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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Staffan" data-source="post: 9486826" data-attributes="member: 907">The whole weapon speed as an initiative modifier is kind of nonsense anyway. I mean, you may be able to physically make a stabbing motion with a dagger a fair bit faster than someone with an a broadsword can make a swinging motion, but in most cases a fight between the two would give the sword wielder the opportunity to strike first, before the dagger wielder could get close enough. Now, D&D combat is fairly abstract, and hit points make things wonky with regard to things that normally rely on self-preservation instinct, so I think this is one place where system complexity adds illusory realism. Just basing initiative on Dexterity (or perhaps Intelligence), or making it wholly random and just use situational modifiers, is probably at least as realistic as either the C&T system or the individual initiative system in core 2e.In a system where combat is less abstract weapon speed can have its use. For example, the old version of the Swedish RPG Eon gave each melee weapon two speed factors: one for when you entered melee which was mostly based on reach, and one for seizing initiative from your opponent which was based on ease of handling. So a regular sword would have a speed of 3/3, while a spear would be 4/2. So when opening combat the spear wielder would have the advantage, but assuming the sword wielder doesn't get kebabed they'll have an advantage seizing the initiative – once inside the spear's reach, the sword is at an advantage. In that system, the options available to attackers (the ones with initiative) and defenders (the ones without) are also quite different, and combat could be pretty lethal.</blockquote>

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