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Weapon Group Feats

At its simplest, the weapon group feat variant establishes a small list of feats called Weapon Group proficiency feats. Each feat allows a character to use a small number of similar weapons without penalty. Although most characters using this system are proficient with fewer weapons than the standard character classes, the weapons they know how to use will be grouped along a similar theme, providing a little more flavor to each character's weapon choice at the expense of a small amount of versatility.

This variant includes references to some weapons featured in the Arms and Equipment Guide (marked A) and Complete Warrior (marked W). See those books for full information on weapons so marked.

Using Weapon Groups In Place Of Class Weapon Proficiencies

While the Weapon Group proficiency feats work well in conjunction with the standard classes' starting armor and weapon proficiencies, you might want to substitute a number of these feats for each class's starting weapon proficiencies. Doing this can lend more flavor to specific characters or organizations. It allows you (either as player or as game master) to design a sect of clerics whose members always choose the same weapon group proficiencies, or even establish racial preferences. All dwarf fighters, rangers, and paladins might be required, for example, to choose Weapon Group (picks and hammers) as one of their starting weapon group proficiencies.

For classes not listed here, assign starting weapon group proficiencies using the class's granted weapon proficiencies and these classes as a guide.

Multiclassed Characters And Starting Weapon Proficiencies

When multiclassing, characters that do not possess enough Weapon Group proficiency feats to meet the new class's starting weapon proficiencies gain the difference in Weapon Group proficiency feats to meet those requirements. For example, a wizard proficient with Basic Weapons takes a level in Fighter. Since the Fighter class grants Basic Weapons plus any other four groups, the character gets to select four other weapon groups as bonus Weapon Group proficiency feats. In our example, the wizard/fighter selects Bows, Crossbows, Heavy Blades and Light Blades. If this same character were to take a level in Sorcerer, he would not gain any additional feats, as he would already know Basic Weapons and Crossbows, thus meeting the starting weapon proficiency requirements listed above. If this same character were to take a level in Druid instead of Sorcerer, the character would need to select either Druid Weapons or Spears, as he is already proficient in Basic Weapons, but in neither of the other two options granted by the Druid's starting weapon proficiencies.

Using Weapon Groups With Racial Favored Weapons

Some races gain free weapon proficiencies or are innately familiar with specific exotic weapons. Use the following rules to incorporate this concept with the Weapon Group proficiency variant.

Dwarf

Any dwarf who has Weapon Group (axes) is also proficient with the dwarven waraxe and the dwarven urgrosh.

Elf

All elves automatically have Weapon Group (bows) and either Weapon Group (heavy blades) or Weapon Group (light blades).

Gnome

Any gnome who has Weapon Group Proficiency (picks and hammers) is also proficient with the gnome hooked hammer.

Weapon-Specific Feats

Any feat that requires a character to choose a specific weapon to apply the feat's benefit to (such as Improved Critical, Weapon Focus, or Weapon Specialization) can instead be applied to a weapon group. The character must still meet the prerequisites for the feat.

Creating New Weapon Groups

As you design a campaign or character, you might want to create new weapon groups based on different themes. Possible themes include cultural, racial, or other campaign-world specific ideas. For example, you might create a new weapon group proficiency feat called Weapon Group (hill dwarves) that is available only to dwarves from a specific geographical area of the campaign. Because these dwarves are known for their use of two light weapons at once, this feat grants proficiency in the handaxe, short sword, light hammer, and club, making it easier for these dwarves to learn their race's preferred fighting techniques.

When creating a new weapon group, you should limit each group to three or fewer simple weapons and one to three martial weapons. The Weapon Group proficiency feats described below provide examples of how much versatility each weapon group should provide a character.

Weapon Group Feats

Following are the Weapon Group proficiency feats available to characters. They are presented in the normal format for feats.

Weapon Group (Axes)

You understand how to use axes and axelike weapons.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: handaxe, battleaxe, greataxe, and dwarven waraxe (two-handed use).

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Basic Weapons)

You understand how to use a few basic weapons.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: club, dagger, and quarterstaff.

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Bows)

You understand how to use bows.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: shortbow, longbow, composite shortbow, and composite longbow.

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Claw Weapons)

You understand how to use weapons strapped to the hands.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: punching dagger, spiked gauntlet.

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Crossbows)

You understand how to use crossbows.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: heavy crossbow, light crossbow, repeating heavy crossbow, and repeating light crossbow.

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Druid Weapons)

You understand how to use weapons favored by druids.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear.

