ATTRIBUTION: Portions of this specialization system were inspired by the 'Weapon Mastery' system presented in the D&D Master rules set, and the two special weapon maneuvers for missile specialists (the _double shot_ and _quick fire_) were drawn from some other D&D product that I looked at once, but I don't recall now what it was. It might have been the _Complete Book of Elves_ (it would make sense, since elves are supposed to be great archers), but I really don't remember where I saw it, and I don't know how closely it resembles what I have presented here. WEAPON PROFICIENCIES: Combat is a very important element of the AD&D game, and all character classes have some ability to become facile in the use of weapons. Hence, all classes can attain Basic proficiency in weapons that are permitted by their class. Unless otherwise noted, however, only Warriors can attain Specialized or greater levels of skill in any of these disciplines. NON-PROFICIENCY: When using weapons in which they are not proficient, a number of penalties are assessed, due to the character's unfamiliarity with that weapon. The character's non-profiency penalty is determined by his or her class, and it is applied as a penalty to the character's attack and initiative rolls when using a non- proficient weapon. CLASS PENALTY Priest 4 Psionicist 5 Rogue 3 Warrior 2 Wizard 6 In addition, characters using weapons in which they are not proficient inflict only half normal damage with the weapon (rounding up) and never gain multiple attacks (if such are normally gained). If the weapon used is in the same narrow group a weapon in which the character is proficient, then the attack and initiative penalty above is reduced by 1, the character inflicts half damage (rounding up) +1 point, though multiple attacks with a non-proficient weapon are still not possible (e.g., a 7th level fighter proficient in the Bardiche, a Swinging Polearm, would have his or her non-proficiency penalty reduced to -1, would inflict half damage +1 point, and would lose his or her normal multiple attacks if he or she picked up a Voulge or other Swinging Polearm in which he or she does not have proficiency). These penalties apply when a character is using any hurled or melee weapon, but does not apply to device-launched missile weapon, which cannot be used at all by a character who is not proficient in them. TRAINING: Characters begin play with a set number of proficiency slots, determined by their class (4 for Warriors, 2 for Priests, Psionicists, and Rogues, and 1 for Wizards). These slots need not be filled all at first level. However, gaining proficiency or specialization in any weapon not taken when the character is created will take time and cost money. In order to learn a proficiency, the character must first find a trainer who has at least the level of proficiency in the desired weapon that the character is attempting to obtain (e.g., a character attempting to become Expert in the longbow must find another character who is an Expert, Master, or Grand Master of the longbow), and then contract with that party to train the character. In addition to having the required level of proficiency, the trainer must either possess the Weapons Instruction proficiency or must pass a check versus either Wisdom or Charisma (whichever is lower), to see if he or she has the requisite qualities to be an effective instructor for that student, with such an ability check required each time a new student is engaged. A chance of success and failure applies to each training period. Failure may occur because the teacher's instructional methods are just not effective for the student, personality conflicts, or because the student simply fails to absorb the new information or skills. The chance of success varies by the level of proficiency possessed by the student and the teacher, and is increased by 5% for each of the instructor's Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores that are above 15 and by 10% for every slot of Weapons Instruction proficiency that the trainer possesses (to a maximum of 30%), and it is reduced by 5% for each of the student's Intelligence and Wisdom scores below 10. The chance of success is checked halfway through the training period, and the student is immediately informed of his or her progress or lack thereof. The student may then either continue or stop the training. If the training is halted, half of the student's cost is usually returned (except when dealing with highly chaotic instructors). If the training will fail but is carried through for the full time period, however, the student gains a +15% bonus the next time that he or she attempts to train up to that level of proficiency with a different instructor. DESIRED TRAINER'S SKILL LEVEL SKILL LEVEL BS SK EX MS GM Basic 60 80 95 99 99 Specialized -- 50 70 90 95 Expert -- -- 40 60 80 Master -- -- -- 30 50 Grand Master -- -- -- -- 20 The training costs listed below apply whether or not the training is successful (though as noted above, an unsuccessful student can usually opt to halt training halfway through and receive a refund of half of the fees). These costs must be paid in advance, and the weekly base cost is multiplied by the level of the trainer. Hence, hiring a 10th level warrior to train a character up to Master- level proficiency would cost 1,000 gp per week of training, or 8,000 gp up front. TRAINING TIMES AND COSTS DESIRED TIME COST SKILL LEVEL REQUIRED PER WEEK Basic 1 week 10 gp/level Specialized 