Skeleton Weapons and Armor

[orion90000]

I know this is asked a lot, but there doesn't seem to be any clarity in the answers. So here we go again.

Human Warrior Skeleton, what can you give him to use proficiently.

 

[Wyvernhand]

Attacks: A skeleton retains all the natural weapons, manufactured weapon attacks, and weapon proficiencies of the base creature, except for attacks that can’t work without flesh.

A human warrior is proficient with all simple and martial proficiencies, right? So would a human warrior skeleton.

 

[HoboGod]

RAW says no. The class levels from warrior provide weapon proficiency, only the racial weapon proficiency and the weapons listed in the monster's description determine the skeleton's weapon proficiency. But considering that a skeleton is a template, you can add the template to a warrior wielding any weapon you like.

 

[orion90000]

And what about armor? If it is proficient with a shield, should it be proficient with armor as well?

There is a picture in Unearthed Arcana next to the Necromancy Specialist showing a skeleton in chainmail, but I cannot find any text that allows this.

 

[Wyvernhand]

RAW says no. The class levels from warrior provide weapon proficiency, only the racial weapon proficiency and the weapons listed in the monster's description determine the skeleton's weapon proficiency. But considering that a skeleton is a template, you can add the template to a warrior wielding any weapon you like.

I'm gonna disagree with this. It just says "base creature" with no qualifiers on what is or isn't included. The example I'm gonna use is the human warrior skeleton from the book. He is wielding a scimitar. A scimitar is a 1 handed MARTIAL weapon. Humanoids, by virtue of their type, are only proficient with simple weapons, or by class. Since our example skelly has a martial weapon, his proficiency must come from his class, since warriors are proficient with all martial weapons and all armor (including non-tower shields).

So you could deck out a human warrior 1 skeleton in full plate armor, and it would be proficient. That's a mighty expensive piece of cannon fodder you'd have there, though.

 

[orion90000]

Except that you strip all class levels away and only retain the base race HD. A 10th level fighter becomes a 1 HD skeleton.

But I do like the idea of retaining weapon and armor proficiencies of the dead creature. Otherwise you could give a skeleton of a former mage a polearm and plate. expensive? na, they were wearing it to begin with. Didn't cost me anything.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

An undead is proficient with its natural weapons, all simple weapons, and any weapons mentioned in its entry. Further, an undead is proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Undead not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Undead are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.

For some interpretations, this could mean that skeletons (and other undead) are essentially proficient with everything...

 

[Wyvernhand]

That's the general rule for undead, by virtue of their type. The rules for skellys are more specific, and thus should supercede the rules for general undeaders.

 

[Loonook]

Skeleton is a template, and you should really follow the Undead type ideas. If you want skeletons who wear their armor it is fine, and is even mentioned in their description as a possibility. I feel in my own interpretation that a skeleton is a bunch of subjugated negative energy trapped inside a bone shell. They can do basic attacks with whatever you hand them, they can wear armor, and they can wield shields. Hell, I wouldn't even have a problem with a skeleton who could wield an exotic weapon as they are not limited by musculature and 'muscle memory' in learning the item; they pretty much just let it rip.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

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