Ye ol’ weapons shoppe

[TheThan]

Ye ol’ weapons shop.

Well I was going to post some of this stuff in an older thread but that would be thread necromancery so I decided to clutter the board up with another items thread. Only this one is all about weapons.

Please keep in mind that a lot of these items are based off of some anime and are no way supposed to be representations of real weapons.

Anime stuff.


New weapons armor and items

Reverse blade sword

Weapon type: one handed sword (katana)
Weapon proficiency: exotic weapon (katana or bastard sword)
Damage: 1d10 bludgeoning/ slashing
Range: --
Critical: 19-20
Critical damage: x2
Requirements: none
Cost: 335 gold
Special
Turn the blade
The blade of this sword can be “flipped” this switches the weapon from a bludgeoning weapon to a slashing one. However this sword is not designed to slash so a –2 penalty to attacks is applied while it is switched. Also the reverse blade sword is not designed for use in an Inajisu duel. Therefore using this weapon imparts a –2 penalty to the Inajisu skill check. Flipping the blade of this sword counts as a free action. It can also be used to deal non-lethal damage. This ability is non-magical in nature and anyone with the exotic weapon proficiency (katana or bastard sword) can activate the ability.
Masterwork: since reverse blade swords are treated as katanas they are also masterwork weapons.
The reverse blade sword is an oddity. It is a sword that has the edge on the backside of the curving blade. This creates a weapon that’s functionally just like a normal katana only it does bludgeoning damage instead of the normal slashing damage. Many swordsmen laugh at someone wielding it but they do not see the advantages of using such a weapon. It provides a samurai with another option when considering weapons that deal something other than slashing damage.

Zanbatou

Weapon type: two handed sword
Proficiency: exotic weapon proficiency (Zanbatou)
Damage: 3d8-slashing/ bludgeoning
Range: 10ft (reach only)
Critical range: 20
Critical damage: x2
Requirements: 20 or more strength
Weight: a lot
Cost: 700 gold
Special
Encumbering weapon
Due to the shear weight of the Zanbatou the wielder is forced to take a –2 penalty to his defense. Also this weapon is so large that it must be held when carried. It also imparts a –2 penalty to balance, hide, tumble, jump and swim checks. Also it cannot be used in confined spaces.
Powerful blow
The zanbatou is such a huge and heavy weapon that when the user attempts to bull rush (see bull rush page 154 PHB) an opponent; he gains a +4 strength bonus to the attack roll. Also the user gains a +4 bonus when attempting to sunder an enemy’s weapon (this stacks with the bonus for using a 2 -handed weapon).
Sweeping strikes
The zanbatou is so big that it allows the user to strike more than one enemy at a time. Any enemies adjacent to the defending enemy provoke an attack of opportunity against the attacker. (See attacks of opportunity page 137 PHB).
Reach
The zanbatou is treated as a reach weapon. You can attack someone up to 10 feet away. You may also strike adjacent enemies with it.

The legendary zanbatou is an oversized sword measuring about 10 feet long. While about a 3rd of this length is taken up by the handle; the sword is extremely heavy and unwieldy. This weapon was designed to level the “playing field” and is excellent when used as an anti Calvary weapon.

Kodachi

Weapon type: light weapon
Proficiency: exotic weapon proficiency (kodachi)
Damage: 1d6-1
Range: --
Critical range: 20
Critical damage: x2
Requirements: none
Weight:
Cost: 310 gold
[b]Special [b]
Defensive
The kodachi stresses defense above attack therefore it imparts a +2 to defense it also grants a –2 to attack rolls with this weapon.

The kodachi is a sword that lies somewhere between a short sword and a katana. It is primarily used to block attacks and doesn’t lend well to attacking. Warriors who wield the kodachi often times use it in their off hand with a larger weapon in their main hand. While some use it while using unarmed attacks.

Ok and now some real world weapons.

