Broadsword

[S'mon]

Re D&D falchions - I would treat it like a bastard sword as exotic 1-handed, martial 2-handed, keep the stats.

Re broadswords & longswords - the D&D straight-bladed, pointy-ended single-hand sword seems to resemble the early-medieval swords used primarily for thrusting, to penetrate chainmail, ie primarily a thrusting weapon not slashing. This kind of sword is ineffective vs plate armour. The AD&D '2d4' broadsword seems to be a shorter, heavier-bladed slashing weapon. For stats if you want to differentiate it I'd recommend 2d4 damage crit 20/x2. This makes it about as effective as the 'longsword' and keeps the 1e/2e stats.

Re katanas - these are obviously not masterwork bastard swords except in the PHB. They're a good bit lighter, to start with, with a curved edge. I'd use either normal longsword stats or 1d8 damage crit 18-20/x2, you can make it an exotic weapon when wielded one-handed if you want to maintain balance vs longswords, or just make it cost a lot more.

 

[herald]

Oh, dear. Where does one start in the face of this? My. But it's quite a set of statements there. First, dear fellow, I'll say that you certainly have had a, "creative" (to not lie but still somehow maintain a semblance of politesse) historical "education"--if "education" is the appropriate word in this case.

"Broadsword" was not in common use until the late 18th century, long after the Renaissance had ended. It was coined to refer to swords similar to the "Scottish" model, which were considered "broad" not only in comparison to gentlemen's smallsword (weapons we would recognize as a "rapier" having been out of fashion for at least a century) but also were fairly "broad" of blade in comparison to the newer fashion of cavalry sabre favored by the English military (although the old Dragoon swords were every bit as stout as the Scottish, making them also "broadswords").

Now, the broadswords (or claymores, take your pick, either term is correct in this case) of the movie Rob Roy are proper broadswords, but they are not, by any stretch of the imagination, to be considered typical of any sort of Renaissance nor medieval sword. This basket-hilted design was invented some time in the 16th century, long after the medieval era was over.

Finally, regarding the "skinny rapier" comment. That's just too daft for words.


To confuse the amateur and ill-educated further, the term "broad sword" has been used since roughtly AD1000. However, it was always in reference to single weapons and not considered a type of weapon. Thus, an individual sword could be "a broad sword" but it was not "a broadsword".

Now, to make matters worse, D&D TOTALLY AND UTTERLY got "longsword" and "shortsword" wrong. Historically, the "longsword" was a weapon that could be wielded in two hands but wasn't quite as long as the great honking German devices used along with pikemen. It also wasn't quite a bastard sword, althoug in the D&D level of detail, they could be considered just about equivalent. A "shortsword" was synonymous with "sword"--that being any sword suitable for use with one hand only and more good for cutting than for thrusting. However, that was how the terms were used by real swordsmen instead of Victorian armchair antiquarian sword collectors.

Oh woe to you great historian. You have completely got it wrong.

The term "broadsword" shows up in plenty of litature before the 1800's including Shakesphere. Looks like you're hoist on your own pitard.

 

[Umbran]

The term "broadsword" shows up in plenty of litature before the 1800's including Shakesphere. Looks like you're hoist on your own pitard.

Show, don't tell, herald. If you know the term "broadsword" shows up in Sakespeare, tell us where and give a quote.

Why? First because it is good style. Second because when you can't spell "petard" properly you aren't likely to be taken as a Shakespeare expert

 

[hong]

Insert comment about ninjae wielding katanae.

 

[Eridanis]

Just did a Shakespeare lexicon search, and no "broadsword" anywhere. Which doesn't mean we don't use the term when we're fighting with "broadswords" in a production of one. It's a "broad" enough term that it can mean a lot of things... even if you make some of those meanings up, if the story above about Gygax is true.

 

[Wippit Guud]

Why is always 'broad' swords... why aren't there any 'dude' swords?

 

[Aaron2]

Just did a Shakespeare lexicon search, and no "broadsword" anywhere. Which doesn't mean we don't use the term when we're fighting with "broadswords" in a production of one. It's a "broad" enough term that it can mean a lot of things... even if you make some of those meanings up, if the story above about Gygax is true.

There is a distinction between "broadsword" and "broad sword". The latter is a general term and was used much earlier. The former relates to a very specific sword type.

I see no problem with 2d4 x3; .5 points of average damage in exchange for less likely 8s.

Aaron

 

[Darklone]

For stats if you want to differentiate it I'd recommend 2d4 damage crit 20/x2. This makes it about as effective as the 'longsword' and keeps the 1e/2e stats.

I agree. In case you want your broadsword to be flavourful and a heavier version of the longsword, I suggest a 2d4 damage with 19-20/*2 crit range (or a *3 crit range if you want it to be more HACKHACKHACK like) at a -1 to hit.

I don't like that D&D got rid of all kinds of sabres. There's only the scimitar (which didn't look like the one in the PHB) and the falchion. Boring.

Re katanas - these are obviously not masterwork bastard swords except in the PHB. They're a good bit lighter, to start with, with a curved edge. I'd use either normal longsword stats or 1d8 damage crit 18-20/x2, you can make it an exotic weapon when wielded one-handed if you want to maintain balance vs longswords, or just make it cost a lot more.

For flavor reasons, I like a 1d8 slashing 18-20/*2 crit weapon. But handling of a katana and a bastard sword are pretty identical. Weight as well. Actually many katanas are as heavy as my (overweight because blunted 1.5mm edges) bastard sword.

 

[Storm Raven]

That one always makes me shake my head, because the falchion is a one-handed weapon. The two-handed European curved blade swords were called Grossmesser.

The point is that for game purposes it doesn't matter if the terms are correct or not. They are just terms used in the game to identify a weapon with particular characteristics. So long as everyone knows that those characteristics are, you could call it a "curvy big sword" for all it matters.

 

[Darklone]

I disagree. Names are flavor. I want sabres!