Basic Gear: Build Your Own Weapons

homebrew
inspiration
#1

Disappointed by the basic weapon options in Master Edition? Looking for a way to say “Yes, but…” When a player pitches a zany idea for their custom weapon (after they already picked a badass piece of Starter Loot)?

One of my favorite things about ICRPG is how modular it can be. Instead of spelling everything out, it gives you tools and resources to build exactly what you need, whether you’re prepping a session, or running a session.

With that said, I don’t love the basic weapon options in Master Edition. They’re a great jumping off point, but many times I’ve seen players new to the system interacting with that basic gear list as if it’s a definitive set of options. Instead, I’d prefer to give Players and Game Masters a tool to allow them to design whatever they might have in mind.

I’ve been kicking around the idea for awhile of putting together a couple of quick and easy tables to make it simple to build your own custom (but still “Basic”) weapons. Here’s the first draft! Comments and critiques are much appreciated!

FEATURES: What does YOUR weapon do?

  1. +1 EFFORT die category
  2. Roll to-hit with another STAT (Roll or choose)
  3. Force opponent to MOVE
  4. Impose Status Effect (Bleed, Blindness, Stun, Destroy Armor)
  5. Attack NEAR
  6. Expanded CRIT range

FOIBLES: What limits your weapon?

  1. -1 EFFORT die category
  2. Always roll HARD
  3. Occupies an additional inventory space
  4. Uses both hands
  5. Damaged on a Nat 1
  6. Expanded FUMBLE range

FLARE: What makes your weapon stand out?

  1. Wicked Edge
  2. Masterfully Crafted
  3. Perfectly Balanced
  4. Haunted/Blessed
  5. Arcane Inscriptions
  6. Comical Proportions

You could use these ideas in a couple of different ways. One way would be to roll 3d6, and let the dice make a custom weapon for you! Another would be to allow players to pick and choose Features and Foibles as they wish. Finally, the GM could offer the list of Features to players, and when they pick a Feature, the GM chooses a Foible to match.

If you know the Basic Gear tables well, you’ll notice that most of these FEATURES (and several FOIBLES) are pulled straight from those items. For instance: GREATSWORD, +1 EFFORT die catagory (x3, from WEAPON to ULTIMATE), but Occupies an additional inventory space (x2, total of 3 slots) and uses both hands.

Let me know what you think, or if you might use something like this at your table!

#2

I kinda love the idea of rolling on these, and then figuring out what kind of weapon it might be.

I would switch out some of the features, maybe expand the list. It’s also making me reconsider the greatsword as written, and how to do it without changing the damage.

Anyway, great idea! Love it!

#3

This is very cool, I can see these lists be expanded to more than six, maybe even using Tags, though of course with minor risk of option paralysis.

Quick proofreading note: I assume you meant FLAIR, as in “37 pieces of,” or “Ric.” (Whooo!)

#4

Yeah I think more than 6 options would be great, I just ran out of ideas :sweat_smile:

One detail is that a couple of options are still very flexible, “Status Effect” has 4 sub-options listed, and I can think of several more that could be added to that list.

And yes, I think “FLAIR” is correct :rofl:

@The_Merlitron
I really intended these as “pick your options” kinda buffet style, but once I got started the idea of rolling a random set of Features and Foibles started to sound really fun… I think it’d be cool to use this as inspiration for low-level treasure as well. I’d love to see what your expanded list looks like if you ever get it on paper!

#5

This OP and the responses in this thread show a lot of good thinking.

I liked the original simplicity of ICRPG weapons in ICRPG, based on the premise of, “Well…it’s a weapon. D6.”

Core 2.0 nicely augmented that foundation with the “three tags” system, that gave you the ability to differentiate weapons with reasonable mechanics that didn’t get too crazy.

The weapons listed in Master Edition seem more like examples of exceptions rather than the definitive list of choices they may have become in practice. I think they are important in that they illustrate how GMs can develop weapon options that are flavorful and advantageous, without being game-breaking or mandating a “clear choice” among options presented. And even though “balance” is the dirtiest curse in the Runiverse, I think it’s fair to say that some do offer at least a nod toward balance in how they are operationalized in the rules as written, like the Great Sword. That said, the overarching ethos in ICRPG remains “Do what works best for your table,” so almost any listed option in the Basic Loot tables tends to garner so additional adjudication by the GMs and players.

Your Features, Foibles, and Flair could just as easily become a set of thoughtfully constructed and convenient (Core 2.0-style) tags that differentiate and moderate a table’s original weapon options.

#6

Some really interesting concepts here

While I think “basic” weapons should all be mechanically the same such as each using a d6 for damage with no added effect.

I think the ME loot specialized loot such as always doing ULTIMATE or knocking back targets are great as “special” loot, Things players find in loot tables or from first defeating an enemy who uses it agains them. They are rewards/upgrades to the basic weapons.

your generator is great at making these kinds of upgraded loot.

Can see a player at session 0 rolling on your generator to see what custom starter item they have, the one piece of loot that makes them special compared to everyone else.

This way you can have 3 Warriors with the same Warrior abilities, but all 3 made a single piece of custom loot to make them unique from the others. They also of course get to pick 1 or 2 “basic” loot as well but only 1 of these unique custom made items.

#7

OK, this is what I’ve come up with:

FEATURES

  1. Threatens NEAR
  2. Ranged and Melee
  3. ignores cover/shields
  4. Effect at damage X+
  5. Effect at to hit X+
  6. Effect on first attack of encounter
  7. Effect usable once per encounter
  8. trade damage for effect
  9. damage dice explode
  10. attack multiple foes

FOIBLES

  1. attacks are HARD
  2. large/extra inventory
  3. two-handed
  4. Damage user at to hit X-/NAT 1
  5. Single Use
  6. Recharge/wind-up
  7. Always last
  8. disadvantaged damage
  9. limited number of uses
  10. breaks/empty at to hit X-/NAT 1

Didn’t really have strong feelings about FLAIR.

#8
  1. Unique Identifier (crest, shape, etc.)
  2. Ceremonial (required for ritual, jewel encrusted)
  3. Janky Looking (in state of disrepair)
  4. Colored/Anodized/Plated

Maybe “Replica” could make it on the list as alternative to one of the above. How many “Excalibur’s” could be in the hands of adventures who think they have the real one.

#9

3 d10 lists make plenty of sound options i would use them myself
from what i see here

#10

“Stat first, story second” is a pretty cool approach; I’ll buy your entire stock!

This would really shine in a gonzo multiverse setup, where you dole out the mechanical effect of weapons and then let the players fill in the blanks, narratively.

#11

OK, this inspired me to make my own list of:

FLAIR

  1. asymmetrical
  2. barbed, hooked, or spiked
  3. fine
  4. heavy or stout
  5. jewel encrusted
  6. relic
  7. gilt
  8. shiny
  9. black
  10. deceptive
#12

I really like “Replica.” Flair was honestly just an add on to add some usability for the purpose of rolling up a random weapon to hand out as LOOT. These are really cool additions. I think d10 tables are probably about right in terms of having plenty of options without getting repetitive.

@jinkywilliams That’s what I thought! I like how 2e gave you no stats so it left the story open, but I hate to just lock players out of stuff that’s right there in Master Edition. So I thought, let’s abstract the stats, and then let players pick the stats AND the story that they like. Or roll for stats, and use that as a story prompt.

@The_Merlitron That’s a really clean list, I like it!

#13

NIIICE! LOVE IT!
Mahalo!
(Thanks)!
Thomas
Maui