Weapons Houserules


 * 091121 7032.jpgWeapons and Armor Houserules

Just a few house rules and some side information regarding the weaponry seen in game.

New Weapons

 * The Maul. Hammers get no love in D&D, I find that a crime. With that in mind, i'm adding the Maul to the list of weapons which exists in universe. Until now the maul was simply covered under "great club" but I feel they are distinct enough to warrant their own statistics. This is a two handed martial weapon which costs 18 gold. It deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage, critical's on a 20 for x3 and has the "sunder" weapon ability. Consider the maul in the in the "Hammers" section for fighters.   The huge heavy head is powerful these weapons are designed to cave in armor, smash shields, and bend swords to bent unwieldable scrap. But this weapon is especially terrible when used upon certain armors. Chain, ring, and scale can disperse a blow, leaving them bent and worn but with any luck not broken. However against plate these weapons can cave in a chest piece and the ribcage behind it. When used against a breastplate, a half-plate or a full-plate a maul ignores 4 points of hardness.
 * Cost: 18 GP
 * 2d6 20x3 Bludgeoning
 * "Sunder"
 * Sunder Vs. Full/Half/Breast plate ignores 4 Hardness


 * Next is a combination weapon called the Hammer-Pick. Much as it sounds its a weapon with a war-hammer and a heavy pick that can be flipped between depending on the situation. Each side uses the statistics of the normal weapons of each type (sans the disarm quality for the pick). It costs 15 GP


 * The Estoc, desinged specifically to puncture holes in the joints and weak spots of Full-Plate worn by man-at-arms. When picked up by someone non-proficient it functions as a short sword but is considered Two-Handed rather than light. However in the hands of someone with Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Estoc) the weapon shows its true purpose. Its damage and threat range changes to 1d8 18-20 (Or 15-20 if keen), the user may substitude his dexterity for attack rolls rather then strength if s/he has weapon finesse, The weapon may be used one or two-handed and weilders gain a +4 attack bonus against opponents wearing fullplate, practiced users know just to to strike to puncture armor and find flesh. The Estoc deals peirceing damage, even to those in full-plate. The Estoc is a light weapon with no edge and can only deliver peirceing attacks. The Estoc was desinged in Andoran as a means of dealing with its full-plate wearing neighbours. An Estoc is rather rare outside of Andoran and thus costs 300 GP.

Swords
Swords are one of those things that are statistically odd in 3.5/Pathfinder. Almost acceptable but with a few little irritating errors that bug me to no end.

The Bastard Sword The one thing I've always hated about sword classification in 3.5/Pathfinder is this. The Longsword isn't a Longsword, its an arming sword. The Bastard sword is in fact the traditional European longsword. Its blade is 3.5 - 4' long, meant to be wielded one or two handed (hand and a half and all that). I'm not changing anything about the sword statistically, except the weight is 4 pounds, not 6.

However I'm removing that stipulation that says that you need Exotic Weapon Proficiency to wield a bastard sword one handed.

Bastard swords are by far the most common weapon wielded by those of the knightly persuasion and a familiar sight in many areas of Avistan.

The bastard sword can can deal slashing OR piercing damage.

Longswords and Short swords Longswords and Short swords are funny in that they can be quite interchangeable. The quintessential short sword, the gladius, isn't even all that short; only being a few inches shy of an arming sword. Statistically the short sword and long swords only difference is a slight weight variation, two potential points of damage, and that a short sword is a light weapon and may be wielded via weapon finesse.

Some examples of swords that fall into the statistical category of the 3.5 longsword are swords like the arming sword, the broad sword, or the katzbalger. Some examples of short sword would be the gladius, the spatha, the jian, the xiphos, the baselard, the degen as well as certain thinner viking and arming swords.

