Top 10 odd D&D weapons

Mercule · Jun 8, 2006

DreadPirateMurphy said:
3) Mercurial Swords: Explain the attraction of a using a deliberately unbalanced weapon that is likely to spew a highly toxic substance if sundered.

I allowed a PC to make one out of mithril, which is somewhat better IMC than in RAW. It is a unique weapon and he is the only proficient wielder. A crit also causes the mercury to pound the end in such a way as to cause a crack like a dragon bone snapping.

Snapdragyn · Jun 8, 2006

Urumi statted out?

Hrm, I like that urumi -- & it actually exists!

I'm wondering what the D&D stats would be?

- Damage die as... rapier? Flail?

- Slashing

- Light weapon

- Exotic (difficult to use, so should require a feat)

- +2 to Sleight of Hand checks to hide on the body (can be worn as a belt)

-? Special: Wielder takes damage on a fumble (if using fumble rules, add half damage to the fumble roll results instead).

Standard one would have 1 coil, 'dire' would have multiple coils & advanced damage (perhaps break with reality to make the dire version not a light weapon so that there's some advantage to taking the regular version).

Oh, because of the flexibility required, perhaps only allow masterwork versions. Definitely wouldn't allow one made of adamantine for this reason; not sure about other 'core' special materials.

Suggestions?

sjmiller · Jun 8, 2006

DreadPirateMurphy said:
3) Mercurial Swords: Explain the attraction of a using a deliberately unbalanced weapon that is likely to spew a highly toxic substance if sundered.

I wouldn't classify mercury as highly toxic. Sure, if you handle it repeatedly, over a long period of time, it can kill you (after making you literally mad as a hatter*). Mercury builds up in the body, and is not excreted, which is one of the reasons fish caught in certain areas should be eaten only in limited quantities. Really, the only way to die quickly from mercury is to ingest more than a milligram of it. Even then, dying from it usually takes 5 to 12 days.

The mercurial sword is, to put it bluntly, a weapon designed by someone who knows next to nothing about weapons and just thought it sounded cool. Maybe they heard of putting mercury in bullets and thought they could just do it with a sword.

*Felt hat makers used to use mercurial nitrate to cure the felt. This vapor would cause mercury poisoning, which effects the central nervous system and the brain. The phrase "mas as a hatter" was not invented by Lewis Carroll.

painandgreed · Jun 8, 2006

Evilhalfling said:
and for my own suggestion the Singham-
try googling it, or finding any historical record that is not linked to D&D
its just a well need a light piercing weapon that monks can use with one hand. trationally this is a spear, not a sharp stick.

This conversation comes up here every so often, and I'll agree that links to it are rare in anything but a gaming or wiki article. However, last time it came up, somebody claiming that it was a real weapon was able to point out a website on indonesian martial arts that did mention it with no reference to gaming. It was enough that I don't bring this up any longer but I'd still like to see a picture of one.

VirgilCaine · Jun 8, 2006

CRGreathouse said:
I don't have any problem at all with spiked armor. I do agree with you that it should have an AC penalty -- at least, most should -- and I'd be generous and make it -1 or possibly -2. I think that in a world with monsters that eat you whole spiked armor makes a lot of sense, even if it does make you a bit easier to hit.

How long are these spikes that you are imagining?

shilsen · Jun 8, 2006

Snapdragyn said:
Hrm, I like that urumi -- & it actually exists!

I'm wondering what the D&D stats would be?

- Damage die as... rapier? Flail?

At least. I've seen an urumi in use and it can inflict horrendous amounts of damage in trained hands.

- Slashing

Yes.

- Light weapon

One-handed. It requires a lot of strength to use, actually, since you're putting great strain on arm and wrist, and can be used two-handed for extra effect too. Fits the D&D definition of a one-handed weapon.

- Exotic (difficult to use, so should require a feat)

- +2 to Sleight of Hand checks to hide on the body (can be worn as a belt)

Sounds right.

-? Special: Wielder takes damage on a fumble (if using fumble rules, add half damage to the fumble roll results instead).

I wouldn't do that. The Exotic Weapon proficiency covers it. If you do already have fumble rules, then go for it.

Standard one would have 1 coil, 'dire' would have multiple coils & advanced damage (perhaps break with reality to make the dire version not a light weapon so that there's some advantage to taking the regular version).

Oh, because of the flexibility required, perhaps only allow masterwork versions. Definitely wouldn't allow one made of adamantine for this reason; not sure about other 'core' special materials.

Suggestions?

It's got to be a reach weapon like a spiked chain, since you can attack someone right in front of you and someone ten feet away (probably 15 ft away) too.

Beckett · Jun 8, 2006

Piratecat said:
I see a distinct lack of bohemian earspoons. Fie on you, I say. Fie!

(Yes, I know its a normal pole arm and not odd silliness. But it has the best name ever.)

Everytime I read that weapon name, I'm reminded of a Wormy strip. A group of goblins are scavenging on Wormy's table when they're attacked by hobgoblins. Needing a weapon, one of the goblins grabs a soup spoon and improvises.

blargney the second · Jun 8, 2006

You have to spell it siangham. I gather most people leave the first 'a' off when they're googling.

-blarg

DreadPirateMurphy · Jun 8, 2006

sjmiller said:
I wouldn't classify mercury as highly toxic. Sure, if you handle it repeatedly, over a long period of time, it can kill you (after making you literally mad as a hatter*). Mercury builds up in the body, and is not excreted, which is one of the reasons fish caught in certain areas should be eaten only in limited quantities. Really, the only way to die quickly from mercury is to ingest more than a milligram of it. Even then, dying from it usually takes 5 to 12 days.

I guess it depends on your definition of "highly toxic." Something that kills in a milligram dosage strikes me as pretty toxic. It accumulates over time with repeated exposure. It causes brain damage and birth defects.

You could also rule that the weapons contain dimethylmercury, which is toxic at the microliter level.

painandgreed · Jun 8, 2006

lukelightning said:
It is incredibly hard to aim a stick that goes in a circular trajectory enough to hit a small target. You have to see the bird, then move to the exact correct spot to be the right distance away for a circular path (hoping the bird doesn't see you and fly away), and hope there is nothing in the way of the path, which is harder to determine than just throwing something straight at the bird.

IIRC from childhood experience playing with the boomerang that I was given, I could see how it could be used for hunting birds or other small animals. The path is not circular. After being thrown it travels straight and realativly level (there is a slight but predictable lift) for a decent amount of time. The lift from the aerodynamic shape adds up slowly and only after it loses some of its forward speed does the lift from the shape and spin significantly alter the path, eventually returning in the general direction of the thrower.

Top 10 odd D&D weapons

Mercule

Adventurer

Snapdragyn

Explorer

sjmiller

Explorer

painandgreed

First Post

VirgilCaine

First Post

shilsen

Adventurer

Beckett

Explorer

blargney the second

blargney the minute's son

DreadPirateMurphy

Explorer

painandgreed

First Post

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