Weapon Skills (was Re: Skills hack)

[woodruff@cadence.com (Ken Woodruff)]

Part of this discussion seems to be a reinvigoration of the Magic-User/Fighter
balance problem, the difference this time being how to empower the fighters
rather than how to cripple the MUs.  On this subject, and the subject of skills,
I've been thinking about the introduction of a special set of skills--namely
proficiency with particular weapons/weapon categories.

It seems unnatural to me that any character can pick up any sort of weapon
and immediately use it to it's full efficiency.  A rapier, for example, requires
years of training in effective use.  Daggers may be simple to stab with, but the
art of active knife-fighting is quite complex.  A two-handed sword requires skills
quite different from those needed for a one handed weapon.  Shield use, especially
in combination with a weapon, is not simply a matter of fastening some straps.

Additionally, all weapons have individual characteristics: weight, balance, size,
etc.  A character should be more proficient with the sword she's used for years than
the one the orc just dropped on the floor.

The main advantage I see that a fighter class should have over a magic-user class
is an understanding of and a level of skill in the use of weapons.   Just as a MU
learns more spells at higher levels, a fighter can learn more weapon skills.  These
skills could be both "category" and "weapon" oriented, e.g. a "Blade" skill covers all 
bladed weapons, while the "Two-Handed Sword" skill covers only that kind of weapon.
The category skills could server as necessary prerequisites for the individual weapon
skills.  By granting the "race" level skills only at character creation, you can instill an
interesting level of variation between the various fighter classes.  By denying
any of the major skills to the MU classes you can ensure their proficiency with
weapons will always be limited.  As a broad guideline I see a maximum proficiency
with any weapon for which you do not have a category skill as ~33%, and for
any weapon for which you do not have a particular weapon's skill as ~67%.  These
proficiencies would affect both damage and chances to hit (weapon speed).  If we
implement proficiency for individual instances of weapons I see a modifier ranging
from -50% for a weapon you just picked up to +25 for a weapon you've used for years.
Note that this could have the effect of it no longer making sense to immediately
drop whatever weapon you start with and grab the first one dropped by a goblin.

--Ken

+------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| Ken Woodruff           | "In every jumbled pile of person    |
| woodruff@cadence.com   |  there's a thinking part that       |
+------------------------+  wonders what the part that isn't   |
| Disclaimer: What tote  |  thinking isn't thinking of."       |
| bag full of $20 bills? |          --They Might Be Giants     |
+------------------------+-------------------------------------+