I put forward that of all the classes of weapons in 3.5/pathfinder the short and long sword are the ones which have the most varied array of types of weapons in them. They can be long, short, wide, curved, pointed, single or double bladed, and from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

With this said I would argue that the thing that justifies the statistical difference between the two classifications of swords isn't length, a few inches of difference doesn't make a sword unable to be wielded with nimble fingers. But rather what separates them is the width and poundage per-inch. The heavier blades have the slight possibility of doing more damage but renders them unable to be swung with deft hands.

Long swords are quite common as side arms for everyone from squires and knights to dukes, however the bastard sword has eeked in on its position as the most common blade for those who fight nigh exclusively with swords.

Short swords are fashionable as side arms for the wealthy as well as popular among the many schools of duelists and swashbucklers. Not to mention its favor with adventurers who prefer lighter blades. Long swords and short swords can deal slashing OR piercing damage, if its style and make permit. Short swords weigh 2 pounds, longswords weigh 3.

Scimitar These are some examples ofwhat are considered scimitars. This is not.

A scimitars weight is 3 pounds and you may apply your dexterity to your attack roll if you have the weapon finesse feat.

Falchion Falchions are a funny addition. Historically falchions were simply heavy, cheaply made, broad, slightly curved, single edged, one handed swords. Real world falchions would fall into longswords in terms of statistical categories.

The stat block for the falchion represents swords like particularly large, heavy scimitars, (scimitar was kind of a catch all european word for curved middle eastern sword) or the chinese dadao.

In game falchions are most common among orcs and among humans from garund and casmaron.

Great Sword A great-sword is any blade of such length to be to large to wield one handed. Some examples would be the claymore or the zweihander.

A great-sword can deal slashing OR piercing damage.

Katana Katanas fall under the catagory longsword, bastard sword, or great-sword, depending upon the length of the blade. Designed for slashing and meticuously folded, all Katanas are masterwork and do slashing damage only. Katanas are heavier then other blades of their class by one pound.

Hammers, Maces, and Picks
D&D shows a lot of love to blades, sometimes at the neglect of other weapons.

• The light hammer and the war-hammer now both have the "sunder" weapon ability. Heavy and blunt, with head made of metal, these weapons are designed to cave in armor, smash shields, and bend swords to unweieldable scrap. But this weapon is especially terrible when used upon certain armors. Chain, ring, and scale can disperse a blow, leaving them bent and worn but with any luck not broken. However, against plate these weapons can cave in a chest piece and the ribcage behind it. When used against a breastplate, a half-plate or a full-plate a war-hammer (Not the light-hammer) ignores 2 points of hardness.

• The light and the heavy pick both have the "sunder" weapon ability, but the bonus only applies when used against metal armor. When using a Pick to sunder a weapon or a shield, you take a -4 to your CMB. When used vs metal armor the light and heavy picks ignore 2 or 4 points of hardness respectively. Heavy Picks also have the "disarm" weapon ability. Picks have two points on either end and one on top, like so. Any of the points are heavy bet balanced enough to puncture holes and rip gashes into steel armor, tearing it to shreds. The two pronged points on the sides are also very effective to grasp and pull at an opponents weapons, armor and shield.

• The great-club may be wielded in either one or two hands.

==Spears and Pole-arms ==

Just a few differences here and there to make some weapons a tad more appealing and to have them make realistic sense.

• Certain spears and short-spears are so perfectly balanced that they can be twirled and spun like a part of a dance. Such weapons may use their wielders dexterity on their attack rolls via the weapon finesse feat.

• The spear and the long-spear were historically used along side a shield, one handed, and some are balanced to be used in such a way. A spear balanced in this way can be used one handed or two handed with no penalty, and a long-spear can be used one handed with a -1 penalty to attack rolls. You cannot however use two of these weapons in both hands, even with two-weapon fighting.

•The Halberd is a fairly recent weapon, desinged specifically to deal with heavily armored men-at arms. It has a large axe head for slashing at lightly armored men at arms, a short peirceing hook to to use as a peirceing weapon and a long pike on the end specifically desinged to jab into, and peirce through the weak joints, kneck, and groin area of full plate. When using the top 'pike' of the Halberd on a targer wearing full-plate you gain a +4 to your attack roll. A Halberd costs 75 GP

• The Trident has the "disarm" weapon ability.

