Weapon Restriction

Wizards are severely limited in the weapons they can use. Little if any of their formal training is devoted to combat, and they usually are unable to devote the time and effort necessary to master such skills. Consequently, their weapon choices are confined to those that are easy to learn and simple to use. As a general rule, the DM should confine wizards to the following weapons:

Blowgun

Barbed dart

Needle

Dagger or dirk

Dart

Knife

Quarterstaff

Sling

Sling bullet

Sling stone

Staff sling

These restrictions apply to magical weapons of similar types as well. For instance, just as a wizard is denied the use of a two-handed sword, he is denied the use of a two-handed sword +1.

In certain situations, the DM may allow a wizard to use a weapon other than those listed above. However, the DM is cautioned to make exceptions to the wizard's weapon restrictions with care, to avoid unbalancing the game and violating the special nature of the wizard.

Here are a few situations where the DM might consider making exceptions to the wizard's weapon restrictions:

The wizard's kit allows for different weapons. The Anagakok kit, for instance, allows for tridents and harpoons, while the Amazon kit allows for spears and long bows. If the DM gives permission for players to pick one of these kits, or another kit with weapons other than those listed above, he should also allow him to use the kit's weapons. However, the DM is within his rights to forbid the use of any weapon-- if he decides harpoons are unavailable in his campaign world, then even an Anagakok cannot use them.

Instruction in the use of a particular weapon was part of the wizard's training. Just as certain kits allow certain weapons, certain cultures might require all of its citizens to master certain weapons. A warlike culture, for instance, might insist that all of its male citizens are to be trained in the use of swords and spears, and wizards are not excluded. The player must establish these type of background details at the beginning of his character's career -- they cannot suddenly be brought into play in the middle of a campaign ("Did I forget to mention that my character's father trained him to use a club?"). As always, the DM can veto any background suggestions that he considers unacceptable in his campaign.

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