HMS Apollyon Viking Character Generation Rules

Below are some rules I wrote up to run Viking seafarers in the HMS Apollyon setting to run some one shots of a few new areas.  A friend ran a game at NTRPG Con using these rules and related WWII Commando Character Generation Rules and reported success. I think they make a nice enough distillation of my current rule system and provide a nice means of character generation.  A Character sheet is also included.  For further explanations of rules and things you might find this Players Guide for Combat and Exploration helpful as well.

VIKING CHARACTER GENERATION

I have no justification for using this illustration

The Karve was a ghostly shape in the sea mist when Thorgest the Foul and his men reached the black pebble beach, and his screaming red face was the last you saw of the cold fjords at Hornstrandir as the clansfolk who had survived the hall burning rowed hard into the tide.  Rowing West and South you intended on reaching Reykjavík or Ireland for supplies.  The sea had different plans, and after three days of storm, buffeted by waves and lashed by rain, the Karve was far to the West, beyond the known sea, and the supplies already stretched.  You’ve sailed now for a week more, two men dead from wounds gone rotten, another lost over the side, and even with the storm the water is almost gone again.

Doldrums, a crew too exhausted and hungry to row more than a few hours and no sun to act as a guide in the heavy fog seem to have written a grim end for you and your people. But the fog breaks, orange light trickles in and in the near distance a cliff of metal looms.  A cliff that seems to float like a great ship, sides encrusted with shell and trailing weed, but beneath black plates, smooth like the toenails of dead giants.  It is Naglfar, but there are no choices - go aboard and be damned or die of thirst and sink into Hel.

WHO ARE YOU

A band of 10th century Norse in a small dragon ship, alone in the green grey vastness of the North Atlantic, driven to the sea by blood feud.  Too few perhaps to seriously consider claiming new lands, even if you had found them, and now short on supplies other than your personal arms and armor.  You are hearty folk: lords of war, spearmen, swordsmen, and shieldmaidens, the survivors of a hard land, used to cruel strokes in the shieldwall, and the followers of heartless gods. For the purposes of the HMS Apollyon, Viking seafarers are considered 1st level characters of the Fighter, Cleric or Specialist classes, though they have a limited set of sub-classes to select from.

Roll 3D6 in order for STR, INT, WIS, CON, DEX and CHR  

If you have a stat that is 15 or 5 or lower greater you gain or lose +/- 1 to the following:STR +1/-1   Melee damage and to hit with melee weapons

INT + 1/-1  Initiative

WIS +1/-1  Saving Throws

CON +1/-1 HP per die

DEX +1/-1 To hit with ranged weapons and to AC

CHR +1/-1 retainer and retainer loyalty

Roll for HP based on class, and use the armor class of whatever armor you carry.

All vikings are trained sailors and fighters, though this do not provide additional bonuses beyond normal class bonuses.  Vikings who do not qualify for any of the three special classes below (Skald, Scout or Berserker) are Warriors.

You may switch any rolls you wish but your CON must be above 10. These are your statistics, but the following roles may be picked (one only each) or assigned:

Highest WIS of group or WIS over 15 - While a still a warrior, you are close to the rulers of Valhalla. You know their stories and how to call their aid with prayer, you are a Skald (CLERIC - see “Skald of the Aesir” subclass for skills and spells)

Highest CON of group or CON over 15 - A warrior cursed or blessed by gods and spirits, in battle a red dream of violence and destruction descends and you fight harder than most, oblivious to wounds. (FIGHTER - see “Berserker” Subclass)

Highest DEX of group or DEX over 15 - A hunter and ranger, hailing from the deep wilderness and used to its harsh ways, strange beasts and the arts of survival.  Currently you serve as a Scout. (SPECIALIST - see “Scout” Subclass)

The vast majority of Viking seafarers are simply warriors, farmers, craftsmen and householders driven from their land by the iron law of vendetta, but with training for and a visceral understanding of violence.  (FIGHTER - see “Warrior” Subclass)

SUBCLASSES:

All Classes aboard the HMS Apollyon have subclasses that grant special bonuses or skills at Levels 1, 4, 7 and 10. 

SKALD OF THE AESIR - Norse Paganism is an esoteric theism with fairly minimal ceremonial trappings. Its priesthood tend to worship the entire pantheon and can call on the aid of all of their gods, praying to the deity most suited to immediate need.

