Top 10 odd D&D weapons

[Land Outcast]

And now, i see by your smiley faces that you too are using sarcasm! I feel like a tool.

yep, you've been used to create a joke

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The greatspear is not a bad weapon. It is a lame weapon. But it is not a bad one.

How do you figure? How is Reach + 10' range increment + 2d6 x3 damage lame?

The concept is lame.

The concept is based on real world weapons.

There are spears in Africa, ranging from 4-10' in length, that have a rather interesting design: fully half of their length is composed of blade. The blade has a rather sword-like construction, as much as 2.5" wide where it meets the socket. It can be thrown short distances, but is primarily used as a thrusting & slashing weapons. The longer ones were favored by tribes like the Masai, the shorter ones were created by the Zulu. (My source: WEAPONS An International Encyclopedia from 5000 B.C. to 2000 A.D by the Diagram Group, St. Martin's Press- not a game book, BTW.)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Just because the mass swivels around a link doesn't mean that the mass is moving up and down from end to end. It's completely different. You don't use a flail like a bull-whip.

My point is that they are weapons that have shifting weight. If you stop the motion of a flail, you 1) run the risk of hitting yourself, 2) have trouble restarting the motion of the flail, leaving yourself open or missing offensive opportunities, and 3) return the mass of the head to the rest state, potentially even below the wielder's grip, and definitely below the optimum point of balance.

A blade with a tube full of mercury would functionally behave the same way as a flail. That shifting weight would be awkward if you keep shifting its speed like you would with a normal, static-massed blade. If you stop the motion of such a blade, the mass of mercury would come to rest, meaning you'd have to exert additional effort to get it back up to a reasonable striking speed and position. As the mass sloshes out to the point, there's a jerk- a lot of stress on the gripping hand and wrist, potentially drawing you off balance. (You can do an experiment with a mailing tube containing bags of sand or ball bearings to show you what that will feel like.)

But if you keep such a blade in motion, the extra mass at the tip could lead to horrendous chopping injuries, similar to those of an axe. That is important.

Swords are great weapons- useful against any foe- but axes and flails and similar weapons are actually more useful against heavy armor than swords. Their mass, all concentrated at the point of impact, can dent or penetrate armor or shields that would turn a sword blow- that is one of the reasons they were so popular on the later day battlefields.

A mercurial sword would be an example of "thinking outside of the box"- attempting to combine the best aspects of the flail and the sword.

However, such a blade (assuming one could be made) would be MUCH more expensive than any other weapon of the era, and probably not worth the expenditure for what would amount to a marginal increase in striking power.

As far as armor spikes go, there are numerous entertainers who routinely wear them as part of their stage costumes, like the guys in GWAR and Slayer. Yes, the ones in GWAR are merely rubber, but Kerry King's are indeed 6" metal spikes...and he hasn't impaled himself yet. Plays some mean guitar while wearing them.

Besides, its not like you have to festoon the armor with spikes. If placed sensibly- one on each knee, a few on the pauldrons, some on the greaves & gauntlets- you won't hurt yourself.

 

[Tetsubo]

While I am far from an expert on medieval weaponry, and I appreciate artistic license, there are some weapons proposed for D&D 3.x that just seem mind-bogglingly impractical. Perhaps somebody can point out the utility of some of these beyond being "kewl."

1) Whip-daggers: Did anybody ever actually create such a weapon? Whips strike me as falling into the category of "agricultural tools used as improvised weapons." What would be the point of tying a dagger to the end of one, rather than just learning to throw knives?

While I've never seen an actual Whip-Dagger in a weapon reference book I have seen a Rope Dart. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rope_Dart


2) Sugliin: Here you have a big wrack of sharpened antlers so unwieldy that you have to spend two feats just to use it as a normal weapon. The tactical problems for this are mind-boggling, especially given the fact that you'll probably draw the eye of every archer in sight.

Yep, pretty darn silly. But it does have a certain flair...


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

One of the all time silliest weapon ideas ever introduced into the game.

4) Orc Shotput: The perfect counterpoint to the Orc javelin team. Spend 10 gp on a 15 lbs. chunk of iron...or just go and find a rock to throw.

Never understood this one either...

5) Musical Instrument Bayonets: Presented in Song and Silence, and instantly ludicrous to anybody who has actually used a real musical instrument. If you want to destroy your instrument in combat, just whack somebody with it.

There is your key clue... these things were written up by people who know NOTHING about combat.

6) Scorpion Claws: This weapon from Sandstorm is exactly what it sounds like...monstrous scorpion claws you wear on your hands. Besides making it rather difficult to scratch an itch, I can't help but mentally hear the "crab people" theme from South Park running in the background.

I can see this in a Dark Sun campaign... maybe...

7) Caber: If I recall correctly, this was offered in Masters of the Wild. It was a log that you throw at people. I never understood why this counted as a weapon rather than as improvised use of scenery.

Maybe the author is Scottish...

8) Two-Bladed Sword: This weapon led directly to one of the oddest miniatures from WotC, a man in full plate armor wielding one of these. That would probably be the only way to wield one without slicing off your fingers, come to think of it.

The design of the weapon is rather odd. But two ended spears are real weapons. I extend the weapons shaft and call them Bladed Staffs...

9) Spike Shooter: This appeared in Races of Faerun. Any weapon with a spike on the end could be set to launch it as a spring-loaded surprise. Possibly inspired by giant robot anime, I don't understand how you could avoid accidentally shooting it off whenever you swung your battle axe.

Maybe it's a test of the users luck...?

