Atlatl: dart-thrower
by Pol GinésIt's a device that helps to throw darts and light javelins... This "new weapon" has the statistics of javelin, with these modifications:
- adding 20' to each range
- damage is not 1d6 but 1d6+1
- usually a warrior only carries 6 darts, more darts would be cumbersome
- darts can't be thrown without the atlatl, so warriors proficient in javelins or bows are not proficient with these darts and can't use them
This could be a cultural weapon for Azcans, Oltecs, Tanagoro, Neathar, Malpheggi lizards and other "savage", light armoured people (maybe also Beast-Men).
By the way, I have been thinking longer about how achieve more balance with non-armoured (or less-armoured) cultures in Hollow World and I think I will allow all 1st warriors (PCs or NPCs) to be Skilled in one cultural weapon.
In the Blood Brethren Trilogy, heroes arrive to HW and are attacked by 30 Azcan warriors. In my campaign, the heavy armoured 6th level PCs defeated them without tiring in two rounds, and without being wounded (haste, quick shooting elves and Ethengarian bowmen -4 takadi arrows/round- , sleep, a fire ball...). Their impression: "savage primitives we can easily conquer!!!"
If those Azcans were Skilled in Atlatl, they would have a +3 to hit (near ranged attack, plus skilled) with 1d6+3 damage for dart. Even PCs with AC-1 or AC-2 would then suffer some impacts.
(When you shoot 4 arrows per round, you very quickly run out of ammunition... if you defeat Azcan bowmen, you can take from them lots of arrows, but if they have those exotic atlatl darts....
I believe part of the fun about being in a "Lost World" such as HW is running out of supplies and equipment...
They very quickly broke their shield-knife (they love this weapon and are always proficient with it) and they couldn't buy another until they arrived to Shahjapur...