==Armor ==

Not many statistical changes, but a few changes in pricing to better reflect the world, as well as some descriptions, and examples of the armor and where they can be found in Golarion.

•Padded armor consists of unboiled leathers and/or thick pads of wool. It costs 4 GP and takes roughly 3 days to finish.

• Leather armor isn't simply a t-shirt out of cow hide. Rather the armor is made up of pieces of leather that have been boiled in oil and then cut into "plates" and small "scales" before completely hardening. These pieces are then sewn together into the finished armor. Leather armor costs 8 gold and takes roughly three days to complete.

• Studded leather consists of pieces of boiled leather, non-boiled leather, with metal studs and/or rings sewn into the armor to increase protection. Studded leather costs 20 gold and takes roughly a week to complete.

• The Armored Coat (AGP) while being a medium armor with the statistics of a less flexible chain-shirt has the advantage of being able to be donned with blistering speed. Donning or removing is simply a move action. The most common historical example is the brigandine. Though other types of this armor existed in india and Japan. In universe Brigandine style armored coats can be found across southern Avistan. But most commonly Andoran makes most use of this type of armor via their uniforms. Symbolism basically whats holding Andoran together so this protective but inexpensive armor allows their military to figuratively armor themselves with their nation. These armors cost 50 GP, and takes roughly a month to complete.

• Boiled Leather, Studded Leather, and Brigandines are the most common armors found across Avistan, Worn by everyone from infantry to city guards. This is likely due to how easy it is to find the materials needed in their construction and the relatively cheap cost for mass production.

• Hide armor consists of thick, heavy un-boiled leathers and furs.

• Scale and Chain mails are the most prevalent armors among those who wear metal armors. Chainmail costs 100 GP and Scale still costs 50. Scalemail take roughly a month to complete.

• Breastplates can never simply just be "purchased" as you could possibly do with shields or certain other armors. They must always be made to order. Breastplates have been around across Golarion for many ages, its almost impossible to trace where exactly they originated. The simple cuirasse is the most common style, but many others exsist, some with moving plates and ornate shoulders, others simply chest-shaped plates, and so on.


 * Armor Bonus: +6


 * Maximum Dexterity Bonus to AC: +3


 * Armor Check Penalty: -4 (only -1 to Climb, Ride, and Acrobatics [jump only] checks if agile)


 * Arcane Spell Failure Chance: 25%


 * Weight: 30 lb (25 if agile)


 * Type: Medium


 * Speed: 20' (Base of 30)


 * Cost: 700 (900 if agile)


 * Time to Produce: 4 - 5 months ( 6 - 7 if agile)

•New: Ancient Taldan Plate. The old Taldan armies of exploration equiped their men at arms with either armors such as these or ridiculously ornate breastplates. However the breastplates of the time left must to be desired in the realm of protection so when this style of armor was introduced it became far more popular. This Armor, was made of several plates of metal which slid to a fro to allow the wearer to move. It was however shockingly inflexible compared to Golarions moderm armors, and was phased out when taldor invented the chain mail. Suits of this are not produced today, however many old sets float around in private collections or worn by adventurers.


 * Armor Bonus: +7


 * Maximum Dexterity Bonus to AC: +0


 * Armor Check Penalty: -7


 * Arcane Spell Failure Chance: 35%


 * Weight: 45 lb


 * Type: Heavy


 * Speed: 20' (Base of 30)


 * Cost: N/A


 * Time to Produce: N/A

• Splint mail is a type of armor where small chains are used to bind together small plates of steel. This armor was known as plate-mail and was most popular in Russia, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. Splint the most common of the heavy armors as it is essentially Chain Mail plus. In Golarion this armor is popular across the entire inner sea region.


