Weapons of mass utility

[Blightedmarsh]

What kind of weapon do you like/want and why? Does not have to be limited to any given setting or existence (though if its your own idea give a description).

I am not talking about mechanical aspects (D6 that and +2 this) and I am not talking about weapons of megadeath (which we all want anyway). A weapon you could conceivably acquire or make at low level.

Here are four I would like.

Zweihander:

Magic level: None
Setting: Semi real

Description:

In real life these were the classic long hilted 2 handed great swords with wide cross guards. For mine I would have a a single edged blade (except at the bottom quarter where it would be double edged) a wooden or metal handle running two thirds of the length of the back of the blade and a spiked pommel and cross guard.

Use:

You can use it like a typical great sword, by sifting one hand and gripping the handle half way down the blade you can wield it like a short spear or glave. By reversing the grip and holding it by the long handle you can use the cross guard like a war hammer or thrust with the sharp pommel. (BTW all historically documented uses for the real zweihander) By holding the blade handle crossways you have got a bladed quarterstaff.

Why:

Four weapons for the price of one. Distinct advantage when dealing with blade locks.

Extending cane

Magic level: Low
Setting: D&D

Description:

A three foot long extending stick with a sharp point at one end and a (possibly spiked) crook at the other.

Uses:

Instant pike/spear/quarterstaff/club/shiv.
Pole vaulting (abusing the extension for additional lift).
Climbing tool (use the crook as a hook and shorten the length for your lift).
Tripping hazard
Digging stick.
Pick
Walking stick.

Advantage:

All the advantages of an extending stick +a few more +weapon.

Long hilt Shorto


Tec level: High
Setting: Star wars

Description:

Its a light saber with a single 2' long blade and an 18" handle with a flash ignition system. It has a beveled emitter with a flanged neutronium coated cap. Handle has strips of light saber resistant material embedded in it. The gubbins of the shorto are removable, it come with a removable cross grip and a socket for a modular pommel system.

MPS:

Holdout blaster
Tazer
Retractable vibroblade
Poison dart launcher.
Vibro grapnel.

Use:

When faced with a lightsaber resistant opponent or when stealth is an issue you deactivate the blade, hold the hilt by the base and use the emitter cover to bludgeon the opponent into submission.

Where concealment is an issue you eject the active components as a much smaller but still perfectly functional short (possibly replacing it with hydrospanner components).

Why:
The long hilt short blade arrangement makes it easy to use.
The ratio is also very good for leaverage.
Pommel weapons are good for surprises (your sith blocks the jedis' lateral sweep with a revers guard and then shoots him in the face with the holdout blaster he didn't know was there).
The cross grip allows it to be used one handed (also a good place to conceal additional functions such as a garrotte, poison injector or thermal detonator)

Vibro grapnel

Tec level: Medium
Setting: Star wars

Description:

A three pronged vibrating claw with detachable weight, monofiliment cable, launcher and winch system.

Use:

Without launching the claw as bladed mace.
By extending the cable 1' as a bladed flail.
As a grapnel launcher to pull things to you or for repelling.
Without the weigh as an extending monowhip.

Why:

For more reasons than can be listed here.

[Conners]

I'd probably go for a simple sword and shield.

[supermonkeyjoe]

The whip is really the poster-boy for the utility weapon

Swinging over a gap Indiana Jones style
cracking a whip can be used to scare off animals or as a signal.
whipping objects away to keep them away from someone/thing
Tripping and Disarming opponents
Snuffing out candle flames at distance
Binding someones hands or legs, or anything you can use several feet of rope for

I'm sure there are a million and one uses for a whip I can think of that aren't listed here.

[Eldan]

An Arbalest or similar, if we are talking medieval tech levels. If I can avoid it, I don't even want to be on the same continent as an enemy.

