Weapons
From D20advanced
Weapons of various sorts are common for characters in almost any genre of gameplay. They range from melee weapons to ranged weapons like guns and bows and devices like shrink-rays, mind-control helmets and more. Characters who don’t have any offensive FX often rely on weapons to get the job done.
Note that the traits presented for these weapons are just suggestions: if the group believes that the weapons should be more or less powerful, then they should be allowed to construct the devices as they feel is most appropriate for their game. Constructing a weapon is just like constructing an FX, only that it is done with equipment points instead of character points.
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Melee Weapons
Melee weapons work like the Damage FX adding the wielder’s Strength bonus to the damage. Ordinary melee weapons are limited by their Toughness in terms of the amount of Strength bonus they can add. If a wielder’s Strength bonus exceeds the weapon’s Toughness (4 for wooden weapons, 7 or 8 for metal weapons), the weapon breaks when it is used. Melee weapons have the following traits:
- Category: Melee weapons are categorized as simple, archaic, and exotic.
- Damage Bonus: The weapon’s damage bonus on a successful hit. Melee weapons add the wielder’s Strength score to their damage (the Mighty FX feat), costing a base 1 point. Each point of damage bonus costs 1 point.
- Critical: The threat range for a critical hit with the weapon. Some weapons have a larger threat range than others. Increasing a weapon’s threat range by 1 costs 1 point.
- Damage Descriptor: Melee weapon damage is classified as bludgeoning (weapons with a blunt striking surface, like a club), piercing (weapons with a sharp point), and slashing (weapons with a sharp edge). Some characters may be resistant or immune to some types of damage.
- Range Increment: Melee weapons designed for throwing can also be used to make ranged attacks. This costs 1 point. Thrown weapons have a range increment just as other ranged weapons do—but the maximum range for a thrown weapon is five range increments. Any attack at less than the given range increment is not penalized for range. However, each full range increment causes a cumulative –2 penalty on the attack roll.
- Size: Size categories for weapons and other objects are defined differently from the size categories for creatures. The relationship between a weapon’s size and its wielder’s size defines whether it can be used one-handed, if it requires two hands, and if it’s a light weapon. A Medium or smaller weapon can be used one-handed or two-handed. A Large weapon requires two hands.
- Equipment Cost: This is the weapon’s cost in points. Characters pay this cost from their equipment points to have a weapon of this type as part of their regular equipment.
| TABLE 6.3: MELEE WEAPONS | ||||||
| Weapon | Damage Bonus | Critical | Damage Descriptor | Range Increment | Size | Equipment Cost |
| Simple Weapons | ||||||
| Brass knuckles | +1 | 20 | Bludgeoning | — | Tiny | 2 |
| Club | +2 | 20 | Bludgeoning | 10 ft. | Med | 4 |
| Knife | +1 | 19-20 | Piercing | 10 ft. | Tiny | 3 |
| Pepper spray | Dazzle + Inflict (Action) 5 | — | Chemical | — | Tiny | 15 |
| Quarterstaff | +2 | 20 | Bludgeoning | 10 ft. | Large | 4 |
| Sap | +2 | 20 | Bludgeoning | — | Small | 3 |
| Stun gun | Inflict (Action) 7 | — | Electricity | — | Tiny | 14 |
| Tonfa | +1 | 20 | Bludgeoning | — | Med | 2 |
| Archaic Weapons | ||||||
| Battleaxe | +3 | 20 | Slashing | — | Med | 4 |
| Sword | +3 | 19-20 | Slashing | — | Med | 5 |
| Spear | +3 | 19-20 | Piercing | 20 ft. | Large | 7 |
| Warhammer | +3 | 20 | Bludgeoning | 10 ft. | Med | 5 |
| Exotic Weapons | ||||||
| Chain | +2 | 20 | Bludgeoning | 10 ft. | Large | 7 |
| Chainsaw | +6 | 20 | Slashing | — | Large | 6 |
| Nunchaku | +2 | 20 | Bludgeoning | — | Small | 3 |
| Whip | +0 | 20 | Bludgeoning | 15 ft. | Small | 5 |
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Simple Melee Weapons
- Brass knuckles: Pieces of molded metal fitting over the fingers, brass knuckles allow you to do +1 damage with your unarmed strikes. They include similar items like armored gauntlets.
- Club: Any of a number of blunt weapons used to strike, including nightsticks, batons, light maces, and similar bludgeoning weapons.
- Knife: A bladed weapon with a length less than 18 inches or so. This includes daggers, stilettos, sais, switchblades, bowie knives, and hunting knives, among others.
- Pepper spray: A liquid sprayed in a target’s face at close range to blind them. Pepper spray combines a visual Dazzle FX with an Inflict (Action) FX. If the attack roll hits, roll to overcome the target's Fortitude resistance. Success means the target is blinded. A blinded target makes a Fortitude save (DC 15) each round to recover, with a +1 bonus per save. A target blinded by pepper spray may lose one or more actions. On a success, the target loses one action each round. If you succeed by 5 or more, the target loses both of his actions in a round. If you succeed by 10 or more, the target is helpless. The Fortitude check to recover from being blinded is also used to recover from the stun FX.
