What is a siangham?

[candidus_cogitens]

Yeah, I know there's a picture of it in the PHB, but how exactly is it used? Is it anything like a dagger?

 

[apocalypstick]

It's, like, a really small spear.

It's also, like, really stupid.
Possibly the Dumbest. Weapon. Evar.

 

[Tsyr]

Yeah, I know there's a picture of it in the PHB, but how exactly is it used? Is it anything like a dagger?

Imagine taking an arrow out of your quiver and stabbing someone in the eye with it.

Yeah. Cool, but not really all that combat-sensible.

 

[Darrin Drader]

It's also, like, really stupid.
Possibly the Dumbest. Weapon. Evar.

Reminds me of a comment a friend used to make about the main gauche. I'm not going to elaborate, for Eric's Grandmother's sake.

 

[LGodamus]

i believe it is indian in origen...

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

It's, like, a really small spear.

It's also, like, really stupid.
Possibly the Dumbest. Weapon. Evar.

What's so dumb about it? I would think it would be a great weapon if you wanted something concealable. Plus, I'm pretty sure it's steel-hafted, so it's a lot stronger than just jabbing someone with an arrow.

 

[DM_Matt]

What's so dumb about it? I would think it would be a great weapon if you wanted something concealable. Plus, I'm pretty sure it's steel-hafted, so it's a lot stronger than just jabbing someone with an arrow.

Well, it just seems to be inferior to say, a dagger. I think there is a reason why this weapon, unlike many sorts of blades, bows, and axes, did not seem to be featured in many cultures....

 

[NoOneofConsequence]

Well, it just seems to be inferior to say, a dagger. I think there is a reason why this weapon, unlike many sorts of blades, bows, and axes, did not seem to be featured in many cultures....

It's a bar of solid metal - there's no wood in a siangham. I'd much rather have this to use to parry or block than a plain old dagger. In combat application, it corresponds to the European poniard. It's "arrow-head" tip is square in its cross section, meaning that any puncture wound from the siangham will not naturally close (the poniard also delivered this advantage via a triangular cross-section to the blade).

By and large the siangham is just a simplified version of the thrusting dagger known in numerous cultures.

 

[Tsyr]

It's a bar of solid metal - there's no wood in a siangham. I'd much rather have this to use to parry or block than a plain old dagger. In combat application, it corresponds to the European poniard. It's "arrow-head" tip is square in its cross section, meaning that any puncture wound from the siangham will not naturally close (the poniard also delivered this advantage via a triangular cross-section to the blade).

By and large the siangham is just a simplified version of the thrusting dagger known in numerous cultures.

Properly constructed, a dagger is a solid bar of metal with a bit of wood and/or leather affixed to one end. Furthermore, to parry or block, I would much rather have a dagger, with it having cross guards... Much nicer than having my finger severed

 

[NoOneofConsequence]

Properly constructed, a dagger is a solid bar of metal with a bit of wood and/or leather affixed to one end. Furthermore, to parry or block, I would much rather have a dagger, with it having cross guards... Much nicer than having my finger severed

Oh sure, mention the cross guard.

Actually I was more referring to the fact that the main body of siangham is less likely break since it has undergone a less rigourous forging process.

A cross guarded dagger is always going to be superior, but there are plenty of daggers that were never given cross guards and it hardly made them useless (which is what the poster I was replying to implied that the siangham was.)