EDGED "WEAPON TYPES" NATURAL SLASHING POUNDING BLUNT "RANGED WEAPON"

Weapons are split into four categories:

EDGED - The most common type including swords, axes, daggers, polearms, lances, etc.
        Anything that slashes or pierces is an "edged" weapon (except "natural" below)
        Classes that can rank:
            Fighter: Fighter, Barbarian, Dreadlord, Paladin, Ranger, Valkyrie
            Rogue: Rogue, Assassin, Bard, Demoniac
            Priest: Druid
            Mage: Mage, Necromancer, Wizard
            Monastic: Monastic, Monk, Samurai

BLUNT - The next most common type including clubs, maces, mauls, and anything that 
        pounds or crushes.  Torches used as weapons are considered blunt weapons.
        Classes that can rank:
            Fighter: Fighter, Barbarian, Dreadlord, Paladin, Ranger, Valkyrie
            Rogue: Rogue, Assassin, Bard, Demoniac
            Priest: Priest, Druid, Prophet, Templar
            Mage: Mage, Necromancer, Wizard
            Monastic: Monastic, Monk, Samurai

RANGED - Things you throw (darts, throwing spears, boulders, etc.) or things you
         shoot with (bows, crossbows).
         Classes that can rank:
            Fighter: Fighter, Barbarian, Dreadlord, Paladin, Ranger, Valkyrie
            Rogue: Rogue, Assassin, Bard, Demoniac
            Priest: Druid
            Mage:
            Monastic: Monastic, Monk, Samurai

NATURAL - Weapons based on natural attacks like tentacles, hooves, stingers, claws,
          horns, and chompers.  Whips and barehanded attacks (for monastics) fall 
          into this category as well as animal form attacks like razor claws (wyvern),
          poison bite (spider), and gore (minotaurs).
          Classes that can rank:
            Fighter: Barbarian, Ranger
            Rogue: Rogue, Assassin, Bard, Demoniac
            Priest: Druid, Prophet, Templar
            Mage: Mage, Necromancer, Wizard
            Monastic: Monastic, Monk, Samurai

Different classes have different weapons categories that they can learn. To keep
the skills/spells list compact we list the highest level that the class can learn
under the first time that the class can learn the skill. The highest rank that you
can practice the skill is based upon your level. level needed = rank * 5. For
example, to train to rank 6, you will need to be level 30.

Your rank in what you are wielding will add to your hit roll by (<rank> - 3)*1.5
and your damroll by (<rank>-2)*1.5

See also: WEAPONS, WIELD, RESISTANCES, HOLD, "DUAL WIELD", "TWO HANDED WEAPONS"
          "SKILL RANKS"