Masterwork Weapons and Akbitanan Weapons?

[Iron_Chef]

Any weapon in Conan can probably be adjusted in any number of ways: Attack Roll, Damage Roll, Armor Piercing Ability, Critical Threat Range.

Any Quality weapon can have a +1 bonus to ONE of the above abilities, representing some facet of the weapon's design that an expert weapon-maker decided to focus on. For instance, perhaps a scimitar was given a serrated blade for extra damage, or a warhammer with a very carefully designed piercing beak for optimum penetration value.

The weapons are not for general sale. Either the PCs would have to commission one (at a substantial mark-up of probably at least +100%) or find one (usually by taking it from the cold, dead hands of its previous owner). These weapons are unique in that they are probably easily recognized by anyone who has seen them before, and will most likely bear the markings of the smith or weapon-maker who created them.

I figure this will give the PCs a little extra boon, something special they can hang onto with a little more sentimental value than a boring basic weapon, but nothing overly game-unbalancing or rediculous.

This is a great idea. I will work on revising my initial MW post.

 

[Iron_Chef]

MASTERWORK WEAPONS
A masterwork weapon grants the wielder a +1 bonus to one option of the crafter's choice: attack rolls, damage rolls or armor piercing.

Such weapons are not typically found for sale and will cost three times as much as a normal version of the weapon (minimum 30 sp).

MASTERWORK WEAPONS BY RACE:
Antillian: Blowgun (+1 hit)
Bossonian: Bossonian longbow (+1 attack)
Darfari: All clubs (+1 Dmg)
Ghanata: Ghanata knife (+1 Dmg)
Gunderman: Pike (+1 AP)
Hyborian: All Maces (+1 AP), Lances (+1 AP), Polearms (+1 Dmg), Swords (+1 hit), Warhammers (+1 AP)
Hyrkanian: Hyrkanian bow (+1 Dmg)
Kothian: Greatsword (+1 dmg)
Kushite: All Spears (+1 hit), Bamula Hunting Bow (+1 Dmg)
Nordheimir: All Axes and Swords (except scimitar and tulwar) (+1 hit), War Maul (+1 AP)
Picts: All Primitive weapons (+1 hit)
Shemite: All swords, Shemite bow (+1 hit)
Souther Islander or Souther Black Kingdom Tribesman: Spear (+1 Dmg)
Stygian: Khopesh, Stygian bow, Short sword, Whip (+1 hit)
Turanian: Hyrkanian bow, Scimitar, Tulwar, Whip (+1 Dmg)
Vendhyan: Light lance, Tulwar (+1 AP)
Yuetshi: Yuetshi knife (+1 Dmg)
Zamorian: All Daggers, Knives, Stilettos (+1 Dmg)
Zingaran: Arming Sword, Broadsword (+1 hit)

In addition to being of the correct race, the creator must also have a minimum 8 ranks in Craft (Weaponsmith).

The Khopesh sword is not yet in the rules, but can be seen on the Road Of Kings cover; it is a hooked egyptian sword suitable for disarming foes.

Sword, Khopesh (Exotic One-Handed Melee Weapon): A khopesh is a hooked sword of Stygian manufacture which lends itself exceptionally well to disarm and trip attacks. Users with the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat receive a +2 bonus to disarm and trip attacks.

Sword, Khopesh: Cost: 100 sp, Dmg: 1d8, Crit 19-20/x2, AP: 1, Rang: 0, Hardness: 10, Hit Points: 5, Wt. 3 lb., Type: Slashing.

The war maul (Thorgrim's hammer from CtB) is here:

War Maul (Two-handed Exotic Melee Weapon): The war maul is a five foot warhammer that is too heavy to use for an untrained Medium creature, even with two hands. In fact, a creature must have a minimum Strength score of 17 to even wield one effectively at all, and suffers not only the -4 non-proficient penalty to attack rolls but also a -4 penalty to initiative. A Medium creature with the Exotic Weapon Proficiency and Strength 17+ can wield the war maul with two hands with a -2 penalty to attack rolls and initiative. A Large creature can use a war maul with two hands as a martial weapon with no penalties, or with one hand as an exotic weapon with a penalty of -2 to attack rolls and initiative. A Large creature without the Exotic Weapon Proficiency who uses the war maul in one hand suffers the standard -4 penalty to its attack rolls and initiative.