[Raimun]

Swords, Any and All
Setting: Any and All
Why: That's why

Tranquilizer gun, M9 (and Infinity Bandana)
Setting: Metal Gear
Why: Humane weapon

Brick's fists (w/the best Skirmisher-class mod )
Setting: Borderlands
Why: Can't lose 'em or run out of ammo... plus you resist damage and regenerate

Clementine, Eddie Riggs' axe (the other one)
Setting: Brütal Legend
Why: It can zap, burn, melt faces and summon a hotrod, among other things

Blades of Athena
Setting: God of War
Why: In case 'Swords' doesn't cover them

[Jack of Spades]

A good knife.
3-4 inch blade, partially serrated, collapsible or with a sheath. Never anything more high-tech than metal or carbon. Seriously, as someone who carries a knife around every day, I can attest to the ridiculous utility of this simple tool.

Hand-and-a-half sword

Mjolnir (Thor's Hammer)
A throwing hammer, often depicted with some sort of symbology or runes etched on it for that "ancient god magic" look. Returns when thrown, makes thunder. In Marvel mythos, has infinite inertia and can only be held by Thor.

That weird chain-whip-bracer thing.
Wielded by the metalbending police in Korra as well as Gideon Jura in MtG. Basically, a bracer that has a set of 2-3 loose, possibly-bladed chains that can be used (with magic) as handheld metallic whips/ grappling hooks/ et cetera.

[BootStrapTommy]

So many. So many I love.

Assassin's Blade:

Magic level: None
Setting: I made something close once...
Description:
A retractable wrist-mounted blade, activated by moving the hand back into a palm striking position. Built in bracer and vambrace for blocking weapons with the forearm.
Use:
To stab people. Unexpectedly. Pick locks. Scare people. Always be armed.
Why:
Cannot be disarmed. Unless, you know, someone dis-ARMS you.
Stealth and surprises element. Otherwise badass.

Throwing knives:

Magic level: None
Setting: Anytime, anywhere.
Description:
Small balance knives for throwing.
Use:
To throw at people far away. To stab people up close.
Why:
Can easily be hidden on your person. Reliable. Can be recovered. Both melee and ranged.

Odachi:

Magic level: None
Setting: Medieval Japan
Description:
65 to 70 inch long katana.
Use:
Winning in a traditional Japanese dual because your sword's longer.
Cutting things in half. Cutting horses in half. Cutting people in half.
Overcompensating.
Why:
High quality weapon. Length for reach. Designed for finesse.

M1911 Army Pistol:

Magic level: None
Setting: Early 20th Century to modern day
Description:
Single action, semiautomatic military issue handgun. Fires .45 ACP, a relatively large caliber hand gun round.
Use:
Reliable sidearm with notable stopping power.
Why:
Reliable. Relatively common rounds. Notable stopping power. .45 ACP is designed to annihilate human flesh. Low kick for the size of the round.

Smith and Wesson Model 500:

Magic level: None
Setting: Modern
Description:
Five round .500 Magnum revolver.
Use:
Killing bears. Killing elephants. Killing what once might have been a person, I can't really tell now. Removing limbs from persons who will no long be needing them. Overcompensating.
Why:
Because why not? If you have a small penis, might as well have a big ****ing gun!

M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle:

Magic level: None
Setting: Early to Mid 20th Century
Description:
A .30-06 bullet hose. Automatic. Something between a heavy assault rifle and a light machine gun.
Use:
Support gunner. Shooting through cars. Shooting through cover. Robbing banks (Clyde Barrow's gun of choice, also the one that killed him). Firing from the hip like some uber BAMF. Scaring small children. Bullet hosing.
Why:
Because guns don't get much more bad ass, yet remain quite so simple.
Great stopping power. Can penetrate a lot of mundane cover. Makes a low, loud, and badass "Drush-drush-drush" sound when fired. Is actually MEANT to be fired from the hip. In skilled hand can be fired single-shot, making it a 20 round rifle. Great zombie killing potential. As durable as an AK-47.

[kardar233]

A current character of mine is using a spear with a longsword-shaped head (more like a glaive, actually) that can detach its bottom half. You can use it as a spear, a quarterstaff or a glaive then detach the half to use the bladed side as an arming sword or short spear and the haft side as a cudgel.