Torpedoes

Weapon type: thrown weapons
Proficiency: simple weapons
Damage: 1d6 piecing
Range: 30 ft
Critical range: 20
Critical damage: x2
Requirements: none
Weight: 2 lbs
Cost: 1 gold
Special: none

The torpedo is a large and heavy throwing weapon. They are simple to make and simple to throw. A torpedo is a round bar of metal that has been tapered to a point on both ends, weighted and balanced for throwing. They are usually used for entertainment but they can be used to hunt small game (up to coyote sized animals) and also as a weapon to use against others. Each torpedo is 15 inches long and one inch thick. They weight about 2 pounds.

Sarong

Weapon type:two handed weapon
Proficiency: exotic weapon proficiency (sarong)
Damage: 1d4 non-lethal
Range: --
Critical range: --
Critical damage: --
Requirements: none
Weight: 2 lbs
Cost: 5 silver
Special:
Grappling
The sarong is a weapon is used primarily as a grappling weapon. This item imparts a +2 bonus to all grapple checks made to bind, pin or otherwise grapple an opponent.
Disarm and trip:
The sarong is also used to disarm armed enemies; it imparts a +2 bonus to disarm attempts made while wielding it, also you may use it to deal damage to your opponent while in a grapple. It can also be used to trip opponents, it imparts a +2 bonus to trip attempts made while wielding one.
Attire:
Because the Sarong is often worn as an article of clothing the wearer can pass it off as simply a piece of clothing. Someone attempting to search for weapons automatically gains a –4 penalty to the check for noticing the sarong as a weapon. This bonus does not apply to other weapons or items worn on the person being searched.

The Sarong is one of the most universally popular items of dress on the planet. Widely worn in both hemispheres, it’s best known in the east, where it is common everyday attire.

A sarong is made out of cotton or some other light; strong cloth. It is strongly sewn into a long wide tube. This tube can then be wrapped or folded around the body in a wide variety of fashions to suit the needs of both sexes. Sarongs aren’t just ordinary items of clothing though; they’re also formidable self-defense tools as well.

Fighting cane

Weapon type: light weapon
Proficiency: simple weapon proficiency
Damage: 1d6 bludgeoning
Range: --
Critical range: 19-20
Critical damage: x2
Requirements: none
Weight: 3lbs
Cost: 5 silver
Special:
trip and disarm
A fighting cane can be used to trip and disarm an opponent. Using a fighting cane in this manner grants the wielder +2 bonuses to trip attempts and disarm attempts.
double wielding
A fighting cane can be used in one hand or both hands, depending on the situation.

The fighting cane is possibly the most widely used weapon in the world. Originally designed to be a mere walking cane, it wasn’t long till martial arts masters began to use it as a weapon. Over the centuries it has become a strong yet relatively obscure weapon. Most being done not realized the potential of the fighting cane until it is too late. It is usually employed in dangerous regions where a common traveler might need some protection from bandits and other unsavory beings.

Edit: edited for various mistakes and things I forgot to include.

[Cybren]

Given the nature of the way 'slashing' is defined, i don't think the blunt edge of the revers-blade sword would deal bludgening damage- after all, I doubt most greatswords are sharp. Although it's anyones call i guess

[Darkie]

Wouldn't this mean, by the same argument, you could just flip a katana over and get exactly the same effects, but reversed?

Someone's been watching too much anime...

[Cybren]

Hey hey, atleast it's good anime. Samurai X/Kenshin is certainly one of the better ones.

[DarrylHamlin]

The only one I have a real problem with in that is the "zanbatou". I realize it's based off of the one in Samurai X (Can't remember the name of the guy who used it...), But the Zanbatou was actually a Korean polearm. Fairly similar to a halberd, or perhaps a guisarme. It's the weapon of choice for Seong Mi-Na in the Soul Calibur series.

[Cybren]

The only one I have a real problem with in that is the "zanbatou". I realize it's based off of the one in Samurai X (Can't remember the name of the guy who used it...), But the Zanbatou was actually a Korean polearm. Fairly similar to a halberd, or perhaps a guisarme. It's the weapon of choice for Seong Mi-Na in the Soul Calibur series.

