Ancalagon
Dusty Dragon
Lol - oh the number of posts launched by a typo...
D&D 5E The best solution for longswords
Lol - oh the number of posts launched by a typo...
Satyrn
First Post
Something something Ellen of Troy
Ancalagon
Dusty Dragon
I think it's too much personally, esp since +1 to hit in 5e is quite significant. I *do* like the +1 to checks vs stuff, but I worry it may be too GM dependent - in some campaign it will be huge, in others not so much.
I had done this chart with the +1 to hit, +1 to AC idea, compared to shield and board:
Defensive: +1 AC but +3 with shield
Duelist: + 2 damage, +2 damage + 2 AC with shield
Versatile (2 handed): +1 AC, +1 to hit, slightly bigger damage dice (equivalent to +1 damage) *and* the option of using a shield (ie gaining 1 AC but losing +1 to hit and damage).
It should also be compared with 2 handed sword
Defensive: +1 AC, + 1.5 damage (2d6 vs 1d10)
2 handed: + 2.833 damage
Versatile (2 handed): +1 AC, + 1 to hit
The Versatile seems like the clear winner - even more so if you combine it with GWM. That +1 to hit is just gold.
TheCosmicKid
Hero
If you want to maximize the versatile fantasy and step away from realism a bit, consider having a versatile style also allow donning/doffing a shield as a bonus action.
Cap'n Kobold
Hero
Do you mean the -5 to hit, +10 damage with Heavy weapon part of GWM? How would you combine that with this style?
Ancalagon
Dusty Dragon
oooh - you're correct. I conflated 2-handed with heavy - not the same!
Ancalagon
Dusty Dragon
I said earlier that I would come back with some research and here I am!
According to wikipedia (which quotes two book on the subject), long sword blades were in the range of 33 to 43 inches in length. Another author, after consulting some of the old fencing masters, came up with 35 to 47 inches.
One thing that was noted by some of said fencing masters is that there can be too long a bade length - you definitely want to be able to hold your foe with one hand and stab with the other - if the blade is too long you won't be able to get any leverage. Another consideration is drawing the blade - too long a blade makes getting the sword out of of the scabbard quickly a challenging task.
Another site did a statistical analysis of historical long-sword sword and blade length, and found mean values of 35-37 inches, with the longest blade measured at 43.5 inches.
From personal experience, I have trained with a 34 inch long blade (perhaps a bit too small for a long sword... more of a hand-and-a-half sword really) and had no troubles handling it one handed.
So in conclusion, I think your 48 inch blade-length estimate is a bit too long.
I do agree here with an important concept, which is the one of scale, or spectrum. There is a wide range of sword length and size, and there will always be swords that are... in between. "is this a small zweihander or a large longsword?" "A large dagger or a short short-sword?" etc etc. Or to quote wikipedia again "The "longsword" type exists in a morphological continuum with the medieval knightly sword and the Renaissance-era Zweihänder." There will never be a "perfect" answer.
Last edited:
[MENTION=60210]jaelis[/MENTION] #158 6 Pounds is the weight of a 16th century bidenhaender = greatsword of the Landsknechts (Length up to 6 ft)
A normal Longsword (for 2 handed use) would not exceed 3-4 Pounds, especially if designed to be used 1 handed occasionally.
Still both are not Finesse weapons, and a very unfitting weapon for slim elves except you want to imagine your character looking like those grotesque comical
figures in some MMORPGs aka "where is the sword running with the gnome?"
A normal Longsword (for 2 handed use) would not exceed 3-4 Pounds, especially if designed to be used 1 handed occasionally.
Still both are not Finesse weapons, and a very unfitting weapon for slim elves except you want to imagine your character looking like those grotesque comical
figures in some MMORPGs aka "where is the sword running with the gnome?"
@Ancalogon maybe the missunderstanding is that i refer to Overall length (contraire to blade length) rather, 48 to 55 inches is not that gros for a longsword. The Situation your fencing master describes seems strange to me. Why would you want to grab your Opponent and be able to do a thrust at the same time? You got your dagger for these circumstances. If the distance is to Ccose you rather do halfswording and Lever techniques, in all other cases you are glad that your reach establishes distance to your oponent.
Wikipedia is only partly reliable asa source, i prefer Matt Eastons scholagladiatora videos on Youtube. This guy does Hema / trades in antique blades and is a studied history professor on these topics. By far the most knowledgable expert easily available for all sorts of medieval combat weapons and armor. Watch a few on his Videos and you will see that much what you tend to believe, eventually partially created by movies or bad research of rpg game designers, is totally different in reality.
Wikipedia is only partly reliable asa source, i prefer Matt Eastons scholagladiatora videos on Youtube. This guy does Hema / trades in antique blades and is a studied history professor on these topics. By far the most knowledgable expert easily available for all sorts of medieval combat weapons and armor. Watch a few on his Videos and you will see that much what you tend to believe, eventually partially created by movies or bad research of rpg game designers, is totally different in reality.
He's not a 'professor' - I doubt there's any professor/academic who knows as much as he does, especially re 19th century cavalry sabres.
Similar Threads
