Weapon Types for Classless OD&D (Jorune Evolutions)

This post is about how you can combine the flat 1d6 damage of all weapon types in OD&D with some flavor for different weapons. Furthermore, it's about how you can do this in a classless system where there is no fighter class. It's a genuinely novel system, I think. It's also the next post in my series on character generation in my OD&D inspired hack of Skyrealms of Jorune. I talked about race and stats here, and in my last post I discussed the classless "point buy" system of skills. 

Any player may use any weapon or wear any armor in Jorune: Evolutions. As an OD&D hack, all weapons do a flat 1d6 damage. To differentiate weapons, I have taken an idea that I have seen best worked out in Gus' HMS Apollyon ruleset. The way weapons are differentiated is by having one or more tags that comes with a special benefit. I combined Gus' idea (and a lot of his details) with my skill system by saying that weapon proficiencies unlock the benefit of weapons with that tag. Those without the proficiency can use the weapon, but without the benefit of the tag. Note that the differentiation by tags and the different classes of armor also allowed me to introduce a little bit of the flavor of weapon vs. AC from AD&D but in a MUCH simpler form.

Gygax at his most obsessive.

Ordinary weapons have only one tag, but special weapons can have multiple tags. These would normally be a unique splendid item that a player had commissioned and crafted by a master artisan as a downtime action. This is probably the closest to magical weapons you'll get in this game. When wielding such a multi-tag weapon, you receive the benefit for each tag in which you are proficient. Such unique weapons allow a skilled warrior to double-dip on benefits provided by multiple types. 

Armor proficiencies work a little differently, giving you a slightly better armor class when wearing that class of armor and allowing you to use a slightly higher agility modifier. Special armors can also be commissioned by artisans. Some armor can be made to absorb a limited amount of isho, by studding it with special crystals, or by using the shell of the locure, a grey giant beast with a shining shell like an armadillo. The most legendary armor of all is Thailarian Platemail, hard as steel but light and translucent, made from the thailer (breastbone) of the dhar corundon, the apex predator of jorune. 

One of the primary ways to advance in fighting skills is to learn more weapon and armor proficiencies through downtime actions. I envision fighting-type characters as carrying multiple weapons for different situations or different sorts of missions, and advancing further by finding or having crafted weapons crafted that bear multiple tags or other special properties. I have included a weapons and armor equipment list at the end of this post to show you how this might be applied. 

Note: this is a different approach to advancing in fighting arts than I presented here, since everything goes through weapon-types rather than general fighting styles. But it's similar in spirit in its emphasis on learning discrete skills and its a la carte approach to improving in combat.

Armor Proficiencies

Those who wear armor without proficiency reduce their AC and max agility modifier by 1. 

Light Armor

Those with proficiency receive AC 13 and a max Agility Modifier +2. Note that most tough animal hides count as light armor.

Medium Armor

Those with proficiency receive AC 16 and a max Agility Modifier +1

Heavy Armor

Those with proficiency receive AC 18 and a max Agility Modifier +0

Shield

Those with proficiency receive AC+2 and a max Agility Modifier +2

Note: thick animal hides count as light armor. Among human-derived races, the use of medium and heavy armor is rare, because metal is rarer on Jorune, and so very expensive. Who knows what kind of Earth-Tec armor may exist out there somewhere...

Melee Weapons

Anyone can use any melee weapon and all melee weapons do 1d6 damage. But melee weapons belong to types that have special features. Only those proficient in that type of melee weapon can use the special feature. 

Gouging

+3 to strike unarmored foes

Sharp

+3 to strike lightly armored foes. 

Crushing

+3 to strike moderately or heavily armored foes. Crushing weapons are two handed and may not be used with a shield.

Reach

Strike from the second rank and set against charges (double damage). Weapons with reach are two-handed and may not be used with a shield.

Close

Has disadvantage on damage rolls (with or without proficiency), but automatically does damage every round while grappling

Silencing
Like a close weapon, but can only be used in grappling. On a successful grapple, opponent is silenced

Thrown
Can also be used in ranged attacks

Elegant

May opt to do either +2 to hit/-2 AC or +2 AC/-2 to hit

Whipping

Disarm foe on a natural 19-20

Stunning
Stun foe for one round on a natural 20

Overpowering

If you kill someone with a melee attack, you may roll a bonus attack against a single adjacent foe

Heavy

Receive advantage to damage rolls. Heavy weapons are two-handed and may not be used with a shield. They also incur an initiative penalty. If you're using team-based initiative, the wielder of a heavy weapon always goes as though their side lost initiative. (If you're using segment initiative treat the attack as taking 2 segments instead of 1.)

Vibro

Dream on. You cannot begin with a skill in Earth-Tec melee weapon types, since you are not drenn.

Missile Weapons

Anyone can use any missile weapon and all missile weapons do 1d6 damage. All missile weapons belong to types that have special features. Only those proficient in that type of missile weapon can use the special feature. If a missile weapon has multiple types, you receive the ability for each type you are proficient in when firing it. 

Rapid

This missile weapon has a rate of fire of 2 shots per round, provided you take a full action to concentrate solely on shooting

Devastating
This missile weapon gets +3 to hit unarmored foes

Piercing
This missile weapon gets +3 to hit lightly armored foes

Penetrating

This missile weapon gets +3 to hit moderately or heavily armored foes

Sniping

If you spend a round aiming, on the next round, this missile weapon gets +3 to hit against any foe

Point Blank

You may use this missile weapon against foes while in melee combat

Beam, Pulsar, Field Ram, etc.

Dream on. You cannot begin with a skill in Earth-Tec missile weapon types, since you are not drenn.

Equipment Lists

Keep in mind that metal weapons and armor are expensive on Jorune as metal is significantly rarer than on Earth. Again, keep in mind that players may find weapons with multiple tags (or new tags) or have them crafted for them. Unlike in ordinary D&D where there is nothing to buy after the early game, in Jorune: Evolutions there are many options to pursue.

Melee Weapon	Cost	Tag	Range
Knife or Thike (Spiked Gloves)	50	Close	NA
Garotte	60	Silencing	NA
Spear or Polearm	70	Reach	NA
Hand Axe or Star Blade	80	Thrown	10/15/20
Whip	150	Whipping	NA
Mace	200	Stunning	NA
Morning Star	250	Gauging	NA
Sword	300	Sharp	NA
Rapier or Sabre	350	Elegant	NA
Scimitar	400	Overpowering	NA
Two-Handed Sword	500	Heavy	NA
Warhammer or Military Pick	550	Crushing	NA

Missile Weapons	Cost	Tag	Range
Atlatl	80	Piercing	15/30/60
Bow	100	Rapid	20/50/80
Longbow	350	Sniper	30/60/120
Crossbow	400	Point Blank	20/50/80
Hvy Crossbow	500	Penetrating	30/60/90

Armor	Cost	AC	Ag Mod	Move
Shield	100	+2	+2	12
Light (Leather or Gambeson)	250	13	+2	12
Medium (Ring or Chain)	1000	16	+1	9
Heavy (Platemail)	3500	18	+0	6

 

Note 1: The values listed are for those proficient in the armor type. For those not proficient AC and Max Agility Modifier are each one lower.

Note 2: I'm not sure about the "Silencing" tag for weapons. Part of me thinks it's too specific for this system. Another part of me thinks it might be fun to let funky weapon types proliferate.