Skalds are hardly full time priests, and while they act as singers of epics, storytellers, and healers they are expected to stand in the shield wall, like other karls, and know more swordcraft then most types of Clerics (this isn’t to say that there aren’t other Clerics of the Aesir with less war like skills - seers and balewreckers  seem obvious, but they aren’t to be found adrift in a small boat chased by vengeful foemen).

Like all Clerics, Skalds have Intermediate Hit Point and Attack Bonus advancement, training in light and medium armor use, with the limitation that their training and religious fervor prevents them from gaining any Attack Bonus in the use of ranged weapons.  At first Level this means a normal HD (1D6) Hit Points, and an attack bonus of +1 to melee, +0 to range (even with a DEX over 15).

Clerical Magic is different aboard the Apollyon then in many settings based on classical ‘Vancian’ magic, in that Clerics don’t memorize and then recite long strings of arcane formula that burn from the mind after use, but call upon their deity or deities for aid, and to do so they must make a D20 check against a target number, adding their level to the roll (and any Wisdom bonus) for the spell to succeed.  On a roll below a certain number (usually five below the target) the spell has a negative effect as the gods become annoyed at their servant.

Skalds gain the following abilities as they level: (LEVEL 1) Lore  - (Arcana 2, Survival 2), Inspired Leadership - (May invoke the special spell “On to the Gods”)  (LEVEL 4) Skaldic Wisdom - (Arcana 3, Survival 3) Prophet - may cast special spell “Prophecy”  (LEVEL 7) Lore Mastery  - (Arcana 5, Survival 5), Heart of Battle - The presence of the Skald in Melee is inspiring to all allies within 40’ who gain +1 Hit/+1 Damage/+1 to all saves and +1 to AC and are immune to fear. (LEVEL 10) Blessed of the Aesir - Immune to normal weapons, Special Spell “True Prophecy”.

SKALD SPECIAL SPELLS:

“On to the Gods” - Succeed 12+/ Failure 7- Channeling the spirits of ancestors and singing the songs of gods and heroes the Cleric is inspirational and may grant a +1 to hit, +1 to AC to all who fight beside her.   This effect continues as long as the cleric takes no action besides singing.  The songs also remind those considering flight of the expectations of their deities and the feats of their ancestors, giving all henchmen a reroll on any morale check.
Failure leads to demoralization and all allies must make an immediate Morale check and suffer -1 to all hit rolls as they are reminded of their certain death in battle.

“Prophecy” (ritual) - Succeed 15+/ Failure 10- Reading the entrails, casting the runes, checking the portents and the stars’ orbits, hints and intimations of the divine plan are visible.  Prophecy can be used to ask the GM a single Yes or No question and receive an answer from the gods, or to either foretell success of doom for a known, named individual.  A  foretelling of success will allow the subject of the prophecy to reroll one roll of a type defined by the Prophet (Combat roll, Saving Throw, Skill Check, Death Save), a Doom will provide the doomed with a disadvantage (the prophet rolls a second roll and the lowest is taken) on one roll of a specific type.
Failure will lead to blindness for the caster for 1D6+4 turns, and hazy vision (-2 to all rolls) for the rest of the session.

“True Prophecy” - Succeed 20+/ Failure 15- (ritual) Look upon the unveiled face of the divine and hear the secrets of the Gods.  This can be used to ask one question of the GM to receive a single sentence answer or can place a prophecy or doom upon a known and named individual.  A  prophecy of success will allow the subject  to automatically succeed one roll of a type defined by the Prophet (Combat roll, Saving Throw, Skill Check, Death Save) and grant a +1 to all rolls in that area for the rest of the session, a Doom will cause the doomed to automatically fail on one roll of a specific type and suffer -1 to all rolls in that area for the rest of the session.
Failure causes permanent blindness and madness (Permanent loss of 1 point of WIS)

AESIR SPELLS

0 - Shun the Foul - Succeed (N/A) - The Aesir will not abide by the creatures of the underworld: crawling lindwyrms, foul serpents or the living dead.  A Skald of the Aesir may ‘turn’ or shun to drive off both legless reptilian monsters and the corporeal undead. Up to 2D8 creatures may be effected.  Roll 2D6 and consult the Turning table below to determine success at Level 1:

Level 1 Clerical Turning Table
1 HD Enemy	2 HD Enemy	3 HD Enemy	4 HD Enemy
6 or Better	8 or Better	10 or Better	12

1 - Tyr’s Blessing - Succeed 11+/ 6- (ritual) * Tyr, the one handed god of noble combat can be called on to protect a single warrior (he is the god only of single combat) by a simple a one turn ritual recitation of Tyr’s legends and songs.   The successful invocation of Tyr’s protection will not only fill the warrior with battle knowledge and confidence (NPCs need not make morale checks, and PC are immune to fear effects), but bestow one of the following blessings for the next battle (d6/2) 1-2: +2 to all saving throws (including any death save needed), 3-4: +1 to hit and damage, 5-6: 2 points of damage reduction per hit received.
On a failure the Skald’s battle luck will burn and twist away, causing a -1 to hit and +1 additional point of damage per injury to the Skald for the rest of the game session.

