New weapon requirements (3.5e Variant Rule)
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New weapon requirements[edit]
The premise of this rule is to make that strength of 20 mean something. Those 2 points higher would make your fighter more than the guys who lugs everything. He may still run up and whack people with a stick, but it will be a much bigger stick. Now this isn't specifically for strength 20 as it affects all strength scores. This rule will require you be a certain strength to wield certain weapons by weight. Strength 20 lets you wield a great-sword with a single hand. I was inspired by the Weapons section of the Races of War sourcebook in the Chapter 6: Equipment section but being unsatisfied made this.
Strength and weight[edit]
You average Human has a strength of 10. For the purpose of this rule a longsword with a weight of 4 pounds requires 10 strength to wield with a single hand. the formula is 4Lbs/10Str=2.5Str/1Lbs. From these numbers, to wield a weapon you must have 2.5 strength for 1 pound of weight. Round this at the Dm's discretion. For this article I will round up. To figure out the strength requirement to wield a weapon with one hand use this formula. [Lbs of weapon]*2.5Str=Str requirement to wield with one hand.
Example 1: Longsword=4Lbs [4Lbs]*2.5Str=10Str
Example 2: Great-sword=8Lbs [8Lbs]*2.5Str=20Str
Example 3: Eiji-kun's Gigas Hammer=100Lbs [100Lbs]*2.5Str/Lbs=250Str It is here( http://dnd-wiki.org/wiki/Gigas_Hammer_%283.5e_Equipment%29 ) and not recommended for use with this rule Similarly this puts a restriction on using gigantic weapons due to the weight.
Clarifications[edit]
Now you may be thinking how ever will this Titan ( http://dnd-wiki.org/wiki/SRD:Titan ) use his Gargantuan Warhammer with its weight of 40Lbs and requirement of 100Str?
Well here is clarification 1; Strength requirement is HALF when wielded with 2 hands. Now the titan only has a strength of 43,
therefore clarification 2 comes into play; When your strength is insufficient to wield the weapon(puny Wizard) you suffer a -1 to hit and damage for every 2 points your strength is too low, though this only comes into effect when you can lift the weapon. Now the Titan wields this hammer with two hands reducing the Str requirement to 50, He then receives a -3 to hit and damage with his Warhammer.
Clarification 3(straight from Races of War equipment weapon rules); You may not use a weapon that is a larger than yourself. A Large character can use a Large (or smaller) object as a weapon, but may not use a Huge (or larger) object as a weapon. You may not use an object that is too heavy for you to lift as a light load as a weapon. An object of your own size must be used in two hands. An object of a size smaller than your size may be used in one hand or two hands. An object that is at least two sizes smaller than yourself -->!CAN!<-- counts as a Light Weapon.
Clarification 4; A weapon at least 2 sizes smaller than your character AND is under the Strength requirement to use single handed by 5Str are considered light weapons. That means a Barbarian of level 20 can rage and dual wield great-swords with a base strength of 17 and consider them to be light weapons.
Conclusion[edit]
Strength requirement is [Lbs of weapon]*2.5Str=Str.
Clarification 1; Strength requirement is HALF when wielded with 2 hands.
Clarification 2 comes into play; When your strength is insufficient to wield the weapon(puny Wizard) you suffer a -1 to hit and damage for every 2 points your strength is too low.
Clarification 3 Weapon size BlahBlahBlah
Clarification 4; A weapon at least 2 sizes smaller than your character AND is under the Strength requirement to use single handed by 5Str are considered light weapons.
Thanks for reading and may your strikers prosper with this variant rule. GLORY TO ALL!!
Disclaimer 1: Wizards are not always small and weak but they are often portrayed as such.
Disclaimer 2: Not all Rouges are weak and small and are more often than not agile and strong.
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