W.P. bonus variations in different printings...

[tsh77769]

I am curious about different variations found in different printings or different sources for the same W.P.

For example, W.P. Knife as found in Rfits, Rifts Ultimate Edition, and the Game Masters Guide, are they all the same? What about other sources? Is W.P. Knife the same in Rifts as in Heroes' Unlimited?

Thanks.

tsh77769

[Mack]

A quick example off the top of my head is WP Axe.

In Paladium Fantasy, the WP grants an additional 1D6 damage. In Rifts, it doesn't.

[tsh77769]

WOW!! Great example! I never knew that. Keep 'em coming!
tsh77769

[drewkitty ~..~]

In N&S there is no Sword WP, but there are WPs for large swords and small swords.

[Colonel_Tetsuya]

In N&S there is no Sword WP, but there are WPs for large swords and small swords.

And even specific swords, like Katana. N&SS is a weird case though.

[tsh77769]

In PFRPG W.P. Blunt gets +5 total to strike (I think to parry as well) and + 3 total when thrown vs. +4 for W.P. Blunt and no bonus when thrown in Rifts GMG.

tsh77769

[ShadowLogan]

I am curious about different variations found in different printings or different sources for the same W.P.

For example, W.P. Knife as found in Rfits, Rifts Ultimate Edition, and the Game Masters Guide, are they all the same? What about other sources? Is W.P. Knife the same in Rifts as in Heroes' Unlimited?

Thanks.

tsh77769

Well the most obvious ones that quickly spring to mind are:
-W.P. Axe (PF2E vs Rifts, mentioned previously), though in some lines it is "Battle Axe". PF2E has a higher strike bonus by max level also, DR though ends up with a better parry bonus
-Modern W.P (Robotech 1E, Macross 2, HU2E, Rifts-Main-Book VS RUE, Robotech 2E and mostly likely a few others), though it should be noted that Rifts-MB era WB/SB also introduced WPs that are more RUE-esque. Old approach was all Modern WP advanced at the same rate and used the same table, the current approach is each WP advances differently

After a quick DB search query (and looking at just the sums for: 1E RT, 2E RT, N&SS, TMNT, HU2E, PF2E, Macross 2, Nightbane, Dead Reign, Rifts-UE, unfortunately Rifts-MB wasn't included as it was superseded by RUE in the database) and comparing total bonuses (so individual level progression might be different):
-Weapon Systems skill goes from +2 to +1 to strike depending on the book (older lines tended to favor the +2)
-WP Archery & Targeting in some lines has this as two skills (RUE, PF, DR unlike HU2E, Nightbane), or even just calling it WP: Bow (TMNT, N&SS), WP Targeting when separate skill as a higher strike bonus in HU vs DR/RUE/PF2E, then we have WP Crossbow and specific bow types in some lines
-WP Whip (higher strike bonus in HU/Nightbane vs Rifts/PF2E/DR)
-WP Sword also varies between lines, plus N&SS uses specific sword categorizations
-WP Spear also varies between lines
-WP Shield also varies between lines (when available)
-WP Knife also varies between lines
-WP Grappling Hook also varies between lines (when available)
-WP Chain also varies between lines (when available)
-WP Staff parry bonus varies between the lines, but remains pretty consistent for strike
-WP Blunt, pretty much every line I looked at the skill's final bonuses work out different

I also skipped some of the less common ones on the query, so the list is longer

[Natasha]

In N&S there is no Sword WP, but there are WPs for large swords and small swords.

And even specific swords, like Katana. N&SS is a weird case though.

And if I recall correctly, W.P. Paired Weapons was per W.P.

[ShadowLogan]

In N&S there is no Sword WP, but there are WPs for large swords and small swords.

And even specific swords, like Katana. N&SS is a weird case though.

And if I recall correctly, W.P. Paired Weapons was per W.P.

That reminds me...

W.P Paired Weapons in HU2E (pg61) has two forms of the skill: level advancement (HTH, any) and Specification (when selecting the skill you pick the one-handed weapons you are proficient in, each pair is a separate skill).

The WP in RUE/RT2E/PF2E/TMNTr (IINM) are all like the level advancement version, you just get it sooner. NPC examples in TMNTr though do follow the HU2E approach, but the wording in the specific skill description leaves it as "any".

[drewkitty ~..~]

In N&S there is no Sword WP, but there are WPs for large swords and small swords.

And even specific swords, like Katana. N&SS is a weird case though.

And if I recall correctly, W.P. Paired Weapons was per W.P.

If you mean that the player has to pick which two weapons they wanted the WP Paired to cover, then yep.

gives examples of pairings:

knife and sword
blunt and knife
knife and knife
chain and axe
etc…

etc...

[Natasha]

In N&S there is no Sword WP, but there are WPs for large swords and small swords.

And even specific swords, like Katana. N&SS is a weird case though.

And if I recall correctly, W.P. Paired Weapons was per W.P.

If you mean that the player has to pick which two weapons they wanted the WP Paired to cover, then yep.

gives examples of pairings:

knife and sword
blunt and knife
knife and knife
chain and axe
etc…

etc...

Yes. I think you said it better. My player must not have rolled well on their English skill

[eliakon]

The differences between W.P.s are just the tip of the iceberg.

Each game is... wait for it... a different game.
There are dozens and dozens of differences. Some small, some not so small between each game line where the rules are tweeked slightly to make them work better for that particular game. This is one reason why GMs need to be careful when they use material from other games. It uses the same basic rule structures but get to the nitty gritty and you find that they all use different rules.

This shows up all over the place, you find slight differences in skills, in spells, in psychic powers, in how strikes are handled, or how armor works, or what a parry is or a dodge, or a deathblow, or the effect of failing a specific save or...

[Axelmania]

When I see 2 things sharing a name but having different stats (for example, the Necrophim in Nightbane and Psyscape) I view them as 2 things which coexist as separate entities.

In this case, they are separate WP which you can purchase separately. They do not qualify as selecting the same WP multiple times because they are not the same WP even if they share the same name, just as the Astral Plane Necrophim aren't the same as the Soul Snake Necrophim.

Naturally the rules against buying the same WP more than once to stack bonuses do not apply, since they are different