Niche D20Sometimes for the vision of a character to come through you wish to have a weapon to match. This is where weapon creation rules come in. The system should generally be limited to access by players and be more of a tool of a GM to build their world better. These rules have been used to make almost every weapon in this system, though most weapons were designed with theme in mind rather than maximum potential. Should a player wish to use this system a GM should add some restrictions, such as the player character needs to have the skills necessary to make it themselves, or the ability to create schematics for special orders from a blacksmith. If a type of weapon is too uncommon a price increase should be added to reflect the rarity of such a tool. As usual the GM is the final arbiter in their game and may adjust/tweak these rules as they wish, but it is recommended to not stray too far as it could create unintentional power imbalance in your game.
This weapon design system allows you to create a new weapon by buying weapon qualities with Design Points (DP). The number of Design Points a weapon receives is determined by whether it is simple (6 DP), martial (7 DP), or exotic (9 DP).
Increase the weapon’s available Design Points by 1 one-handed weapons, 2 for ranged weapons. or 3 for two-handed weapons. A double weapon, while a two handed-weapon, instead gains 4 design points due to it being designed differently from a normal weapon. Combination weapons work differently from double weapons; see the combination weapon section for a description on calculating their design points.
All new melee weapons begin with the following base statistics: Dmg (M) 1d2; Critical ×2; Type any one (B, P, S).
All new ranged weapons begin with the following base statistics: Dmg (M) 1d2; Critical ×2; unless thrown the damage type is always determined by the ammo, thrown instead choose one (B, P , S). Unless containing the compact or lightweight feature a ranged weapon is always considered a two handed weapon by default. The following additional features are applied based on its type of ranged weapon keyword:
- Sling: This weapon contains the projectile and throwing keyword, The weapon begins with a 10-foot range increment and a move action reload.
- Bow: A bow begins with a 60 foot range increment, and a free action reload. It also begins with 2 fewer design points. A bow can never select compact or lightweight properties.
- Crossbow/Firearms: The weapon begins with the trigger keyword, a 50 foot range increment and a move action reload. A Crossbow or Firearm cannot take improved reload more than once.
- Thrown: With a 10 foot range increment, this weapon gains the lightweight feature. A thrown weapon begins with 2 fewer design points and lacks the projectile keyword and does not use ammunition, though may select the ammunition quality.
- Other: The weapon is a projectile and thrown weapon, but is not a sling. The weapon begins with a 10-foot range increment and a move action reload.
Double: The weapon gains the double special feature. You pick the damage type of each of the weapon’s ends separately.
- The additional damage, damage type, crit range, and crit multipliers are tracked and purchased separately for each end, but still cost design points for the overall weapon.
- For increases in cost each end is treated separately, as such increasing the critical multiplier of each end only costs 2 points, and would progress separately for both.
- For limits on how often something may be taken, track each end separately for how many times it has been taken .
- All other aspects such as weapon features are shared by both ends of the weapon and as such aren’t tracked separately nor need to be bought for each end.
- Double weapons are utilized in two-hands and cannot be modified to utilize a lower number of hands.
- Double weapons can never be ranged weapons.
- All properties are applied to each end separately when designing the weapon, but with exception to the design qualities mentioned above, all other design qualities pull from both pools of points when determining their cost.
Combination: This weapon gains the combination weapon feature. A combination is different from a double weapon, and as such is designed differently. A combination weapon must always include one ranged trigger weapon and one melee weapon.
- First when designing a combination weapon you must decide the type of weapon on each end. One end must always be a ranged weapon, while the other must be a melee weapon.
- The ranged weapon portion must be a trigger weapon, but you still have the choice on what type of trigger weapon.
- The melee portion can be modeled after a light, one-handed, or two-handed weapon.
- When determining the number of hands required to wield the weapon, simply take the higher of the two requirements.
- This means if the ranged weapon portion is still two-handed, the weapon will always require two-hands to wield despite the requirements of the melee weapon portion. This works in the other direction as well, meaning if the ranged weapon portion is light, but the melee weapon is two-handed, then the weapon will remain two-handed.
- If the ranged weapon is reduced down to one-handed or light, and the weapon is also one-handed or light, then it should be counted as such.
- Despite the number of hands required the individual weapons will count as their appropriate size for what they qualify for. Meaning regardless of number of hands, if the melee weapon portion is light then it would function with weapon finesse for example.
- When determining the number of points a combination weapon has, rather than using a single pool treat each end as a separate weapon and then subtract 3 from the total number of design points.
- As all combination weapons are exotic, this means you gain 9 points to begin with then subtract 3 leaving you with 6.