- Quarterstaff: A fighting staff between four and six feet long, including the bo staff used in martial arts.
- Sap: A bludgeoning weapon intended to knock out targets without permanently injuring them.
- Stun gun: A stun gun hits its target with a powerful charge of electricity, requiring a Fortitude save (DC 17) to avoid an Inflict (Action) FX.
- Tonfa: Police officers often carry and use a tonfa to subdue criminals. It’s also a common martial arts weapon.
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Archaic Melee Weapons
- Battleaxe: A heavy-bladed axe that can be used with one or two hands.
- Sword: A blade between 18 and 30 or more inches in length, single or double-edged. It includes longswords, katanas, sabers, scimitars, and similar weapons.
- Spear: A bladed pole-arm. Most spears can also be thrown.
- Warhammer: A heavy hammer or mace that can be wielded with one or two hands. Warhammers can also be thrown.
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Exotic Melee Weapons
- Chain: You can wield a weighted chain to strike a target up to 10 ft. away. You can use it to make trip attacks and to disarm opponents with a +2 bonus, like the Combat Expert (Gain Combat Advantage [Trip]) and Combat Expert (Disarm) feats (and its benefits stack if you already have those feats).
- Chainsaw: A tool that sometimes sees use as a weapon, particularly against zombies and other slasher-flick monsters. You do not add your Strength bonus to a chainsaw’s damage.
- Nunchaku: A popular martial arts weapon, made of two wooden shafts connected by a short length of rope or chain.
- Whip: A whip can strike targets up to 15 ft. away. You can use it to make trip attacks and to disarm opponents with a +2 bonus, like the Combat Expert (Gain Combat Advantage [Trip]) and Combat Expert (Disarm) feats (and its benefits stack if you already have those feats).
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Ranged Weapons
Ranged weapons include both thrown and projectile weapons. Thrown weapons add the wielder’s Strength bonus to their damage. A thrown weapon has a maximum range of five increments. Projectile weapons include bows, crossbows, and guns as well as energy weapons like lasers and blasters.
| TABLE 6.4: RANGED WEAPONS | ||||||
| Weapon | Damage Bonus | Critical | Damage Descriptor | Range Increment | Size | Equipment Cost |
| Projectile Weapons (Firearms) | ||||||
| Hold-out pistol | +2 | 20 | Ballistic | 20 ft. | Tiny | 4 |
| Light pistol | +3 | 20 | Ballistic | 30 ft. | Small | 6 |
| Heavy pistol | +4 | 20 | Ballistic | 40 ft. | Medium | 8 |
| Machine pistol | +3 | 20 | Ballistic, Autofire | 30 ft. | Medium | 9 |
| Submachine gun | +4 | 20 | Ballistic, Autofire | 40 ft. | Medium | 12 |
| Shotgun | +5/+6* | 20 | Ballistic | 40 ft. | Large | 11 |
| Assault rifle | +5 | 20 | Ballistic, Autofire | 50 ft. | Large | 16 |
| Sniper rifle | +5 | 19-20 | Ballistic | 250 ft. | Large | 13 |
| Energy Weapons (Firearms) | ||||||
| Blaster pistol | +5 | 20 | Energy | 50 ft. | Small | 10 |
| Blaster rifle | +8 | 20 | Energy | 80 ft. | Large | 16 |
| Heavy Weapons (Exotic) | ||||||
| Flamethrower | +6 | — | Fire | — | Large | 18 |
| Grenade launcher | +5 | — | Explosive | 70 ft. | Large | 15* |
| Rocket launcher* | +10 | — | Explosive | 150 ft. | Large | 30 |
| Other Ranged Weapons | ||||||
| Bolos | Inflict (Movement) 4 | — | — | 40 ft. | Small | 8 |
| Boomerang | +2 | 20 | Bludgeoning | 20 ft. | Small | 6 |
| Bow (Archaic) | +3* | 20 | Piercing | 40 ft. | Large | 9 |
| Crossbow (Simple) | +3 | 19-20 | Piercing | 40 ft. | Medium | 7 |
| Javelin (Simple)* | +2 | 20 | Piercing | 30 ft. | Medium | 6 |
| Shuriken (Archaic) | +1* | 20 | Piercing, Autofire | 10 ft. | Tiny | 3 |
| Taser (Simple) | Inflict (Action) 5 | — | Electricity | 5 ft. | Small | 12 |
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Projectile Weapons
- Holdout pistol: A low-caliber, easily concealed pistol, typically used as a back-up or secondary weapon.
- Light pistol: A common handgun, found in the hands of police officers and criminals alike.
- Heavy pistol: A high-caliber handgun, usually used by those who want a lot of stopping power.
- 'Machine pistol: A small automatic weapon, usable in one hand. Machine pistols are Autofire weapons.
- Submachine gun: Compact automatic weapons that fire pistol ammunition, submachine guns are common military weapons, also used by criminals with access to more serious firepower. Submachine guns are Autofire weapons.
- Shotgun: A shotgun can fire shot, which does +5 damage with a +2 bonus to hit due to the spread, but it does only +3 damage against targets with any increase in their natural Toughness save bonus. It can also load solid slugs, which inflict +6 damage.
