Stormbringer Redux #1 - Regional Weapons & Troops

After re-reading the game, I realized that it doesn't really have many mechanics modeling the larger struggle of Law and Chaos, the Champion Eternal, and the Multiverse / Thousand Spheres. I've put out a request on the I'm Begging You To Play Another RPG Facebook page for suggestions tackling these larger issues, and will get to them when I have ideas.

For my first foray into re-designing Stormbringer, I thought I'd start with something small.  One thing I always loved about the old game was the combat rules for Beggars.

This is a wonderful rule both for its inherent flavour, as well as its creation of a reason for the same 'class' to adventure together, in direct opposition to D&D's varied party model. It is a shame they didn't have more of this type of rich mechanic for the game, so I've decided to adapt it for my re-creation to give a bonus for regional weapons and units consisting of them. This is not only flavourful for the Young Kingdoms, it also echoes real-world regional troops like the Gherkas of Nepal and Swiss pikemen, to name a few.

REGIONAL WEAPON ABILITIES

If you wield the weapon of the region from which you come, you get 10% to skill and +1 to damage. Obvious examples are a Melnibonean wielding a bone bow, a Filkharian using a pike from his homeland, a Weeping Waster with a desert bow,  and a Lormyrian with a local ax. To this I would add Nadsokhorians with daggers, Oinish or Yurits with spears of local make, and Orgish with hatchets from their homeland.

REGIONAL WEAPON TROOPS

In addition to these individual bonuses, for every member past one of the same nation fighting together and using their home weapon, they get +1% to their weapon skill. This is doubled if they are all Warriors, to reflect their training and cohesion as a unit.

For example, if three PCs travelling together are from Lormyr and all wield axes, they each get +2% to their skill. If they are all Warriors, this is doubled to +4%.

It might seem a small bonus in modern game terms, but fits well with the Old School aesthetic of small advances, is in keeping with the pre-existing Beggar rules, and just feels right.