I've also seen mention of a similair chinese weapon. Wikipedia says it was called the zhanmadao and "might" look like a nagamaki

[The_Pyre]

I'd expect the reverse-edged sword (was it called sakkabatou?) to deal non-lethal damage in its bludgeoning mode. That was how it was intended, after all.

The zanbatou (yes, zhanmadao in Chinese) is an anti-cavalry weapon meant to cleave horse and rider in one stroke, and literally means "horse-slashing sword". You could probably treat it as a fullblade with reach and a penalty to AC. The right feat can let you have a shield bonus when you aren't using it in an attack. The user was Sanosuke Sagara.

Yep, RK fan here. I'd suggest Shishio's serrated sword and Enishi's Wato sword, too, if you're up to it. :D

EDIT: added some trivia

[Zincorium]

See, the thing I never got about Kenshin and his reverse blade sword was this: Why have the other edge sharpened at all?
Why not simply use a normal katana that has yet to be sharpened, maybe dull it even a little more? Why oh why did he have to have a specially made weapon?

Oh, and it'd still end up killing people a lot more often than it did in the anime. That amount of force is gonna open the skin anyway when you have a thin edge, even if it's not sharp, and the internal bleeding that would inevitably result is gonna kill your enemies later if they manage to run away. Can't bandage it like you can external bleeding.

[ScorpiusRisk]

Can we say that the fighting cane is a finesable weapon?

[dragonseth]

These could come in handy...
I made a Kenshin-based character a while back, he didn't end up too great, but I think I can re-jigger him to use these. My original build was a Longsword-wielding Monk with Whirling Steel Strike to let him flurry and such.

[Thomas]

They all seem to be missing categories (one-handed, two-handed, light), except the kodachi and the sarong, which list it as a special ability of all things.

Also, there's no such thing as "weapon type", no such thing as "requirements", no such thing as "availability" (whether a specific item is available is a function of a settlement's size and the item's price; see the DMG) and no weapon in any source has a damage of XdY+Z or XdY-Z.

The prices all seem to have the masterwork cost added to them. Is this correct? They should specify whether the weapon counts as masterwork or not (as the default katana does; I notice the "reverse blade sword" does this, but hte others don't).

In keeping with existing mechanics, I'd suggest giving the items weights. Instead of giving the zanbatou and armor check penalty, give it a weight (60 lbs. will make it too heavy for characters with Strengths of up to 15 or so to use without getting slowed down). Also, I expect you mean "provoke an attack of opportunity from the attacker". I don't think it needs to be pointed out how ridiculously overpowered the weapon is.

The kodachi is plain silly; it's better than a heavy shield. No one would use shields when they could just carry a kodachi in their off-hand. You need to at least specify that the AC bonus (well, defense - I guess these're more general d20 than D&D?) requires proficiency?

The fighting cane should definitely be a light weapon. The way they are used is somewhat comparable to fencing swords. (Stick-fighting.)

[NEO|Phyte]

Reverse blade sword

...
Critical: 19-20
Critical damage: x3

Isnt having the range AND the multiplier increased a big no-no with weapons? It seems to be brought up a lot in other threads.

[dragonseth]

Yes. It is generally accepted as a bad thing. Because if I'm not mistaken, 19-20/x3 is equivalent to a 20/x5 weapon, or a 17-20/x2.

[Thomas]

Oh, definitely. It doesn't make sense, either. Axes and spears (and special bludgeons like the warhammer) get x3, swords get 19-20/x2 (or 18-20/x2 with lower damage), picks get x4, and crude bludgeons get x2.

[The Demented One]

Why can't a reverse bladed sword be used for Iajutsu? Wasn't that the core of Kenshin's fighting style?

[dragonseth]

It was. But, due to the nature of the blade, there was more friction when unsheathing the blade, causing it to draw slower. This was pointed out when he fought the guy that paralyzed people by looking at them. (Can't remember his name or the technique, haven't seen it in so long...)

