Theoretical: Changing a weapon's damage type

[Paris Crenshaw]

I just had a thought, and decided to get the opinions of some more experienced GMs.

Does anyone out there use a house rule that allows a character to change the damage type of their weapon? In particular, I'm thinking about the possibility of allowing players to take a -4 penalty to the attack roll in order to change a slashing weapon's damage type to bludgeoning damage.

My thinking is that a slashing weapon could be swung in such a way as to pound an opponent, rather than cutting him. It would be difficult to do with a piercing weapon (although I could sort of see the idea of swinging a short sword like a baton, rather than making stabbing attacks with it).

It's possible to convert lethal damage to nonlethal damage with the -4 penalty, so I'm thinking the principle could be similar.

Obviously, this couldn't go the other way (you couldn't ever slash or stab someone with a normal club or staff, for example), but in a pinch it might give players a chance against creatures like skeletons.

Your thoughts?

[Xpltvdeleted]

Paris Crenshaw wrote:

I just had a thought, and decided to get the opinions of some more experienced GMs.

Does anyone out there use a house rule that allows a character to change the damage type of their weapon? In particular, I'm thinking about the possibility of allowing players to take a -4 penalty to the attack roll in order to change a slashing weapon's damage type to bludgeoning damage.

My thinking is that a slashing weapon could be swung in such a way as to pound an opponent, rather than cutting him. It would be difficult to do with a piercing weapon (although I could sort of see the idea of swinging a short sword like a baton, rather than making stabbing attacks with it).

It's possible to convert lethal damage to nonlethal damage with the -4 penalty, so I'm thinking the principle could be similar.

Obviously, this couldn't go the other way (you couldn't ever slash or stab someone with a normal club or staff, for example), but in a pinch it might give players a chance against creatures like skeletons.

Your thoughts?

I don't see why this wouldn't work...penalty seems appropriate. Of course they could always just leave the scabbard on if they wanted to do some bludgeoning damage.

[Aelryinth]

Actually, virtually every sword out there, you are trained to deal both piercing and slashing dmg, AND to smash them with the heavy pommel if you have to. This was especially prevelant with the German zweihander techniques...they actually turned the sword around and used it to bash in helmets if need be.

==Aelryinth

[Paris Crenshaw]

I agree. The pommel thing's a fairly common trope in film, too.

Crypt of the Everflame did several things to make normally lethal weapons "less dangerous" and the idea popped into my head this afternoon while I was working on something else.

Thanks for the feedback. :D

[Abraham spalding]

I would suggest that using a weapon in a matter that it normally would be used in would make it an improvised weapon that deals it's normal damage. I would further suggest that the catch off guard feat should help with doing this too.

[Paris Crenshaw]

Abraham spalding wrote:

I would suggest that using a weapon in a matter that it normally would be used in would make it an improvised weapon that deals it's normal damage. I would further suggest that the catch off guard feat should help with doing this too.

I like this. It's elegent. It's pretty much where I was going (same penalties, etc.), but makes sense within the RAW.

And Catch Off Guard and Improvised Weapon Mastery would be very helpful within this application.