Supplement Four
Mongoose
I rarely move my game away from RAW, even though it might seem otherwise due to these types of posts I make. Really, I just like talking about game mechanics and "what-if" situations.
This rule, though, I think I will implement in my game.
Let me tell you how I got here before I explain the rule. 1st edition AD&D nodded its head towards weapon speed. In a melee, both combatants would roll a d6. No modifiers. Whomever won the toss swung first. If the throw resulted in a tie, the character using the lighter, more maneuverable weapon might get extra attacks, depending on the comparison of his weapon and that of his foe.
I've always loved that freakin' rule. Using a dagger against a foe with a longsword presented a scary situation if that tie came up. The dagger wielder might get one or two additonal attacks that round.
This sure made small weapon usage a tad more viable.
Flash forward to 2nd edition AD&D. The weapon's speed factor was used completely differently. It became a modifier to the Initiative throw. That worked on one level, as when in melee, the combatant with the larger, heavier weapon was skewed to go late in the round, allowing the characters with the smaller, faster weapons to attack first (on average--we're talking about dice throws here).
But, that answer to weapon speed did not work if the character, on his initiave, did something else besides attack. What's wielding a longsword got to do with running to close the porticulls?
Flash forward again to 3rd edition D&D. Any reference to weapon speed is completely thrown out. There is no advantage to wielding fast, small weapons. Weapon selection is an exercise in deciding how many hands to use and which available weapon does the most damage.
Then came the d20 CONAN game. Lots of choices presented themselves for weapon selection. A Finesse weapon is needed if a combatant will be a DEX based fighter (rather than a STR based fighter). Weapons have Armor Penetraion values, thus a cultlass does more damage than a war hammer, but the hammer will bang down armor more quickly than with the cutlass. And, there is an optional rule that nods it head at weapon mass, so that a combatant using a dagger is -2 to parry a foe using a two-handed greatsword (and he gets a +2 modifier to parry the dagger).
But still, there is no simple, mechanical way to account for weapon speed.
Until now.
Here's the rule I've created for my own game. Basically, what it does is touch back to that rule from 1st edition AD&D that occasionally gave lighter, quicker weapons an advantage over heavier, bigger weapons.
ELLIGIBLE WEAPONS: All One-Handed Simple and Martial weapons; Two-Handed piercing weapons.
THE RULE: Whenever a successful attack is made, and minimum damage is thrown (a throw of 1 on the d8 for a Hunting Spear, for example), the character wielding the weapon has found an opportunity for a second, quick strike. He is given a free Attack of Opportunity.
Example:
Regin, the Vanir warrior, uses a two-handed Greatsword against Grule, the Pict, who fights with his Hunting Spear.
The Greatsword is not elligible for the Speed Rule.
The Hunting Spear, since it is a two-handed piercing weapon, is elligible for the Speed Rule. Whenever Grule makes a successful hit, then rolls a "1" on the d8 for damage, Grule may take a free attack on Regin. This simulates jabbing the spear, quickly, twice against the enemy.
Another Example:
Cyrus, the Aquilonian, uses an arming sword against Hoedhar, the Cimmerian, who is using a hunting knife.
Whenever Cyrus hits and rolls damage of "1" on the d10 for his arming sword, Cyrus gains another free Attack of Opportunity on Hoedhar.
Whenever Hoedhar hits Cyrus and rolls damage of "1" on the d4 for his dagger, Hoedhar gains a free Attack of Opportunity on Cyrus.
This won't happen often, but it will happen often enough that small, quick, maneuverable weapons will have a little more bite than they used to.
And, you can see that warrior skill plays the biggest part in being successful on the attack. But, if the attack is successful, then the smaller, lighter weapon will get more attacks, in the long run, against foes.
Hoedhar's dagger, above, will score a second attempt at a hit about 25% of the time after the first hit is made. Yet Cyrus will receive the second hit attempt only about 10% of the time.
This rule, though, I think I will implement in my game.
Let me tell you how I got here before I explain the rule. 1st edition AD&D nodded its head towards weapon speed. In a melee, both combatants would roll a d6. No modifiers. Whomever won the toss swung first. If the throw resulted in a tie, the character using the lighter, more maneuverable weapon might get extra attacks, depending on the comparison of his weapon and that of his foe.
I've always loved that freakin' rule. Using a dagger against a foe with a longsword presented a scary situation if that tie came up. The dagger wielder might get one or two additonal attacks that round.
This sure made small weapon usage a tad more viable.
Flash forward to 2nd edition AD&D. The weapon's speed factor was used completely differently. It became a modifier to the Initiative throw. That worked on one level, as when in melee, the combatant with the larger, heavier weapon was skewed to go late in the round, allowing the characters with the smaller, faster weapons to attack first (on average--we're talking about dice throws here).
But, that answer to weapon speed did not work if the character, on his initiave, did something else besides attack. What's wielding a longsword got to do with running to close the porticulls?
Flash forward again to 3rd edition D&D. Any reference to weapon speed is completely thrown out. There is no advantage to wielding fast, small weapons. Weapon selection is an exercise in deciding how many hands to use and which available weapon does the most damage.
Then came the d20 CONAN game. Lots of choices presented themselves for weapon selection. A Finesse weapon is needed if a combatant will be a DEX based fighter (rather than a STR based fighter). Weapons have Armor Penetraion values, thus a cultlass does more damage than a war hammer, but the hammer will bang down armor more quickly than with the cutlass. And, there is an optional rule that nods it head at weapon mass, so that a combatant using a dagger is -2 to parry a foe using a two-handed greatsword (and he gets a +2 modifier to parry the dagger).
But still, there is no simple, mechanical way to account for weapon speed.
Until now.
Here's the rule I've created for my own game. Basically, what it does is touch back to that rule from 1st edition AD&D that occasionally gave lighter, quicker weapons an advantage over heavier, bigger weapons.
ELLIGIBLE WEAPONS: All One-Handed Simple and Martial weapons; Two-Handed piercing weapons.
THE RULE: Whenever a successful attack is made, and minimum damage is thrown (a throw of 1 on the d8 for a Hunting Spear, for example), the character wielding the weapon has found an opportunity for a second, quick strike. He is given a free Attack of Opportunity.
Example:
Regin, the Vanir warrior, uses a two-handed Greatsword against Grule, the Pict, who fights with his Hunting Spear.
The Greatsword is not elligible for the Speed Rule.
The Hunting Spear, since it is a two-handed piercing weapon, is elligible for the Speed Rule. Whenever Grule makes a successful hit, then rolls a "1" on the d8 for damage, Grule may take a free attack on Regin. This simulates jabbing the spear, quickly, twice against the enemy.
Another Example:
Cyrus, the Aquilonian, uses an arming sword against Hoedhar, the Cimmerian, who is using a hunting knife.
Whenever Cyrus hits and rolls damage of "1" on the d10 for his arming sword, Cyrus gains another free Attack of Opportunity on Hoedhar.
Whenever Hoedhar hits Cyrus and rolls damage of "1" on the d4 for his dagger, Hoedhar gains a free Attack of Opportunity on Cyrus.
This won't happen often, but it will happen often enough that small, quick, maneuverable weapons will have a little more bite than they used to.
And, you can see that warrior skill plays the biggest part in being successful on the attack. But, if the attack is successful, then the smaller, lighter weapon will get more attacks, in the long run, against foes.
Hoedhar's dagger, above, will score a second attempt at a hit about 25% of the time after the first hit is made. Yet Cyrus will receive the second hit attempt only about 10% of the time.
