Blackjack: This is sometimes referred to as a sap. It is a small, concealable and weighted weapon, usually filled with lead powder, molded lead clay or lead shot. When fighting with it in conventional melee, it is not very effective, as it is an exception for allowing Strength bonus to add to the dice of damage. However, it is slightly beneficial as it will ignore the bonuses from the defender’s parry skill; however, a shield gains all its AC value. It is most effective when it can be used as a sneak attack. If the sneak attack is successful (or the attacker has backstab) then in addition to the damage, it produces a stunning effect. If successfully landing even one die attack, then the victim must make a Resilience preservation save (DC base 13 plus the attacker’s Strength modifier) or become stunned for 1 to 3 rounds. One final bonus of this weapon is it gains a +1 to initiative.
Dj the GM
Posted at Sep 27, 2021 04:22 PM
The Half-Spear is now known as the Ula.
Dj the GM
Posted at Jun 22, 2021 02:25 PM
For various reasons, there are new weapons available in the game. In the private campaign, the gnomish slinger is limited in its location to purchase.
Battle Axe: This is a cleaving weapon larger than a throwable axe. It may have one blade or have double-sided edges, being between 24 and 36 inches in total length. To employ with a shield, the wielder must have shield-use. However, the weapon swung two-handed to gain properties similar to a heavy weapon under the versatile tag. Due to the battle axe being a bit cumbersome, it cannot be used to parry or to rebuff. Also, this weapon suffers a -1 penalty to initiative, whether employed with one or two hands.
Gladius: This is a shorter sword being roughly 24 to 30 inches in length. This edged weapon carries enough weight to be a medium-sized weapon for damage purposes, as it is neither light nor heavy. Further, it can be employed with parry and rebuff, but it doesn't have the size or hilt length to be wielded two-handed.
Gnomish Slinger: This is a peculiar weapon of gnomish engineering, that looks somewhat like an 18-inch spike with three mechanical vanes that appear like the dart’s fletching. While it is not a weapon that can be quickly used, it can become very effective. It requires one full round of preparation, this is not exactly loading but rather positioning the ammo into a triggerable location in the mechanism. The following round’s action is used to lob the device up to 40 feet away. This is not an attack but rather a placement and it must strike soft ground to activate. Once establishing its location, the device will activate and the three arms begin to spin and will continue to spin for the following 12 rounds. On the third round, it will gain its own initiative for attack. Inside the mechanics is an engineered optical sensor that can locate the nearest movement within 15 feet. On its initiative, if it will locate the closest target within 15 feet and fire a sling stone on a d20 but has a +1 to hit bonus for being a mechanical device. It will inflict 1 point of blunt damage on a successful hit against the AC. It cannot distringuish friend from foe and will target the closest one. If two or more are equidistant then one is selected at random. If no target is within range, the device will not fire its ammo and wait until its next action. Once three sling bullets have been exhausted, the spinning motion ceases. Additionally, the device can become destroyed or unfunctional if 6 points of damage is inflicted to it. Lastly, like other thrown weapons and devices, there is a limited number that can be carried at one time without having to use an action to gather more; for these slingers, that number is two.
Half-Spear: This is shorter polearm designed specifically by halflings. As small creatures are unable to use heavy weapons or those with reach, this weapon is considered an improvised weapon for creatures that are not in the small category. However, in all other ways it is used like a pole-arm, but it has a rounded or blocked head to deliver blunt damage rather than piercing. Like a normal spear, it can be hurled up to 20 feet as a normal attack whether inside or outside and thrown at disadvantage up to 60 feet if launched as a linear throw. Outdoors it can be lobbed, making its maximum range 90 feet. When coupled with the shield-use skill, the half-spear can be used with a shield. While half-spears make a fine thrown weapon, only four at a time can be carried without the loss of an action to gather more. Lastly, this weapon causes the impalement maneuver to act in a special manner. First, it only inflicts 2d20 for damage, but it adds a tripping competition against the attacker. Next, as it does not have reach, the impalement occurs at five feet rather than ten feet away. This means the timing of the actions is special as well. The attack and the impalement reaction occur simultaneously; neither can be prevented or altered by death, being knocked prone or other special damage that alter the rolling of the action or reaction. However at the end of both calculations, any changes would apply. Thus, it the tripping portion of impalement is successful, the penalty for being prone is not calculated into the attack but does occur as a result.
