PDA

View Full Version : The Scabbard [Equipment]



JackMage666
2007-12-23, 06:06 PM
Scabbard
While most bladed weapons come with a sheath of some sort to hold them in place on the character, some particularly crafty players may opt to take a heavier Scabbard for their weapon. While it weighs more, in a pinch the scabbard can be used as a weapon in it's own right, or possibly a makeshift defense.

Scabbards as Weapons - Scabbards of generally heavy steel or iron, and crafted to match the hilt of the blade. The heavy metal is dulled, not sharp, but can be used as a bludgeoning weapon, much like a club. It is treated as a simple weapon, and damage is based on the size of the blade it is used to hold. As well, the scabbard is treated as the same size as the blade.
{table]Size | Damage
Light | 1d4
One-handed | 1d6
Two-handed | 1d8[/table]
*the table is for Medium weapons.

The scabbard may be held in the off-hand of the wielder, and used in conjunction with the blade, but two-weapon fighting rules apply. It takes a move action to pull a weapon from a Scabbard, and a standard action to replace it.

For the purposes of feats such as Weapon Focus and Improved Critical, a Scabbard and a Club are the same thing - For example, a fighter with Weapon Focus (Club) gains a +1 attack with Scabbards as well.

Using a Scabbard to Change a Blade to Blunt - At the players option, they may keep the Scabbard on the blade during combat, increasing the damage they deal due to increased weight. The damage die of the weapon increases by one. Also, instead of using the weapon's enhancement bonus and magical abilities, you use that of the Scabbard.

However, the damage is changed to Bludgeoning damage, and the critical rating is changed to x2, despite the blades critical rating. Also, the increased weight and lack of practice makes it harder to swing, and you take a -2 on the attack roll.

There are some advantages to this, though, such as overcoming damage reduction or using a sheathed blade to smash an object. Also, if the wielder has feats such as Weapon Focus with either weapon, it applies to the sheathed weapon as well. The only time this is not true is with Improved Critical, in which case the wielder must have Improved Critical (club) (see above) to increase the critical range.

Scabbards as Shields - As a move action, a player in need of defense may use the scabbard to deflect blows instead, treating it as a Light Shield he holds in his off hand. If it is a two-handed scabbard, it still takes up both hands ad is instead treated as a Heavy Shield. While it doesn't incur any check penalty, the wielder takes a -2 on all attack rolls with his main hand (or, in the case of a two-handed scabbard, cannot make attacks).

Creating Scabbards - A scabbard can be made of exotic materials, or enhanced as a weapon or a shield. However, the enhancements are kept separate, and only one may be used at any given time.

The base cost of a light or one handed scabbard is 30 gp, and the base cost of a two-handed scabbard is 50 gp. A scabbard can be made for most bladed weapons, though most are for swords. Scabbards for axes and pole-arms can be found, though they generally require more work and may cost more, depending on the design. The function is still the same. A weapon with a scabbard weighs double their normal weight, due to the extra metal.

Improved Scabbard Defense
You are well adapted to fighting with a scabbard in your off-hand to fend off blows.
Pre-requisites: BAB +1
Benefit: You take no penalty to attack when using a scabbard as a shield. You still cannot attack with a two-handed scabbard, since you have no free hands.
Normal: Using a scabbard as a shield incurs a -2 penalty on attack rolls.

Sheathed Weapon Familiarity
After a good time training with you're weapon still sheathed, you are unaffected by the increased weight.
Pre-requisites: BAB +3, Str 15
Benefit: You take no penalty for fighting with a weapon still inside a scabbard. The weapon still does bludgeoning damage with a x2 critical (unless you have Improved Critical [club])
Normal: Using a weapon still sheathed in a scabbard incurs a -2 penalty on attack rolls.


I thought this up while playing with some of the weapons I got at the renaissance festival in the fall...
EDIT 1 - Added a bit more information, as well as the information requested about fighting with a weapon inside the scabbard.

Admiral Squish
2007-12-23, 06:43 PM
Are there rules for fighting with sword in the scabbard? It'd be pretty useful for skeletons, if you could.

JackMage666
2007-12-23, 08:19 PM
I suppose I could write some up... Give me a few minutes with it.

Alright, got it up there. Anyone have any problems with it? Questions? Comments?

JackMage666
2007-12-24, 01:44 PM
I'm gonna bump this once, just because I don't know if it's balanced or not.

Umarth
2007-12-24, 02:32 PM
I'd probably decrease rather than increase the damage die when attacking with a sheithed weapon.

Also if it's unweildy enough to make you suffer a -2 penalty to attacks I'd say that your feats don't work with it.

Xyk
2007-12-24, 02:34 PM
I like it. It adds more depth and realism to dnd. It also seems really well balanced. Most adventurers won't sacrifice 2 attack for a few damage, but it is useful for those times where a blunt weapon is really useful. Good Job!

Danzaver
2007-12-24, 03:01 PM
I like it - it would need to be a special scabbard made for the purpose of being used in that way, of course.

It reminds me of a katana I once saw, where the scabbard had a little hole on either side of the mouth bit you stick the sword into (not going to use the ancient term for the opening, because in modern days it is a swear word, and starts with 'C' :smalltongue: ) with a spring and a blade in each one. You would basically just wave the end of the scabbard sharply and they would fly out.

But yes, I like. ...and I have known people IRL to fight with a scabbard in their off-hand exactly like you describe.