 * Armor Bonus: +7


 * Maximum Dexterity Bonus to AC: +1


 * Armor Check Penalty: -6


 * Arcane Spell Failure Chance: 40%


 * Weight: 45 lb


 * Type: Heavy


 * Speed: 20' (Base of 30)


 * Cost: 150 GP


 * Time to Produce: 4 - 5 weeks

• Banded Mail... one of those interesting pieces of D&D equipment that.. never actually existed. More over, D&D can never seem to fully agree upon what the hell it actually is. It seems to be a toss up between: a cross between a very heavy leather armor and ring-mail, however it is also commonly described in books as a mixture of the Roman Lorica Segmentata and Chain-mail, and many people seem to depect it in art as looking exactly like Splint. With this in mind i'm going off of the idea that Banded mail is a set of heavy armor constructed of the choices peices of thick, strong boiled leather and unboiled hide with rings, plates, and scales of metal, iron wood, or the bone of some magical beast to strength it. The cost, and the better options avalible, make Banded Mail a poor choice for millitaries or gaurds and something that is firmly placed in the realm of Adventurers. The fact that such choice peices of hide and leather are needed simply make it unfeasable otherwise. Most suits of banded are made of the hides and bones of exotic beasts. Because banded is prodominantly leather it gains no benefits from mithral or adamantine.


 * Armor Bonus: +7


 * Maximum Dexterity Bonus to AC: +2


 * Armor Check Penalty: -7


 * Arcane Spell Failure Chance: 35%


 * Weight: 35 lb


 * Type: Heavy


 * Speed: 20' (Base of 30)


 * Cost: 600 GP


 * Time to Produce: 3 - 4 months

• Half-Plate is essentially a breastplate and a chain-mail designed to be fitted together with some extra plate around the arms, with hanging plates covering the hips and groin. Half-Plate can never simply just be "purchased" as you could possibly do with shields or certain other armors. They must always be made to order. Half-plate is the most common of the "plate" type armors, slightly eeking out the simple breastplate and being far, far more common then the Full Plate. Rather then evolving from the breastplate, half-plate was actually a downgrade from full-plate for those seeking an armor with better coverage then chainmail or a breastplate, but something less costly and time consuming them full-plate. I would however like to note that the distinction between half-plate and full-plate is something made solely by D&D, historically (or even in universe) half-plate would simply be a less-complete or more agile set of Plate Armor. Its popular across much of Avistan, but more specifically Cheliax, Taldor, Lands of the Linnorm Kings, Mendev, Ustlav, Lastwall, Isger, Moltune, Nidal, Galt, and Brevoy.


 * Armor Bonus: +8


 * Maximum Dexterity Bonus to AC: +1


 * Armor Check Penalty: -7 (only -4 to Climb, Ride, and Acrobatics [jump only] checks if agile)


 * Arcane Spell Failure Chance: 40%


 * Weight: 50 lb


 * Type: Heavy


 * Speed: 20' (Base of 30), Can still run at x4 if it's a Masterwork Agile set.


 * Cost: 1000 GP (1300 GP if Agile)


 * Time to Produce: 7 - 8 months (8 - 9 if agile)


 * Special: Half-Plate is like a hot-box and gives you a -4 on all checks against strong environmental conditions. In addition to exsisting penalties.

• Full-Plate is very, very rare, because its so prohibitively expensive and time consuming to make. Full Plate costs 4,000 GP to construct because of the skill, time, raw materials, and hands on time with the customer, required to forge it. Added to this the fact that although nearly all armors require some reworking to fit a wearer who were not its original, the full plate needs extensively more then most, this process costs 1000 GP, the craft DC to refit is 20.

Full-Plate is a relativly new innovation, only a few centuries old. A complete set of full-plate is still considered a luxury item, reserved for noble born men-at-arms, the wealthy aristocracy who joust and touney, and adventurers who live long enough. The time it takes to produce, and the skill required, make it a rare sight. Though expensive, full-plate has many distinct advantages to other armors, the complete shell covering its user renders the slashes of swords or jabs of spears futile, and the thick sheets of metal almost completely eliminates the need for shields, thus freeing up a warriors hands. The development of the full plate has lead to the invention of the Halberd or the Estoc, weapons desinged specifically to slide into joints and groves in the elows, shoulders, neck, knees, and groin.

