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5e Weapon Proficiency

Started by B.T., June 09, 2012, 12:32:39 AM

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Bloody Stupid Johnson

#15
June 09, 2012, 08:10:36 PM
Quote from: jadrax;547289But on the other hand, most of the time they will have the bonuses on the sheet because it is their standard weapon. It could well be that the vast majority of the time they pick up a weapon *in play*, it is actually one they are not proficient with (i.e. improvised).

That may be true for PCs, but NPCs are going to have to calculated each encounter.
 
Personally, I'm not that organized, either. My PCs will probably carry half a dozen weapons and I'd only write down the bonuses for the top two or three. I'd fill up primary weapon, offhand weapon and ranged weapon slots but might not have a listed bonus for a sap, dagger, or blunt thingy for whacking skeletons, despite being proficient in them.

1of3

#16
June 10, 2012, 01:29:40 AM
Quote from: Bloody Stupid Johnson;547244Prefer non-proficiency penalty unless they have a good reason why not (i.e. its being used as a fudge factor to counter balance the difference between AC, which gets an armour bonus, and other defenses which don't).
Few PCs are going to use weapons they're not proficient with regularly; you minimize the math by having a penalty that rarely applies, rather than a bonus that always does. Ssomething Zeb pointed out in 2E.

That argument isn't bad. Bonuses in this case have the bonus of transparency. When a new player starts out, he or she might ask how the attack bonus is found out.

Then we would either say: "It's your strength bonus." Or we would  say: "It's your strength bonus, +2 because your character is proficient with the weapon." Now, in the variant our new player already has a chance to get familiar with the inner workings of the system.

In other words, while a penalty would be used only rarely, it's all the more easy to forget it, when it applies.

Marleycat

#17
June 10, 2012, 02:46:33 AM
Since there doesn't seem to be BAB in the traditional sense in 5e the +2 is needed really.  I just wish they would go further and take a hint from Fantasy Craft a give you a couple of knacks or a stance for each feat taken in a weapon.
Don\'t mess with cats we kill wizards in one blow.;)

GoneForGood

#18
June 10, 2012, 04:25:11 AM Last Edit: June 10, 2012, 04:28:22 AM by Orpheo
Quote from: StormBringer;547272The second paragraph is arguing that the subtraction is better than the addition.

I suffer no difficulties with performing either operation.

Subtraction and/or addition is irrelevant, the bonus is the point. If you play AD&D, where AC is concerned, a bonus is something that reduces your AC; in post 2000 versions of D&D a bonus increases it. I realise the OP is talking about attack rolls but in overall D&D terms a bonus does not necessarily mean +, nor does a penalty necessarily mean -.

If this thread is about which is easier out of addition or subtraction, then I guess I must have missed the point of the OP.

Marleycat

#19
June 10, 2012, 04:40:18 AM
Quote from: Orpheo;547515I suffer no difficulties with performing either operation.

Subtraction and/or addition is irrelevant, the bonus is the point. If you play AD&D, where AC is concerned, a bonus is something that reduces your AC; in post 2000 versions of D&D a bonus increases it. I realise the OP is talking about attack rolls but in overall D&D terms a bonus does not necessarily mean +, nor does a penalty necessarily mean -.

If this thread is about which is easier out of addition or subtraction, then I guess I must have missed the point of the OP.

No, you have it as far as I understand the question. Like you I find no difference between basic subtraction and addition but I'm no math geek advanced statistics or calculus pretty much loses me.
Don\'t mess with cats we kill wizards in one blow.;)
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