Related Weapons Bonus

When a character gains a weapon proficiency, he is learning to use a
particular weapon effectively. However, many weapons have similar characteristics. A
long sword, bastard sword, and broad sword, while all different, are all heavy,
slashing swords. A character who is trained with one can apply some of his skill
to the others. He is not fully proficient with the weapon, but he knows more
about it than someone who picks it up without any skill in similar weapons.

When a character uses a weapon that is similar to a weapon he is proficient
with, his attack penalty is only one-half the normal amount (rounded up). A
warrior, for example, would have a -1 penalty with a related weapon instead of -2. A
wizard would have a -3 penalty instead of -5.

Specific decisions about which weapons are related are left to the DM. Some
likely categories are:

hand axe, battle axe;

short bow, long bow, composite bow;

heavy and light crossbows;

dagger, knife;

glaive, halberd, bardiche, voulge, guisarme, glaive-guisarme, guisarme-voulge;

harpoon, spear, trident, javelin;

footman’s mace, horseman’s mace, morning star, flail, hammer, club;

military fork, ranseur, spetum, partisan;

scimitar, bastard sword, long sword, broad sword;

sling, staff sling

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