Re: DM: What difference does having a favorite make?

From: hitz@cuhhca.hhmi.columbia.edu (Ben Hitz)

Date: Tue, 06 Jul 1993 17:54:07 +0000

>Does it increase attack %, damage, reduce fatigue from use, what?

It definitly increases attack %.  This is determined by 'more crits'.
Not exactly very rigorous, but what can you do?  It also indirectly
increases damage, especially for slashing weapons.  Conventional Wisdom
holds that slashing weapons do ~4 X damage on crits.  More crits, more
damage.  I've also heard that Bashing weapon crits ignore armor, and
lunging crits increase change of knock down.  No confirmation.  I will
say that slashing crits almost certainly do more damage than normal
attacks.  This is probably true for lunging, as well.  Also Bashing, but
this may be due to ignoring armor.  In general, the effects are about the
same.

You may also get a parry bonus.  This is harder to tell.
>
>While we're at it, does anybody have any ideas of the characteristics
>of the different weapons *besides* what it takes to wield them?  Which
>does how much damage, against what kind of armor?  Do epees get an attack
>bonus?  Which weapons are better for parrying?

Uhh.  Shields are good for parring.  I've also heard similar things for
DA, HA and EP.  Just rumors, really.  Bashing weapons do very will
against heavy armor.  Lunging weapons (esp. SS and LS) are said to do
well versus ARM and maybe ACM.  Generally, the bigger the weapon, the
slower it is and the more damage it does.  You probably could have
figured that out.  No hard data.  If you have a good attack rating,
slashing weapons are the BEST!!  SC and HA crits cut through APA like it
was cheese!  BS is another great weapon.

>
>For instance, I'm thinking of running a "tank" TP with a Maul, under the
>assumption that since he has to swing once or twice a minute minimum, he
>might as well make 'em count.  Can he parry at all with the damn thing?

Different weapons are suited to different styles.  E.G., the TP is _not_
well suited to the Maul.
Strikers are suited to all weapons.  I seem to have misplaced my online
copy of that list.  If you need a copy, email me and I'll try to get it
to you.

Ben Hitz

References

DM: What difference does having a favorite make?
gunzler@netcom.com (Mitch Gunzler)
Mon, 05 Jul 1993 18:21:49 +0000