Equipment: Even More Exotic D&D Weapons

Equipment: Even More Exotic D&D Weapons

Let's keep looking at what exotic (and not so much) weapons D&D supplements give us, and see how to represent them in GURPS. This post covers new weapons from the following books: Book of Exalted Deeds, Complete Adventurer, Complete Warrior, Frostburn, Masters of the Wild, Monster Manual II, Monster Manual IV, Monster Manual V, Planar Handbook, Races of Stone, Races of the Wild, Sandstorm.

Ankus

Ankus actually exists in LT, but does not have a statblock in the weapon table. So, let's make one for ease of reference.

Annulat

This exotic ranged weapon, invented by the neraphim, appears as a perfectly circular, nearly paper-thin hoop forged from a dark ironlike metal and sharpened on the outside edge. The annulat’s diameter is a little over 1 foot. The band of metal, while thin, measures some 2 inches in breadth. When thrown, an annulat sails through the air with deadly accuracy, its cross-section so thin that it is almost invisible. It is also possible to make it curve somewhat in flight. This allows the wielder to ignore -2 of the total penalty for cover, intervening figures, and target posture (see Target, p. B548).

Atlatl

Already exists in LT.

Barbed Bolas

This weapon is similar to a normal set of bolas, except that its weighted balls are studded with hooked barbs and thus deal more damage.

Barbed Dagger

Barbed daggers, as their name implies, look like normal daggers with long barbs covering the blade. Barbed daggers get stuck - pulling the weapon out requires a ST roll and inflicts half the injury it caused going in, like a pick (see pp. B405-406).

Battlehorn

A battlehorn is a double weapon that consists of two large horns affixed together, facing in opposite directions.

Bone Bow

This powerful and oversized bow is designed to fire exceptionally large arrows specially made for it. Made of the bones and sinews of huge animals such as woolly mammoths and dire rhinoceroses, these bows were designed by primitive cultures expressly for the hunting of huge creatures that require a lot of damage to take down. The bow has a long, thick spike protruding from both ends; this spike is used to brace against a solid object (either the ground or an overhanging protrusion or ceiling) to aid in pulling the bow’s string. Bracing requires a Ready maneuver and increases the wielder's effective ST by 1 for the purpose of drawing the bow.

Boomerang

Already exists in LT.

Broadblade Short Sword

It seems that this is just a normal shortsword from LT. Complete Adventurer says that it is wider and heavier, helping the wielder when fighting defensively. It seems that this should be closer to the smallsword, which is a fencing weapon, but it makes no sense to make it one. So, I'll just say that it's a normal shortsword.

Caber

Honestly, I have no idea how to convert this, so I'll just skip it.

Chatkcha

A chatkcha is a type of exotic throwing weapon invented by the thri-kreen and unique to them. The chatkcha is a kind of triangular throwing wedge with three piercing points. The thri-kreen carve it from a crystalline material.

Collapsing Crescent Fan

This is the combat fan from LT.

Crescent Scythe

This is the light double-ended axe from GURPS Fantasy-Tech 2: Weapons of Fantasy.

Desert Throwing-Knife

This is the large throwing knife from LT.

Dire Pick

A dire pick resembles a normal pick, but with a longer shaft and a more massive head. Usually it is wielded in two hands, but strong characters may wield it in one hand.

Double Hammer

This is the double-ended mail from GURPS Fantasy-Tech 2: Weapons of Fantasy.

Double Khopesh

This is a double-ended khopesh that can be wielded either with the Staff or Two-Handed Axe/Mace skill.

Dragonsbreath Arrow

This is the same as the alchemist's arrow.

Dragonsplit

Dragonsplits are exotic weapons used in pairs by greenspawn sneaks. A dragonsplit can be used like a shortsword. Alternatively, it can be used in reverse grip for extra damage. In addition, in the reversed grip it can be used to perform a cutting hilt punch.

Dwarven Buckler-Axe

This is a shield with a bladed rim in LT (descibed in more detail on p. 20 of LTC2).

