Has anyone done any Melee Weapon Talents?

[Anders]

First of all, there's nothing banning weapon talents. Yes, they may be unrealistic, but they're not inherently unbalanced. So, that out of the way*.

I'm playing around with a Conan campaign, so 'unrealistic' really isn't a problem. The problem is finding a suitable grouping; I feel that a Talent should contain at least three skills or it isn't really a Talent. I also would prefer to have any overlaps.

Melee weapons are divided into groups (p.B208), and the only really suitable is swords - Broadsword, Knife, Shortsword, Two-Handed Sword (Force Sword and Jitte/Sai don't really fit the setting). That's four.

The other groups really have to be grouped. I can imagine Flails and Impact Weapon or Flails and Whips but not both. What do you think?

If I go with Flails+Whips I can combine Impact Weapons and Pole Weapons - polearms and two-handed axe/mace are pretty close. Maybe, maybe not

Fencing weapons don't really suit the campaign. Unarmed combat skills can probably be grouped into one Talent.

And what reaction bonuses or special benefits would such talents bring?

*or derailing the thread before it has started.

[johndallman]

I might do it differently. Say, a talent for Stealth, Climbing, Shortsword and Knife, and another for Broadsword, Two-handed sword, Stealth and Intimidation?

[Anders]

That's an interesting approach. Thanks.

[namada]

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[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Anders

The other groups really have to be grouped?

Why? A 5 point talent that includes two skills you actually want is still a bargain. If the reaction bonus is broad enough, a 5 point talent that includes *one* skill can be a slight bargain.

[Verjigorm]

First Issue: you don't mind very inflated skill levels, right? Because in my experience allowing weapon talents, small talent groups(5pts/level) are extremely powerful for combat skills. Everytime I have allowed them, they have resulted in extremely skilled, powerful combatants at very low points levels. IF that is not a problem, then carry on with it*.

Second: Are you trying to group skills via "professions"/"backgrounds", or by mode of operation? Or something else("divine blessings" or "superlearning")?

[Anthony]

To be honest, I'd classify 'all melee weapons' as a 5 point talent, and to heck with the ordinary talent rules; being good at multiple melee weapons is only barely better than being good at one. The problem is when a combat talent is grouped with non-redundant skills; a talent such as 'Hunter: bow, camouflage, spear, stealth, survival, tracking' is plausible enough, and pretty broken.

[namada]

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[Anthony]

Originally Posted by fartrader

Take a character's melee weapon away if he's only got one, and you'll have a different situation than the character with the "all melee weapons" talent that can pick up anything lying around as a weapon.

There are three common situations: characters have no weapons at all, characters have their choice of light weapons, characters have their choice of all weapons. IME it's rather rare to have access to only the 'wrong' type of weapon.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by malloyd

Why? A 5 point talent that includes two skills you actually want is still a bargain. If the reaction bonus is broad enough, a 5 point talent that includes *one* skill can be a slight bargain.

Only if you were going to buy those Skills well into the 4 pt per level region and you probably shouldn't be buying too many Skills based on one attribute that high if aiming for efficiency.

An issue not yet mentioned is that you want any Melee Weapon Skill at DX+2 if you're going to benefit from Weapon Master and it you offered me 20pts spent on a Talent or WM I'd probably take the WM as being a good bit more useful.

If you look at the most canonical Talent involving Melee weapons it's Mr Smash and the probable reason it's balanced is that few people have any use for all 4 of the weapon classes it covers.

It also adds Forced Entry but that's another Skill you want at Attribute +2 and you seldom need to make difficult rolls against it either.