VoPov: Exotic vs. Martial Weapons
Particle_Man said:
I think it is a matter of 'nothing fancy'. An exotic weapon is, well, exotic, and therefore fancy, and could lead one to take pride in one's material possessions. A martial weapon, the same thing, to a lesser extent.
Hey, all, new member chiming in here! (Loooong-time, lurker, though)
The reason exotic weapons are different than martial weapons or simple weapons is the requirement to take a feat to gain any actual skill with them, rather than any inherent aesthetic worth. Many exotic weapons, especially the ones on the monk list, are actually quite simple, even crude. The nunchaku is nothing more than a modified grain thresher, and the kama is a peasant's sickle. The sugliin and tigerskull club (both from Frostbite) are just nasty animal parts lashed to sticks! Neither of them have any inherent worth other than being difficult to use and nasty-looking.
Contrast either of those weapons with a short or longsword, and the difference in labels becomes more important. Anyone can learn the shortsword (a martial weapon, frequently adorned with precious metals) by training in a martial class (or even a semi-martial class like the rogue). It requires no special feats, no extra effort on the part of the instructor, who is likely also teaching the basics of knives, longswords, scimitars, and every other one-handed medium slashing or piercing weapon lying around the practice yard. The kama and nunchaku are far harder to wield, and therefore more time-intensive to learn, despite the fact that they are basically made from found objects (farm implements). They're literally improvised weapons that people took the time (read: EWP) to work with for practical self-defense.
However, this still doesn't mean that the VoPov monk can walk around with a nunchaku or kama on his belt, because the vow specifically states that the character can own only ordinary
simple weapons, not exotic ones. Granted, by the time he's 8th level or so, the question of weapons is moot, as he does more damage with his bare hands anyway. It might matter for a campaign where a good-aligned barbarian, armed only with the ceremonial weapon of his tribe (like the sugliin) takes the Vow of Poverty as a rejection of the corrupt city-dwellers' ways. Does he get to use his character-central exotic weapon, or does he have to ditch it and just use a club?
), I change the things allowed so that your weapon(s) can't excede a certain coinage value... rather than having to be Simple. I think 10gp max. As written a VoP charactor could be sporting a Heavy X-bow (50gp) and a Heavy Mace (12gp) but not a Kama (exotic / monk - 2gp) or a Whip (exotic - 1gp), or a Sap (martial - 1gp). What does poverty have to do with your weapon training.