Dwarven Double Spear

This is the Double-Ended Slashing Spear from GURPS Fantasy-Tech 2: Weapons of Fantasy.

Dwarven Warpike

This is the bill from LT.

Eagle's Claw

This is the sickle from LT.

Elven Courtblade

These exotic swords seem impossibly long and thin, tapering to a needlelike point. One edge of the blade is sharpened along its entire length, and the opposite edge is sharpened only for the final quarter near the tip. A courtblade has a basket-shaped hilt (usually made to resemble leaves and vines), a long grip, and a heavy pommel. The hand gets DR 4, cumulative with glove DR – although the hilt is too cramped for metal gauntlets. The guard also gives +1 to punching damage. The change in the weapon’s balance and feel gives the user -2 to skill until he familiarizes himself it (see Familiarity, p. B169). The weapon is intended for thrusting attacks, but the wielder can slash with it as well.

Elven Lightblade

This rapierlike weapon is the size of a short sword, but weighs only as much as a dagger. Dexterous elf fighters and rogues favor it. Its thin, flexible blade slips easily into the seams of armor or between the ribs of a foe. Some elf nobles carry a lightblade - often decorated with intricate filigree and tiny gemstones - as a sign of their station, even if they aren’t proficient in its use.

Elven Thinblade

This rapierlike weapon is the size of a longsword, but much lighter. Dexterous elf fighters and rogues favor it. Its thin, flexible blade slips easily into the seams of armor, or between the ribs of an enemy.

Entangling Pole

This is the sodegarami from LT.

Fingerblade

This is the shortsword from LT.

Foot Bow

Foot bows are described in the Bows, Crossbows, and Rated ST box on p. LT74.

Foot Spike

The raptorans developed this weapon for use in aerial combat. A foot spike resembles a sharp knife blade strapped to the bottom of a sturdy boot. The spike is spring-loaded and folds into the boot for walking, and thus has no effect on movement. When a foot spike is unfolded, the wearer's land speed is reduced to 0.2xMove (minimum 1). Extending or retracting a foot spike is a Ready maneuver. Prices and weights are given for a single foot spike.

Gehennan Lancet

This is the katar from LT.

Glot

The glot is a specially balanced sphere of metal designed to be thrown low to the ground. It then skips and bounces across the ground with little reduction in velocity to strike its target. If the ground between you and your target is solid, flat, and relatively free of obstructions, the glot’s 1/2D range increases to STx4. If the ground is also icy, the glot skips even more readily over the frozen ground and its 1/2D range increases to STx5.

Gnome Swordcatcher

This short, heavy sword resembles a broad-bladed short sword with two heavy prongs extending up from the hilt. These prongs are designed to help catch and disarm opponents’ weapons. Prongs give the wielder +2 in Quick Contests to disarm.

Gnome Quickrazor

The gnome quickrazor is a fast, flashy weapon favored by gnome bards, because it allows them to hold an instrument, attack with a weapon, and still keep one hand free for spellcasting. In addition, many two-weapon-wielding spellcasters find it a perfect off-hand weapon because it allows them to keep their primary weapon in hand and still cast spells with their off hand. The quickrazor features a light, wide knife blade with a very small hilt. The weapon is worn tied to the wielder’s wrist in a specially designed sheath. When you attack with a quickrazor, you flick it out in a quick, slashing circle, catching the hilt in your hand at the end of the arc and then snapping it back into its rest.

Because of this flicking technique, drawing a quickrazor requires a Fast-Draw+2 roll, but at the end of your action, you must stow the quickrazor in order to use it properly again on your next turn. Stowing the weapon after attacking with it in this fashion requires a Fast-Draw+2 roll too. If you draw a quickrazor and simply wield it instead of using its intended attack method, it counts as a dagger, imposing a -2 penalty to hit. Attaching a quickrazor and sheath to your wrist so that it can be wielded properly takes 10 seconds. A character can have only one quickrazor attached to each wrist at a time.

Gnome Tortoise Blade

This is a bladed shield in LT (descibed in more detail on p. 20 of LTC2).

