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The Latest from the 4th Edition Player's Handbook
For those with no care to link:
Older versions of the D&D game allowed you to be proficient with a few specific weapons, growing in the number of such skills you advanced in level. When you weren’t proficient with a particular weapon, you took a penalty on attack rolls with it. Weapons had varying levels of effectiveness based on size, speed factor, damage against targets of different sizes, and even against differing sorts of armor.
In 3E, the game embraced an appealing level of complexity. It did away with some of the esoteric weapon systems of older editions, but it kept enough nuances to define each weapon as specifically as possible. Weapon categories—simple, martial, exotic, and improvised—became the major means of defining proficiency. As the game developed, new rules as well as rules resurrected from older editions played on the differences and similarities among weapons.
The 4th Edition D&D game took all these thoughts about weapons and considered them. For the new game, it was decided that weapons had to be complex enough to be interesting, as with 3E. But the rules also had to be easy to use in design, in character creation, and in play—even easier than in 3E.
Here are some of the ways concepts evolved into what you’ll see in 4E’s weapons:
Weapon Categories: Just like in 3E, weapon categories tell you how a weapon is used. We retained the 3E concepts of the simple to exotic gamut (albeit with different names), because they’re very useful concepts for defining the broad levels of proficiency most characters classes have. Whether a weapon is melee or ranged matters for using powers. We also used whether a weapon is one-handed or two-handed to help define how weapons function for Small characters. Size matters, but not enough to overcomplicate the weapon rules.
Weapon Groups: We created these broad groups, which also function as keywords, to interact well with other game elements. It’s easier if a designer can rely on a group keyword to say, “This feat does X if you’re wielding an axe,” or “If you’re wielding a light blade, this power also does X.” You’ll care about these groups when you’re selecting feats and powers. The preview tells you that some powers and feats require a weapon from a certain group. However, other powers simply function better when you’re using a weapon from the appropriate group. This fact helped us create thematic feats and powers based on how we imagine weapons functioning in heroic fantasy.
Weapon Properties: If you try throwing this melee weapon, what are the considerations? Can that weapon be used in your off-hand? How long does it take to load this projectile weapon? What happens when you use that one-handed weapon with two hands? We created weapon property keywords to help answer such questions at a glance. For instance, the thrown weapon properties allow a weapon to cross the line between melee and ranged. The words light or heavy defines whether you use Dexterity or Strength, respectively, to throw the weapon. All that information is stored in two words.
Proficiency: The truism that skill matters met the idea that just about anyone can swing a sword and hurt someone. These combined with the 4E philosophy (unlike older versions of the D&D) that—whenever possible—lack of skill doesn’t penalize your roll; skill enhances your effectiveness instead.
--Chris Sims
When you confront villains and monsters in their lairs, you often end up in situations that can be resolved only with arms and magic. If you don’t have magical powers, you had better have a weapon or two. In fact, you might want a weapon to back up or even augment your powers.
Weapon Categories
Weapons fall into four categories. Improvised weapons aren’t weapons you train with—they’re objects you pick up to hit someone with. Punching or kicking someone is also considered an improvised weapon. Simple weapons are basic, requiring little more skill than lifting and hitting with the business end. Military weapons are designed for skilled users. Balance and precision are important factors when using military weapons, and someone without the proper training can’t use them effectively. Superior weapons are even more effective than military weapons but require special training to use. You can learn to use a superior weapon by taking the Weapon Proficiency feat.
Weapons in all four categories are further categorized as melee weapons, which you use to attack foes within reach of the weapon, or ranged weapons, which you use to fire at more distant enemies. You can’t use a ranged weapon as a melee weapon. A melee weapon with the heavy thrown or the light thrown property counts as a ranged weapon when thrown and can be used with ranged attack powers that have the weapon keyword.
Finally, weapons are classified as either one-handed or two-handed. A one-handed weapon is light enough or balanced enough to be used in one hand. A two-handed weapon is too heavy or unbalanced to use without two hands. Bows and some other weapons require two hands because of their construction.
Some one-handed weapons are light enough for you to use in your off hand while holding another one-handed weapon in your other hand. Doing this doesn’t let you make multiple attacks in a round (unless you have powers that let you do so), but you can attack with either weapon. Other one-handed weapons are large enough that you can keep a good grip on them with two hands and deal extra damage by using them as two-handed weapons.
Choosing Weapons
If you belong to a class whose powers don’t include weapon keywords, just pick weapons that you’re proficient with and that you’d like to use. If you’re a fighter or a member of any other class that has powers linked to particular weapon groups, you care more about weapons than other characters might. Be sure to consider the powers you’d like to use when choosing your weapons, and vice versa.
You want to have an option for melee combat as well as ranged combat, even if you’re not as effective at one or the other. Be sure to choose at least one of each kind of weapon. When that flying monster makes its getaway, you don’t want to be left standing around with nothing to do but hurl insults at it.
Weapon Groups
Weapon groups are families of weapons that share certain properties. They’re wielded similarly and are equally suited to certain kinds of attacks. In game terms, some powers and feats work only when you’re attacking with a weapon in a specific group.
If a weapon falls into more than one group, you can use it with powers that require a weapon from any of its groups. For example, the halberd is both an axe and a polearm, so you can use it with powers that give you an additional benefit when you wield an axe or a polearm.
Axe
Bow
Crossbow
Flail
Hammer
Heavy Blade
Light Blade
Mace
Pick
Polearm
Sling
Spear
Staff
Unarmed
Weapon Properties
Weapon properties define additional characteristics shared by weapons that might be in different groups.
Heavy Thrown: You hurl a thrown weapon from your hand, rather than using it to loose a projectile. A ranged basic attack with a heavy thrown weapon uses your Strength instead of your Dexterity for the attack and damage rolls.
