Look, Polish Florentine!

Firebeetle · Dec 2, 2005

I used to LARP, and we called dual-wielding "Florentine" (suppousedly after the style of that city). As a joke, we would pick up two shields and call it Polish Florentine. My apologies to the Polish and Polish-American among us, or even those who enjoy a good kielbasa. Heaven knows I do.

Lo and behold, the Polish Florentine feat. . .

http://www.diamondthrone.com/displaycontent.cfm?iCatId=11&iConID=593

Herobizkit · Dec 3, 2005

I'll be the first to admit it; I'm not afraid...

I don't get it.

What's Polish about wielding two shields?

cattoy · Dec 3, 2005

And I thought it was going to involve two guys wielding the same sword...

Viktyr Gehrig · Dec 3, 2005

Herobizkit said:
What's Polish about wielding two shields?

It relates to the ethnic stereotype of the Polish lacking in common sense. Note that I am pointing out the existence of the stereotype, not endorsing it.

Wielding two shields in combat is not a sensible thing to do.

Dirigible · Dec 3, 2005

It relates to the ethnic stereotype of the Polish lacking in common sense. Note that I am pointing out the existence of the stereotype, not endorsing it.

As a quarter Pole, sir, I find your even refering to this offensive.

Now if you'll excuse me, there's an adorable burning dog I need to go pat.

Herobizkit · Dec 3, 2005

As funny as fighting with two shields is, what's MORE funny is the Blockader.

Back in AD&D2, a bunch of us found the "make your own class" rules in the DMG. We all pumped out horribly unbalanced classes, except for one fellow...

The Blockader's purpose in life was to "stand there" and take hits for the party Mage. He had d12 HP, Fighter armor and THAC0, but the only weapon(s) he could use were spiked shields. His "special ability" was the ability to TWF with both shields like Drow and the ability to Haste himself once a day (to get all kinds of whacks, much like a 3.x Monk's flurry). In a way, he was the precursor to the Dwarven Defender.

But man... did we ever LAUGH for almost an hour as the player proceeded to PLAY the damn thing.

DM: "It's your initiative. What do you do?"
Player: "Is there anyone coming after the mage?"
DM: "No."
Player: "I stand in front of the Mage and defend."

OMG that's right. Another "special ability" was the ability to DOUBLE the AC bonus from BOTH shields if you just did nothing but guard for a round.

Thomas Percy · Dec 3, 2005

There was never such style in the history of Poland, I think this is game/movie-only style of fighting.
Most know historical Polish knights were hussars with biiiiiig vertical wings on their backs to scary Saracens' horses.

Kitsune Inari · Nov 1, 2014

cattoy said:
And I thought it was going to involve two guys wielding the same sword...

That reminds me of the "Four-Handed Axe" we did on another LARP. Perhaps surprisingly, it did work the first time.

Samloyal23 · Nov 1, 2014

Hehe, I created a series of three and four-handed weapons for a Xill warrior. They were things like axes with a pair of attached flails and a bow that fired multiple arrows at once...