Goad

A goad is a long, thin wooden pole mounted with a heavy stone or metal weight and a large spike at one end. Primarily intended as a tool to direct the movement of large animals, a goad makes an excellent weapon in a pinch. When you attack with a goad, you must decide if you are attacking with the spike to deal impaling damage or the weight to deal crushing damage. The flexibility of the goad’s shaft absorbs much of the force behind blows made with the bludgeoning head.

Goliath Greathammer

That's just a SM+1 maul.

Grasping Pole

This is the sasumata from LT (described under the sodegarami entry).

Great Falchion

This heavy executioner’s sword has the same basic profile as a falchion, albeit with a much greater blade surface. Because it is an executioner’s weapon, it is often crafted as a Fine quality weapon, marked with a royal seal, and created with one or more gems in the hilt.

Great Scimitar

A falchion manageable enough to wield one-handed but with a grip long enough for two. It can be wielded two-handed normally (using Two-Handed Sword skill) or in the Defensive Grip defined in GURPS Martial Arts. Great scimitars are most often the personal weapons of heroes, crafted as Fine weapons and inscribed with the hero’s deeds and the weapon’s name on the blade. Such names commemorate a great event in the hero’s life, such as “The Blade of the Hundred-Day Sandstorm.”

Greatbow

Judging by the listed length, this is the longbow from LT.

Greater Blowgun

This is the large blowgun from "A Killing Breath" (Pyramid #3-33). It's a great article.

Greathammer

This is the maul from LT.

Greatspear

This is the heavy spear from LT. Reminder that there's errata that fixes Reach in the weapon table.

Gythka

This is the lajatang from LT.

Heavy Poleaxe

It seems that this is identical to the pollaxe from LT (not poleaxe).

Heavy Sickle

This sickle, slightly larger than those generally used as weapons, enjoys popularity among the vicious tieflings that make their home in the Abyss.

Ice Axe

This is the hatchet from LT.

Icechucker

The icechucker appears to be a large crossbow at a casual glance. Its launching mechanism is designed to fire large shards of ice (usually icicles) rather than regular crossbow bolts. If icicles aren’t handy to load into an icechucker, it can also be used to fire a javelin at -1 to hit.

Iuak

This is the kukri from LT.

Jovar

Named for the layer of Celestia on which the city of Yetsira sits, the exotic weapon known as a jovar is the preferred weapon of the Heavenly City’s archon guards. The greatswordlike weapon is weighted oddly, but in the hands of a trained wielder, the blows landed with the blade are more likely to deal considerable damage.

Khopesh

Already exists in LT.

Kuo-Toan Harpoon

This is the harpoon from LT.

Kylie

This is the boomerang from LT.

Lasso

This is the lariat from LT.

Layatang

Already exists in LT.

Longaxe

This is the long axe from LT.

Longstaff

This is the long staff from LT.

Lynxpaw

A lynxpaw consists of a length of finely wrought steel chain with a blade similar to a rapier at one end and a spiked weight at the other. The wielder may use the rapier blade normally or swing the chain using the Kusari skill. The kusari makes the weapon two-handed; one hand controls the chain at all times.

Mancatcher

This is the sasumata from LT (described under the sodegarami entry).

Manople

The manople is a gauntlet that has a blade with prongs that extends from the back of the wrist following the line of the forearm. The manople provides DR 4 to the hand and takes 10 seconds to don. Prongs give the wielder +2 in Quick Contests to disarm.

Maquahuitl

Already exists in LT.

Muspelrule

This is the baton from LT.

Nagaika

This is identical to the scourge (see below).

Quickblade Rapier

Quickblade rapiers are longer and thinner than normal rapiers, with specially tapered blades and carefully balanced pommels.

Ramhammer

This is the maul from LT.

Razor Skipdisk

A razor skipdisk is a flat, circular disk of metal with a razor-sharp rim. One surface of the razor skipdisk is slightly convex and smooth, while the other is concave with a small knob protruding from the center. You attack with a razor skipdisk by gripping the knob and then hurling it so the convex surface skips and slides across the ground toward its target. If the ground between you and your target is solid, flat, and relatively free of obstructions, the glot’s 1/2D range increases to STx2.5. If the ground is also icy, the razor skipdisk skips even more readily over the frozen ground and its 1/2D range increases to STx3.