High Crit: A high crit weapon deals more damage when you score a critical hit with it. A critical hit deals maximum weapon damage and an extra 1[W] at 1st–10th levels, an extra 2[W] at 11th–20th levels, and an extra 3[W] at 21st–30th levels. This extra damage is in addition to any critical damage the weapon supplies if it is a magic weapon.
Light Thrown: A ranged basic attack with a light thrown weapon uses your Dexterity. Light thrown weapons don’t deal as much damage as heavy thrown weapons, but some powers let you hurl several of them at once or in rapid succession.
Load: Ranged weapons that loose projectiles, including bows, crossbows, and slings, take some time to load. When a weapon shows “load free” on the Ranged Weapons table, that means you draw and load ammunition as a free action, effectively part of the action used to attack with the weapon. Any weapon that has the load property requires two hands to load, even if you can use only one hand to attack with it. (The sling, for example, is a one-handed weapon, but you need a free hand to load it.) The crossbow is “load minor,” which means it requires a minor action to load a bolt into the weapon. If a power allows you to hit multiple targets, the additional load time is accounted for in the power.
Off-Hand: An off-hand weapon is light enough that you can hold it and attack effectively with it while holding a weapon in your main hand. You can’t attack with both weapons in the same turn, unless you have a power that lets you do so, but you can attack with either weapon.
Reach: With a reach weapon, you can attack enemies that are 2 squares away from you as well as adjacent enemies, with no attack penalty. You can still make opportunity attacks only against adjacent enemies. Likewise, you can flank only an adjacent enemy.
Small: This property describes a two-handed or a versatile weapon that a Small character can use in the same way a Medium character can. A halfling can use a shortbow, for example, even though halflings can’t normally use two-handed weapons.
Versatile: Versatile weapons are one-handed, but you can use them two-handed. If you do, you deal an extra 1 point of damage when you roll damage for the weapon. A Small character such as a halfling must use a versatile weapon two-handed and doesn’t deal extra damage.
Lots of little tidbits if you have been keeping up with earlier previews. Sneak Attack is a lot more expansive than what we initially thought, reach weapons have been nerfed (only threaten and flank adjacent squares), weapon groups, etc.
Is the whip going to be called "superior" now?
Sneak Attack is a lot more expansive than what we initially thoughtWhat do you mean by this? I don't see anything about sneak attack in this excerpt. Are you infering something that I'm missing?
The rogue was previewed a couple of months ago in the "Ampersand" column. In it, it is revealed that a rogue can sneak attack with a crossbow, sling, or light blade. At the time, people though that was extremely restrictive, especially given its list of starting weapon proficiencies, but we didn't know that those were really categories of weapons (well, to be fair, some speculated that light blade was some sort of category, but we didn't have much else to go off of).
Over on ENWorld they're talking about a Fighter Multiclassed as Rogue dual wielding a longsword and a dagger, able to use Fighter powers in one hand and Rogue powers (and sneak attacks) in the other. What do you think of the concept?
Do Fighters get weapon tagged powers?
Cheers! :)
Over on ENWorld they're talking about a Fighter Multiclassed as Rogue dual wielding a longsword and a dagger, able to use Fighter powers in one hand and Rogue powers (and sneak attacks) in the other. What do you think of the concept?
Do Fighters get weapon tagged powers?
Cheers! :)
Given what we know about how weapons work, it sounds doable. I haven't seen any specific fighter powers that are based around weapon groups, but the weapons excerpt implies that there are. I would think that all the martial characters have exploits that are partially based around various types of weapons.
Maybe those guys who use a mace and an axe will feel different from the guy with a longsword and a shortsword?
That would be interesting indeed! :)
Over on ENWorld they're talking about a Fighter Multiclassed as Rogue dual wielding a longsword and a dagger, able to use Fighter powers in one hand and Rogue powers (and sneak attacks) in the other. What do you think of the concept?
Do Fighters get weapon tagged powers?
Cheers! :)
Yeah. Out of all the classes, fighters basically care the most about what weapons they use.
The main things I took away from the article were weapon groups and properties, though properties existed somewhat in 3rd Edition.
Maybe those guys who use a mace and an axe will feel different from the guy with a longsword and a shortsword?
That would be interesting indeed! :)
Thats the idea. Spears are supposed to be able to knock creatures back, hammers rely on your Con modifier for damage output, and other stuff. Basically, different weapons act and feel different without sucking, like so many do in 3rd Edition.
Over on ENWorld they're talking about a Fighter Multiclassed as Rogue dual wielding a longsword and a dagger, able to use Fighter powers in one hand and Rogue powers (and sneak attacks) in the other. What do you think of the concept?
Do Fighters get weapon tagged powers?
Cheers! :)
It sounds 'cool,' as you youngsters say.
'Multiclassing,' 'Powerdipping,' ... who cares??? As long as you can create characters you are excited about playing, it's all good.
So ... let me get this straight. On the one hand, this character is straightforward, honest, and true-blue. And, on the other, untrustworthy, sneaky, and back-stabbing. Love it!
And ... SMURF!!! I just love that.
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The rogue was previewed a couple of months ago in the "Ampersand" column. In it, it is revealed that a rogue can sneak attack with a crossbow, sling, or light blade. At the time, people though that was extremely restrictive, especially given its list of starting weapon proficiencies, but we didn't know that those were really categories of weapons (well, to be fair, some speculated that light blade was some sort of category, but we didn't have much else to go off of).
Hrm, I see. I guess it never occured to me that 'crossbow, sling or light blade' might include only 3 weapons. I always assumed these would be weapon groups of some sort. Don't get me wrong, it's still pretty darned restrictive I think. But I don't play rogues so in the end I doesn't make much difference to me personally. I think they should at least get SA with bows as well, but ah well.