Nearly all full plates are masterwork. Some full plates get passed down family lines, however many suits wind up getting sold to a blacksmith and then cannibalized for lesser armor, after all, that full-plate could be trimmed down to a half-plate and then the scraps made into scale, chain, or splint mail, much more likely to sell then a set of full-plate that would cost most people far more than they can afford just to be resized. In world full plate is a rare sight outside of Taldor, Cheliax, Lastwall, Mendev, or Brevoy.


 * Armor Bonus: +9 and +2 Shield Bonus (Bonus obviously does not stack with a shield being used. Use the better bonus. Shield specilization does not increase this bonus.)


 * Maximum Dexterity Bonus to AC: +1


 * Armor Check Penalty: -8


 * Arcane Spell Failure Chance: 45%


 * Weight: 60 lb


 * Type: Heavy


 * Speed: 20' (Base of 30)


 * Cost: 6000 GP


 * Time to Produce: Roughly 2 years of labour.


 * Special: -Full-Plate is like a hot-box and gives you a -6 on all checks against strong environmental conditions. In addition to exsisting penalties.


 * -Full-Plate transfers Melee weapons attacks that are Slashing or Peircing into Bludgeoning damage. Attacks from the Bow, Crossbow, Estoc, or Halberd (Point only) are unnafected by this however.


 * -The Craft DC on Full-Plate is 24, thus these armors require the use of masters of armor-smithing, with the finest tools and a league of assistants.

==Shields ==

Shields are changed ever so slightly.

• Buckler, a small round metal shield that is either strapped to the upper forearm or held in the off-hand. When not in use the buckler usually hangs from the belt. Bucklers are always made of metal. A buckler may be readied or stowed as a swift action. You may use the hand that your buckler is strapped to at no penalty to you (For attacking with a melee weapon, casting a spell, shooting a crossbow, retrieving an item, using an item, firing a bow, ect,) but for that round you lose its shield bonus to defense. A Buckler weighs 3 pounds. The downside to the buckler is that it is designed for facing a foe in melee, its small size does not protect well against ranged attacks. The Bucklers shield bonus does not add to your Armor Class against ranged attacks from a Bow, a Crossbow, or a sling, it does however still apply vs ranged attacks with thrown weapons. A buckler cannot be used to Shield Bash or with the Missile Shield or Ray Shield Feats.

• Wooden Shields. Wooden shields are lighter then their steel counterparts, but weaker. Wooden Shields are made primarily of Linden wood, though some shields are made of other types of wood. Shields made of different types of wood can have drastically different hardness, hit points, and weight. The main difference between Wooden Shields and Steel Shields is the fact that shields made primarily of wood cannot be repaired (Except by magical means). Much like a bike helmet, its designed to stop an accident, then be replaced.


 * Light Wooden Shields are usually round. They cost 2GP, weigh 4 pounds. A light shield can be readied or stowed as a move action.


 * Heavy Wooden Shields are usually rounded, heater shaped, or oval. They cost 4GP and weigh 10 pounds. A heavy shield can be readied or stowed as a standard action.

• Steel Shields are heavier then their metal counterparts but have the benefit of being sturdier, capable of taking more punishment and being repaired after getting damaged. The offset being that they cost more and take longer to produce.


 * Light Steel Shields are usually round or heater shaped. They cost 14GP, weigh 6 pounds. A light shield can be readied or stowed as a move action.


 * Heavy Steel Shields are usually Round, heater shaped, kite shaped, or rectangular. They cost 28 GP, weigh 15 pounds. A Heavy shield can be readied or stowed as a standard action.

• Tower Shields remain unchanged.

==Bows & Crossbows ==

Bows

Heres a selection of bows seen within the world of Golarion.

