melee Weapons
Man Catcher 20 gp 1d6 piercing 6 lb. Heavy, reach, special, two-handed
On a successful attack, a Medium or smaller creature is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the wielder can't use the mancatcher on another target.

Military Flail 20 gp 1d10 bludgeoning or piercing 6 lb. Heavy, reach, two-handed
A modified version of the long, heavy agricultural flail, the military flail’s striking head is reinforced with either heavy studs (bludgeoning damage) or spikes (piercing damage). A given military flail only does one type of damage, not both.

Martial Ranged Weapons
Crossbow, repeating 150 gp 1d8 piercing 7 lb. Ammunition (range 60/240), special, two-handed
The repeating crossbow houses 10 bolts in a top-mounted hopper and so does not need loading between shots until the hopper is empty. It takes one action to load each bolt into the hopper.

 

[ColinChapman]

Here's an entry for the Meteor Hammer/Rope Dart/Flying Weight:

Meteor Hammer 5 gp 1d6 bludgeoning or piercing 4 lb. Finesse, reach, two-handed
The meteor hammer is a length of slender chain around 3-4 yards in length, weighted at one or both ends with a metal sphere the size of a large egg. The flying weight is similar but has a conical metal bludgeoning head instead. Almost identical is the rope dart except that it replaces the bludgeoning heads with a heavy metal dart instead, causing it to do piercing rather than bludgeoning damage. The Great Weapon Fighting style does not work with this weapon.

 

[jadrax]

After much thought, I've decided to simple have the weighted chain be a reskinned club, and finalized several of the other weapons:

Martial Melee Weapons
Man Catcher 20 gp 1d6 piercing 6 lb. Heavy, reach, special, two-handed
On a successful attack, a Medium or smaller creature is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the wielder can't use the mancatcher on another target.

Military Flail 20 gp 1d10 bludgeoning or piercing 6 lb. Heavy, reach, two-handed
A modified version of the long, heavy agricultural flail, the military flail’s striking head is reinforced with either heavy studs (bludgeoning damage) or spikes (piercing damage). A given military flail only does one type of damage, not both.

Martial Ranged Weapons
Crossbow, repeating 150 gp 1d8 piercing 7 lb. Ammunition (range 60/240), special, two-handed
The repeating crossbow houses 10 bolts in a top-mounted hopper and so does not need loading between shots until the hopper is empty. It takes one action to load each bolt into the hopper.

These seem pretty good, balanced and compatible with the weapons in the MM. Well done.

 

[ColinChapman]

Thank you.

 

[Paraxis]

I would stay away from making any two-handed or versatile finesse weapons. The main reason the great weapon fighting style in combination with sneak attack.

The fighting style lets you reroll ALL damage dice that come up 1's or 2's, so a fighter/rogue with a meteor hammer above would be a common sight I imagine in any campaign with that weapon.