War Maul: Cost: 100 sp, Damage: 2d12/x2, AP: 8, Hardness: 8, Hit Points: 10, Type: Bludgeoning, Reach: 0, Weight: 9 lb.

MORE NEW WEAPONS HERE: http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1660

[EDIT] Added Khopesh. Revised war maul. Revised MW to allow +1 bonus to either attack, damage or AP.

 

[Johannixx]

While I have your atention, could somebody tell me where I can find references to Akbitan? I never heard of the place before I picked up this game, and the city isn't marked on the map.

In Jewels of Gwahlur, Conan's dagger is referenced as being made of "unbreakable Akbitanan steel."

 

[GhostWolf69]

The City is marked on the map. In the middle of Shem, just north west of the mountains of fire.

I don't have the book here, but I think there was something about it in the Gazzeter chapter as well...

/wolf

ps. Found it ehe? Since you edited your post

 

[Anonymous]

hah! i proposed something similar to this to Signs and Portents, but my article was rejected because they didn't believe in "Conan the Smith"

*Sigh*

I knew there was interest in this topic.

 

[BhilJhoanz]

Ya know, one of the things that made D&D lose its luster for me was when I realized that our "heroic" characters were nothing more than walking xmas trees. The character wasn't nearly as potent as the shit he was walking around with. Equip a commoner with the trappings of a 20th level character and stripa 20th level character of his . . . and you get 1 dead 20th level character.

I like the thoughts presented here, they make perfect sense -- but they point Conan down the same path that D&D went. Conan never sought out special weapons, he fought with what ever was at hand -- it seems his red cape was the only thing that followed him from one adventure to the next (at times).

I love that the focus if Conan is the man, not the machine -- in games I play in or GM, I plan on keeping it that way!

 

[slaughterj]

Ya know, one of the things that made D&D lose its luster for me was when I realized that our "heroic" characters were nothing more than walking xmas trees. The character wasn't nearly as potent as the shit he was walking around with. Equip a commoner with the trappings of a 20th level character and stripa 20th level character of his . . . and you get 1 dead 20th level character.

I like the thoughts presented here, they make perfect sense -- but they point Conan down the same path that D&D went. Conan never sought out special weapons, he fought with what ever was at hand -- it seems his red cape was the only thing that followed him from one adventure to the next (at times).

I love that the focus if Conan is the man, not the machine -- in games I play in or GM, I plan on keeping it that way!

That's one of the big reasons I prefer Fantasy Hero over D&D, you build the character, not an equipment list (though you could do the latter if desired / depending on the campaign).

 

[Badelaire]

While you do have a valid point, creating a handful of masterful weapons with as small a bonus to one aspect of their function as possible is a very far cry from +5 Longsword of Fireball Throwing, +5 Full Plate, +5 Shield, Ring or Regeneration, Ring of Invisibility, Boots of....bahhhh it's been too long.

Even real-world folklore and legend is filled with weapons that, while not magical, had superior properties and were highly prized by their owners and coveted by everyone else. A lot of Norse sagas describe masterful blades with names and histories and the foes they've sundered. Japanese sword mythology is also filled with famous swords, "I need Hatori Hanzo steel!". These aren't magical, but they ARE superior to the average weapon. A weapon might not be Akbitanian (sp?), but a sword from the forges of a master smith should have Something to diferenciate it from the work of a rank amateur.

And while it might be sinful to refer to something other than Conan, Karl E. Wagner's Kane had a penchant for Carsultyal broadswords and would seek them out even afteer the Carsultyal Empire had long since turned to dust. He would use other weapons when he had to, but he did have a prefered weapon, and more, a prefered style of sword.

And hey, there's still ample opportunity to see these weapons lost or ruined. A masterful broadsword is going to be obvious to anyone who sees it, and will be the target of thieves in every city. It will attract attention from swaggering bravoes, and there's nothing to say they can't be sundered or broken delivering a powerful blow. These arern't magical blades - they're simply a "cut" above the rest - something to distinguish them from every other piece of junk out there. Heck, the Movie Conan used an Atlantean Broadsword that would probably fall into this category, but it wasn't the sword that made him who he was, it was just a garnish to his character.