Atlas   Rules   Resources   Adventures   Stories       FAQ   Search   Links

Monster Mastery

by JJJ

Now that I know most of you still follow the good-old-times rules, I will pose an intriguing question: WEAPON MASTERY! It has always been said that this rule totally unbalances the game. I agree fully. D&D and its monsters were created without the WM rules from the Master Set in mind, so everything became a great mess.

Many players truly love WM, thinking of it as the only weapon system that truly reflected something about training in ALL editions, not to say being a lot of fun for players! (I for myself like 1st ed AD&D rules on weapons, more like Chainmail...)

After so much gaming, I recently developed a house rule that is being quite good, letting players have their damned WM and the challenge of monster being still what it was in Boxes past (expert, companion, etc...)

That is what I make: all monsters, but PC classes, were given an "Monster Mastery", which functions like this:

Rank	HD	AC	Absorb/Weapon	Extra
SK	3	-	1 hp	-
EX	6	-1	2 hp	-
MS	9	-1	4 hp	deflect(1)
GM	12	-2	8 hp	deflect (2)

Any monster of the listed HD or higher gains that advantages: a bonus to AC, an hp absorption for weapons ONLY (not magic) with a minimum of 1 point of damage, and Deflect ability.

In my game deflects are handled differently, like this: If you have been beaten by a natural roll of 13, you must roll higher than 13 to deflect, NO saving throw thing....

Also, WM "to hit" bonuses were cancelled and became this:

Rank	Primary	Secondary	All (for wpns with P=A)
BS	-	-	-
SK	-	-	+1
EX	+1	-	+2
MS	+1	-	+2
GM	+2	+1	+3

The rationality is to maintain the AC vs. Thac0 game balance usual, with monster who were supposed to be of a higher level of danger having an bonus to AC that cancels the bonus to Thac0 (as you can calculate from the first table), except for P=A weapons which have a slight advantage (as they are supposed to).

The hp wpn/absorption handles the increasing damage of the players in relation to the expected danger of creatures, thus making a 12HD dragon TRULY dangerous for characters of low level, but who have EX mastery and do 2d8 dmg! I repeat that this hp/absorb does not apply to magic, as it is balanced for the game. A good example is the Striking spell. Even if first level fighter, str 14, hits with a dagger (and a 20 roll....) and old red dragon he would do damage like that:
[1d4+1(str)] (check absorption, in this example it is always 1hp damage, as the dragon absorbs 8hp/weapon]
+1d6 striking spell (full damage inflicted on the dragon, for it is magic!!!)

In the case of goblinoids and other weapon using monsters I MAINTAINED all monster mastery and gave weapon mastery to some (like Bugbears being SK in mace). These cases are better handled on a case by case basis.

PCs and NPCs with traditional classes (fighters, clerics, elves, etc...) DO NOT have any of the monster mastery effects. This makes battles a lot more dangerous, but as both parties have the same abilities, I believe its good as it is. "Do you players want WM? So be ready for its effects, humph....." :)

Anyway, I am thoroughly play-testing it since with my current campaign. My players are around 8-9th level, and the new rule is doing very well!!!

As a last piece of advice, I do not permit two-weapon fighting, except for the shield-weapons. the -4 penalty is to little, and to put a higher one wouldn't suffice for increased WM damage.