Nonproficiency and Weapon Familiarity If A character who is not proficient in a type of weapon suffers penalties on attack rolls when using that weapon. The penalties vary by character class—for example, fighters are much more likely to understand an unfamiliar weapon than wizards. The penalties are shown on Table 50: Nonproficiency Attack Penalties.

However, in some cases a character can be familiar enough with a weapon that he does not suffer all nonproficiency penalties. This is called weapon familiarity. And while the character cannot fight as effectively as someone with a weapon proficiency, neither is he as inept as a nonproficient character.

A character is assumed to be familiar with weapons that are related to ones with which he is proficient. Weapons in the same tight group as a character’s weapon of proficiency are familiar to that character. If a character has proficiency in an entire tight group of weapons, he is familiar with all weapons in a related broad group.

A character using a weapon with which he is not proficient cannot perform any special combat maneuvers, such as disarms or parries, with that weapon. He is limited to basic attacks, with the die roll penalties shown above. If he hits, however, he makes a normal roll for damage.

Weapon Proficiencies

A single weapon proficiency slot can be used to acquire proficiency in a specific type of weapon. Such proficiency means that the character can wield that weapon normally, without penalties on his rolls to hit or damage.

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