Weapons & Combat
Q. Does a character need to spend two proficiencies in bastard sword
use, one for one-handed use and one for two-handed use?
A. This is up to the DM, but I suggest that two slots be required. One
campaign I am familiar with allows characters with long sword or
two-handed sword proficiency to use the bastard sword in its
corresponding mode (in other words, a character who can use a long
sword can use a bastard sword one-handed without penalty).
Q. How can a sling bullet do the same damage as a heavy crossbow and
more damage than a light or hand crossbow? Why would anyone bother
with a crossbow when a sling has a better rate of fire, the same or
better damage, a lower cost, and a lower weight?
A. Slings are very effective weapons and are often underrated. The
bullets are heavy, have excellent aerodynamic qualities, and are
hurled with a great deal of force. Why doesn't everybody use a sling?
Well, try to swing a sling underwater, while hiding in dense
undergrowth, or from around a corner. Also, bow and crossbow
specialists get a point-blank range category and the ability to fire
before the initiative roll in some cases.
Q. The new rules (on page 106) say a character must make a system
shock roll to be raised from the dead. If so, what are resurrection
survival scores used for?
A. This is a typographical error. System shock rolls are made when
characters are exposed to magical ageing, polymorphing, or
petrification. Resurrection survival rolls are used when bringing
slain characters to life again.
Q. How much does a wooden staff cost?
A. Any character can cut and trim his own staff. Prepared staves cost
1 sp each.
Q. Can characters use missile weapons when fighting toe-to-toe with an
opponent?
A. Characters cannot aim and fire bows, use slings, or hurl hand-held
weapons while in mêlée. Loaded and cocked crossbows can be fired in
mêlée but cannot be reloaded. Since light and heavy crossbows are
too large to be very handy, the DM might rule that they can be fired
only when the user has initiative.
Q. How much damage does an arrow fired from a short bow do? Can flight
or sheaf arrows be fired from short bows?
A. Short bow arrows do 1-6 hp damage to targets of all sizes. No
matter what sort of arrow is fired from a short bow, it does damage as
a flight arrow (1d6/1d6).
Q. The charging rules say that a spear set versus a charge does double
damage, but this in not mentioned in the equipment list.
A. Any weapon that can be set versus a charge does double damage when
so employed.
Q. Can a character attack while withdrawing?
A. This is up to the DM, but I suggest not. If you do allow fighting
withdrawals, the character making the withdrawal should get an attack
only if there is an opponent following him. Even then, the character
should attack last and with a −2 penalty to his attack roll.
Q. The rules mention nets, lassos, and mauls as possible weapons for
clerics (page 34), but these weapons do not appear in the weapons
charts (pages 68-69).
A. A maul is a war hammer; see the Weapons Table on pages 68-69.
Lassos and nets are not part of the 2nd Edition game and were
mentioned in error. However, a typical war net is made from woven hemp
cords and has small lead weights sewn into the edges. It is 5' across,
weighs 6 lbs., and costs 12 sp. It takes two hands and 6' of clear
space to throw a net, and the effective range is 30'. Any target hit
by the net must save versus breath weapon or become entangled.
Entangled victims cannot fight or move, and defend at −2. Entangled
victims wriggle free if they make a successful wrestling attack versus
AC 2; they can make one attempt to get free each round. When used as a
mêlée weapon, treat a net as a scourge. A lasso is simply a rope
with an adjustable loop. A successful hit with a lasso puts the loop
around part of the target creature's body, but this does not
necessarily immobilize the creature; the DM has to decide where the
loop is (around the neck, a limb, the upper body, etc.) and assess the
appropriate penalty. Since the lasso's wielder can pull the loop
tight, the only way to escape, short of killing the wielder or getting
the rope away from him, is to cut or break the rope.
Q. A broad sword is mentioned as a thief's weapon (page 38), but the
broad sword is not described.
A. Use these statistics for that weapon: cost 10 gp; weight 4 lbs.;
size M; type S; speed factor 5; damage 2d4 (S-M)/1d6 + 1 (L).
Q. What is the rate of fire for a high level fighter using an
arquebus?
A. The rate of fire for any missile weapon stays the same for all
users regardless of level, except for specialized users (see Table 35,
page 52).
Q. How can a character become proficient with an arquebus? Wouldn't
this require a large or even unlimited supply of powder and shot? If
the character chooses to specialize, what would the rate of fire be?