Magnor Criol
2007-12-24, 05:00 PM
Seems very nice. I really like it (though a little bit of my love for the word "scabbard" may come into play there.) It meshes thematically with DnD excellently, and as has been pointed out, the option to trade attack for a little damage and a different damage type is a cool, flavorful, and potentially actually quite useful trick.

As for Umarth's suggestion vis-a-vis feats not applying - well, from a real-world standpoint, I see what you mean, but gamewise, I think it's better left as is. It's rather unfair to make someone take both a penalty to hit and lose all their feats (incurring more penalties to hit, among other things, as they lose their Weapon Focuses) for using this.

You could justify it by saying that because the scabbard had to be constructed specially in order to be sturdy enough to be used as a weapon, the makers were able to craft it with a shape similar enough to the original weapon that feats can still apply.

JackMage666
2007-12-24, 07:17 PM
Thanks for the feedback. I figured I'd allow them to keep their feats and such, because they were already taking some penalties to fighting, losing 2 points of attack for a bit of extra damage, and likely losing even a decent Crit. I figured taking the feats would make it even less appealing. Givin, fighting with a scabbard is isn't supposed to be appealing, but still wanted to give it some knacks.

Umarth
2007-12-25, 12:59 AM
As for Umarth's suggestion vis-a-vis feats not applying - well, from a real-world standpoint, I see what you mean, but gamewise, I think it's better left as is. It's rather unfair to make someone take both a penalty to hit and lose all their feats (incurring more penalties to hit, among other things, as they lose their Weapon Focuses) for using this.


I was actually looking at it from a game balance stand point more than a "real world" stand point.

With out these homebrew rules fighting with a sheathed weapon "dagger, sword, ect" would be covered under the fighting with improvised weapon rules:

"Improvised Weapons
Sometimes objects not crafted to be weapons nonetheless see use in combat. Because such objects are not designed for this use, any creature that uses one in combat is considered to be nonproficient with it and takes a -4 penalty on attack rolls made with that object. To determine the size category and appropriate damage for an improvised weapon, compare its relative size and damage potential to the weapon list to find a reasonable match. An improvised weapon scores a threat on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a critical hit. An improvised thrown weapon has a range increment of 10 feet. "

So it would, with out this homebrewed rule, be a -4 penalty, no feats would apply, and it would probably be lower damage.

The way I'd probably handle this, in a standard magic game, is creating a feat for it.

Weapon Proficiency (Sheathed Weapon): Negates -4 penalty, changes weapon damage type, and allows feats to apply normally.

Using it block would fall under two-weapon defense.


I figured taking the feats would make it even less appealing. Given, fighting with a scabbard is isn't supposed to be appealing, but still wanted to give it some knacks.

Here are the questions I'd have for you.
Can I take Weapon Prof (Sheath) to negate the -2. If so I can turn my great sword into a 3d6 weapon for a feat.

Can I do this with axe "scabbards"?

Can I magically enchant my scabbard? If so can I enchant it as a weapon, shield, or both?


I do like the idea you've got I just want to make sure all the details are nailed down and I typically like to change as few rules as possible hence the reason I'd go with just calling it an improvised weapon as we don't have to any new rules and you can almost do all the same stuff.

JackMage666
2007-12-25, 01:59 AM
Can I take Weapon Prof (Sheath) to negate the -2. If so I can turn my great sword into a 3d6 weapon for a feat.
I didn't make it a feat, as I figured it was a little better than a normal improved weapon, as it was made to go with a weapon. If you wanted to use these rules in a game, feel free to alter them however you want, including the feat after all. Also, you'd be losing the critical range of the weapon as crit multiplier, if it's any better than (20)x2. And be limitted to bludgeoning damage. The extra 1d6 of damage seems like a pretty poor trade off.


Can I do this with axe "scabbards"?
As above, if you want to make it a feat, sure. You'll end up doing better than a greatclub in raw damage, but it would lose the x3 crit of an axe.



Can I magically enchant my scabbard? If so can I enchant it as a weapon, shield, or both?
I covered that in the OP, but you can enchant it like you enchant a shield. If I remember correctly, you can enchant a shield as armor and a weapon at the same time, but only the effect that would be used is used at the time (IE, if you're using it for bashing, you use the weapon-style enchantments, or if you're using it as a shield, the armor-style enchantments.) They're kept track of separately, so it being +1 on the defense doesn't increase the price of the +1 for weapon side. Of course, it still has to be masterwork made.

Merlon
2007-12-26, 02:03 PM
I am going to love that piece of equipment. It is just great for having little ekstra trick for places where no weapons are allowed. You can leave your sword with grand gesture behind the door :D

But there are some questions about it. How are you going to get it off around your belt fast enough to use it in combat? And how do you prevent the scabbard just flying off from the sword?

I know that these issues are easily solvable just by adding a quick-release to belt and bladelock to scabbard. But then there must be someone keeping track, if the blade is locked or not. Nasty little surprise, if it happens to be locked when time calls quick bladework.

JackMage666
2007-12-26, 04:08 PM
The belt is just made with quick releases, like buttons, quick ties, things like that.

As for it coming off the blade, unless made incorrectly, it shouldn't happen too easily. Scabbards are made tight to the blade, with non-slipping materials on the inside such as leather. It actually takes a little more work to remove it, for the obvious reason that it would be bad if the blades just slip out.

And, the fighting with the scabbard on part was added later and can be completely nixed if you want to use this. I was mainly focus on the "Scabbards as Weapons/Shields" thing.