Rogue starting weapon

[Lordrel]

I wanted to gauge reaction on a recent ruling of mine. One of my players wants his first level rogue to start with a kuhkri. Initially, I told him he would have to take exotic weapon with a feat to use it. However, in the class description, it specifically says they can use "any" dagger. So now I have ruled in the players favor. I don't think it is particularly unblanacing anyway...it's just a dagger with an improved critical threat...but i wanted to get some feedback.

 

[Jairami]

This has come up a couple times before and to my knowledge everytime has been laid to rest as, rogues can use all daggers, kukri are "heavy, curved dagger"s, therefore rogues can use kukri.

I've got a dual wielding kukri slashing rogue in my party, and the sneak attacks are what he does damage with; the occasional time he does 2d4+4 instead of 1d4+2 hardly matters when he is hitting 3 times a round for 5d6 each.

 

[Madfox]

Actually, the rogue can only fight with all daggers from the simple weapons list and the kukri is NOT a dagger. Two things that have been detailed in official errata's (or at least pointed out by designers on several places).

So a rogue can use a kukri without a feat, but with a -4 penalty to the attack, just like anybody else.

 

[mzsylver]

a kukri is damn cool and since it is "dagger-like" all my pcs want them... however it requires a feat to use.

rogues are proficient in "all daggers" and kukri is not listed as Dagger, Kukri under the weapon list, unlike Dagger, Punching, etc. hence, you need a feat to wield it properly.

 

[Jairami]

have been detailed in official errata's (or at least pointed out by designers on several places).

Can you point me to where it says that please? The boards are hardly official, but the threads I've read have maintained the opposite but neither have they mentioned this.

 

[Madfox]

I am sorry, but I am not too good with finding quotes. For the actualy quotes others will need to fill in. I am pretty sure it was detailed in at least 1 sage advice, but I do not know what number. As a Triad member for the RPGA LG Campaign I have also seen an official reply by the design team on this question. It is one of those things I agree with. A kukri is perhaps dagger like, but it is a slashing weapon. A dagger is a piercing weapon. This suggests a very different fighting technique. The shape of a kukri also suggests this to be the case.

 

[Jairami]

Unfortunately, real world logic aside, the game description of the kukri is "a heavy, curved dagger" straight out of the PHB. Hence all the confusion. If you could point me at least to the document where you read this I'll word search it until I find the statement in question.

Unless Caliban and his photographic memory is out there somewhere and can just pull the quote out of thin air? Hey! I can hope can't I?

But I would like to either read or have someone post some errata or a Sage quote that will give this some definitive finality.

 

[jontherev]

Sage says...

Here's an email I got from Skip recently. The Sage is in bold.

Skip,

Since rogues are proficient in any type of dagger, does this include kukris (curved daggers)?

No, a kukri is an exotic weapon.

If not, why does it say any type of dagger when there is only 2 weapons with dagger as part of the name (dagger, punching dagger)?

It's a mistake.

 

[Moto Jojo]

It's probably silly of me to post something like this, but it's the mood I'm in tonight. *

What's the big deal with letting a rogue use a kukri for free? Are people's games really so precariously balanced that their game is going to break if the rogue gets a low-powered crit roughly 15% of the time instead of 10%?

I suppose that's a misplaced sentiment to post on a rules forum... people come here asking after the official rules, after all. Move along, then... don't mind me.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Then I suppose all rogue would use kukri.

Exotic weapon are better. You want one, you pay for it. It's that simple. If there is no significant difference between a kukri and lesser daggers, than why does the player want one, hmm?