Originally a rule from ICRPG 1E/2E, WEAPON TAGS were removed from ICRPG MASTER EDITION, probably because they are not really necessary for the game. But I really like the idea of summarizing weapons with a few key words, so here are rules and effects for the TAGS that are original and were not found in previous books. I have already talked about this idea here, but since then I have expanded and changed a few things.
The full rules are below. The PDF on drivethru RPG is pay what you will, so fell free to download it for free if you wish.
BASIC TAGS
ALL weapons need one basic TAG. Start to create your weapon by answering the simplest question: do you want to hit in melee or not?
MELEE: Basic TAG. This weapon can only attack CLOSE enemies.
RANGED: Basic TAG. This weapon can attack NEAR enemies without penalty, but itâs a HARD roll against CLOSE or FAR enemies.
ALL OTHER TAGS
AMMUNITION: Only applies to ranged weapons. On an attack roll roll of 1 your clip or quiver is empty and you need to take a TURN to recharge this weapon (provided you carry extra ammunition). The weapon occupies two inventory spaces (one for the weapon and one for a quiver or case for arrows, bolts, or bullets). Each extra quiver or case occupies one extra inventory space.
BLUNT: On a modified 18+ the victim is stunned for a ROUND (actions against a stunned target are EASY). Opponents that are not alive ignore this effect. This weapon canât be FAST or PIERCING.
ENERGY: This weapon is highly advanced or magical and uses MAGIC & ENERGY EFFORT instead of WEAPON EFFORT. Any dice bonuses added to this weapon use a D10 instead of a D8.
EXOTIC: This unusual weapon requires a specific LIFE FORM,TYPE, or ABILITY to be properly used, at GMâs discretion. Anyone without the required trait wonât be able to use the weapon or will do so very badly.
FAST: On a modified 18+, attack again. This weapon canât be BLUNT.
FINESSE: Use either STR or DEX (whichever you prefer) to make melee attacks with this weapon. This weapon canât be HEAVY, LARGE, or VERSATILE.
GUN: This weapon is a gun and uses GUN & TECH EFFORT instead of WEAPON EFFORT. Any dice bonuses added to this weapon use a D8 instead of a D6.
HEAVY: Takes up one more inventory space than normal and requires two hands to use. If a weapon is both HEAVY and LARGE it deals +1D6 damage and takes up three inventory spaces.
LARGE: Takes up one more inventory space than normal and requires two hands to use. If a weapon is both LARGE and HEAVY it deals +1D6 damage and takes up three inventory spaces.
LIGHT: Causes -2 damage and can be used off-hand in two-weapon melee fighting without penalty. This weapon canât be HEAVY or MARTIAL.
LOADING: Only applies to ranged weapons. This weapon needs to be reloaded after each shot. You need to give up your MOVE to reload it.
MARTIAL: Causes +2 damage. This weapon canât be HEAVY or LIGHT. If the character is not a warrior-type or doesnât have at least +1 STR or +1 DEX, all attacks with this weapon are HARD.
PIERCING: On a modified 18+, cause +1D4 bleeding damage. Opponents that are not alive or donât bleed ignore this effect. This weapon canât be BLUNT.
REACH: A melee weapon with this quality can attack NEAR enemies without penalty, but itâs a HARD roll against CLOSE enemies.
SIMPLE: Attack rolls with this weapon are never HARD. This weapon can never be FAST, HEAVY, LARGE, MARTIAL or VERSATILE.
THROWN: Can be thrown up to NEAR range without penalty.
VERSATILE: Can be used one or two-handed without penalties. Additionally, special effects attacks with this weapon (causing a different type of damage, disarming, sweeping, hitting a specific target, etc.) are never HARD.
CREATING WEAPONS USING TAGS
By mixing and matching the TAGS above you can create weapons that feel very different from each other when used in game. For example:
A common dagger is [melee, fast, finesse, light, thrown]. This means a combatant with this weapon causes 1D6-2 damage, can attack again on a modified 18+ attack roll, can equip the weapon off-hand, and can use either STR or DEX to make attack rolls with it.
A broadsword is [melee, finesse, martial]. This means a combatant with this weapon causes 1D6+2 damage and can use either STR or DEX to make attack rolls with it. If the character using this weapon is not a âwarrior-typeâ or doesnât have at least +1 STR or +1 DEX, all attacks are HARD.
A longbow is [ranged, ammunition, large, martial, piercing]. This means a combatant with this weapon causes 1D6+2 damage and +1D4 bleeding damage on a modified 18+ attack roll. The weapon takes up two inventory spaces, plus one for ammunition. If the character using this weapon is not a âwarrior-typeâ or doesnât have at least +1 STR or +1 DEX, all attacks are HARD. On the other hand, a smaller hunting bow can be [ranged, ammunition, large, piercing] is easier to use, but it causes only 1D6 damage (and +1D4 bleeding damage on a modified 18+ attack roll). It still needs two inventory spaces to be carried, plus one for ammunition.
A wizard wand is [ranged, energy, exotic]. An extremely unusual weapon, it fires energy shots that deal 1D10 damage, but it requires advanced training in arcane magic to be properly used. Only âmage-typeâ characters can safely wield it.
You can also use the TAGS to create âevolutionsâ of similar weapons, making them a little different in each âstageâ. For example.
The humble staff is [melee, simple]. A combatant with this weapon causes 1D6 damage and the attacks are never HARD. With a sharpened edge, it becomes a spear [melee, simple, piercing], capable of adding +1D4 bleeding damage on a modified 18+ attack roll. Make it more balanced and we have the throwing spear [melee, simple, piercing, thrown], which can be thrown to NEAR range without penalty; instead of that, you may choose to make it longer, obtaining a long spear [melee, simple, piercing, reach] that can attack enemies within NEAR range without penalty (but attacks against CLOSE enemies are hard). Finally, you may decide to make your spear bulkier and harder to use, but that much more powerful, obtaining a war spear [melee, martial, piercing, reach]. The weapon now deals 1D6+2 damage, but if the character using it is not a âwarrior-typeâ or doesnât have at least +1 STR or +1 DEX, all attacks are HARD.
SUGGESTED RULES AND CLARIFICATIONS
ICRPG is generally very simple: you have a sword, so it deals 1D6 (Weapon Effort) damage, right? But what if itâs a magic sword? Will it do 1D10 (Magic Effort) damage?
As everything else, thatâs up to GM and Players to decide, but hereâs some general ideas.
MAGIC as a TAG: Instead of changing the damage, a magic piece of equipment can simply be able to deal damage to creatures that can be only harmed by magic.
MAGIC as an EFFORT: Powerful artifact-level weapons can instead deal MAGIC EFFORT damage directly, changing its damage die from D6 or D8 to D10 (âEnchanted guns? Madness, I tell you, madness!â)
WHAT EFFORT BONUS TO USE: At GMâs discretion, the character can use the best EFFORT BONUS for each situation. For example, a character with WEAPON EFFORT +4 but MAGIC EFFORT +1 welding a magic sword that uses MAGIC EFFORT for damage could roll a D10 but still add the +4 damage from the WEAPON EFFORT. Inversely, if the MAGIC EFFORT damage were higher, the character could add that instead.
