MReav
2018-05-01, 10:26 AM
I've watched youtube channels like Shadversity, scholagladiatoria, Metatron, and Skallagrim, and start to think about things like half-swording and mordhau, and how they might apply to DnD.
For those that don't know, half-swording is the technique in holding a sword in part by the blade, giving you a greater degree of control, allowing you to get in between the gaps in the armour more easily. Mordhau is taking the blade as the handle and using the pommel and crossguard as a bludgeon, allowing you to more easily hurt a heavily armoured opponent.
Now, one advantage of this is that it could be a partial answer to the "golf bag of weapons". Sure, it might not be a perfect solution, as different creatures are vulnerable to different materials, so unless you're making the crossguard out of silver while the main blade is cold iron, you're still somewhat stuck with it. But now a sword can fulfill the role of a slashing weapon, a piercing weapon and a bludgeoning weapon, and even be used in a grapple (okay, maybe not Roy's sword).
Now, as for spoilery stuff, Roy's main tactic is to slash things. In his dream sequence, (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0886.html) Roy is using the sword the way we normally associate with swords, and Roy's a pretty tough dude (Class and Level Geekery puts his current strength at 29 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?545476-Class-and-Level-Geekery-XV-What-s-the-Damage-of-a-Thrown-Pineapple)), so he's dealing 13 (1.5 str two handed weapon) + 5 (sword) +2 (Weapon specialization) +2d6 (sword base damage) for a total of 2d6 +20 before we start theorizing. Add +10 (assuming -5 Power Attack) and +2d6+2 (assuming Roy's sword functions as a Bane of Undead weapon) and we get to 4d6+32 (averaging 46 damage a hit) before adding Weapon of Legacy stuff (but I don't know what abilities he has with it aside from self-heal). Pretty nasty, but Xykon has 15 points of Damage reduction, so he's "only" taking 31 damage a hit.
However, what if he were to use mordhau on Xykon? Assuming Roy is proficient with the technique and all his focus and specialty still applies (he's a 14+ level fighter and there are many manuals on the subject, it's not like it's some sort of exotic form of combat), and assuming that it deals a large improvised weapon levels of damage (not really expecting it to, but it makes my formatting easier), it goes to 3d6+32 (average 42 damage a hit, but Xykon's DR no longer applies). That's a good extra 11 average damage.
Of course, this is entirely predicated on the notion that the sword's enchantment has permeated to the hilt and that Roy can use these techniques, since the blade is the part that contains the lion's share of the Starmetal. Still, I think it would be cool if Roy Greenhilt ultimately deals the final blow to Xykon with the hilt of his sword.
For those that don't know, half-swording is the technique in holding a sword in part by the blade, giving you a greater degree of control, allowing you to get in between the gaps in the armour more easily. Mordhau is taking the blade as the handle and using the pommel and crossguard as a bludgeon, allowing you to more easily hurt a heavily armoured opponent.
Now, one advantage of this is that it could be a partial answer to the "golf bag of weapons". Sure, it might not be a perfect solution, as different creatures are vulnerable to different materials, so unless you're making the crossguard out of silver while the main blade is cold iron, you're still somewhat stuck with it. But now a sword can fulfill the role of a slashing weapon, a piercing weapon and a bludgeoning weapon, and even be used in a grapple (okay, maybe not Roy's sword).
Now, as for spoilery stuff, Roy's main tactic is to slash things. In his dream sequence, (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0886.html) Roy is using the sword the way we normally associate with swords, and Roy's a pretty tough dude (Class and Level Geekery puts his current strength at 29 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?545476-Class-and-Level-Geekery-XV-What-s-the-Damage-of-a-Thrown-Pineapple)), so he's dealing 13 (1.5 str two handed weapon) + 5 (sword) +2 (Weapon specialization) +2d6 (sword base damage) for a total of 2d6 +20 before we start theorizing. Add +10 (assuming -5 Power Attack) and +2d6+2 (assuming Roy's sword functions as a Bane of Undead weapon) and we get to 4d6+32 (averaging 46 damage a hit) before adding Weapon of Legacy stuff (but I don't know what abilities he has with it aside from self-heal). Pretty nasty, but Xykon has 15 points of Damage reduction, so he's "only" taking 31 damage a hit.
However, what if he were to use mordhau on Xykon? Assuming Roy is proficient with the technique and all his focus and specialty still applies (he's a 14+ level fighter and there are many manuals on the subject, it's not like it's some sort of exotic form of combat), and assuming that it deals a large improvised weapon levels of damage (not really expecting it to, but it makes my formatting easier), it goes to 3d6+32 (average 42 damage a hit, but Xykon's DR no longer applies). That's a good extra 11 average damage.
Of course, this is entirely predicated on the notion that the sword's enchantment has permeated to the hilt and that Roy can use these techniques, since the blade is the part that contains the lion's share of the Starmetal. Still, I think it would be cool if Roy Greenhilt ultimately deals the final blow to Xykon with the hilt of his sword.