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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Sigil" data-source="post: 1330194" data-attributes="member: 2013">*shrugs*Perhaps.  I dunno, maybe I'm a bit simple, but for me the important thing with weapons is that there is, in essence, the following formula:Medium-Size WeaponBase damage is 1d6Choose one damage type (S/B/P)Choose one "special ability" (increased crit multiplier, increased threat range, increased damage die, weapon finessible, throwable, second damage type, etc.)If a martial weapon, add another special abilityIf an exotic weapon, add instead two more special abilities.It's not perfect, of course, but it's close.  Base damage die increases/decreases with size, other things are unchanged.A Medium-Size Martial Weapon with the properties:Base damage is 1d6Damage Type is SlashSpecial Ability is increased threat range (19-20)Second Special Ability (martial weapon) is increased damage die (to 1d8)is usually referred to as a "(medium-size) longsword."  One with:Base damage is 1d6Damage Type is SlashSpecial Ability is increased crit multiplier (x3)Second Special Ability (martial weapon) is increased damage die (to 1d8)is usually referred to as a "(medium-size) battle axe."Is this a boring way of thinking about weapons?  Yes.  But that's what I boil it down to when I say semantics.  Yes, there is the Pierce/Slash issue with shortswords for halflings.  But to me, it seems trivial.  The label "longsword" is simply a convenient way to package the above set of attributes.  My way is MUCH less exciting, I fully admit that - but it does a pretty good job of emulating the Weapon tables. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />Having come to that conclusion - that "longsword" is simply a convenient shorthand for "1d8, Slash, Increased threat range," I happen to be of the opinion that you may as well call EVERY weapon with those properties a "longsword."  If it's a "Large Slashing Shortsword," or a "Small Greatsword" why not call it a "longsword" and save the trouble?In other words, I like the "duck test."  If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and acts like a duck, for all intents and purposes it's a "duck."  If it slashes like a longsword, damages like a longsword, and crits like a longsword, for all intents and purposes, it's a "longsword."  I think that's what it comes to at the end of the day.  I don't need "Tiny Greatswords" and "Large Slashing Shortswords" and "Medium Size Longswords" and "Huge Slashing Daggers" that all work exactly the same way (mechanically) when the term "longsword" covers that mechanical setup quite neatly. IOW, I don't need four or five names for what is, mechanically, the exact same thing any more than I need the third level spells "blue flame ball" (blue flame explodes doing 1d6/level, 10d6 max fire damage to a 20' spread), "green hotball" (green flame explodes doing 1d6/level, 10d6 max fire damage to a 20' spread), "yellow blastball" (yellow flame explodes doing 1d6/level, 10d6 max fire damage to a 20' spread), and "fireball" (red flame explodes doing 1d6/level, 10d6 max fire damage to a 20' spread).  One is enough, thanks. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />--The Sigil</blockquote>

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