2 - Prayer to Eir - Succeed 13 +/Failure 8- * Eir is the Goddess of health and protection, one of Frigg’s court she is healer to the gods, and when properly invoked the Skald efforts to bond a wound will restore D6 HP.  This prayer may only be used once per session on any one person or creature’s wounds.

On a failure the wound turns sour and cannot be healed by magic, additionally the target suffers an additional point of damage and descends into fever, giving a -1 to all rolls until the end of the session.

3 - Blessing of Sif  - Succeed 15+/ Failure 10- * A goddess of beauty and grace, Sif of the golden hair’s blessing will grant the Skald the ability to charm and wheedle humans and their close kin.  Sif’s power will either A) Charm a single target (with saving throw) to act as if their reaction roll was a 12. B) Grant the Skald an ‘18’ Charisma for the next 1D6 turns or C) Call for a cessation of active hostilities, allowing the Skald to reroll a reaction check.

On failure the base and purely human motives of the Skald become obvious, and the target will immediately attack, the Skald will suffer a -2 penalty to all calls upon the gods for the remainder of the session or enraged enemies will gain a +2 to damage.

4 - Ritual of Loki - Succeed 16+/Failure 11(ritual) - * The trickster and father of monsters, Loki may be poorly regarded, but he is still one of the Aesir (at least honorarily) and the Skald can tell his stories as well as any other god or goddesses.  Doing so successfully will summon a creature of Loki with 1 HD per level of the Skald.  These inky monsters will generally do what the Skalad commands (though they are tricky and evil, twisting complex commands over a confusing word or two) for 1D6 turns, after which they will skulk off to breed in dark corners.
On failure the creature is still summoned (not always at the exact time or place of the ritual) but free of compulsion and intent on committing foul deeds in Loki’s name and devouring the Skald.

5 - Call on Thor - Succeed 18+/ Failure 13- * Thor the Thunderer is the patron of warriors and he enjoys a good battle, but he’s also a curmudgeonly deity and only rarely intervenes.  On a successful intervention Thor’s hammer will ring in the heavens and a lightning bolt strike a target of the Skald’s choosing for 2D6+ Skald’s Level of damage.  After each use of this spell Thor becomes progressively more petulant and calling on him for the rest of the session is at a cumulative -1 penalty.

On failure Thor is annoyed by the Skalds presumption and will strike him or a companion with his bolt.

6 - Ritual of Odin- Succeed 20+ /Failure 15- (ritual)* To call on the all father is to risk doom, Odin has a somewhat sinister aspect and does not use his power lightly.  To seek his intervention the Skald must conduct a ritual involving ritually hanging himself (ideally from an ash tree), and it is only through stopping the ritual before it is complete, or the  mercy of Odin that the Skald will survive.  Success grants the Skald the ability to either have a short discussion with Odin receiving true answers to 1D6 questions (questions must be no more than a sentence in length - do not waste the All Father’s time) or allow a single person to be returned from the dead.
Failure will result in the Skald’s death, and possibly a curse on all who are nearby.

SCOUT - Forest walkers and far travelling hunters, norse woodsmen are some of the few in their culture skilled with the bow, and while most vikings are hardy individuals, scouts have the knowledge, skills and incredible toughness that allows them to survive easily in some of the harshest environments imaginable.  

As a variety of Specialist, Scouts gain Intermediate Hit Point and Attack Bonus advancement, training in light armor use.  1st Level Scouts have 1D6 HP and a +1 Attack Bonus (+2 for ranged attacks with their subclass ability).

Scouts have a combination of survival and stealth skills as well as combat oriented skills focused around missile use.

