# Lesson #9: .lst - Weapon Proficiencies

By Professor Chris Chandler (Barak).

File(s) Covered: *weaponprof.lst

Tags used:

`TYPE, HANDS, IFLARGERTHANWEAPON.`

The weapon proficiency files are used to set up weapon proficiency names and the associted TYPES of weapons that they go with.

There is not that much to them so we'll dive right in.

Weapon proficiency name

The weapon proficiency file is currently a lst file that has one weapon proficiency entry per line. The first thing on each line is the name of the weapon proficiency. There is no tag for it, the program assumes that whatever is there at the beginning of the line is the name of a weapon proficiency.

`TYPE`

The TYPE tag is used to set the type/group of the weapon proficiency. This defines for PCGen what type of weapon proficiency it takes for characters to be able to use the weapon. It may take multiple types delimited by periods, (although this is seldom done). The types used are usually Simple, Martial, Exotic or Natural (and are defined in the game mode files).

An example would be TYPE:Martial or TYPE.Exotic. If you wanted to get more specific you coudl do TYPE:Martial.Sword.

It is important to note that this is the TYPE line that is searched when you use a BONUS:WEAPONPROF=TYPE.yyyy tag. It grants a bonus to a weapon whose associated *weaponprof* has the listed TYPE.

`HANDS`

The HANDS tag sets the minnimum number of hands required to use a weapon. This tag is optional. If it is not present, the default value assumed by PCGen is 1. While 1 and 2 are the standard entries, it would be possible to craft a weapon/weapon proficiency for a creature that had three hands and required all three to wield it properly.

`HANDS:1` and `HANDS:2` are examples of the use of this tag.

In addition, there is a flag that you may use in this tag that changes it's behavior slightly. That flag is the IFLARGERTHANWEAPON flag, described below

`IFLARGERTHANWEAPON`

This is a flag to be used in conjunction with the hands tag. It basically acts as a yes/no switch. If you append this to the HANDS entry, PCGen will compare the size of the PC to the size of the weapon, and grant the proficiency if the pc size is larger than the weapon size, otherwise it will not apply.

This is used for certain weapons that are considered to be exotic proficiencies if used with one hand, but martial if used with both hands. Following is an example of this type of use (putting all of the above information together for you as well):

> `Bastard Sword (Exotic) TYPE:Exotic HANDS:1IFLARGERTHANWEAPON
> Bastard Sword (Martial) TYPE:Martial HANDS:2`

That covers the weaponprof.lst files!

Barak
LST Chimp