Human Weapon Training (Page 7)


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Sczarni RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16

It's possible that this has been said before and I just missed it; if so, I apologize.

The human racial feature, Weapon Training, says that Humans are proficient with one martial weapon in addition to the weapon proficiencies from their class. But what about simple weapons? If I make a Wizard or a Monk and want to use a simple weapon not on the class list, I should be able to choose that as well.

I propose that the Weapon Training racial feature allow both simple and martial weapons to be chosen.

Liberty's Edge

Tamago wrote:
I propose that the Weapon Training racial feature allow both simple and martial weapons to be chosen.

This sounds very reasonable. Simple weapons are less effective than martial weapons, so I don't see an issue there.


Locworks wrote:
Tamago wrote:
I propose that the Weapon Training racial feature allow both simple and martial weapons to be chosen.
This sounds very reasonable. Simple weapons are less effective than martial weapons, so I don't see an issue there.

On the opposite side of things, why couldnt humans have the option to pick an exotic weapon?

If the purpose is to give humans some distiction for their versitility as well as they're speed at learning (compared to say a 500 year old elf) why not allow them to pick an exotic weapon?

While I freely admit that due to time constraints I havent been able to play in many 3.5 (or 3.0) games as I would have liked I did notice that exotics tend to be shyed away from by many players due to having to commit a feat just to get to use one (non-standard) weapon and HOPE that the DM was a kind soul and would throw a magical version down their way at some point.


What I would like to see, is something more. If I play a human fighter, my racial feat does nothing for me. I would like to add Weapon Focus to the weapon of choice.

I guess what I am looking at is a human can choose any one weapon. They then gain Weapon Proficiency and Weapon Focus with that weapon. This would represent the human diversity of special training (either from an organization or parent/sibling) that they received as a youth growing up in a diverse world/culture. I am going to try this in my playtest group. If I change anything, I will not allow Exotic Weapons to be chosen, condensing the list to simple and martial only.

We are starting Memorial weekend and I'm running them through "Burnt Offerings". I've gone through the adventure and updated all of the NPC's and monsters to fit PRPG.

Right now there is very little that gives a human an advantage over a half-elf. And I would like to see a little more advantage for humans. They should be the most populous race and therefore the most common adventurer type.

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8

Not quite sure if I agree with the weapon focus. I would like it to extend to exotic weapons. my bastard sword weilding legionary would thank you.


This is probably out of place, but I like the Pathfinder RPG and am adapting its concepts to d20 Modern (so I guess it's Pathfinder with GPS). Here's what I did for Weapon Training:

For Weapon Training, characters may select from the following feats but must still meet all the prerequisites: Advanced Combat Martial Arts, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Advanced Two-Weapon Fighting, Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Brawl, Combat Martial Arts, Defensive Martial Arts, Exotic Melee Weapon Proficiency, Improved Brawl, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Personal Firearms Proficiency.

The idea is that humans being versatile should get to choose from either a simple, martial, or exotic weapon, or perhaps a feat related to combat.

Liberty's Edge

Matthew Morris wrote:
Not quite sure if I agree with the weapon focus. I would like it to extend to exotic weapons. my bastard sword weilding legionary would thank you.

How about this suggestion?


Pathfinder Maps Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

For humans, I would like to see them get a weapon proficiency or a weapon focus for a weapon that they are proficient in at 1st level.

To me, that would make it flexible, to suit the adaptability of humans, but not be unbalancing.

I am currently using this is my game, running RotRL. None of the 3 humans took an exotic weapon proficiency, they all took the weapon focus (scimitar, longsword and heavy crossbow). No problems so far.


Locworks wrote:
Matthew Morris wrote:
Not quite sure if I agree with the weapon focus. I would like it to extend to exotic weapons. my bastard sword weilding legionary would thank you.
How about this suggestion?

I like it.

Making an exotic weapon of your choice a martial weapon lines up pretty well will how weapon familiarity works for other races.

Though moving back to how the Alpha 1.1 treated Weapon Training works fine, too. It allowed the Varisian rogue in our party to pick up proficiency with bladed scarf and try to hinder some mooks (though not very well given the high CMB DCs).


My group loves the new racial feature of humans gaining one weapon proficiency. It makes sense for a race that is about adventuring and adaptability. We don't like the fact that Alpha Release 2 limited it to martial weapons only.

One of our players made a human fighter. A fighter is proficient in all martial weapons already. What the heck does this racial feature do for him?

(I went ahead and allowed him to pick an exotic weapon proficiency, by the way.)

A simple solution? Allow humans to pick a weapon proficiency for any weapon they want, regardless of type.


I would like to see this racial feature removed. In the end, it really isn't that useful; it's redundant or pointless for most of the classes, being useful to about 3: Druid, Rogue, and Bard. It benefits Sorcerers and Wizards only in flavor as their BAB is so low, and all the other classes already have proficiency in all martial weapons, or have a class feature that emulates this already (i.e. Cleric).

I would prefer to see a fresh idea in place of this racial feature that would be beneficial humans no matter what class they take. And it should not be complicated.

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