[Sergeantbrother]

Reverse blade sword

Weapon type: sword (katana)
Weapon proficiency: exotic weapon (katana or bastard sword)
Damage: 1d10+1 bludgeoning/ slashing
Range: --
Critical: 19-20
Critical damage: x3
Requirements: none
Availability: rare
Cost: 335 gold
Special
Turn the blade

Its seems to me that the reverse blade sword should be inferior to a normal katana instead of superior. If it was better making a katana backwards, they probably would have done it that way.

With the 1d10+1 damage, 19-20 crit range, and x3 crit damage, even the blunt side is superior to a katana in every.

I would make the bludgeoning side do 1d8 damage with a 20 x2 critical hit and do non-lethal damage. And I would keep the -2 to hit penalty with the sharp side and have it do 1d10 damage with a 19-20 x2 critical hit.

[axraelshelm]

buds I need to know about a feat that appeared in dragon. It's a pole arm feat that when you use a pole arm in a fight you do not occur a attack of opporunity when fighting adjundent foes please help!!!

[dragonseth]

Shorten Grip from the Point of Pole Arms. It has some stipulations.

[Bob_the_Mighty]

See, the thing I never got about Kenshin and his reverse blade sword was this: Why have the other edge sharpened at all?
Why not simply use a normal katana that has yet to be sharpened, maybe dull it even a little more? Why oh why did he have to have a specially made weapon?

Oh, and it'd still end up killing people a lot more often than it did in the anime. That amount of force is gonna open the skin anyway when you have a thin edge, even if it's not sharp, and the internal bleeding that would inevitably result is gonna kill your enemies later if they manage to run away. Can't bandage it like you can external bleeding.

I think the cutting edge is left on just in case it's needed, for cutting ropes that are binding people and such. I remember him using the cutting edge a couple of times. IIRC, he used it to cut the blade of of the Zanza's sword, and when he was fighting those guys who used wires or strings or whatever to grab people he used it to cut himself free.

Also, I always thought of the blunt edge of the reverse blade sword as being thicker than the blunt side of a regular katana.

[TheThan]

Ok to answer your questions
The crit damage on the reverse blade sword is a typo, it was supposed to be x2 not x3, I’ve went ahead and edited that. As for the light, two handed, reach etc well I made most of these a while ago and obviously forgot to add that stuff in, I’ll go through and change it. All that is supposed to go in the weapon type category, heh, I’ll start on the corrections. I also noticed a mysterious +1 to damage on the reverse blade sword, that’s not supposed to be there, dunno why that’s there I’ll change it. The weapon is supposed to equivalent to a katana (or masterwork bastard sword). The idea behind the reverse blade sword is to provide a bludgeoning damage weapon to a class that usu
ally never uses such a thing. As far as it doing non lethal damage, well I got the impression that Kenshin was intentionally not killing anyone, choosing to deal non lethal damage instead of normal bludgeoning damage. As far as the Inajisu check penalty. It’s stated in the anime that the reverse blade sword isn’t designed to be used in that manner. So I figure that Kenhsin is intentionally putting himself at a disadvantage.

The Zanbatou is described as a ridiculously huge sword designed to defeat Calvary in the anime so that’s how I described it. I supposed I should have done my own research but I was feeling lazy. I can make it a polearm if its any problem.

Lets see other things to add, the kodachi and the fighting cane are fineable weapons, I see no reason why they cant be used like that so no problem.

No to go and edit my first post

Edit alright i went ahead and made the various corrections to the first post.

[Darkie]

It was. But, due to the nature of the blade, there was more friction when unsheathing the blade, causing it to draw slower. This was pointed out when he fought the guy that paralyzed people by looking at them. (Can't remember his name or the technique, haven't seen it in so long...)

No, what was pointed out is that the curve is backwards, and he had to draw against it, which slowed him down.

[dragonseth]

*facepalms* That's right. This is what I get for going off of dated memories.

[Akiosama]

Anime/manga notes for those of you who are interested, the word is Sakaba-tou (lit. Reverse edged sword).

And the Zanbatou, which didn't really exist (for obvious reason), was an anti-cavalry weapon wielded in the series by Sagara Sanosuke.

