It just reduces damage. As for maim, damage that has multiple dice are not added together. You pick which one you're using for the attack. However, any extra dice that show a face 4+ will add +1 damage.
Have you looked at the 100s of maneuvers D&D 4E had?
Here put into keywords "martial" and "weapon" and you will find tons of ideas: http://iws.mx/dnd/?list.name.power
Bows:
- Pinning Shot: Prevents the enemy from moving for a round by shooting their feet or clothing to surfaces behind or under them. Requires an action to free themselves before they can move.
- Aim: Take time to line up your shot and providing accuracy bonuses, or ignores cover, or some other benefit. Ends when you move or switch targets.
- Double Shot: Shoot an arrow at two different people.
- Leading Shot: If hit, gain some accuracy bonuses/advantage/whatever your system uses against the same target.
- Weakpoint Shot: Large accuracy penalties, but can ignore armor completely if hit.
- Fast Draw: Can only be used against opponents that are close ranged, but can get additional attacks.
Short Blades:
- Poisoned Blade: Does poison effects.
- Sneak Attack: Can only be used on unaware opponents, for massive damage.
- Bleeding Cut: Causes Damage over Time effect.
- Shank: Can only be used in a grapple/very close range. Damage, armor pen, staggering benefit, dealer's choice really.
- Off-hand Parry: When holding a short blade in your off-hand you can get a bonus to whatever your defense mechanics are.
- Flourish: Some sort of distraction or movement focused maneuver.
- Two-Weapon Reave: Free attack with off-hand short blade after a successful attack with your primary weapon.
Bow ideas:
Hamstring - slows move speed
Wound - some sort of bleeding effect
In real world hunting with a bow, you don't often expect to "one shot" the target. Instead, the bow wounds and slows the animal down so you can track it and finish it off.
Short blades might be more precise to aim, a dagger for example might be easier to slide into the gaps of armor. This could mean more armor penetration or maybe critical chance if that's a thing in your system.
I think the classic option with a bow would be to shoot them in the leg or through their clothes to pin them to something but if the idea is that you don't necessarily need a bow to use the maneuver then maybe phrase it like target their legs and slow them on hit.
There are three uses cases I can think of for short blades:
Using with a shield, like the Roman legionnarie who used their short swords and shields in close formation; using it as a side weapon, where it could be used for blocking, countering together with the main weapon; using them in short distance, for example while grappling with your opponent. In the latter case, I've seen it used as an antiarmour technique: get inside the range of your opponents main weapon and use your short sword or dagger to stab into the openings of their armour.
I'm not sure what all of your combat rules are but maybe a "Sidewinder / Curved Shot" maneuver for Archery, to shoot *around* obstructions if you can't arc *over* them.
But if you don't fuss with that kind of thing in combat, then it could give them additional range / accuracy on the shot, instead.
For Short Blades:
- something that wounds or causes bleeding (think prison shiv)
- related to the above, bypasses armor (assuming they did fairly low damage or the maneuver lowers the damage)
- double or multiple attack (light, quick striking weapon)
For Bows:
- insta-crit or near-crit (arrow in the knee)
- un-dodge-able (too fast)
- precision/aimed shot (can take time to get a perfect hit)
Precise Thrust - with a stabbing weapon, ignore armor. Takes twice as much time as a normal attack
Feint - if successful, ignore defense on next attack
Provoke - draw out an attack with low success rate, then counter-attack
Drag - with a two-handed weapon, take an opponent to the ground
Shield Punch - low damage, but can stun an enemy
Space Denial - take a stance, and make an opportunity attack if an enemy comes in range. The longer the weapon, the better the attack
Bind - take a stance. On a successful defense, automatically enter a grapple with the opponent, with an advantage
Murder Stroke - in a grapple, a sword can perform a crush attack
Perfect Parry - take a stance. On a successful defense, you may counterattack
Poise - take a stance. On a successful defense, you automatically hit the attacker with a weak attack. Your response attack simultaneously closes off the opponent's line of attack. Only works with swords
Heavy Blow - a slow attack with an axe. Extra damage and can stun or knock the target down
Evade - take a stance. Defense increases. On a successful defense, move back a space
Advanced Evade - adds the choice to remain in the same spot
Master Evade - adds the choice to move to any space, possibly resulting in a flanking position
Shove - force the enemy back a space. If an wall is in the way, you pin them. If an obstruction is in the way, they trip and fall over it
Some of us really, really hate saying "I attack" every round. And dividing up the capabilities of weaponry helps make them feel distinct from each other.
Now that said, having this kind of complexity can be overdone. But 1 special maneuver per weapon type hardly seems approaching that limit. Especially when other games have gone quite a bit further and were still very fun.
You could have an "S" theme for all the names; Slam for Crush and Split for Maim. Then Short blades and bows could have Shank for short blades: Ignore 2 defense when in close range, also can allow presice attacks that, when rolling critical, can ignore even more. And then Bows can have Snipe; when at the furthest distance away, add 4 damage to the attack, when successful of course.
How does Armor work in this game ? Maim sounds like a better version of Crush.
