MSRD:Improvised Weapons
| This material is published under the OGL 1.0a. |
Improvised Weapons
Any portable object can be used as a weapon in a pinch. In most cases, an object can be wielded either as a melee weapon or a ranged weapon.
A character takes a –4 penalty on his or her attack roll when wielding or throwing an improvised weapon. An improvised weapon is not considered simple, archaic, or exotic, so weapon proficiency feats cannot offset the –4 penalty.
| Object Size | Examples | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Diminutive | Ashtray, CD disk case, crystal paperweight | 1 |
| Tiny | Fist-sized rock, mug, screwdriver, softball, flashlight, wrench | 1d2 |
| Small | Bottle, drill, fire extinguisher, flower pot, helmet, metal hubcap, vase | 1d3 |
| Medium-size | Bar stool, brick, briefcase, bowling ball, garbage can lid, hockey stick, nail gun | 1d4 |
| Large | Empty garbage can, guitar, computer monitor, office chair, tire iron | 1d6 |
| Huge | 10-foot ladder, mailbox, oil barrel, park bench, sawhorse | 1d8 |
| Gargantuan | Desk, dumpster, file cabinet, large sofa, soda machine | 2d6 |
| Colossal | Junked vehicle, stoplight, telephone pole | 2d8 |
A character can effectively wield or throw an object of his or her size category or smaller using one hand. A character can effectively wield or throw an object one size category larger than him or herself using two hands. An improvised thrown weapon has a range increment of 10 feet. Increase the range increment for creatures of Large size or larger as follows: Large 15 feet, Huge 30 feet, Gargantuan 60 feet, Colossal 120 feet.
Damage: Improvised weapons deal lethal damage based on their size, although the GM may adjust the damage of an object that is especially light or heavy for its size. The wielder’s Strength modifier applies only to damage from Tiny or larger improvised weapons; do not apply the wielder’s Strength modifier to damage from Diminutive objects. Table: Improvised Weapon Damage by Size gives the damage for improvised weapons of varying size. Improvised weapons threaten a critical hit on a natural roll of 20. Improvised weapons of Fine size deal no damage.
Unlike real weapons, improvised weapons are not designed to absorb damage. They tend to shatter, bend, crumple, or fall apart after a few blows. An improvised weapon has a 50% chance of breaking each time it deals damage or, in the case of thrown objects, strikes a surface (such as a wall) or an object larger than itself.
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