Ripper

A favorite on many levels of the Abyss, a ripper is a short-shafted spear with grooves in its head designed to improve the penetration of the point.

Ritiik

A ritiik is a spearlike weapon with an additional hooklike blade protruding from the base of the spear head. A ritiik cannot be thrown.

Scourge

This multitailed, barbed whip is often dipped in a poison delivered via injury. The barbs give +2 in Quick Contests of ST against entangled victims attempting to break free and increase damage.

Serpentstongue Arrow

That's the cutting arrow from LT.

Stabaxe

This should be identical to the pick from LT.

Straightblade

This is the shortsword from LT.

Sugliin

The infamous sugliin was created by primitive tribes more to strike terror into the hearts of their enemies rather than to be an effective weapon. This massive polearm consists of several sets of sharpened caribou and/or megaloceros antlers affixed to a long wooden shaft. You attack with the sugliin as if it were a massive axe or scythe, slashing and chopping at the targets with great arcs. This weapon is very unwieldy. The sharpened antlers are fragile! On any successful attack or successful parry against an armed attack, roll 1d; on 1-2, the edge breaks, reducing the weapon to a club that does crushing damage. The sugliin is a double-edged model - it can be reversed (a free action) to use the other side until it, too, breaks!

Swiftwing Arrow

This is the flight arrow from LT.

Thrombash

This is the hungamunga from LT.

Throwing Hammer

This is the small mace from LT.

Tigerskull Club

The smilodon’s skull is remarkably sturdy; it would have to be, to absorb the impacts of its terrible bite.

Many primitive tribes have capitalized on this fact of nature and use smilodon skulls to fashion tigerskull clubs. A tigerskull club consists of a smilodon’s skull (sans lower jaw) lashed to a short length of wood. The twin sabers of the skull’s upper jaw then function as a highly effective picklike weapon.

Truncheon

This is the blackjack from LT.

War Sling

Skiprocks already can be used with slings, so why does this weapon exist?

Warmace

This is the gada from LT.

Winch Crossbow

The winch crossbow fires a rope and pulley attached to a special crossbow bolt. The bolt is split down the head and center of the shaft, with the split head bending away from the shaft like a two-headed snake. A thin rope secured to each tip slows the bolt in flight (hence the reduced range). On a successful

hit, the bolt snaps apart like a wishbone, taking the attached ropes past the target to wrap around and entangle it. After that, you may keep the target ensnared as per the Lariat rules (p. B411). The maximum range is limited by the length of the rope attached.

