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<blockquote data-quote="Jeff Wilder" data-source="post: 1874861" data-attributes="member: 5122">One issue D&amp;D combat has is that it uses two criteria for determining whether a weapon is &quot;exotic.&quot;&nbsp; One is whether or not it's just plain better than a similar martial weapon.&nbsp; For example, the Elven thinblade.&nbsp; You cannot tell me that an Elven thinblade differs more from a rapier than a longsword differs from a shortsword ... the thinblade isn't exotic because it takes special training to use, it's exotic because game balance requires it.The second criterion is whether the weapon is actually so weird that it requires special training.&nbsp; The whip, for instance.(Some weapons are both.&nbsp; The spiked chain being the premier example.)In neither case is &quot;commonality&quot; actually at issue, though even the name of the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat implies otherwise.&nbsp; To illustrate, consider a nation that requires its able-bodied citizens to train with the spiked chain.&nbsp; In D&amp;D terms, wouldn't you still require a native of that land to take Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain)?&nbsp; Sure you would.&nbsp; (I hope.)&nbsp; So the issue isn't a matter of how common usage of the weapon is.&nbsp; It's entirely conceivable that all those English yeomen would have had Exotic Weapon Proficiency (longbow), just like our hypothetical folks had the spiked chain.(Also, not to beat a dead horse, but there really is a difference between how the longbow was used historically and how D&amp;D archers use it.&nbsp; The former doesn't merit EWP.&nbsp; The latter easily could.)</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Jeff Wilder, post: 1874861, member: 5122"] One issue D&D combat has is that it uses two criteria for determining whether a weapon is "exotic." One is whether or not it's just plain better than a similar martial weapon. For example, the Elven thinblade. You cannot tell me that an Elven thinblade differs more from a rapier than a longsword differs from a shortsword ... the thinblade isn't exotic because it takes special training to use, it's exotic because game balance requires it. The second criterion is whether the weapon is actually so weird that it requires special training. The whip, for instance. (Some weapons are both. The spiked chain being the premier example.) In neither case is "commonality" actually at issue, though even the name of the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat implies otherwise. To illustrate, consider a nation that requires its able-bodied citizens to train with the spiked chain. In D&D terms, wouldn't you still require a native of that land to take Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain)? Sure you would. (I hope.) So the issue isn't a matter of how common usage of the weapon is. It's entirely conceivable that all those English yeomen would have had Exotic Weapon Proficiency (longbow), just like our hypothetical folks had the spiked chain. (Also, not to beat a dead horse, but there really is a difference between how the longbow was used historically and how D&D archers use it. The former doesn't merit EWP. The latter easily could.) [/QUOTE]

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