The person of which everyone is speaking of, the one who kidnaps Kaoru and almost reverts Kenshin back to the Hitokiri Battousai is Udou Jin-e. (Great episode of the story. One of the best.)

Last, given the nature of the weapon, I would probably put an inherent to-hit penalty on the Zanbatou. In the intro for the anime, it shows Sanosuke swinging it around, and he is forced to counterbalance the weight of the sword with his body - something I assume would not be good for 'targetting'. Further, while I do agree that there should be a bonus for the Zanbatou for sundering, I would say that should be in the damage roll to the target, not in the actual to-hit, due to the targetting issue described above. It is unwieldy, and will continue to remain so, even if well-trained, and there should be a penalty reflected in that, IMO.

One other thing, if you're a fan of the anime, read the latter half story arc in the manga. (The anime only covers the first arc.) It was far, far better than the first story arc... and resolves the story very well.

My 2 yen,

Game on!

Akio

[Bob_the_Mighty]

The Zanbatou is described as a ridiculously huge sword designed to defeat Calvary in the anime so that’s how I described it. I supposed I should have done my own research but I was feeling lazy. I can make it a polearm if its any

It was designed to defeat cavalry, not Calvary. Calvary is the hill where Jesus was crucified.

[feral]

I thought that was Calgary.

Anyways the thing I don't get about the reverse blade Katana is this: Don't you use slicing, not chopping motions with a katana? I mean of course in real life. In anime they chop through steel flesh and bone in a single strike. Still, my actual point is, wouldn't using the bladed side still be as effective in this, except in Iajutsu duels? There have been swords designed in this manner, and they may have been better at chopping than a katanas, scimitars, etc.

But if you are indeed using a slicing motion, the blunt side wouldn't do much of anything. At best the friction would irritate bare skin.

Of course we're talking about a game where katanas are not only effective against opponents in full plate, but more effective then longswords on those or any opponents.

[Bob_the_Mighty]

I thought that was Calgary.

Anyways the thing I don't get about the reverse blade Katana is this: Don't you use slicing, not chopping motions with a katana? I mean of course in real life. In anime they chop through steel flesh and bone in a single strike. Still, my actual point is, wouldn't using the bladed side still be as effective in this, except in Iajutsu duels? There have been swords designed in this manner, and they may have been better at chopping than a katanas, scimitars, etc.

But if you are indeed using a slicing motion, the blunt side wouldn't do much of anything. At best the friction would irritate bare skin.

Of course we're talking about a game where katanas are not only effective against opponents in full plate, but more effective then longswords on those or any opponents.

Calgary is a city in Canada.

As for the sharp side of the blade being as effective on the inside as the outside, putting it on the outside of the curve is supposed to give it an effectivly sharper edge.

[Thomas]

Calgary, Calvary, Cavalry... we're talking about anime, those could be women's names as far as the Japanese writers are concerned. I mean, has anyone watched Trigun? "Vash the Stampede" ? "Legato Bluesummers" ? I wouldn't put it past an anime writer to name a callous, battle-hardened Vietnam veteran-turned-mercenary "Cupcake Pumpkin".

[subzerosako]

how about stats for a macahuitl? and of an upgraded one, using steel instead of obsidian.

[Sergeantbrother]

Calgary is a city in Canada.

As for the sharp side of the blade being as effective on the inside as the outside, putting it on the outside of the curve is supposed to give it an effectivly sharper edge.

The curve on a sword like a katana or scimitar doesn't have anything to do with sharpness. It has to do with a slicing motion. When you draw a sword against somebody, there is a natural tendency to move in a semi-circular arc.

The reverse blade katana would have to be used in an entirely different way than a normal katana is used. Drawing the blunt side against somebody's flesh would have no effect - it would basically have to be used like a metal club. The concavity of the sharp edge would make draw cutting and slicing more difficult than with a katana - meaning the best way to use the sharp side would be to hack at the enemy. So this weapon would be more of a hacking and bashing weapon than a slicer like a katana.