- Next grant one end 2 points for being ranged, bringing it back to 8.
- Then grant the other end the appropriate 0 points for being light, 1 for being one-handed, and 3 for being two-handed.
- From here everything should be paid for and tracked separately for design, and then finally put together at the end.
Hands: For melee weapons, you must choose whether your weapon is light, one-handed, or two-handed. For ranged weapons most are assumed to require two hands to reload, but may have different interactions.
Weight: When determining a weapon’s weight, use the weight of a weapon with similar damage and features.
Price: Price usually is only a factor in the early game, if you wish to create a weapon but keep it from players at low levels a 70 or higher gold price can usually put such items out of a players price range. Generally a weapon to be affordable should be between 4 to 50 gold, with factors such a weight category, proficiency category, and material ratio (such as a greatsword being far more metal than a glaive, hence the glaive being 8 gold while a greatsword is 50).
Keywords
You must choose which keyword that belongs to the weapon to determine the group the weapon belongs. A weapon may have multiple keywords and each should try to correctly represent the fighting style of the weapon, for example Heavy indicates its likely not a finessable or light weapon, while Blade indicates the damage type and general qualities of the weapon, while Axe might be similar these weapons tend to have a different shape and focus on disarms over the higher crit ranges of a blade.
| Keyword | Description |
|---|---|
| Blade | Edged weapons such as daggers, short swords, longsword, greatsword, bastard sword. Weapons in this category must be one or two handed melee weapons. Generally reserved for slashing melee weapons. |
| Crossbow | Crossbow is generally the default for any trigger weapon that isn’t a firearm. |
| Light | Weapons that are either light, or finessable are within this category. |
| Heavy | Weapons that are two-handed, are not finessable, and are not simple weapons. Some simple weapons may have the heavy property, but most do not. |
| Balanced | Meant for one handed weapons that don’t fall into either heavy or light. |
| Dueling | Meant for all duelist style weapons. |
| Hammer | All mace/hammer-style weapons or a miscellaneous bludgeoning style weapon. |
| Spear | Various types of spears fall into this category. Spears are unique in which they tend to share categories alot, as they tend to be thrown but sometimes may be a reach weapon also. |
| Axe | Axes tend to share a lot of features with heavy blades but generally focus higher damage and crit multiplier over crit range. Mostly slashing weapons, though there can be unique instances with options for piercing. Axes tend to also contain the disarm property. |
| Bow | Longbows, Shortbows, or similar style weapons; generally applied to weapons whose baseline reload speed is already a free action. |
| Flails | Flails, and weapons attached to chains tend to be in the flail category. |
| Trigger | Crossbows and Firearms fall into this category. While likely closer to a bow the firing style and longer reloads of crossbows make them share combat-wise a style closer to a firearm. Most ranged weapons with a reload speed above a free action are likely trigger weapons. |
| Firearm | Firearms are a unique creation, they are always projectile and trigger weapons, and should almost always be exotic weapons due to their extra features, power, and rarity. |
| Polearm | Any weapon with the reach property (except in special circumstances) has the polearm keyword. A weapon with the polearm category generally can still fall into other categories such as heavy blade, spear, and axe. (example a glaive is a heavy blade and polearm) |
| Throwing | Melee weapons with a range increment gain the throwing tag. A weapon can be part of multiple keywords even if it’s part of a throwing group. (example a dagger is light blade and thrown) Some throwing weapons are ranged only and cannot be used as melee weapons. |
| Performance | These weapons have a flashy design or an integrated feature that allows them to be used as a tool to make a specific Perform check. The tool portion may be separately improved to masterwork or enchanted with an enhancement bonus. |
| Projectile | A tag thrown onto ranged weapons to indicate they utilize ammunition. This is usually universally applied to Bow and Trigger weapons, but when applied to Thrown this indicates it uses ammunition to throw rather than throwing the weapon itself. |
| Monastic | Weapons designed for a monk. This can include almost any weapon, though generally for Unarmed weapons or eastern themed weapons. |
| Shield | Tag applied to shields when used as weapons. |
| Sling | For weapons containing the projectile and thrown keywords, these are for ranged weapons that involve throwing but use ammunition for them rather than throwing the weapon itself. There can exist weapons with projectile and thrown without the sling tag, the sling tag is more for types that could theoretically use different ammunitions of similar size/weights, while others like the atlatl have a design to specific to reliably use anything except their designated ammunition. |
| Wood | Wood keyword is primarily utilized for special materials to indicate the weapon’s compatibility with the new material. |
| Metal | Metal keyword is primarily utilized for special materials to indicate the weapon’s compatibility with the new material. |
Weapon Design Qualities
When designing a new weapon, you can choose from the following weapon qualities. Each quality can be selected once unless otherwise specified.