Longbow:

The Longbow is the most common bow and has been used throughout the history of both elves and men. The story goes that the longbow was a divine gift from Erastil. Upon seeing men scraping by with the use of their spears and cudgels, and elves eternally locked within the confines of their forrest, afraid to come out, he descended from the heavens and at the same time personally went to each village of elves or men that he deemed worthy disguised as an old sage. He delieved to each village a number of Longbows and taught their brightest young men how to use them. Or at least thats how the church of Erastil tells it, not that there is much proof to back it up or disprove it.

The Longbow is used across the world and is seen as the quintessential weapon of elves and men.

Damage: 1d8 20x3 P

Range: 130'

Weight: 3lb

HP/Hardness: 5/5

Cost: 24 GP

Size: Roughly 4.5'

Shortbow:

The shortbow was designed out of the longbow by peoples from northern Garund and Casmaron looking for a bow that could be more conservative with wood and be sized properly so as to be fired from horseback.

The shortbow is also known as a reflex bow. In that the body of a shortbow buldges outward and then back inward towards the grip, like so.

Because their only advantage is their size, short bows haven't caught on across most of Avistan. Adventurers like Bards and Rogues enjoy them because of their smaller length but among hunters and militaries the longbow is still triumphant.

Damage: 1d6 20x3 P

Range: 90'

Weight: 3lb

HP/Hardness: 5/5

Cost: 24 GP

Size: Roughly 2'

Special: A shortbow may be used on Horseback

Talan Greatbow:

The Talan Greatbow was developed long ago, when the empire was still at its hight, and this bow saw that it remained in that position. Taldan Greabows are still a great secret of the empire and its specialty craftsmen are closely guarded.

This bow much larger then the standard longbow and has a try incredible range. Archers who wield these bows are said to have to work for years to master it. Development the strength necessary to draw it, the hawk like eyes to use its awesome range, and the speed to draw it quickly.

This bow is essentially the English Longbow.

Damage: 1d12 20x3 P

Range: 200'

Weight: 4lb

Type: Exotic

HP/Hardness: 5/5

Cost: 80 GP

Size: Roughly 6.5'

Special: This bow cannot be made Recurve. A Taldan Greatbow gains +40' to its range rather then 20' if it is made of composite materials. A Taldan Gratbow requires a swift action to draw and nock an arrow, Rapid Reload can decrease this to a free action.

Bow Additions:

These additions are made when the bow is crafted and may not be added afterwards.

-Composite:

A composite bow can be crafted out of a variety of different substances to increase its strength and range. Such longbows are composite and are built with a particular strength rating in mind, you take a -2 to attack rolls. If your strength is lower then that of the composite longbow you are using. If your strength modifier meets the strength rating of the bow then you may apply the strength rating of the bow to damage rolls. Composite bows can be "restrung" to higher strength ratings for 25 GP plus 10 GP per downgrade or the standard cost of reach rating per upgrade. Composite bows adds 20' to the bows range A composite bow adds 50 GP to the base cost plus 50 GP for every strength rating the bow has above +0. Strength ratings in excess of +3 cost 500 GP per rating and require exotic or perhaps even magical materials.

-Recurve:

A recurve bow has ends that curl away from the archer when strung which means that the string touches the section of the limb. A recurve bow fires arrows at a greater velocity and slightly cuts down on a bows length. Recurve bows add 400 GP to the bows base cost, increase the bows range by 15', and if the bow is also composite then its archer needs only a strength modifier one lower than the strength rating on the bow.

Crossbows

These are the crossbows seen across Golarion. The crossbows of Golarion are a human invention of a very bright priest of Abadar, Kaylon Strongmast. The good priest sought to make a ranged instrument that required less time to be trained in than the Longbow. The weapon was passed onto the church and the god of commerce and cities so loved the invention that his highest Archbishops all received divine decree to adopt the crossbow as the churches holy weapon. Today the church of abider delights in selling fine crossbows to those with the coin, and teacher other craftsmen not of the cloth how to construct them, for a price. Though the crossbow lacks in the speed and range of the longbow, it makes up for it in its ease of use and massive stopping power. And close ranges crossbows have been know to puncture plate and shred chainmail.

