Lately, I hear a lot of referees bemoaning the abominable weapon specialization introduced in Unearthed Arcana. Players, however, might complain, when this fighter boost rule is not allowed. I confess, having played a lot of 2e, I am quite used to weapon specialization being an integral part of the game.

How about this? During character creation, a player of a fighter or ranger character may opt to spend 2 weapon proficiency points to receive a weapon specialization as usual, but they roll a d% to find out which weapon their character will be specialized in.

01 Aklys

02-03 Axe, Battle

04-05 Axe, Hand

06-07 Bardiche

08-09 Bec de Corbin

10-11 Bill-Guisarme

12 Blowgun

13-14 Bo Stick

15 Bow, Composite, Long

16 Bow, Composite, Short

17 Bow, Long

18 Bow, Short

19 Club

20 Crossbow, Hand

21 Crossbow, Heavy

22 Crossbow, Light

23-24 Dagger

25-26 Dart

27-28 Fauchard

29-30 Fauchard-Fork

31 Flail, Footman’s

32 Flail, Horseman’s

33-34 Fork, Military

35-36 Glaive

37-38 Glaive-Guisarme

39-40 Guisarme

41-42 Guisarme-Voulge

43-44 Halberd

45 Harpoon

46-47 Hammer, Lucern

48-49 Hammer

50-51 Hook Fauchard

52-53 Javelin

54-55 Jo Stick

56 Lance, (light horse)

57 Lance, (medium horse)

58 Lance, (heavy horse)

59 Mace, Footman’s

60 Mace, Horseman’s

61-62 Morning Star

63-64 Partisan

65 Pick, Military, Footman’s

66 Pick, Military, Horseman’s

67-68 Pike, Awl

69-70 Ranseur

71 Sap

72-73 Scimitar

74-75 Sling

76 Sling, Staff

77-78 Spear

79-80 Spetum

81-82 Staff, Quarter

83-84 Sword, Bastard

85-86 Sword, Broad

87-88 Sword, Falchion

89-90 Sword, Khopesh

91-92 Sword, Long

93-94 Sword, Short

95-96 Sword, Two-Handed

97 Trident

98-99 Voulge

00 Whip

So you are specialized in the blowgun? I guess your parents could not afford a weapon master specialized in a more knightly weapon to train you in your youth.

Oh, you are a specialist of the guisarme-voulge, huh? Good luck finding a magical version of that one.