2 weeks 25 gp/level Expert 4 weeks 50 gp/level Master 8 weeks 100 gp/level Grand Master 12 weeks 250 gp/level The same basic training rules apply when a character is attempting to learn a Narrow or Broad Group Proficiency. A Narrow Proficiency is treated as learning Specialized-level and a Broad Group as an Expert-level education, with the training undertaken by someone who possesses the group proficiency in question. The same training costs also apply when gaining any type of specialization. [I had done up rules for Fencing and Shield proficiency and specialization, but I decided after re-reading them that I did not really like them, so I'll hold off on posting them until I come up with something I like.] A beginning character cannot begin play with greater than an Specialized level of skill in any weapon or discipline, though a 1st level Fighter could conceivably have Specialized-level skill in two weapons. A character could, however, begin with Specialized-level skill in a single weapon and two open slots, and he or she could then attempt to train up to higher levels of proficiency as soon as he or she had the requisite cash and had made the necessary contact with a qualified trainer. AMBIDEXTERITY: In addition to specialization in the following areas below, a character may spend two weapon proficiency slots to make his or her character ambidextrous. This enables the character to function equally well with a weapon or other item using either hand. This does not enable the character to operate with an item in each hand simultaneously, but it does negate the off-hand penalty involved. Hence, the normal -2/-4 penalty for attacking with two weapons is reduced to - 2/-2. In addition, a character who is ambidextrous is more used to using both hands and therefore has greater strength and coordination in both limbs. This allows a character who fights with two weapons to use many size M weapons as secondary weapons, rather than being limited to only size S weapons. An ambidextrous character can use a size M weapon as a secondary weapon so long as that weapon is not one that can be effectively used two-handed. On the weapons chart, all weapons noted as having alternate effects when used one-handed or two-handed and all weapons marked with a 1 cannot be used as secondary weapons. Further, no such weapon can be used as a primary weapon while a secondary weapon larger than size S is being used. Hence, a broadsword could be used with a dagger, but not a sabre, while two scimitars could be used simultaneously. Speed factors for size M secondary weapons are increased by 3. WEAPON SPECIALIZATION: Characters of the Warrior classes can attain levels of skill with weapons that other classes simply cannot match (with a few exceptions). Paladins and Rangers can gain specialization with certain weapons, but they cannot attain higher than Expert-level skill. Only Fighters can attain the highest levels of weapon specialization. A first level character can begin with Basic or Specialized- level skill in as many weapons as he or she has open weapon proficiency slots for, or can use slots for group proficiencies or Fencing, Missile, Punching, Shield, or Wrestling specialization. The following table should be used whenever the specialist is using a melee weapon, hurled weapon, or weaponless attacks. A specialist in weaponless combat (i.e., Punching or Wrestling) gains certain other additional benefits. A character with specialization in a weapon that can be used in melee or as a missile weapon must declare either its missile or melee use as their primary specialization. When not used in this fashion (e.g., a hand axe melee specialist hurling his or weapon), the character's specialization bonuses are only half normal (rounding down). Additional slots can be spent to improve this. LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY SLOTS ATT DMG LVL IN Non-proficient 0 Sp 1/2 1/2 Sp Basic 1 - - - - Specialized 2 +1 +1 +1 -1 Expert 3 +2 +2 +2 -2 Master 4 +3 +3 +3 -3 Grand Master 5 +4 +4 +4 -4 SLOTS: The total number of slots needed to attain this level of skill. ATT: Bonus the character's attack roll when using the specialized weapon (or penalty, as per the non-proficiency penalty for the character's class). DMG: Bonus to the character's damage roll when using the specialized weapon(s). This bonus can never be more than half the maximum possible damage for the weapon type in question (rounding down; e.g., the damage bonus for a dagger could never be more than +2 vs. size S-M creatures (normal maximum damage 4 (on 1d4), halved to 2) or +1 vs. size L creatures (normal maximum damage 3 (on 1d3), halved to 1.5 and rounding down). LVL: The bonus to the character's effective level for the purpose of determining multiple attacks, applicable only when using the specialized weapon(s). IN: The modifier to the character's initiative roll (for a non- proficient character, it is equal to a positive penalty of one-half his or her non-proficiency penalty, rounding up) when using the specialized weapon(s). MISSILE SPECIALIZATION: Gaining specialization in a device-launched missile weapon of any kind requires one extra proficiency slot, which must be spent before the character can spend his or her next slot (for a total of three) on Specialized-level skill. This slot enables the character to gain two new ranges that non-specialists do not have with missile devices. They gain a Point Blank range, which is equal to 5' times the weapon's basic