 WEAPON TABLES

TL	Weapon	Damage	Reach	Parry	Cost	Weight	ST	Notes
AXE/MACE (DX-5, Flail-4, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-3)
0	Tigerskull Club or	sw+2 cr sw+1(0.5) imp	1 1	0U 0U	$20 -	5.5 -	12 12	[3, 4]
3	Heavy Sickle or or	sw+1 cut sw+1 imp thr-2 cut	1 1 1	0U 0U 0U	$100 - -	4 - -	11 11 11	[3] Hook. [2]
BRAWLING, KARATE, or DX
3	Manople or	sw-2 cut thr imp	C C	0 0	$240 -	3.9 -	8 8	[5, 6] [5, 6]
BRAWLING or DX
1	Dragonsplit	thr cut	C	0	$420	2	-	Hilt punch. [5, 6]
BRAWLING-2, KARATE-2, or DX-2
2	Foot Spike	thr imp	C, 1	No	$20	0.25	-	[5, 11]
BROADSWORD (DX-5, Force Sword-4, Rapier-4, Saber-4, Shortsword-2, or Two-Handed Sword-4)
3	Great Scimitar or	sw+2 cut thr+1 imp	1, 2 2	0U 0U	$950 -	7.5 -	12 12
FLAIL (DX-6, Axe/Mace-4, or Two-Handed Flail-3)
2	Barbed Bolas	sw+2 cr	1	-2U	$28	2	7	[7, 9]
KNIFE (DX-4, Force Sword-3, Main-Gauche-3, or Shortsword-3)
1	Barbed Dagger	thr-1 imp	C	-1	$80	0.25	5	[3]
2	Gnome Quickrazor	sw-1 cut	C, 1	-1	$100	0.5	5
2	SM-2 Gnome Quickrazor	sw-1 cut	C, 1	-1	$25	0.15	3
KUSARI (DX-6, Monowire Whip-3, Two-Handed Flail-4, or Whip-3)
3	Lynxpaw or	sw+2 cr thr+2 cr	1, 2* 1, 2*	-2U -2U	$840 -	5.25	10† 10†	[7] [7]
POLEARM (DX-5, Spear-4, Staff-4, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-4)
0	Goad or	sw+2 cr thr+2 imp	1, 2* 1, 2*	0U 0	$60 -	8.5 -	12‡ 12†
0	Sugliin	sw+4(0.5) cut	2, 3*	0U	$30	11	13‡	[2]
RAPIER (DX-5, Broadsword-4, Main-Gauche-3, Saber-3, or Smallsword-3)
3	Elven Courtblade or	sw+1 cut thr+1 imp	1, 2 1, 2	0F 0F	$1,200 -	6 -	11 11
3	Elven Thinblade	thr+1 imp	1, 2	0F	$800	2.75	9	[4]
3	Lynxpaw	thr+1 imp	1, 2	0F	$840	5.25	10†
3	Quickblade Rapier or	sw-1 cut thr+1 imp	1, 2 1, 2	0F 0F	$1,200 -	2.25 -	8 8
SMALLSWORD (DX-5, Main-Gauche-3, Rapier-3, Saber-3, or Shortsword-4)
3	Elven Lightblade	thr-1 imp	C, 1	0F	$600	0.25	5	[4]
SHORTSWORD (DX-5, Broadsword-2, Force Sword-4, Jitte/Sai-3, Knife-4, Saber-4, Smallsword-4, or Tonfa-3)
0	Ankus or	sw cr thr cr	1 1	0 0	$45 -	1 -	6 6	[2] [2]
0	Spiked Ankus or	sw cr thr imp	1 1	0 0	$45 -	1 -	6 6	[2] [2]
1	Dragonsplit	sw cut thr+1 imp	1 1	0 0	$420 -	2 -	8 8
1	Gnome Swordcatcher or	sw cut thr+1 imp	1 1	0 0	$450 -	2.5 -	8 8
1	SM-2 Gnome Swordcatcher or	sw cut thr+1 imp	1 1	0 0	$115 -	0.7 -	4 4
SPEAR (DX-5, Polearm-4, or Staff-2)
0	Ritiik or two hands or	thr+2 imp thr-2 cut thr+3 imp thr-1 cut	1* 1* 1, 2* 1, 2*	0 0 0 0	$65 - - -	4.5 - - -	11 11 9† 9†	Hook. [2]   Hook. [2]
3	Ripper	thr(2) imp	1	0	$300	2	6
STAFF (DX-5, Polearm-4, or Spear-2)
3	Double Khopesh or	sw+3 cut thr-1 cut	1, 2 1, 2	0 0	$1,200 -	10 -	12† 12†	Hook. [2]
TWO-HANDED AXE/MACE (DX-5, Axe/Mace-3, Polearm-4, or Two-Handed Flail-4)
0	Battlehorn	sw+4(0.5) imp	1, 2	0	$100	10	12†	[3]
0	Tigerskull Club or	sw+3 cr sw+2(0.5) imp	1 1	0U 0U	$20 -	5.5 -	11† 11†	[3]
3	Dire Pick	sw+3 imp	2	0U	$105	4.5	10†	[3, 4]
3	Double Khopesh or	sw+3 cut thr-1 cut	1, 2 1, 2	0 0	$1,200 -	10 -	12† 12†	Hook. [2]
TWO-HANDED SWORD (DX-5, Broadsword-4, or Force Sword-4)
3	Great Falchion or	sw+4 cut thr+2 imp	1, 2 2	0U 0U	$1,120 -	10.5 -	12† 12†
3	Great Scimitar or	sw+3 cut thr+2 imp	1, 2 2	0 0	$950 -	7.5 -	11† 11†
3	Jovar or	sw+4 cut thr+3 imp	1, 2 2	0U 0	$1,500 -	9 -	13† 12†
WHIP (DX-5, Kusari-3, or Monowire Whip-3)
3	Scourge	sw-1(0.5) cr	1-7*	-2U	$80/yd.	2/yd.	var.	[10]

