Slashing the Weapon Tables

Don’t worry too much, this post isn’t going to do anything drastic like remove levels or completely change the way magic is handled in D&D. In fact, this is probably going to be one of the tamest posts in regard to what I’d do to redesign D&D.

Back in our discussion on what should be done to remake the D&D Fighter, we began the work of cleaning up the unnecessary and false complexity of weapon options masquerading as choices that had crept into our collective game-think.

Somewhere along the way the concept of large silos of general options led to some desire to have lots and lots of choices broken down so far that the weight of the rules necessary to pretend to highlight them was crushing.

Following the mantra of simple guidelines and not specific rules for special circumstances, in my D&D remake, I say as we attempt to redesign the game, we get back to basics and remove all the unnecessary bloat that has also crept into the weapon choices.

Notes:

• Obviously any class can fight unarmed
• Magic-users are restricted to Light weapons
• Thieves are restricted to Light and Medium weapons
• Clerics are restricted to weapons that are considered appropriate by their religion
• Heavy weapons require 2 hands to use and prohibit the use of a shield

This offering is streamlined and should be seen as generic and all-encompassing, not specific and exclusive. For example, where the term axe includes a simple lumberjack’s tool as well as a dwarven-crafted battle axe and the simple long sword includes the rapier, scimitar, khopesh, as well as all the other sword-like weapons.

Again, nothing earth-shattering here, just a return to the simpler and more generic concept where not all the possible iterations and specifics are covered in detail. The harmony with this simple light/medium/heavy trio of classifications matches nicely with the proposed light/medium/heavy trio of armor classifications as well.

Doesn’t it feel good to drop all that bloat from the game?