Spoiler:
Step 4: Determine Base Cost
This is a little more complicated.
Shifting between forms involves a variation of the Alternate Form ability.
The total cost of all forms is equal to the cost of the most expensive form plus 25 points per form beyond the first.
To this total, add the cost of any abilities granted by the weapon in
any form, such as Dust reserves and Dust-based Semblance augmentations.
Example: Gambol Shroud’s two forms cost 32 and 30 points; the total form cost is 57 points. If it had any Dust-based abilities—such as the augmentations to her Semblance seen late in Volume 2—they would be added directly to the base cost.
Step 5: Weapon Modifiers
A number of modifiers can apply to the weapon as a whole.
All weapons may have a convenient storage form as a feature. Add a +5% modifier if the weapon’s storage form looks enough like a non-threatening item that a typical observer will not think the wielder is armed. Increase this to +10% if said form conceals the weapon completely[sup]12[/sup.
The gadget limitations (B117) apply as well. Most weapons will have damage resistance of 5-10 and 10-15 hit points[sup]13[/sup], giving them a -10% or -15% limitation; heavier weapons have more hit points, ones with thicker parts made from more durable materials have more damage resistance. See the Object Hit Point Table (B558), treating the weapon as a homogeneous object. Weapons generally have a Size Modifier of -1 to -4, giving an additional -15% or -20% limitation. Most weapons have Can Be Stolen at the -30% level, but ones which are worn rather than held usually only qualify for the -10% level.
Most weapons are technically unique, but most characters
using the weapons have the ability to replace said weapons with a similar or identical weapon; thus, they do not qualify for this limitation.
Example: Gambol Shroud is stored as a sheathed sword; no modifiers are needed, as it is clearly a weapon.
Gambol Shroud has 14 hit points and damage resistance 9; this is a -10% limitation. Gambol Shroud is a few feet long but slender; its Size Modifier is probably -2, giving an additional -20% limitation. Gambol Shroud is attached by its ribbon, meaning it can only be removed forcibly; this is worth -10%. The total limitation value is -40%. If its base cost is 57 points, the final cost would be 35 points.
After this step, do the same for any other weapons your character possesses. At the GM’s discretion, multiple identical weapons may be at half cost after the first, or weapons which cannot be used simultaneously may have one-fifth cost; otherwise, pay full cost for each.
Step 6 (optional): Organizing the Information
This was a lot of math and looking up rules, but we’re finally on the home stretch.
First, go over everything with your GM. You should be doing this for most complicated things you do with your character, and probably should have checked earlier in the design process, but you
need to make sure everything is kosher[sup]14[/sup] before you write everything down.
Second, write the name of your weapon(s) on your character sheet and their point total(s) next to them. The details will be recorded elsewhere.
Thirdly, locate this elsewhere and record all forms and grips your weapon possesses, as well as all abilities (including attacks) possessed by the weapon and its individual forms. Write in as much detail as is needed to use the ability in play, ideally without needing to look up details in the rulebooks. Optionally, include point costs of individual abilities and forms; you should probably do so if you intend to modify the weapon later. Use any format you deem appropriate; one possibility has been shown below.
You may wish to include a brief description or even a drawing of the weapon.
Example: Simple Gambol Shroud [35]
Form 1: Sword [30]
—One Grip [30]
——Slash: Cutting Striker, Swung, Reach 1-2 [27]
——Stab: Impaling Striker, Reach 1; Alternative to Slash [14/5]
Form 2: Pistol [32]
—Pistol Grip [29]
——Shoot: 3d Piercing Attack, Range 100/1000, Accuracy 2, Rate of Fire 3 [29]
—Kusarigama Grip [15]
——Kusarigama: 2d Impaling Attack, Melee (Reach 1-4) [14]
——Grappling Hook (Accessory Perk) [1]
Damage Resistance: 9; Hit Points: 14; Size Modifier -2
Gambol Shroud is a Variant Ballistic Chain Scythe. Its default form is a katana with the tip sharp on the inner edge of the blade. The blade can fold down, turning it into a bladed pistol; there is a ribbon tied to its trigger guard, allowing it to be used as a kusarigama in this form, with the blade propelled by the recoil from the pistol.
Depending on the detail your chosen format includes, you may wish to keep your weapon design notes.
If I ever turn this into a proper document/mini-supplement, I will be including a table of common weapons to pull from when designing weapons.
Using Weapons
A weapon (usually) has a number of forms. Transforming a weapon between forms, or from its storage form, takes five seconds. These forms may have grips; switching between grips takes one second, and simple actions not involving the weapon may be taken during that time.
Attacks made with weapons created with this system act as normal weapons in all ways, aside from potentially allowing unusual actions to be taken. For instance, few rifles allow one to propel oneself up a wall, or project a wall of ice. Weapons created with this system, particularly ones with Dust capabilities, may use the Stunt rules in GURPS Powers (pg 170).
During character creation, the Game Master should earmark a certain number of points to spend on weapon creation; 30-40 gives a weapon a few simple options. Players may spend additional points on weapons, of course.
Footnotes
1: Do not call her this.[sup]15[/sup] Especially in front of Weiss fans.[sup]16[/sup]
2: Somehow.
3: I sincerely wish I was making
that one up...
4: This is not the shield's canon name. It has no canon name, so I have to use the fan name.
5: The actual weapon is slightly more complicated due to the fact that the weapon's scabbard can be removed and used as a second sword, but this goes beyond what was needed for the example.
6: For simplicity, we will not be accounting for the use of Gambol Shroud's scabbard as an additional weapon at this time.
7: Letting you shoot while slinging it around, letting you propel the blade faster or shoot enemies while kusarigamaing. It also means that you run the risk of shooting the pistol, like, always, but proper firearm safety is a small price to pay for looking cool![sup]17[/sup]
8: Melee attacks which hit with more force than would be plausible with the user's build do not count. (I'm looking at
you, Ruby[sup]18[/sup]!)
9: I made it up myself after noting that swing damage was often (very) roughly twice thrust damage.
10: This is slightly cheaper than buying all Enhanced Defense advantages, due to the overlap. Essentially, if you only enhance one defense, you can simply avoid needing to use the other two; you can only use one defense at a time, so the whole is less than the sum of its parts.
11: Page 75.
12: E.g, Ren’s Stormflower.
13: Realistically, weapons with many moving parts would have 5-8 hit points and damage resistance closer to 3-5. RWBY is not terribly realistic, however, and using these fragile weapons doesn’t seem to damage them or even cause significant strain to the user’s Aura.
14: Isn’t it weird that the word for “food acceptable to eat according to Jewish religious law” has become accepted as a synonym for “acceptable” or “accepted”?
15: Unless you agree that it would be hilarious.
16: Even if you think it would be hilarious.
17: I'm being sarcastic. If you have a pistol, do
not tie a ribbon around its trigger and sling it around like a flail.[sup]19[/sup]
18: She has the scythe-rifle. It’s a very large weapon, and Ruby is very small.
19: If you think that's even remotely acceptable I hope you never get access to a firearm ever.