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Exotic Double Weapons)

You understand how to use the exotic double weapons associated with the weapon groups that you have mastered.

Prerequisite

Base attack bonus +1.

Benefit

Whenever you take a Weapon Group proficiency feat, you also gain proficiency in the exotic double weapons associated with that group. When you take this feat, you gain proficiency in the exotic double weapons associated with the weapon groups that you already know how to use.

Some exotic double weapons require you to be proficient with two weapon groups to gain proficiency in their use from this feat.

Axes

orc double axe, dwarven urgrosh (must also have Weapon Group (spears and lances)).

Flails and Chains

dire flail, gyrspike^A (must also have Weapon Group (heavy blades)).

Heavy Blades

double scimitar^A, gyrspike^A (must also have Weapon Group (flails and chains)), two-bladed sword.

Maces and Clubs

double mace^A

Picks and Hammers

double hammer^W, gnome hooked hammer.

Spears and Lances

dwarven urgrosh (must also have Weapon Group (axes)).

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Special

If you include exotic double weapons from sources other than the basic d20 system rules, the game master should assign those weapons to a weapon group as appropriate for the campaign. The lists above includes weapons featured in the Arms and Equipment Guide (marked A) and Complete Warrior (marked W).

Weapon Group (Exotic Weapons)

You understand how to use the exotic weapons associated with the weapon groups that you have mastered.

Prerequisite

Base attack bonus +1.

Benefit

When you take this feat, you gain proficiency in the exotic weapons associated with the weapon groups that you already know how to use. Whenever you take a Weapon Group proficiency feat, you also gain proficiency in the exotic weapons (but not the exotic double weapons) associated with that group.

Axes

dwarven waraxe (one-handed use).

Bows

elven double bow^A, greatbow^W, composite greatbow^W.

Claw weapons

bladed gauntlet^A, claw bracer^A, panther claw^A, stump knife^A, tiger claws^A, ward cestus^A.

Clubs and Maces

warmace^W (one-handed use), tonfa^A.

Crossbows

great crossbow^A, hand crossbow.

Druid Weapons

greatspear^W.

Flails and chains

chain-and-dagger^A, scourge, spiked chain, three-section staff^A, whip, whipdagger^A.

Heavy Blades

bastard sword (one-handed use), khopesh^A, mercurial longsword^A, mercurial greatsword^A.

Light Blades

kukri, sapara^A, triple dagger-, war fan^A.

Monk Weapons

butterfly sword^A, tonfa^A.

Picks and Hammers

dire pick^W, gnome battlepick^A, maul^A (one handed use).

Polearms

heavy poleaxe^W.

Slings and Thrown Weapons

bolas, chakram^A, gnome calculus^A, halfling skiprock^A, orc shotput^A, shuriken, throwing iron^A.

Spears and Lances

duom^A, greatspear^W, harpoon^A, manti^A, spinning javelin^A.

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Special

If you include exotic weapons from sources other than the basic d20 system rules, the game master should feel free to assign those weapons to a weapon group as appropriate for the campaign. The list above includes weapons featured in the Arms and Equipment Guide (marked A) and Complete Warrior marked W).

Weapon Group (Flails and Chains)

You understand how to use flails and chain weapons.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: light flail and heavy flail.

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Heavy Blades)

You understand how to use large bladed weapons.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: longsword, greatsword, falchion, scimitar, and bastard sword (two-handed use).

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Light Blades)

You understand how to use light bladed weapons.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: dagger, punching dagger, rapier, and short sword.

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Maces and Clubs)

You understand how to use maces and clubs.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: club, light mace, heavy mace, greatclub, quarterstaff, sap, and warmace^W (two-handed use).

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Special

if you use the Arms and Equipment Guide, this weapon group also includes the maul.

Weapon Group (Monk Weapons)

You understand how to use weapons normally favored by monks.

Prerequisite

Improved Unarmed Strike.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, and siangham.

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Picks and Hammers)

You understand how to use picks and hammers.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: light pick, heavy pick, light hammer, warhammer, scythe, and maul (two handed use).

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Special

if you use the Arms and Equipment Guide, this weapon group also includes the lucerne hammer.

Weapon Group (Polearms)

You understand how to use polearms.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: glaive, guisarme, halberd, and ranseur.

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Slings and Thrown Weapons)

You understand how to use slings and handheld thrown weapons.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: dart and sling.

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Weapon Group (Spears and Lances)

You understand how to use spears and javelins.

Benefit

You make attack rolls with the following weapons normally: javelin, lance, longspear, shortspear, and trident.

Normal

When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls.