First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons™ Character Creation
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Cavalier Weapon Proficiencies
  The Cavalier is the definitive knight in shining armor, the mounted hero of the milieu.  As such, he can use any type of weapons; however, there are restrictions based on his own honor, and expectations regarding what weapons he will use.

  The cavalier will receive armor which is commensurate with his station when he begins--that is, his liege will provide him with armor, weapons, and a mount, as well as some spending money, all determined in the section on money and equipment.  The player has no choice on the type of armor, but can select the weapons he will use.


  Although the character will be given armor by his liege, there is also a desire on the part of a cavalier to get the best armor available--it is a matter of status.  Beyond this, there are some types of armor which are considered below him, and he would rather fight without armor than to be seen in such peasant garb.  These types of armor are acceptable or preferred; please refer to TSR's material to determine the order of preference:

Permitted Preferred
Banded Mail Bronze Plate
Chain Mail Field Plate
Elfin Chain Mail (if available) Full Plate
Great Helmet Plate Mail
Small Helmet
Ring Mail
Metal Scale Mail
Buckler
Large Shield
Medium Shield
Small Shield
Small Wooden Shield
Spiked Buckler
Splint Mail
  Cavaliers technically may use any weapons.  However, it would be considered cowardly to use any weapon which keeps you at a distance from your opponents, such as pole arms or missile weapons.  Only the most powerful cavaliers would choose a weapon which appears cowardly, so they will not take weapons not on this list until they have reached higher levels.  Also, there is an expectation that the cavalier will become proficient in certain weapons first--the weapons in which skill displays at tournaments are common.  Therefore, all cavaliers will learn the preferred weapons first, and the other weapons later.  Note, as has already been discussed, that this has little to do with the weapon proficiencies chosen at the beginning.  All first level cavaliers will be proficient in the lance, one of the three recommended swords, and one of the three horseman's melee weapons (and those beginning as zero-level cavaliers will be proficient in one of those).  However, it is useful in planning the character's future to consider what weapons will be selected at lower levels.  The cavalier may also learn to use weapons which are not found in occidental culture if he encounters these, but these aren't on the lists here.  These are the weapons used by Cavaliers, divided into those which are preferred, those which are permitted, and those which are only used by those who are above any suggestion that they might be cowardly:

Preferred Permitted Dishonorable
Short Composite Bow* Aklys Atlatl with Javelin
Dagger Battle Axe Bardiche
Horseman's Flail Hand or Throwing Axe Bec de Corbin
Javelin Club Bill Guisarme
Lance (Heavy, Medium, Light) Footman's Flail Blowgun/Blowpipe
Horseman's Mace Garrotte Long Bow
Horseman's Military Pick Hammer Long Composite Bow
Scimitar Knife Short Bow
Bastard Sword Footman's Mace Caltrop
Broad Sword Morningstar Hand Crossbow
Long Sword Footman's Military Pick Heavy Crossbow
Short Sword Sap Light Crossbow
Quarter Staff Dart
Khopesh Sword Fauchard
*The Short Composite Bow is a Falchion Sword Fauchard Fork
prefered weapon for elfin and Two-handed Sword Military Fork
half-elfin cavaliers; humans would Glaive
list it as dishonorable. Glaive-guisarme
Guisarme
Guisarme-voulge
Halberd
Lucerne Hammer
Harpoon
Hook Fauchard
Lasso
Man Catcher
Partisan
Awl Pike
Ranseur
Sling
Spear
Spetum
Staff Sling
Trident
Voulge
Whip
Return to Step 10 at the proficiencies count for the Cavalier or Paladin.

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