| Name | DP | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Damage Type | Varies | Select an additional type of damage (B, P, or S). The weapon deals the selected type of damage either separately from its original damage type (such as “P or S”) or simultaneously (such as “P and S”) . This quality costs 1 DP if the types apply separately and 3 DP if they apply simultaneously. |
| Aerodynamic | 1 | The weapon has a 10-foot range and can be thrown up to 5 range increments. Only melee weapons can have this quality. This grants the weapon the Throwing keyword. |
| Ammunition | 2 | The weapon is treated as ammunition for the purposes of enhancing and it is destroyed when thrown. This can only be applied to thrown ranged weapons, and not melee weapons. |
| Attached | 1 | The weapon gains the attached feature. This feature may be bought again to improve this for the Integrated feature. |
| Concealed | 1 | The weapon is easy to hide, granting the weapon the concealed feature. You can purchase this ability a second time granting the folding feature instead. |
| Concussive | 2 | The weapon gains the concussive feature. |
| Compact | Varies | When applied to a trigger or thrown projectile weapon it gains the Compact feature for 1 DP. This can be selected a second time for 2 DP also granting the Lightweight feature. |
| Counterbalance | 1 | The weapon gains the counterbalance feature. |
| Ease of Grip | 1 | The weapon gains the Ease of Grip feature. |
| Expanded Range Increment | 1 | The weapon’s range increment increases by 10 feet if a thrown melee weapon, or 20 feet if a projectile weapon; up to a maximum range increment of 30 feet for thrown melee weapons and 120 feet for bow or trigger weapons or slings. This quality can be selected multiple times. |
| Finesse | 2 | The weapon gains the finesse feature. Only one-handed and exotic melee weapons can have this quality. |
| Short Grip | -2 | The weapon gains the Short Grip feature. This may be only selected for weapons with the finesse feature. |
| Improved Critical Multiplier | Varies | Increase the weapon’s critical multiplier by 1. This quality can be selected twice. It costs 2 DP the first time it is selected, and an additional 3 DP the second time. It can be selected only once if the weapon has the improved critical threat range quality, in which case the Design Point cost is doubled. |
| Improved Critical Threat Range | Varies | Increase the weapon’s critical threat range by 1. This quality can be selected twice. It costs 2 DP the first time it is selected and an additional 3 DP the second. |
| Improved Damage | 1 | Increase the weapon’s damage dice by one step (1d2 to 1d3, 1d3 to 1d4, 1d4 to 1d6, 1d6 to 1d8, 1d8 to 1d10, or 1d10 to 2d6). This quality can be selected three times for light weapons, four times for one-handed weapons and ranged weapons, and five times for two-handed weapons. This may be selected an additional time if the weapon is martial or exotic. |
| Improved Reload | 1 | This can only be selected for ranged projectile weapons. It requires 1 step lower action to reload the weapon (move becomes a reaction, reaction becomes a free). |
| Inferior Reload | -1 | This can only be selected for ranged projectile weapons. It requires 1 step higher action to reload the weapon (move becomes a standard, and standard becomes a full-round). This may be selected up to two times. |
| Nonlethal | Varies | The weapon gains the nonlethal feature. This costs 2 points if the weapon has or gains another feature. |
| Shield | 2 | The weapon also functions as a shield. A weapon must have the blocking special feature before this may be selected. When selected choose the appropriate category of shield from Buckler, Light Shield, Heavy Shield, or Tower Sheild. Only Martial or Exotic weapons may be Light or Heavy Sheilds, and only Exotic weapons may be Tower Sheilds. |
| Steady | 1 | The weapon gains the steady feature. May only be applied two-handed trigger weapons. |
| Strong | 1 | The weapon gains the strong feature. |
| Tool | 1 | The weapon can also serve as a specific mundane tool. Add triple the price and double the weight of the tool to the weapon’s final price and weight. |
| Unarmed | 5 | Adds the unarmed feature. Cannot be combined with improved damage, improved critical range, or improved critical multiplier. |
| Weapon Feature | Varies | Choose one of the following weapon special features for the weapon: blocking, brace, deadly, disarm, distracting, grapple, pushing, reach, serrated, sunder, trip. This quality can be selected twice for martial weapons and three times for exotic weapons. It costs 1 DP the first time it is selected, 2 DP the second time, and 3 DP the third time. |