The Light Crossbow

Light crossbows is most common in the hands of commoners. Though hunters in small villages by and large still prefer the longbow (in no small part thanks to the church of Erastil) its not uncommon for even the smallest of villages to have a few of these weapons flatting around … just in case. The light crossbow is also a stable backup weapon for adventurers, sellswords, and knights.

Damage: 1d8 19-20x2 P

Range: 80'

Weight: 4lb

Type: Simple

Reload: Move Action

HP/Hardness: 5/5

Cost: 33 GP

Special: When used within Point Blank range a light crossbow deals +1 damage and ignores up to 2 points of a target Armor Bonus to his AC.

If the target had no Armor Bonus or if the armour bonus is from completely magical means then this has no effect.

Additionally, a light crossbow takes -1 damage for every range increment outside its initial one.

The Heavy Crossbow

Heavy crossbows are seen far and wide across Avistan. The weapon is a favourite among militias, and city guards for its simplicity of use. A few days in a yard and a green boy can become a master of this deadly beast. Mind you said boy is likely to get killed the second he tries to reload. These crossbows have a stirrup to aid in reloading. This type of crossbow is a common sight because of its heavy use by guardsmen and militaries. However adventurers abhor the weapon for how vulnerable it leaves ones while reloading. Even the most practiced at its loading take long enough to get a person killed in a battle against a dragon or whatever other horrible beast an adventurer would face.

Damage: 1d10 19-20x2 P

Range: 120'

Weight: 8lb

Type: Simple

Reload: Full-Round Action

HP/Hardness: 5/5

Cost: 50 GP

Special: When used within Point Blank range a light crossbow deals +2 damage and ignores up to 4 points of a target Armor Bonus to his AC.

From 30-60' it deals +1 damage and ignores up to 2 points of the targets Armor.

If the target had no Armor Bonus or if the armour bonus is from completely magical means then this has no effect.

Additionally, a heavy crossbow takes -1 damage for every range increment outside its initial one.

The Arbalest

Arbalest crossbows are used mainly on battlements and deployed near city gates or fortifications. These crossbows are massive, with bows that reach out to near a mans out stetted elbows and a length that would come up to most mens mid-chest. These crossbows have a stirrup and a crank to aid in reloading.

Damage: 2d6 19-20x2 P

Range: 150'

Weight: 12lb

Type: Simple

Reload: 4 Full-Round Actions.

HP/Hardness: 5/5

Cost: 100 GP

Special: When used within Point Blank range an Arbalest deals +4 damage and ignores up to 6 points of a target Armor Bonus to his AC.

From 31-60' it deals +2 damage and ignores up to 4 points of the targets Armor.

From 61-90' it deals +1 damage and ignores up to 2 points of the targets Armor.

If the target had no Armor Bonus or if the armour bonus is from completely magical means then this has no effect.

Additionally, a Arbalest takes -1 damage for every range increment outside its initial one.

The Hand Crossbow

A crossbow that for once was not developed by the church. The hand crossbow was designed of its light sibling by a thief who had an eye for tinkering. He sold his designs to an artificer and was never heard from again. The hand crossbow is a relative rarity, used sometimes by adventurers and as a quirky side arm of an noble or merchant.

Damage: 1d6 19-20x2 P

Range: 30'

Weight: 3lb

Type: Simple

Reload: Move Action

HP/Hardness: 5/5

Cost: 100 GP

Special: A hand crossbow may be fired from one hand.

A hand crossbow takes -1 damage for every range increment outside its initial one.

