Topic: Longsword vs. Broadsword

[HawksNut]

If you have a fighter that is proficient with a broadsword and acquires a longsword, how would each of you treat that? The two swords are very similar. Would any of you impose a penalty for the use of the longsword?

I am thinking perhaps -5.

[Ecthelion]

As per the rules they are just as different weapons as short sword and broadsword would be i.e. a character gets the category bonus but needs to develop skill as a separate weapon.

[HawksNut]

OK. For example his OB with a Broadsword is +83 and his OB with One-Handed Edged is +52. With zero ranks in Longsword his OB with Longsword would be +52 until he develops ranks in Longsword specifically?

[jdale]

That's the rule. And if he develops both skills equally from that point forward, his skill in Longsword will always lag behind.

I don't find this particularly satisfying, especially for such similar weapons. I could see, after developing a certain number of ranks in Longsword, especially if Longsword is the skill they actually use, allowing a character to swap the two skills.

[Frabby]

That's why our group has been house-ruling weapon skills for some two decades: We don't develop individual weapons, the skill is developed for groups of similar weapons instead that employ broadly similar techniques. Longsword and broadsword both fall into the "long blades" skill, for example.

[tulgurth]

OK. For example his OB with a Broadsword is +83 and his OB with One-Handed Edged is +52. With zero ranks in Longsword his OB with Longsword would be +52 until he develops ranks in Longsword specifically?

Your player would get the +52 bonus from the category, but because he has no ranks in longsword, a -15 untrained penalty would be imposed for an adjusted +37 bonus ith longsword.

[yammahoper]

Or he gets full catagory bonus and half the ranks Broad Sword for similar weapon skill.  Or 70 as I calculate it, albeit on my third rather large mixed drink.

[Ecthelion]

Or he gets full catagory bonus and half the ranks Broad Sword for similar weapon skill.  Or 70 as I calculate it, albeit on my third rather large mixed drink.

The similar weapons rule is from RM2 Companion II but does not get used with RMSS/RMFRP.

[yammahoper]

Or he gets full catagory bonus and half the ranks Broad Sword for similar weapon skill.  Or 70 as I calculate it, albeit on my third rather large mixed drink.

The similar weapons rule is from RM2 Companion II but does not get used with RMSS/RMFRP.

I have been with RM since the first version, so I have more than a few rules that cross over from version to version.

[Cory Magel]

Tulgurth is correct, the question is do you (as the GM) want to treat it that way?  There's also the question of what a "longsword" is... you'll get different answers to that question from different people.  Often the "RPG" version of a "Longsword" is really more like a broadsword.

[HawksNut]

Thank you all for your input. Tulgurth is right. I forgot about that -15 with zero rank. I feel that in the case of these two weapons, logic must come into play and such a huge penalty given the uniquely similar nature of these two weapons must be a part of the consideration. I think I will impose a -15 penalty and I can justify this by the lack of rank but similar nature. Thanks again.