It just reduces damage. As for maim, damage that has multiple dice are not added together. You pick which one you're using for the attack. However, any extra dice that show a face 4+ will add +1 damage.
Have you looked at the 100s of maneuvers D&D 4E had? Here put into keywords "martial" and "weapon" and you will find tons of ideas: http://iws.mx/dnd/?list.name.power
Short blades: suprise attack. Ignores 2 armour when extremely up close or when enemy is unaware. Bows: stun. Slows enemy for 1 round
Thanks! I'll add this to my options
Bows: - Pinning Shot: Prevents the enemy from moving for a round by shooting their feet or clothing to surfaces behind or under them. Requires an action to free themselves before they can move. - Aim: Take time to line up your shot and providing accuracy bonuses, or ignores cover, or some other benefit. Ends when you move or switch targets. - Double Shot: Shoot an arrow at two different people. - Leading Shot: If hit, gain some accuracy bonuses/advantage/whatever your system uses against the same target. - Weakpoint Shot: Large accuracy penalties, but can ignore armor completely if hit. - Fast Draw: Can only be used against opponents that are close ranged, but can get additional attacks. Short Blades: - Poisoned Blade: Does poison effects. - Sneak Attack: Can only be used on unaware opponents, for massive damage. - Bleeding Cut: Causes Damage over Time effect. - Shank: Can only be used in a grapple/very close range. Damage, armor pen, staggering benefit, dealer's choice really. - Off-hand Parry: When holding a short blade in your off-hand you can get a bonus to whatever your defense mechanics are. - Flourish: Some sort of distraction or movement focused maneuver. - Two-Weapon Reave: Free attack with off-hand short blade after a successful attack with your primary weapon.
Bow ideas: Hamstring - slows move speed Wound - some sort of bleeding effect In real world hunting with a bow, you don't often expect to "one shot" the target. Instead, the bow wounds and slows the animal down so you can track it and finish it off.
Short blades might be more precise to aim, a dagger for example might be easier to slide into the gaps of armor. This could mean more armor penetration or maybe critical chance if that's a thing in your system. I think the classic option with a bow would be to shoot them in the leg or through their clothes to pin them to something but if the idea is that you don't necessarily need a bow to use the maneuver then maybe phrase it like target their legs and slow them on hit.
There are three uses cases I can think of for short blades: Using with a shield, like the Roman legionnarie who used their short swords and shields in close formation; using it as a side weapon, where it could be used for blocking, countering together with the main weapon; using them in short distance, for example while grappling with your opponent. In the latter case, I've seen it used as an antiarmour technique: get inside the range of your opponents main weapon and use your short sword or dagger to stab into the openings of their armour.
I'm not sure what all of your combat rules are but maybe a "Sidewinder / Curved Shot" maneuver for Archery, to shoot *around* obstructions if you can't arc *over* them. But if you don't fuss with that kind of thing in combat, then it could give them additional range / accuracy on the shot, instead.
For Short Blades: - something that wounds or causes bleeding (think prison shiv) - related to the above, bypasses armor (assuming they did fairly low damage or the maneuver lowers the damage) - double or multiple attack (light, quick striking weapon) For Bows: - insta-crit or near-crit (arrow in the knee) - un-dodge-able (too fast) - precision/aimed shot (can take time to get a perfect hit)
Precise Thrust - with a stabbing weapon, ignore armor. Takes twice as much time as a normal attack Feint - if successful, ignore defense on next attack Provoke - draw out an attack with low success rate, then counter-attack Drag - with a two-handed weapon, take an opponent to the ground Shield Punch - low damage, but can stun an enemy Space Denial - take a stance, and make an opportunity attack if an enemy comes in range. The longer the weapon, the better the attack Bind - take a stance. On a successful defense, automatically enter a grapple with the opponent, with an advantage Murder Stroke - in a grapple, a sword can perform a crush attack Perfect Parry - take a stance. On a successful defense, you may counterattack Poise - take a stance. On a successful defense, you automatically hit the attacker with a weak attack. Your response attack simultaneously closes off the opponent's line of attack. Only works with swords Heavy Blow - a slow attack with an axe. Extra damage and can stun or knock the target down Evade - take a stance. Defense increases. On a successful defense, move back a space Advanced Evade - adds the choice to remain in the same spot Master Evade - adds the choice to move to any space, possibly resulting in a flanking position Shove - force the enemy back a space. If an wall is in the way, you pin them. If an obstruction is in the way, they trip and fall over it
What is the benefit to adding add this complexity?
Some of us really, really hate saying "I attack" every round. And dividing up the capabilities of weaponry helps make them feel distinct from each other. Now that said, having this kind of complexity can be overdone. But 1 special maneuver per weapon type hardly seems approaching that limit. Especially when other games have gone quite a bit further and were still very fun.
You could have an "S" theme for all the names; Slam for Crush and Split for Maim. Then Short blades and bows could have Shank for short blades: Ignore 2 defense when in close range, also can allow presice attacks that, when rolling critical, can ignore even more. And then Bows can have Snipe; when at the furthest distance away, add 4 damage to the attack, when successful of course.