short range, regardless of whether the character is indoors or outdoors. Within this range, all attacks automatically gain a +2 bonus on to hit rolls and a +1 bonus to damage rolls. In addition, a specialist with a missile fire device gains an Extreme range, which extends as far beyond Long range as Long range extends beyond Medium range (e.g., a light crossbow, with Medium Range 15 and Long Range 20 would have an Extreme range of 25). Missile fire at Extreme range suffers a -8 penalty on to hit rolls, and a successful hit will inflict only half normal damage. In addition to the above, a Device Specialist can attempt two special maneuvers with his or her missile weapon. The first is the _double shot_, in which the specialist launches two missiles simultaneously. This maneuver applies a +2 penalty to initiative and a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls with each missile. Normally, both missiles are launched at a single target. It is possible, however, to attack two targets within a 60 degree arc simultaneously, though the above penalties will be doubled (i.e., +4 to initiative and -2 on attack and damage rolls with both shots). This maneuver can be undertaken only once per round, regardless of the rate of fire of the weapon. Specialists can also perform the _quick fire_ maneuver, by which they can undertake a much higher rate of fire than normal, although shots after the first will suffer attack roll penalties based on their normal rate of fire, as listed below, in addition to any other modifiers listed. This ability may not be used in the same round as a _double shot_. Shot Fire To Hit Number Rate Penalty 1 any 0 2 3/1 0 2/1 -2 1/1 -3 1/2 -4 1/3 -5 3 3/1 -2 2/1 -4 1/1 -6 1/2 -8 1/3 -10 4 3/1 -4 2/1 -8 1/1 -12 5 3/1 -8 2/1 -16 6 3/1 -16 After this initial Device Specialization slot has been spent (if acquired after the character is created, treat as Specialized-level training, but it requires 1d4+1 weeks), the character may thereafter proceed along the normal progression of specialization at the various levels and costs of training, except that training for each level of specialization with a missile fire device requires 1d4 extra weeks of training. The bonuses gained by a missile fire specialist with respect to attack rolls, initiative, and effective level for gaining multiple attacks (multiplied by the missile's rate of fire) are equivalent to those of a melee or hurled weapon specialist, but damage bonuses apply normally at Short and Medium range only. At Point Blank range, they are cumulative with the Point Blank bonuses accrued with Device Specialization. At Long Range, the damage bonus is reduced by one, and at Extreme Range it is reduced by two. In addition to the above benefits, each time a missile weapon specialist acquires a new level of specialization (including the initial Device Specialization), he or she can reduce any one range penalty by one, to a minimum of 0, although no range penalty can be less than the penalty for a shorter range (e.g., the long range penalty could not be reduced to be less than the medium range penalty). PUNCHING SPECIALIZATION: Punching is treated exactly as specialization in a melee weapon, except that the initiative modifier cannot reduce the character's initiative for the attack below 0. Also, the each slot spent on Punching Specialization grants the character one additional attack per two rounds, ignoring the usual multiple attack progression for the character's class. Finally, every level of specialization adds 5% to the character's chance to stun or knock out an opponent. Training in Punching specialization is only half as expensive as normal, and the character's chance of success in advancing to the next level of specialization is increased by 10%. WRESTLING: Wrestling specialists gain the same benefits as weapon specialists in terms of attack, damage, and initiative bonuses. Instead of operating on their normal multiple attack progression, however, Wrestling Specialization allows a character one more attack per two rounds for every slot spent. If a successful hold is made, the wrestling specialist may inflict an additional 1d3-1 points of damage each round for every attack to which he or she would normally be entitled, over and above the damage normally inflicted for maintaining a hold. The opponent of a wrestling specialist is treated as if her Strength score was 1 point lower for every level of Wrestling Specialization that the specialist has. A Wrestling Specialist still cannot successfully wrestle a creature more than 1 size class larger, and he or she gains no special bonus to the chance to inflict a hold on an opponent, though the damage bonus accrued by specialization is figured into the chance to gain a hold just as all other damage inflicted by a wrestling attack. Training in Wrestling Specialization is only half as expensive as normal, and the character gains a +10% bonus to his or her chance to successfully gain a new level of specialization. WEAPON GROUP PROFICIENCY: Also, reference is made to 'Narrow Group Proficiency' and 'Broad Group Proficiency' for weapons, a concept introduced in (I think), the Complete Fighter's Handbook but not explained in my posting about weapon proficiency and specialization. Basically, a narrow group might be 'Fencing Blades' and include sabre, rapier, main-gauche, and maybe some others, while a broad group could be 'All Swords' or 'All Blades' (including daggers and knives)--IMC it is the latter.