Kelvernia: The Armory

I can see going one of three basic ways with how I handle weapons and armor in the setting.

(I should mention that in these posts, Labyrinth Lord and Mutant Future are the systems I usually mean when I refer to "the rules.")

1. A "refined" list that addresses certain issues that I have with the weapon and armor lists.
2. A more abstract list that addresses the issues in a different way.
3. Just use the list in the rule book and be done with it.

The list from option 1 is something I wrote up a while back. It's not exactly complicated, but it's one more table that isn't in the book that can potentially cause confusion. You can see it below:

Some of the choices made there are for flavor, but I also tried for balance. For example, I wanted the cleric to have a two-handed heavy weapon. I also folded in a couple house rules, like firing twice from a bow if you don't move. I also tweaked the armor list because a few things, like padded and leather giving the same AC, irked me.

Option 2 would take things in a less detailed direction without going all the way to "all weapons deal 1d6" rule. The idea would be there are small, medium, and large weapons (melee) and three different types: axes, blunts, and blades. All small weapons do a d4. Mediums are "hand and a half" weapons, dealing 1d8 one handed and 2d4 two handed. Larges deal 3d4 and are two-handed. Each weapon type has one of each size. The idea would also be that the weapons themselves are somewhat abstract. For example, a medium blunt weapon might be a flail, or a mace, or a hammer, while a small blade might be considered a dagger, or a poignard, or a dirk.

The idea is for the player to not feel "hemmed in" by the weapon stats and feel free to pick something that fits his character type. So the forester/scout might carry a short sword, while the pirate wields a cutlass, but the "meta" is the same. It means a new rule/table as well, but a much shorter/simpler one.

Option 3 just ignores any issues –real or imagined– with the equipment lists and gets on with the game. There's an appeal (for me) to all three possibilities, but I'm still ambivalent on which way feels like the right choice. I suspect that unless I experience a real epiphany about it, I'll opt for #3 and "First: do no harm."

PS- Futuristic weapons and the like will probably make an appearance, but will most likely be treated more like magic items than standard equipment.