[2] Hook enables the rules under Hook (GURPS Low-Tech, p. 54), and may also damage the victim.

[3] May get stuck; see Picks (p. B405).

[4] Reduce penalty for targeting chinks in armor (p. B400) by -2.

[5] Attack receives damage bonuses for whichever of Boxing (p. B182), Brawling (p. B182), or Karate (p. B203) is used to deliver it – exactly as if it were an unarmed strike. Claws don’t improve damage with such weapon-assisted blows.

[6] Gives the hand (only) DR. A bladed gauntlet or manople provides DR 4 and takes 10 seconds to don. For other weapons, this indicates a metal hilt that provides DR 4, cumulative with glove DR – although the hilt is too cramped to accommodate metal gauntlets. Panther claws don’t enclose the hand completely; DR applies only on a roll of 1-3 on 1d.

[7] Attempts to parry flails and kusaris are at -4; fencing weapons (“F” parry) can’t parry at all! Attempts to block such weapons are at -2. Halve these penalties for the barbed bolas, bola perdida, bolas, nunchaku, thonged club, and weighted scarf.

[9] Can be thrown.

[10] Specify maximum reach (1-7 yards) when bought. Cost and weight are per yard. The whip-dagger requires ST 5, +1 per yard. Many special rules apply; be sure to see Whips (p. B406).

[11] If you miss with a kick, roll vs. DX to avoid falling.

 

TL	Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	Cost	ST	Bulk	Notes
BOLAS (No default)
2	Barbed Bolas	thr cr	0	x3	2	1	T(1)	$28	7	-2	[2]
BOW (DX-5)
0	Bone Bow	thr+3 imp	1	x15/x20	3.5/0.2	1	1(2)	$400	12†	-8	[1]
CROSSBOW (DX-4)
2	Icechucker or	thr+5(0.2) imp thr+2 imp	2 2	x20/x25 x4/x8	10/0.1 10/2	1 1	1(4) 1(4)	$1,000 -	10† 10†	-7 -	[1] -1 to hit. Javelin.
3	Winch Crossbow	thr-1 cr	3	x7/x10	9/3 per 10 yd.	1	1(8)	$450	10†	-7	[1]
THROWING (DX-3 or Dropping-4)
0	Glot	thr cr	0	x3/x6	1	1	T(1)	$5	8	-2
1	Razor Skipdisk	thr cut	0	x2/x4	2	1	T(1)	$15	9	-3
THROWN WEAPON (DISC) (DX-4 or Throwing-2)
2	Chatkcha	thr+1 imp	1	x3/x5	3	1	T(1)	$50	8	-3
3	Annulat	thr cut	1	x5/x8	1	1	T(1)	$70	5	-2

 

[1] An arrow or bolt for a bow, crossbow, or spring-loaded gauntlet is $2. An arrow for a bone bow is $4. Icicles for an icechucker are free. A dart for a pistol crossbow or sling is $1. A dart for a slurbow is $0.50. A dart for a blowpipe, a lead pellet for a prodd or sling, a shaped rock for a heavy sling, or a shaped stone for a stone-launching stick, is $0.10. A shaped sling stone is $0.06. Unshaped rocks and stones suitable for slings, heavy slings, and stone-launching sticks can be found for free, but they’re less accurate: -1 to hit.

[2] May entangle or ensnare the target; see Special Ranged Weapons (pp. B410-411) and Cloaks (p. B404).