Is it a staff or a staff?

[tgaptte]

Hi all,

Here's an interesting question that came up and I'm curious what you all think...ultimately I'll go by whatever my GM wants to do, because I'm just that kind of easygoing guy :D

For Weapon Familiarity...is the Staffs selection under "Common Martial Arts Melee Weapons" the same as the Staffs selection under the "Uncommon Melee Weapons" section? The first one you can buy as a group and get Staffs for free...the second requires you to purchase Staffs individually.

It seems silly if you are going to take all Martial Arts Melee weapons that you'd have to take Staffs under Uncommon Melee Weapons as well to cover ALL staffs you might fight with (sticks, jo, broom handle, walking stick etc)

Of course after typing this all in, I now realize that I somehow don't have Common Martial Arts Weapons...hum...must have deleted it...boy don't I feel silly!

Ok, but the question still stands...are they the same?

[Narratio]

This is one of those "Ah bugger" questions that came up in a game a year back. Our GM ruled that the common martial arts melee weapons staffs were those designed for the job. Properly balanced, and wieghted, sized for the person and with certain well known and long established movements learnt to use them with a maximum of effectiveness.

Uncommon were any old bits of stuff that an expert in the use of uncommon martial arts melee weapons could utilize with no disadvantage but everybody else could only use as long'ish club and experts in the use of common martial arts melee weapons suffered a disadvantage while using them.

The GM said it was a philosphy thing.

[Greatwyrm]

I'd say it's more of a background thing. If you're a martial artist, you're familiar with using a staff as a weapon. If you're a typical fantasy knight or something like that, you've probably spent more time with swords, axes, and such.

[Markdoc]

Yep. Common martial arts weapons includes staff because staff is, well, a common martial arts weapon.

However, if you're a 12th century English yeoman who has been forced to flee to into the forest by the evil sheriff, you get sword, shield and spear as your common melee weapons and have to pay an extra point for staff.

Once that's done, both guys can use broomstick in a pinch. Works like a staff, just breaks easier and doesn't do quite so much damage.

cheers, Mark

[sbarron]

Yep. Common martial arts weapons includes staff because staff is, well, a common martial arts weapon.

However, if you're a 12th century English yeoman who has been forced to flee to into the forest by the evil sheriff, you get sword, shield and spear as your common melee weapons and have to pay an extra point for staff.

Once that's done, both guys can use broomstick in a pinch. Works like a staff, just breaks easier and doesn't do quite so much damage.

cheers, MarkI agree with Marcdoc. A staff is a staff.

[Black Lotus]

Yep. Common martial arts weapons includes staff because staff is, well, a common martial arts weapon.

However, if you're a 12th century English yeoman who has been forced to flee to into the forest by the evil sheriff, you get sword, shield and spear as your common melee weapons and have to pay an extra point for staff.

Once that's done, both guys can use broomstick in a pinch. Works like a staff, just breaks easier and doesn't do quite so much damage.

cheers, Mark

Yeah, it's mainly about the viewpoint of characters in different genres. Almost all martial artists work with a staff at some point -- I am one, and I did -- but your medieval warriors preferred more overtly deadly weapons.