06-26-2015, 06:57 AM
Weapon Specialization!
To be honest, I was never a fan of this optional rule in D&D. But I've decided to include it in my conversion.
First, let me take a couple of steps back, first. Since weapon restrictions are verbal and qualitative, not quantitative, it's not hard to just transfer them over as is. Sure, the effects of those restrictions may differ since LA weapons almost all use d20 for harm, but I've already account for that in converting the combat system. I will be porting over the K/S Sub-Areas from Dangerous Journeys Combat, Hand Weapons, Lethal because I think those categories work well. So weapon proficiencies will be more generous--instead of choosing a single weapon, they will choose a category of weapons. Specialization, however, will be limited to a single weapon.
The effects of specialization is to effectively gain 20 points of Weapons Ability for the specialized weapon, a 5-point harm bonus due to skill, and a +2 bonus to attack Speed with the specialized Weapon. The bonus to Weapons and Speed count towards the requirements for multiple attacks (and parrying if Minstrelsy of Swashbuckling Abilities are possessed). So fighting with two weapons requires only a Weapons Ability of 61 and a Speed of 13. With good rolls, this is a possibility for a starting LA Avatar generated under the normal rules. Two attacks with a single weapon that is specialized only requires 81 Weapons and 15 Speed, or 161 Weapons and 15 Speed for 3 attacks.
Even without utilizing multiple attacks, the effects of these bonuses in combat for the specialized character are just as significant as they are in AD&D. It's very potent. The drawback, as per Dangerous Journeys, is that unskilled Sub-Areas operate at only half capacity. For the LA equivalent of a 1st Level AD&D Fighter (40 weapons Ability), this would meaning fighting with an effective Weapons Ability of only 20 with non-proficient weapons. Not only does this one-half rule match Dangerous Journeys perfectly, the effect is also exactly (or close enough) equal to the non-proficiency penalty from AD&D. A happy convergence of all three systems.
To be honest, I was never a fan of this optional rule in D&D. But I've decided to include it in my conversion.
First, let me take a couple of steps back, first. Since weapon restrictions are verbal and qualitative, not quantitative, it's not hard to just transfer them over as is. Sure, the effects of those restrictions may differ since LA weapons almost all use d20 for harm, but I've already account for that in converting the combat system. I will be porting over the K/S Sub-Areas from Dangerous Journeys Combat, Hand Weapons, Lethal because I think those categories work well. So weapon proficiencies will be more generous--instead of choosing a single weapon, they will choose a category of weapons. Specialization, however, will be limited to a single weapon.
The effects of specialization is to effectively gain 20 points of Weapons Ability for the specialized weapon, a 5-point harm bonus due to skill, and a +2 bonus to attack Speed with the specialized Weapon. The bonus to Weapons and Speed count towards the requirements for multiple attacks (and parrying if Minstrelsy of Swashbuckling Abilities are possessed). So fighting with two weapons requires only a Weapons Ability of 61 and a Speed of 13. With good rolls, this is a possibility for a starting LA Avatar generated under the normal rules. Two attacks with a single weapon that is specialized only requires 81 Weapons and 15 Speed, or 161 Weapons and 15 Speed for 3 attacks.
Even without utilizing multiple attacks, the effects of these bonuses in combat for the specialized character are just as significant as they are in AD&D. It's very potent. The drawback, as per Dangerous Journeys, is that unskilled Sub-Areas operate at only half capacity. For the LA equivalent of a 1st Level AD&D Fighter (40 weapons Ability), this would meaning fighting with an effective Weapons Ability of only 20 with non-proficient weapons. Not only does this one-half rule match Dangerous Journeys perfectly, the effect is also exactly (or close enough) equal to the non-proficiency penalty from AD&D. A happy convergence of all three systems.