(LEVEL 1) Scout - (Survival 3, Stealth 3, Acrobatics 3) Missile Attack Bonus - (+1 to missile attacks); (LEVEL 4) Light Armor Mastery - (+1 AC from light armor, +1 INT in light armor), Concealed Shot - (May make ranged backstab attempts) (LEVEL 7) Wildman - (Survival 4, Stealth 4, Acrobatics 4) Toughness - (Gain +1 HD immediately)  Missile Attack Bonus - (+1 to missile attacks) (LEVEL 10) Uncanny Perception - (Scout is never surprised and has bonus to surprise to of +2/4 in 6 or +3/5 in 6 when alone) Master Ranger - (Survival 5, Stealth 5, Acrobatic 5)

BERSERKER - Berserks charge into battle heedless of injury, often supplementing their own ferocity with powerful intoxicants, even the greatest of them know little of refined fighting arts, depending on their fury, toughness and eventually the subtle magic of their battle insanity to reave their foes.  Berserkers are Fighters, using the Fighter Attack Bonus, Armor and Hit Point tables.  They begin with an attack bonus of +2,  trained in the use of light, medium and heavy armor and 1D6+1 hit Points.

Berserker abilities focus on survival despite limited armor use and injuring multiple attackers in melee combat.

(LEVEL 1) Bersekergang* - (Working themselves into a fury over the course of 1 round, Berserkers become dangerous and headless combatants gaining +1 to hit and 1 point of damage absorption per tier of berserker skill [Levels 1,4,7 & 10].  To enter a berserk state the Berserker cannot wear heavier than light armor and once in the state they must make a melee attack each round against a living target for the next 1D6+1 rounds or being harming themselves for 1D6/3 damage [usually by biting on their shields].  While under the berserkergang the Berserk cannot retreat from combat or use missile weapons. Berserk skills with an “*” next to them only apply while the Berserker is under the effect of the Berserkergang.  Hard to Kill - (Death Saves by the Berserker are always at ‘10’ and never increase) (LEVEL 4) Light Armor Mastery - (+1 AC and +1 INT in Light Armor) Retaliatory Attack* - (The first attack that strikes the berserker each round is met with an immediate responsive counterblow.) (LEVEL 7) Whirlwind* - (The wild blows of the Berserker have an unsubtle perfection with the motion from each attack leading into the next.  All melee attacks by a berserker are considered “Overpowering”, meaning that when a Berserker kills an opponent they may make another attack against another opponent in melee)  Blood Pact* - (The hungry gods of battle feast upon the ruin of warriors, and have shared a modicum of their power so that whenever the berserker kills an enemy in melee combat he is healed for 1D6/2 points of damage.)  (LEVEL 10) Death Pact* - (Pacts with strange powers and spirits have been concluded.  Wounds suffered while in melee combat cannot kill the Berserker, who no longer need to make death saves from melee combat injuries, but simply collapses after receiving seemingly fatal wounds, to rise again in 1D6 turns with 1D6 HP.  Damage from missile attacks and non-melee magical attacks can kill the berserker.) Vengeful Fury* - (To come within range of a high level Berserk when they are gripped by the battle madness is to risk instant death, as the berserker may conduct a Retaliatory Attack against any foe that strikes them in melee)

WARRIOR - A trained armsman from a heroic culture or with an individualist view of combat, the warrior, unlike the soldier, learns to fight almost entirely as an individual seeking heroic glory and personal excellence.  The warrior’s primarily offensive fighting style emphasizes medium armor, and the use of a shield. As Fighters, Warriors use the Fighter Attack Bonus, Armor use and Hit Point tables.  They begin at Level 1 with an attack bonus of +2,  trained in the use of light, medium and heavy armor and 1D6+1 hit Points.

(LEVEL 1) Shield Mastery - (While using a shield the Warrior gains +1 to AC and the ability to block the first missile attack against them per round that hits with a successful Save v. Device)  Terrifying Strike - (A critical strike from a Warrior will show such excellence and martial dominance that it demoralizes the target forcing and immediate Morale Check, or against targets immune to fear, grants a -2 to hit for the next round) (LEVEL 4) Medium Armor Mastery - (+1 AC from medium armor, +1 INT in medium armor), Shield Bash - (Warrior may opt to strike with shield instead of weapon, doing only 1D6/2 damage, but stunning a target that fails a save v. paralysis for the next round.)  (LEVEL 7) Warrior’s Fury - (By giving up 2 points of AC the Warrior can fight so aggressively as to gain a second attack each round.) Coup - Upon a successful critical attack the Warrior can make a display of dominance, demoralizing nearby foes, causing a morale check for all enemy within 30’ and inflicting a -1 to hit on all who target the Warrior for the remainder of the battle.  (LEVEL 10) Battlemaster - (In combat the warrior gains the ability to make a critical strike on any natural attack roll of 16 or above [if the attack hits/does damage], and may make an immediate retaliatory shield strike against any enemy that attacks them for 1D6/2 damage)  Shield Wall - (When actively in use the warrior’s shield counts as ‘cover’ for purposes of defense against explosive/artillery weapons without penalty to movement)

WHAT YOU POSSESS

Within the shallow hold of the karve are the following items:
* 20 rations of dried fish and fermented whale shark meat.