A. This is up to the DM, but your suggestion regarding gunpowder
supplies sounds reasonable because the character would have to
practice with the weapon. Arquebus specialists rates of fire are:
1st-6th level, 1/3; 7th-12th level, 1/2; 13th level and up, 1/1.
Q. Can a fighter attack with a long sword in each hand?
A. No; two-weapon attacks are limited to one medium and one small
weapon, or to two small weapons.
Q. Can a fighter who is specialized with two weapons use them both at
the same time and get the damage bonus and multiple attacks for each
hand? Does a fighter get a strength bonus for each hand?
A. Fighters can specialize with only one weapon. Any character
attacking with two weapons gets one, and only one, extra attack per
round; the character gets the full number of attacks for the primary
weapon and one attack from the secondary weapon. The DM can allow
strength bonuses for each hand, but I do not recommend it. Limit
strength bonuses to one weapon or the other, or allow the character to
split the bonus between weapons.
Q. How large are light crossbow quarrels and short swords?
A. Light quarrels and short swords are small weapons. To preserve game
balance, you might want to disallow the use of short swords as
secondary weapons in two-handed attacks.
Q. What happened to weapons' space requirements?
A. Space required for mêlée weapons can be inferred from their sizes
and types. Bludgeoning or slashing weapons generally require as much
clear space for use as their lengths. Piercing weapons and most
missile weapons generally require 1' of clear space.
Q. Why can't blunt mêlée weapons be used in non-lethal combat? It
seems to me that a weapon like a mace would be better for knocking out
a creature than a sword would be.
A. As explained on page 98, a mace has no flat side that can be
used at less than full effect. Still, since using a weapon in
non-lethal combat carries a -4 attack roll penalty, you could assume
that the mace wielder could "pull the blow" and inflict reduced,
temporary damage.
Miscellaneous
Q. On page 101, the section on saving-throw priority says Table 60 is
set up in order of priority. But the example given contradicts this.
A. Table 60 is correct; the example is wrong.
Q. What is the conversion rate between the 1st Edition monetary system
and the 2nd Edition monetary system?
A. The new system is close enough to the old one so that you need not
convert treasures or prices. (Prices in the 2nd Edition game tend to
be higher, but this reflects adjustments in the relative values of
some items, not a decline in the value of currency.) The only real
difference is that silver and copper pieces have doubled in value with
respect to gold (compare page 35 of the 1st Edition Players Handbook
stickler, cut the number of copper and silver coins in any 1st Edition
module's horde by half to reflect the new values of those coins.
Q. When setting prices for items not listed in the 2nd Edition game,
what is the conversion rate between U.S. dollars and gold pieces?
A. An AD&D game gold piece is worth approximately $20 when comparing
buying power. Note that if a group of AD&D game adventurers found
themselves in a modern setting, their gold pieces would be next to
worthless as legal tender, but very valuable for their gold content.
Q. Can the various subclasses be used in multi-classed combinations
(e.g., a half-elf ranger/thief, or an elf magician/bard)?
A. No; only the classes listed on page 44 can be used in multi-classed
combinations.
Q. Do multi-classed characters still divide their experience points
among classes?
A. Yes; see page 44.
Q. When a character temporarily loses one point of constitution from
long-distance swimming, does he also lose bonus hit points gained from
that point of constitution?
A. Yes; any constitution loss strips bonus hit points gained from the
lost points. Temporary constitution losses thus produce temporary
hit-point losses.
Q. Are alignment languages used?
A. Alignment languages are not part of the 2nd Edition game.
Q. Do drow and deep gnome PCs still have the abilities attributed to
them in Unearthed Arcana?
A. All subraces in the 2nd Edition game are treated just like members
of the appropriate main race. However, individual DMs are free to
retain Unearthed Arcana attributes for drow and deep gnomes.
Q. What are the size classes of each of the PC races?
A. Halflings, dwarves, and gnomes are small creatures. Humans,
half-elves, and elves are medium (man-size) creatures.
Q. What good is the healing proficiency if a character can regain the
hit points just by resting for a day?
A. First, the healing proficiency restores lost hit points to
characters who do not or cannot spend an entire day resting. Second,
the two forms of healing are cumulative, so that a character who rests
an entire day and receives treatment from a character with healing
skill regains 1d3 + 3 hp/day. Note that a character who tends wounded
characters is not considered to be resting.
