Proficiencies
Introduction
Proficiencies (Optional)
Most of what a player character can do is defined by his race, class, and ability scores. These three characteristics don't cover everything, however. Characters can have a wide range of talents, from the potent (and intricate) arts of magic to the simple and mundane knowledge of how to build a good fire. The character's magical ability (or lack thereof) is defined by his class. Lesser abilities, such as fire building, are defined by proficiencies.
A proficiency is a learned skill that isn't essential to the character's class. A ranger, for example, may find it useful to know something about navigation, especially if he lives near an ocean or sea coast. On the other hand, he isn't likely to suffer if he doesn't know how to navigate; he is a ranger, not a sailor.
Proficiencies are divided into two groups: weapon proficiencies (those related to weapons and combat) and nonweapon proficiencies (those related to everything else).
Categories of Proficiencies
- Weapon Proficiencies: Skills related to weapons and combat (Tournament-level rules, optional in regular play)
- Nonweapon Proficiencies: Skills related to everything else (Completely optional)
General Rules
- All proficiency rules are additions to the game.
- Proficiencies are not necessary for a balanced game.
- They add an additional dimension to characters, however, and anything that enriches characterization is a bonus.
- Once a proficiency slot is filled, it can never be changed or reassigned.
Proficiencies System
Below is a comprehensive guide to the proficiency system, including weapon and nonweapon proficiencies.
Optionality
Weapon Proficiencies
Tournament-level rules, optional in regular play
Nonweapon Proficiencies
Completely optional, may be used by players who enjoy them and ignored by those who don't
Balance Considerations
Nonweapon proficiencies can be used by some players and ignored by others without giving unfair advantages (provided the DM allows this)
Npcs
If weapon proficiencies are used, they should apply to all characters, including NPCs
Proficiency Slots
Nature
Empty until filled by selecting a proficiency
Permanence
Once a proficiency slot is filled, it can never be changed or reassigned
Initial Allocation
Initial slots must be filled immediately, before the character embarks on his first adventure; any slots that aren't filled by then are lost
Acquisition System
Initial Proficiencies
Even newly created, 1st-level characters have proficiencies. The number of proficiency slots that a character starts with is determined by his group, as shown in Table 34. Each proficiency slot is empty until the player "fills" it by selecting a proficiency. If your DM allows nonweapon proficiencies, the character's Intelligence score can modify the number of slots he has, granting him more proficiencies (see Table 4). In both cases, new proficiencies are learned the same way.
- Intelligence: Can modify the number of nonweapon proficiency slots (See Table 4)
Proficiency Slots
| Group | Initial Weapon Slots | Weapon Levels | Weapon Penalty | Initial Nonweapon Slots | Nonweapon Levels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warrior | 4 | 3 | -2 | 3 | 3 |
| Wizard | 1 | 6 | -5 | 4 | 3 |
| Priest | 2 | 4 | -3 | 4 | 3 |
| Rogue | 2 | 4 | -3 | 3 | 4 |
Notes:
- Initial Weapon Proficiencies: Number of weapon proficiency slots received by characters of that group at 1st level
- # Levels: How quickly a character gains additional proficiency slots; a new slot is gained at every experience level evenly divisible by this number
- Penalty: Modifier to attack rolls when fighting with a weapon the character is not proficient with
- Initial Nonweapon Proficiencies: Number of nonweapon proficiency slots that character has at 1st level
Multi-class Rules:
Multi-class characters can use the most beneficial line on Table 34 to determine their initial proficiencies and when they gain new proficiencies
Study Time
No specific training times or study periods are associated with proficiencies
Assumption: Character has been studying in spare time between adventures
Use of Down Time
Consider just how much spare time the character has. The player is not role-playing every second of his character's life. The player may decide to have his character spend a night in town before setting out on the long journey the next day. Perhaps the character must wait around for several days while his companions heal from the last adventure. Or he might spend weeks on an uneventful ocean voyage. What is he doing during that time? Among other things, he is studying whatever new proficiencies he will eventually learn. Using this "down time" to handle the unexciting aspects of a role-playing campaign lets players concentrate on more important (or more interesting) matters.
Teachers
Weapon Specialization
Conceptual
Knowing how to use a weapon without embarrassing yourself is very different from being a master of that weapon. There are warriors, and then there are martial artists. An Olympic fencer is more than just an athlete; he can do things with his weapon that astound most fencers.
Role In A Dn D
In the AD&D game, part of your character's skill is reflected in the bonuses he earns as he reaches higher levels. As your character advances, he becomes a wiser, more dangerous fighter. Experience has taught him to anticipate his opponents and to pounce on any advantage that presents itself. But this is a general, overall improvement, brought about by the warrior's sharpening senses and timing. It applies equally to all types of fighting.
Purpose Of Specialization
Weapon specialization is an optional rule that enables a fighter (only) to choose a single weapon and specialize in its use. Any weapon may be chosen. Specialization is normally announced (and paid for with weapon proficiency slots) when the character is created. But even after a player character earns experience, he can still choose to specialize in a weapon, provided he has the weapon proficiency slots available.
Weapon Proficiencies
A weapon proficiency measures a character's knowledge and training with a specific weapon.
Rules
- When a character is created, the player checks Table 34 to see how many weapon proficiency slots the character has.
- These initial slots must be filled immediately, before the character embarks on his first adventure. Any slots that aren't filled by then are lost.
- Each weapon proficiency slot must be assigned to a particular weapon, not just a class of weapons.
- Each weapon listed in Table 44 (Weapons) requires its own proficiency; each has its own special tricks and quirks that must be mastered before the weapon can be handled properly and effectively.
- A player character could become proficient with a long bow or a short bow, but not with all bows in general (unless he devotes a proficiency slot to each individually).
- A character can assign weapon proficiency slots only to those weapons allowed to his character class.
Progression
As a character reaches higher experience levels, he also earns additional weapon proficiencies. The rate at which proficiencies are gained depends on the character's class. Warriors, who concentrate on their martial skills, learn to handle a great number of weapons. They gain weapon proficiencies quickly. Wizards, who spend their time studying forgotten magical arts, have little time to practice with weapons. They gain additional weapon proficiencies very slowly. Multi-class characters can use the most beneficial line on Table 34 to determine their initial proficiencies and when they gain new proficiencies.
Effects of Proficiencies
Proficient Use
A character who has a specific weapon proficiency is skilled with that weapon and familiar with its use. A character does not gain any bonuses for using a weapon he is proficient with; the combat rules and attack chances assume that everyone uses a weapon he is proficient with. This eliminates the need to add a modifier to every die roll during battle.
Non-Proficient Use
When a character uses a weapon that he is not proficient with, however, he suffers a penalty on his chance to hit. The size of this penalty depends on the character's class. Warriors have the smallest penalty because they are assumed to have passing familiarity with all weapons. Wizards, by comparison, are heavily penalized because of their limited study of weapons. The modifiers for each class (which are taken as penalties to the attack die roll) are listed on Table 34.
Related Weapons
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.
Example Related Weapon Categories
DM Note: Specific decisions about which weapons are related are left to the DM
Specialist Attacks Per Round
| Fighter Level | Melee Weapon | Light Crossbow | Heavy Crossbow | Thrown Dagger | Thrown Dart | Other Thrown Missiles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-6 | 3/2 | 1/1 | 1/2 | 3/1 | 4/1 | 3/2 |
| 7-12 | 2/1 | 3/2 | 1/1 | 4/1 | 5/1 | 2/1 |
| 13+ | 5/2 | 2/1 | 3/2 | 5/1 | 6/1 | 5/2 |