* 20 bundles of tar and wood torches (3 torches a bundle) each provides light for 1 light exhaustion pips and light for 3 party members at a 30’ range.

* 6 extra shields

* 4 war spears (reach - may attack from 2nd rank and brace against charges)

* 2 hunting bows

* 1 barrel of pitch and naphtha.

* Medical herbs and bandages (specialist Kit for Medicine - use to save the dying, cure disease and slow poison)
* 1 dragon prow
*5 x 30’ rope

* 1 felling axe (light)

* 1 shovel (light)

* 3 extra 10’ long wooden spars

In addition each viking has the following items:
* Mail shirt (medium), leather jack sewn with rings (light armor), padded gambeson (light armor)  animal skin cape [likely either walrus or bear] (light armor)

* War axe (overpowering) or sword (finesse)

* Shield [or second weapon as above or Two Handed Axe (heavy, overpowering)]
* Dagger or Saex (close)
*SCOUTS will carry a warbow (ranged) and *30 Arrows
*SKALDS may carry a harp/lur  or horn (use will allow a reroll on fear and moral checks)
*BERSERKERS can possess either ice mead, a powerful alcoholic drink (three draughts) or psychotropic mushrooms (three doses) -taking these items will cause a non-berserker/raging addict to save vs. poison or become dazed (-1 to all rolls) for 1D6x2 turns and possibly placid and suggestible (at GM discretion).

Each item from the above list counts as 1 encumbrance point, your total encumbrance equals your STR.  Going over encumbrance makes you automatically lose any initiative check and suffer a -2 in melee combat, up to 10 points over, at which point you collapse unable to move.

Non - encumbrance items - per character

Waterskin (almost empty of fresh water) (1 of 3 drinks left - each time there is a ‘6’ result on the random encounter die you must drink or make a survival skill check to tough it out (2 in 6) - failure means suffering from thirst, a cumulative -2 to all rolls)

Helmet [anachronistic horns optional] (Save vs. paralysis for ½ damage from falls)

Silver armbands and amulet of gods (15 GP value)

HOW SKILLS AND WEAPONS WORK

SKILLS - Most tasks are resolved by the player describing what they intend to do and the GM deciding is a competent explorer could accomplish that task (most things an explorer can do without rolling a die if they have a full turn to do so).  Where there is doubt about the ease of a task, time pressure, or other significant difficulties a check is made by rolling XD6 under the character most appropriate stat (as explained by the GM, though a player may describe a different method of accomplishing the task to see if the stat changes).

Tricky Tasks - Require a bit of luck or skill and are accomplished with 4d6 under the appropriate stat.
Hard Tasks - Tasks that the average person is almost sure to fail will succeed on a 5D6 or 6D6 check of statistics.

Skilled Tasks - Demand either extraordinary luck or consummate skill to accomplish and include any task of 7D6 or over.

Skills make difficult tasks easier in two ways.  First, for each point of skill the character removes one die of difficulty from the task, and second provides a secondary statistic that the player may choose to roll against to complete the task.  For example, picking a simple lock would normally be a 6D6 task rolled against Dexterity, but with a Tinker skill of 3 a character reduces the difficulty to 3D6 and may choose to roll against Dexterity or Intelligence.

Types of Skills
Piloting - Strength/Dexterity - The use of watercraft and other vehicles.
Athletics - Strength/Constitution - Feats of strength and endurance such as breaking open doors.
Arcana - Intelligence/Wisdom - The understanding of the arcane and its various effects, powers, manifestations.  May detect/identify magical objects and read arcane inscriptions or scrolls. Replaces spells: Detect Magic, Identify,  & Read Magic.
Scholarship - Intelligence/Wisdom - Deep knowledge of a wide variety of subjects, including strange languages, history and religion.
Engineering - Intelligence/Strength -
Chemics - Wisdom/Constitution - A knowledge of poisons, both natural and artificial as well as the ability to use, identify and understand various other alchemical, chemical and scientific processes. May slow or cure poison effects and is required to use poison effectively.
Chuirigeonry - Wisdom/Dexterity - The ability to heal and aid the injured, can diagnose and limit the effects of disease and if rendering aid throughout the remainder of a combat allow those critically injured to make a second death save.
Awareness - Wisdom/Charisma - Vigilance, trained ears and subtle understanding aid in detecting hidden doors, ambush, traps and other concealed dangers.
Stealth - Dexterity/Constitution - The ability to move and act quietly and stealthily, even under low light conditions
Acrobatics - Dexterity/Strength - Climbing, jumping, vaulting and various other forms of difficult physical contortions, can be used in combat to disengage or advance through one's own ranks to attack without risk of retaliation.
Tinker - Dexterity/Intelligence - a familiarity with small mechanical devices and an understanding about how to work with and around them.  Useful for picking locks and disarming mechanical traps.