Q. According to Table 65 (page 122), unskilled characters have a base
climbing chance of 40%. The same table notes that a character who
spends one slot for the mountaineering proficiency also has a 40%
climbing chance. Is this an error, or do characters have to spend two
slots before they are better climbers than unskilled characters?
A. Yes, there is an error. The base climbing chance improves 10% for
each slot spent on mountaineering; thus, a character with one
proficiency slot in this skill has a 50% base climbing chance.
Q. According to Table 67 (page 123), it is impossible to climb a "dry"
ice wall, but a character can climb a slippery ice wall at one-fourth
the normal climbing rate. Is this an error?
A. This is not really an error. All ice walls qualify as slippery
surfaces, there are no dry or slightly slippery ice walls.
Q. Chapter 7 says a character can try to disbelieve an illusion just
by spending a round doing so. Furthermore, if the player can give a
good reason why the character is disbelieving, the DM can give a bonus
to the saving throw. But Appendix 2 says a reason must be given for
any disbelief attempt to succeed. Which is correct?
A. Chapter 7 is correct. Appendix 2 is intended to remind players that
disbelief is never automatic; disbelief must be active. In other
words, do not check for disbelief unless a player says his character
is disbelieving; if the character has a very good reason to disbelieve
and if the player can explain this reason to the DM; a bonus to the
disbelief roll might be awarded. The text in Appendix 2 is also
intended to convey to players that they cannot avoid illusions by
having their characters disbelieve everything that comes along. The DM
need not quiz the player about the exact reasons for disbelief, but
the DM should be convinced that the character has some legitimate
reason for disbelieving an illusion before he allows a saving throw.
Q. Do full and field plate armour still absorb damage?
A. No, they don't.
Q. What good is a helmet? Does any suit of armour come with one?
A. Helmets protect the head and are important to any character with a
humanoid body. Every suit of armour is assumed to include a helmet
whose construction is similar to the armour. If an armoured character
wears no helmet, he loses one armour class (for example, AC 4 becomes
AC 5).
Q. I was shocked to see that TSR, Inc. condones the killing of baby
dragons (as graphically illustrated by the colour plate on page 7).
A. With the new information on dragons given in the first Monstrous
Compendium (TSR product #2102), available in July, PCs are going to
have to catch dragons while they are small if they are going to have
any chance to kill them at all (see also "The New Ecology of the
Dragons," in Dragon issue #146, for more information).
Q. If the proficiency system is used, do demi-human characters have to
spend a slot to learn the common tongue since they begin with their
native tongue only?
A. Strictly speaking, demi-humans must spend a slot to know Common.
However, DMs should feel free to give Common to demi-human characters
for "free". It can be fun to role-play characters who cannot speak
with each other, but this kind of play can bog down the game and
usually gets boring after a few sessions.
Q. Can the running non-weapon proficiency be used with the
jogging/running rule? Are the two cumulative?
A character using the running proficiency cannot use the jogging rule
(he is already moving as quickly as the jogging rule allows). He can,
however, use the running rule to increase his speed. If the character
fails one of the ability checks for continued running, he must follow
the rules on page 120, and has finished using his running proficiency
for the day.
Q. Page 45 says a dual-classed character who loses a level to an
energy drainer will lose his highest level; if drained again, he loses
the level that is hardest to replace. However, the example shows a
character losing one level in each class to a wight. What is the
correct procedure?
A. A dual-classed (or multi-classed) character who loses a single
level to an energy drain always loses his highest level, no matter how
many times he is drained. If his levels are equal, he loses the level
that takes the most experience to regain. The example on page 45 is
correct only if the character loses two levels at once. In this case,
the dual-classed character loses one level from each class, just as in
the 1st Edition AD&D game.
Q. I thought falling damage was cumulative per 10', reaching 20d6 at
60'. What happened?
A. The controversy over falling damage has been settled. Falling
damage is 1d6 for each 10' (or fraction of 10') fallen. The reasons
are thoroughly explained on page 104. Individual DMs are free to
plague their players with any variant falling damage systems they can
devise.
Q. Does a character take falling damage if he deliberately jumps?
A. In most cases, yes. If the DM wants to simulate short jumps, I
suggest calling for a dexterity check. If the check succeeds, subtract
10' from the jump's height, that is, a 10' jump inflicts no damage, a
20' jump inflicts 1d6, and so on. Failure results in a normal fall.
Q. Are the non-weapon proficiency modifiers shown in Table 37 (page
54) applied to the die roll or to the ability score?
A. The adjustments are made to the character's ability score.
|
|