- Assault rifle: Rifles designed for military-use with both single-fire and autofire options.
- Sniper rifle: Rifles designed for long-range use, typically in conjunction with a powerful scope or targeting system.
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Energy Weapon
- Blaster pistol: A pistol that fires a coherent bolt of energy.
- Blaster rifle: A larger rifle-sized weapon that fires a more powerful bolt of energy.
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Heavy Weapons
- Flame-thrower: A flame-thrower shoots a stream of fire 5 feet wide and 25 feet long in front of the attacker as an area attack.
- Grenade launcher: A grenade launcher fires various types of grenades, generally fragmentation grenades. Increase cost by +1 for each additional type of grenade carried.
- Rocket launcher: A rocket-launcher is generally an anti-tank weapon, although they also make useful anti-superhero weapons as well. It has the Explosion extra. Most rocket launchers can fire only one or two shots before they must be reloaded for two actions.
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Other Ranged Weapons
- Bolos: A set of weighted cords intended to entangle an opponent like an Inflict (Movement).
- Boomerang: A common throwing weapon for heroes, a thrown boomerang returns to the thrower’s hand, ready to be thrown again on the next round. Boomerang wielders often acquire the Ricochet feat, allowing them to throw their weapon so it hits the target on the return arc as a surprise attack.
- Bow: Although outdated, some characters favor the bow as a weapon and it can be quite effective in the right hands. Bows add the wielder’s Strength bonus to their damage (although most bows are only designed to add up to a +5 Str bonus at best). A bowwielding character may have various “trick” arrows with different powers; such bows and arrows should be treated as Devices.
- Crossbow: Similar to a bow, and used for the same reasons. A crossbow does not add the user’s Strength bonus to its damage.
- Javelin: Light, flexible spears intended to be thrown. Javelins can also be used in melee combat.
- Shuriken: Flat metal stars or spikes for throwing. Shuriken can be thrown in groups. Although they are thrown weapons, shuriken do not add the thrower’s Strength bonus to damage.
- Taser: A compressed-air weapon firing a pair of darts. On impact they release a powerful electrical charge, causing the Inflict (Action) FX on the target (+5 effect modifier to overcome Fortitude resistance.
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Weapon Accessories
The following accessories can be added to the projectile weapons in this section. Each is considered a feature, which costs 1 equipment point.
- Laser Sight: A laser sight projects a non-damaging laser beam showing where the weapon is aimed. This grants a +1 bonus on attack rolls with that weapon.
- Stun Ammo: Ballistic weapons can fire rubber bullets while bows can fire blunt-tipped arrows or quarrels. This ammunition is intended to inflict nonlethal rather than lethal damage. Switching between ammo types is a one action (or a free action for a character with the Quick Draw feat).
- Suppressor: A suppressor muffles the noise of a ballistic weapon, giving it the Subtle FX feat and making it difficult for normal hearing to detect it.
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Grenades and Explosives
| TABLE 6.5: GRENADES AND EXPLOSIVES | |||||
| Weapon | Effect | Radius | Reflex DC | Size | Equipment Cost |
| Grenades | |||||
| Fragmentation | Damage Explosion 5 | 50 ft. | 15 | Tiny | 15 |
| Smoke | Obscure (visual) | 10 ft. | — | Small | 4 |
| Flash-bang | Dazzle Burst 4 | 20 ft. | 14 | Tiny | 16 |
| Sleep gas | Inflict (Strength and Constitution) Explosion 4 | 40 ft. | 14 | Tiny | 12 |
| Tear gas | Dazzle 4 + Inflict (Attack and Action) Explosion 4 | 40 ft. | 14 | Small | 18 |
| Explosives | |||||
| Dynamite | Damage Explosion 5* | 50 ft. | 15 | Tiny | 15 |
| Plastic explosive | Damage Explosion 10* | 100 ft. | 20 | Small | 30 |
- Fragmentation grenade: A common military grenade that sprays shrapnel in all directions.
- Smoke grenade: A smoke grenade fills an area with thick smoke (colored as desired) providing total concealment to all visual senses except for X-ray vision.
- Flash-bang grenade: A flash-bang grenade gives off a bright flash and a loud bang that can render targets temporarily blind and deaf (roll to overcome the targets' Fortitude resistance with a Dazzle 4 FX).
- Sleep gas grenade: This grenade fills a 40-ft. area with a Inflict (Strength and Constitution) FX (+4 effect modifier to overcome the targets' Fortitude Resistance).
- Tear gas grenade: This type of grenade releases a cloud of gas that irritates the eyes and lungs, causing temporarily blindness and nausea (visual Dazzle plus Inflict (Attack and Action), Fortitude resists, effect modifier +4).
- Dynamite: A common explosive. The damage on the table is for a single stick of dynamite. Each increase of the amount of explosive on the Time and Value Progression Table increases damage by +1.
- Plastic explosive: Another common explosive, which can be worked into different shapes. The damage listed is for a 1-lb block. Each increase of the amount of explosive on the Time and Value Progression Table increases damage by +1.