10) Icechucker: Ah, here we have a crossbow designed to fire icicles. Oh, and it can fire javelins too, if you actually want to use something balanced and aerodynamic.

Again, thought up by a person that never used a weapon...

Bonus) Vulcanian Thunder Club: This was originally printed in Dragon #304, and it made it into Paizo's Best of Dragon Compendium. While I like the book, I am less enamored with the idea of a greatclub filled with alchemist's fire and shot. It is never explained how you can set it off with the pull of a string, but not by whacking it against your foe (possibly inadvertantly).

There are a few more that come to mind, but 10+1 will do.

Some of my favorites are the Dire Flail (Watch me smack myself in the back of the head...) and the Spiked Chain (Every munchkins wet-dream...).

 

[Imp]

The concept is based on real world weapons.

Oh, spare me. They bumped up the damage dice to fit it into the mechanics, and called it the "greatspear." If it were based on those weapons, you'd see slashing damage, possibly not reach (4 feet?), and probably a better name. Believe me, I'm all about exotic African weapons – I still don't think they've done the African throwing knives any justice, and if there are real-world exotic weapons those definitely fit the category.

 

[Tetsubo]

My point is that they are weapons that have shifting weight. If you stop the motion of a flail, you 1) run the risk of hitting yourself, 2) have trouble restarting the motion of the flail, leaving yourself open or missing offensive opportunities, and 3) return the mass of the head to the rest state, potentially even below the wielder's grip, and definitely below the optimum point of balance.

A blade with a tube full of mercury would functionally behave the same way as a flail. That shifting weight would be awkward if you keep shifting its speed like you would with a normal, static-massed blade. If you stop the motion of such a blade, the mass of mercury would come to rest, meaning you'd have to exert additional effort to get it back up to a reasonable striking speed and position. As the mass sloshes out to the point, there's a jerk- a lot of stress on the gripping hand and wrist, potentially drawing you off balance. (You can do an experiment with a mailing tube containing bags of sand or ball bearings to show you what that will feel like.)

But if you keep such a blade in motion, the extra mass at the tip could lead to horrendous chopping injuries, similar to those of an axe. That is important.

Swords are great weapons- useful against any foe- but axes and flails and similar weapons are actually more useful against heavy armor than swords. Their mass, all concentrated at the point of impact, can dent or penetrate armor or shields that would turn a sword blow- that is one of the reasons they were so popular on the later day battlefields.

A mercurial sword would be an example of "thinking outside of the box"- attempting to combine the best aspects of the flail and the sword.

However, such a blade (assuming one could be made) would be MUCH more expensive than any other weapon of the era, and probably not worth the expenditure for what would amount to a marginal increase in striking power.

A properly designed sword has a blade no thicker than required. If you put a tube down its center you ruin that design. Not to mention decrease its chance of slicing through a target. Such a tube is not going to be all that strong. One solid block from a shield and that sword blade is going to snap. Spraying you with mercury. Seems like an elaborate method of suicide to me...

If you want a weapon that delivers a high amount of impact energy I have a suggestion, it's called an axe...

 

[Tetsubo]

Actually, your basic rock, or thrown stone has been used in conflicts from the ... well stone age until today. The medieval period and Renaissance had hunderds of battles in which we;; documented forces in one or more of the armies who were rock throwers, including some of the most effective armies in the period. Think about a baseball being hurled at 90 mph. A baseball can break bones, knock people unconscious. There are reasons why the umpire and the catcher wear all that gear.

Now think of that baseball being a very heavy, glass-hard piece of obsidian or granite. Ouch!

BD

There was an Asian nation (Vietnam?) that had units of rock-throwers... at least the ammo was cheap.

I can hear the unit veterans now: "When I was a recruit we had to MAKE our own rocks..."

 

[Tetsubo]

Fantasy game, guys. Fantasy game. With magic.

But none of these weapons is a "magic item". You will notice that no one is commenting on the Sunblade. It IS a pure fantasy magic item. Weapons are part of the real world. As such they should have at least a passing resemblence to reality.

You'll note that the game has horses in it. Which do not have fangs or tentacles or any other such fantasy elements. Weapons deserve the same treatment.

 

[Tetsubo]

Technically, a flails, nunchaku, 3 sectional staves, kusarigama, chijiririki, etc. are just such weapons, but I know what you mean.



How do you figure? How is Reach + 10' range increment + 2d6 x3 damage lame?


As has been pointed out, such weapons make a modicum of sense in a fantasy world in which huge creatures may wrap you in their coils or tentacles, or might snatch you up in their claws for later devouring...it works for puffer fish, hedgehogs, porcupines, echidna and so forth, after all (who live that life for real).

I don't think I'd call those weapons "moving weights" so much as "flexible".

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Oh, spare me. They bumped up the damage dice to fit it into the mechanics, and called it the "greatspear." If it were based on those weapons, you'd see slashing damage, possibly not reach (4 feet?), and probably a better name.

Read what I posted again please- the weapons in question ranged in length from 4' to 10'. Reach is appropriate for the larger versions.

And as I pointed out, they were used as piercing AND slashing weapons. There are very few mundane weapons that have dual damage types- making the greatspear one of them when it already has range, reach, 2d6 damage and an x3 crit multiplier might have seemed unbalanced.

As for the name...it doesn't bother me any. They had so many names for them it would just get confusing...

A properly designed sword has a blade no thicker than required. If you put a tube down its center you ruin that design...One solid block from a shield and that sword blade is going to snap...

Yep.

If you want a weapon that delivers a high amount of impact energy I have a suggestion, it's called an axe...

Or flail, or mace, or morningstar, etc.