Weapon Proficiencies (CNH)

In this chapter, we'll discuss weapon and nonweapon proficiencies and the combat styles of Oriental martial arts.
__TOC__
==Weapon Proficiencies==
These rules are adapted from the ones introduced in The Complete Fighter's Handbook.
Under the rules in Chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook, a DM can decide to use weapon proficiencies in his campaign. When using these rules, a character does not know how to wield a weapon well unless he spends a weapon proficiency slot on it. If he has proficiency with a weapon, he uses it normally; if he does not have proficiency, he suffers an attack roll penalty whenever he tries to use the weapon. (The penalty is –2 for warrior characters, –5 for wizards, and –3 for priests and rogues.)
With the new rules given here, a character can devote extra weapon proficiency slots to become proficient with an entire group of weapons.
There are two types of weapons groups: tight groups and broad groups. A tight group, usually consisting of three to eight weapons, includes weapons very closely related in function and effect (for example, fencing blades). A broad group, consisting of several tight groups, includes weapons that are more loosely related in function and effect (for example, all blades).
Table 11 shows the cost of purchasing proficiency with different categories of weapons.
 Table 11: Proficiency Costs
Cost 	For Proficiency With
1 slot 	One weapon
2 slots	Tight group of weapons
3 slots	Broad group of weapons
==Broad and Tight Weapon Groups==
Ninja characters can purchase weapon proficiencies in the broad and tight groups listed in the sidebar on pages 32 and 33.
You'll notice there's a little overlap between some of the groups; many weapons can found in more than one group. Both the medieval thief who is proficient with short blades and the Renaissance dandy who knows only fencing weapons are likely to be proficient with the dagger, for example. However, the PC who purchases several tight groups with overlapping sets of weapons receives no proficiency slot cost reduction.
These broad categories are very close to the related weapon groups from Chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook. The DM can use these categories as related groups. This helps determine whether or not a combatant gets the full attack roll penalty when he uses a weapon unfamiliar to him, or whether he receives only half the penalty for using a weapon similar to one with which he has proficiency.
==Weapon Specialization and Weapon Groups==
It is not possible to specialize in an entire group of weapons except by spending an additional weapon proficiency slot on every weapon in the group. You cannot, for example, spend two proficiency slots to have weapon familiarity with the Oriental Blades tight group, and then an extra proficiency slot to specialize in every weapon in the group. You would need to spend one additional slot each for katana/bokken, ninja-to, no-daichi, tetsu-to, tanto/yoroi-toshi, and wakizashi, for a total of eight weapon proficiency slots.
 Table 13: Broad and Tight Weapon Groups
Broad Group: Arrow-Firing Missile Weapons
Tight Group: Bows
Daikyu*
Hankyu*
Long bow
Long bow, composite
Pellet bow*
Short bow
Tight Group: Crossbows
Cho-ko-nu (repeating crossbow)*
Hand crossbow
Light crossbow
Broad Group: Blades
Tight Group: Fencing Blades
Dagger/Dirk
Knife/Stiletto
Main-gauche (CFH)
Rapier (CFH)
Sabre (CFH)
Tight Group: Long Blades
Bastard sword
No-daichi*
Tetsu-to*
Two-handed sword
Tight Group: Medium Blades
Broad sword
Cutlass
Katana/Bokken*
Khopesh
Long sword*
Ninja-to*
Scimitar
Tight Group: Oriental Blades
Katana/Bokken*
Ninja-to*
No-daichi*
Tetsu-to*
Tanto/Yoroi-toshi*
Wakizashi*
Tight Group: Short Blades
Chopsticks*
Dagger/Dirk
Gaff/Hook (CFH)
Knife/Stiletto
Main-gauche (CFH)
Parang*
Short sword*
Shuriken, large star*
Nekode*
Tanto/Yoroi-toshi*
Wakizashi*
Broad Group: Chain/Rope Weapons
Tight Group: Chain Weapons
Kau sin ke*
Kusarigama*
Manriki-gusari*
Three-section staff*
Tight Group: Lash Weapons
Scourge
Whip*
Tight Group: Rope Weapons
Bola
Kawanaga*
Kyogetsu-shogi*
Lasso* (not part of a tight group)
Net (not part of a tight group)
Broad Group: Cleaving/Crushing Weapons
Tight Group: Axes
Battle axe*
Hand/Throwing axe*
Tight Group: Clubbing Weapons
Club
Footman's mace
Hanbo*
Horseman's mace
Jo*
Kiseru*
Morning star
Tonfa*
War hammer
Tight Group: Flails
Footman's flail
Horseman's flail
Tight Group: Karate Weapons
Kama*
Nunchaku*
Quarterstaff/Bo*
Sai/Jitte*
Tonfa*
Tight Group: Picks
Fang*
Footman's pick
Horseman's pick
Tight Groups: Sickles
Kama*
Sickle
Scythe
Tight Group: Staves
Kumade*
Lajatang*
Quarterstaff/Bo*
Tetsu-bo*
Gunsen (war fan)*(not part of a tight group)
Siangkam* (not part of a tight group)
Broad Group: Pole Weapons
Tight Group: Bladed Poles Bardiche
Bec de corbin
Bill-guisarme
Fauchard
Fauchard-fork
Glaive
Glaive-guisarme
Guisarme
Guisarme-voulge
Halberd*
Hook fauchard
Lajatang*
Lucern hammer
Man catcher*
Military fork
Nagimaki*
Naginata*
Partisan
Ranseur
Sang kauw*
Sode garami*
Spetum
Trident*
Voulge
Tight Group: Lances
Heavy horse lance
Light horse lance*
Jousting lance
Medium horse lance
Tight Group: Spears
Awl pike
Chijiriki*
Harpoon
Javelin
Long spear (CFH)
Shakujo yari*
Spear
Trident
Uchi-ne*
Broad Group: Small Throwing Weapons
Tight Group: Bladed Throwing Weapons
Dagger (thrown)
Knife (thrown)
Stiletto (thrown)
Tight Group: Grenades
Eggshell grenades*
Nage teppo*
Tight Group: Shuriken
Bo shuriken*
Small shuriken*
Large star shuriken*
Dart (not part of a tight group)
Tetsu-bishi* (not part of a tight group)
Tight Group: Blown Weapons
Blowgun*
Fukimi-bari*
Metsubishi*
Needle*
Tight Group: Primitive Firearms
Arquebus
Tight Group: Slings
Sling*
Staff sling*
: * Appears on weapon lists in this supplement.
: CFH: Introduced in The Complete Fighter's Handbook.