Dryad Weapon Restrictions

[KyleSchmelz]

Which specific weapon skills are Dryads restricted from buying? The rulebook just says Dryads "can only use blunt weapons, staff, thrown weapons, and/or a bow*". I understand the spirit of the rule is that a Dryad can never use a metal or bladed weapon, but I'm wondering how it interacts with Racial Transformation. As I understand it, a Racial Transformation fails when the target has restricted skills, but how does that work with things like One Handed Master or Weapon Master? Can someone with One Handed Edged who wishes to race change to Dryad buy Weapon Master to avoid needing a Spirit Forge before the race change?

I don't know if this impacts anything really, but Weapon Master is never a good investment for a Dryad - at best it breaks even for a fighter, and that's including small weapon, and every other class pays more IIRC. The only real reason I could see for a Dryad having Weapon Master is if they used to be another race or if they intend to change to another race.

*Bonus question - does that mean a Dryad can't use a crossbow? That would make sense, but I hadn't really thought about it before.

 

[beboped]

The restrictions for Dryad are certainly written differently than the other racial restrictions. All the other races have a list of the skills they cannot buy, Dryads have a list of the skills they can buy. Still, based on the ARB, I'd make the call that Dryads can only purchase the weapon skills One-Handed Blunt, Two-Handed Blunt, Staff, Thrown Weapons, and Bow. This means that a racial transform to Dryad would fail if the target had any other weapon skills. If I was a HoR and had to make the call, I'd probably allow them to purchase Small Weapons as well, since Small Weapons allows the use of Bludgeons, but that's a debatable point (maybe worth an ARC question).

Bonus Question: Crossbows are included in the Bow skill and are generally included in the designation "bows" unless it's otherwise specified throughout the ARB. So Dryads can definitely use Crossbows.

 

[Toddo]

I'd say that One Handed Edged, Polearm, Two Handed Sword and Weapon Master would make you ineligible to race change to Dryad just like having Read Magic would make you ineligible to choose Biata.

The rulebook should probably be updated to show a list of disallowed skills just for clarity's sake.

 

[jpariury]

TStill, based on the ARB, I'd make the call that Dryads can only purchase the weapon skills One-Handed Blunt, Two-Handed Blunt, Staff, Thrown Weapons, and Bow.

Archery.

 

[KyleSchmelz]

The distinction between the skill "Archery" and the weapon types short bow, long bow, light crossbow, and heavy crossbow are why I asked the bonus question. If the consensus is still that Dryads can use crossbows, I think my questions are answered pretty well. Thanks!

 

[Draven]

I don't see any reason a Dryad would be breaking any rules using a crossbow, but I'd probably make sure the phys rep doesn't look like it has a lot of metal in it.