Survival - Constitution/Wisdom - The skills to survive in harsh climates and wild places, using the skill will allow the identification of useful plants, animals and an understanding of animal (even monstrous animal) behaviour.  It also provide the ability to skin and otherwise collect treasure from hunted beasts effectively.  Finally survival can function to ignore the negative effects of environmental extremes and exhaustion/thirst/starvation.
Animal Handling - Charisma/Strength - The knowledge and practice to properly, raise, train and care for animals.  For each point of skill an animal handler can control and care for one additional beast [normal PCs can only keep one] (such as a horse or attack animal).  In addition skilled animal handlers can control trained monstrous animals of HD up to their skill level, and can add their Animal Handling skill to any reaction or negotiation rolls made with wild and monstrous animals.
Acumen - Charisma/Intelligence - Knowledge and practice in how the world of means and power functions, including the ability to appraise items of value, understand legal and business matters or documents and act respectfully around men and women of the noble or business classes.
Legerdemain - Charisma/Dexterity - Quick wit, a battery of quips, understanding of the theatrical and nimble hands allow for both the palming or theft of small objects as well as impersonation of voice and other tricks of disguise.

WEAPONS - Weapons all do the same amount of damage (1D6), except for for [Heavy], [Light] and [Thrown] weapons which do more or less damage based on their weapon modifier alone.  Rather than variable damage, weapons have modifiers with differing effects.  Many natural attacks from various creatures also have modifiers and effects, some of which aren’t listed below.

On a roll of 1 in combat the wielder of a weapon has fumbled and may either elect to break their weapon, making it unusable until repaired (if possible) or take an immediate counter attack from the opponent they are facing.  Missile weapons always break on a fumble.

Muscle Powered Weapon Modifiers
Modifier	Effect
Size and Weight Based Modifiers
Light	Light Weapons do less damage than most, inflicting only 1D6/2 damage.
Heavy	Heavy Weapons require two hands to wield but do more damage.  Roll two  Six-Sided dice (2x1D6) and pick the highest for damage.  Non-Fighters attack last each round if wielding a [Heavy] weapon.
Thrown	Thrown weapons operate normally as [Reactive] weapons or when hurled from Reach Range.  They are not meant to be used in melee doing only 1D6/2 damage there.
Reach	Pole and other longer ranged weapons can attack from the second rank of a formation, and may be ‘set’ to receive charges and make a reactive attack at any attacker who charges to attack either the weapon wielder or an ally in the same or front rank.
Ranged	Long ranged Weapons are capable of striking from hundreds of feet away, but they are useless in melee and if fired into melee (from Reach or Range distance) any roll of a natural 5 or less results in striking an ally who is in melee combat for full damage.
Type Based
Close	Close Weapons automatically hit at the start of any round the wielder is in a grapple doing normal damage.
Overpowering	Overpowering weapons can make a follow up strike on another nearby enemy any time they are used to kill an enemy.
Crushing	Crushing attacks limit all normal (not including natural or magical) armor to a maximum AC of 15.
Finesse	Up to two points of attack bonus and AC can be swapped on a one for one basis when using a Finesse weapon.
Entangling	Entangling weapons grant the wielder a +1 to Initiative.
Reactive	Reactive weapons can be used whenever the wielder is attacked to make a counter attack prior to the enemy’s strike
Deadly	Deadly weapons use ‘exploding’ damage dice, meaning any time a 6 is rolled for damage another die of damage is added.  This effect can stack.
Improvised	Improvised weapons (including bare hands) do only 1D6/3 damage per hit.
Complex	Complex weapons can only be used every other round and require a round without an attack between uses (usually due to reloading).
Material Based
Silver/Blessed	Silvered or Blessed weapons can injure many of the incorporeal undead
Hexed	Hexed weapons can damage outsider entities such as demons who are immune to normal weapons