The Light Repeating Crossbow

Light Repeating crossbows are part of the family of "repeating crossbows" developed by the church of Abadar in recent years which use a level and box of blots to span and load the crossbow automatically after each shot. The church is very fond of their new inventions but are quite willing to part with them for the right price. The secrets of there manufacture however remain closely guarded by the church. The crossbow is fantastical in that it retains the ease of use of its non-repeating cousins.

A light repeating crossbow has all the stats of a light crossbow except where as follows.

Weight: 6lb

Ammunition: Box of 6 Bolts.

Reload: Move action to reload a box, swift with Rapid Reload.

Cost: 1000 GP

The Repeating Hand Crossbow

Repeating hand crossbows are part of the family of "repeating crossbows" developed by the church of Abadar in recent years which use a level and box of blots to span and load the crossbow automatically after each shot. These crossbows share the same birthdate as that of the light repeating crossbow and are as widely available as they are. The repeating hand crossbow is so expensive however that it remains the purview of adventurers and eccentric nobles.

A repeating hand crossbow has all the stats of a hand crossbow except where as follows.

Weight: 5lb

Ammunition: Box of 5 Bolts.

Reload: Move action to reload a box, swift with Rapid Reload.

Cost: 1500 GP

The Heavy Reeating Crossbow

Heavy Repeating crossbows are part of the family of "repeating crossbows" developed by the church of Abadar in recent years which use a level and box of blots to span and load the crossbow automatically after each shot. These crossbows are barely a decade old and still in the process of being perfected. However for the moment it seems that their cost is just to expensive to have much gain in producing them on a wide scale like their smaller siblings. Their other downfall is that they break the cardinal rule of crossbows in that they are difficult to use, a maze of pulleys and levers that those not in the know can hardly use and easily break because of their ignorance.

With that in mind the church is more then happy to keep the weapon "in-house" as it where and simply arm clergy-men who are particularly adept at a range with these weapons.

A Heavy repeating crossbow has all the stats of a heavy crossbow except where as follows.

Weight: 12lb

Type: Exotic

Ammunition: Box of 8 Bolts.

Reload: Standard action to reload a box, move with Rapid Reload.

Cost: ??

Arrows/Bolts

Bodkin: This long, needlepoint was designed to fly far and pierce armour. Bodkin points gain a +2 bonus to hit, but a –1 penalty to damage. Cost = 2gp.

Heavy Quarrels: These are only available as crossbow bolts; they have a very large, heavy head that unbalances the projectile, halving the range. Damage is increased by one die type (1d10 goes to 2d6, 2d6 goes to 2d8). Heavy quarrels cannot fit in the magazine of a repeating crossbow. Cost = 5gp.

Sailcutter: These inverted-crescent shaped heads were originally used against ships to slash sails and cut rigging. Damage is reduced by one type of dice (d6 to d4, d8 to d6, d10 to d8, 2d6 to 1d10) and is slashing damage. Sailcuter heads cannot fit in the magazine of a repeating crossbow. Cost = 3gp.

Blunt: These arrows have steel tips, the metal negatively effects the weight of the arrow, decreasing accuracy. The user takes a -2 on attack rolls, but the arrows deal bludgeoning damage.

Hunters Arrows: Simple wooden shaft with heads of wood, stone or bone. Used by commoners when metal is to scarce and precious. These arrows lose 1/4 of the weapons range and have -1 damage. Cannot be used as bolts. cost 5 sp for 20

Take Careful Aim: This action has to be taken with a spanned and loaded crossbow or by bow with some of the actions. By spending time to take aim, they can gain a bonus to hit. The bonus depends on how they aim and for how long, and if they have something to brace their crossbow on such as a wall, stand, or by lying prone. Move action: +1 to hit. Move action, braced: +3 to hit. (Only Crossbows) Full round action: +2 to hit Full round action, braced: +4 to hit (Only crossbows) When taking careful aim, a character provokes attacks of opportunity and loses their dexterity bonus to AC.

==Mastercraft Weapons and Armor ==

In addition to what is already stated for mastercraft weapons and armor, they also gain +2 hardness and +5 HP.