D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5] Rapier & Scimitar

[Pielorinho]

Pielorinho,
Are you refering to your campaign? If not, I must correct you. We have seen many rapiers in the hands of players. In fact, these rapiers even had stories behind them. Most of which involved a family heirloom, a lost past or something like that. I myself used a rapier until it was stolen, most basely, from me.
Soma

Welcome to the boards, Soma -- it's always great to see another Ashevillian!

That said, what are you talking about? Are you referring to when I said:

in our games, we've seen a lot of rapiers, but the only scimitars I've seen have been amongst the found treasures, and usually have been sold

If not, I have no idea what you're correcting -- and if so, I still don't know what you're correcting. Sorry for my confusion -- please explain!

Daniel

 

[Dirigible]

There's a two handed rapier, called a Mel Puttah Belmoh, from India.

According to Dragon 232.

 

[Pielorinho]

There's a two handed rapier, called a Mel Puttah Belmoh, from India.

According to Dragon 232.

Not according to Google, there's not .

I'm not doubting you -- but would you mind elaborating on this? I tried spelling it several ways, but Google ain't got nuthin, and I'd love to see what a "two-handed rapier" would look like.

Daniel

 

[Soma]

Sorry, Daniel. Though I am hurt that you don't recognize me. What I should have said was: I, Pedibastet, began our adventure using a rapier, and recently our friend Bryce was using a rapier handed down to him by his father. I forgot the confusion added by all the pseudo-nyms.
Jacob

Add to that the fact that I misread your post. Confusion abounds!

 

[Azul]

After some googling, I've come across several references to a technique called "half-swording" which apparently is a two handed (one hand on the hilt and one partway up the blade - I presume a glove or gauntlet is worn to protect the hand) technique used with longswords, bastards and (according to some sites) with rapiers. The purpose of the technique appears to be to facilitate a powerful and well-aimed thrusting attack. Essentially, the sword is briefly used much like a spear.

Obviously, this technique isn't used exclusively, but rather is used as part of a fighting style. To my mind, it could provide a good rationalization of how a rapier could be used two-handed (at least occasionally).

As for two-handed rapiers, I too have seen references (in books) to two-handed rapiers (although the ones I saw were European rather than Indian). The ones I saw were pretty much 5-6 foot long steel rods (no sharp edges on the blade) that were purely thrusting weapons. I seem to remember at least one book making reference to these monstrosities actually being used in combat by some schools of fencing in either Germany or Italy, but to my mind, they looked far more ceremonial than practical. Perhaps with that half-swording technique, they might be useful (kind of like a sword/spear hybrid I guess).

I can easily imagine that a long thrusting sword (i.e. a two-handed rapier) evolved in India since that subcontinent seems to have experimented with an astonishing array of bladed weapon forms.

Personally, I'd rather have a smallsword (the short rapier that historically replaced the longer, more cumbersome "true" rapier).

 

[Darklone]

Actually, some Italian greatswords have been called rapiers.... with 1.5kg weight not bad

And that technique looks pretty familiar to me when I think about them.

 

[Li Shenron]

Can anybody notify me of any changes about the Scimitar from 3e? Probably there is no change, but somehow the Scimitar entry is missing from the 3.5 SRD...

 

[FluidDragon]

There is something to be said about shock. The amount of force you are hit with even if it is a piercing thrust, the shock of the initial impact can cause damage to a biological system.

Case in point, 00 Buck shot in a 12 gauge round consists of 9 .38 caliber balls. Getting hit with 2 of the 9 balls causes more shock than getting hit with 2 seperate shots from a .38 caliber pistol.

In regards to power attack with a rapier the strength of the blow could well cause more shock to a system, since D&D is an abstract system it doesn't matter if the damage is from a hole in your chest or the shock that resulted from the hole being put there.

And unlike popular misconseptions not all "rapiers" are the 3 musketiers swords you are thinking of. Check out this link Rapiers This will give you some insight into the history of this sword.

 

[Pielorinho]

Sorry, Daniel. Though I am hurt that you don't recognize me. What I should have said was: I, Pedibastet, began our adventure using a rapier,

Oh, hi, Pedibastet! Of course I didn't recognize you, though -- you weren't cursing and scowling at everyone . The sig line oughtta've clued me in.

I was wondering if you'd transposed "rapier" and "scimitar" in my post. Definitely rapiers seem the more popular of the two weapons in the games we play in; perhaps that's because they've got the slight advantage of being finessable to recommend them over scimitars.

Daniel

 

[Darklone]

And unlike popular misconseptions not all "rapiers" are the 3 musketiers swords you are thinking of. Check out this link Rapiers This will give you some insight into the history of this sword.

I would have liked to see the bronze rapiers from 2000 B.C. mentioned. Rapiers were not unknown before the Renaissance, they were simply uncommon because of the problems against armored opponents.