D&D 5E Katana in 5th edition - finesse?

[JonWake]

I heard a guy with a katana once cut Hitler in half, but the sword was so sharp he didn't die until 1946.

 

[Thaumaturge]

I heard a guy with a katana once cut Hitler in half, but the sword was so sharp he didn't die until 1946.

I heard the katana cut him into thirds.

Thaumaturge.

 

[aarduini]

You're in luck! Elves already get free proficiency with a 1d6 finesse weapon. It's called a shortsword, and it's perfect for dex characters. This leaves the longsword as a tool of the stronger-than-average elves.

Yes, the shortsword is a 1d6 finesse weapon, but it is a piercing weapon and just not good looking enough. Its too short!

Anyway, this thread has gone off the deep end.

I still say it makes no sense to give the elf proficiency with longswords rather than scimitars.

 

[Xodis]

It's kind of a running joke online that the katana is an almost mythic weapon barely short of the lighsaber in terms of desirability and sheer awesomeness.

I blame Chrono Trigger, but seriously make a Cortosis Weave Katana and bye bye Jedis lol.

I heard a Katana is the only thing capable of cutting Chuck Norris' hair.

 

[JC99]

Yes, the shortsword is a 1d6 finesse weapon, but it is a piercing weapon and just not good looking enough. Its too short! .

One of the great things about 5th Edition is that there are no physical descriptions of individual weapons, so the only limit to how your weapons look is common sense. It's pretty easy to say "My shortsword is longer than normal, carved with ornate elvish runes all along the wicked curve of its blade."

On topic: Katanas are to this day the tool of choice for professional diamond cutters.

 

[billd91]

Yes, the shortsword is a 1d6 finesse weapon, but it is a piercing weapon and just not good looking enough. Its too short!

Anyway, this thread has gone off the deep end.

I still say it makes no sense to give the elf proficiency with longswords rather than scimitars.

D&D legacy. It will always make sense for elves to have proficiency with long swords in out-of-the-box D&D because that's a part of how elves were adapted into AD&D from other sources. Individual campaigns and settings may mess with that at leisure, but continuity of lore from one edition core to another is a good thing.

 

[NewJeffCT]

I blame Chrono Trigger, but seriously make a Cortosis Weave Katana and bye bye Jedis lol.

I heard a Katana is the only thing capable of cutting Chuck Norris' hair.

I remember playing a sci-fi RPG many years back and one guy's PC wielded what I think was a mono-filament katana, or something like that? Basically, could cut through just about anything

 

[Xodis]

I remember playing a sci-fi RPG many years back and one guy's PC wielded what I think was a mono-filament katana, or something like that? Basically, could cut through just about anything

I was about to look this up....then I remembered just how many video games have amazing Katana wielding bad asses and decided against it lol

 

[MasterTrancer]

I remember playing a sci-fi RPG many years back and one guy's PC wielded what I think was a mono-filament katana, or something like that? Basically, could cut through just about anything

Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0. probably... It sported that kind of awesomeness

 

[sidonunspa]

Long Sword with both P/S damage

Create a feat that allows a character to finesse it and gain some other abilities such as Iaijutsu, hero may draw and attack in one single action gaining Advantage on that one attack unless the target is also trained in Iaijutsu? also the feat can allow then to fight Katana/Wakizashi ?