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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Drifter Bob" data-source="post: 1646719" data-attributes="member: 17723">If you are talking about equipment balance within combat systems, you do have the choice of looking at real life.  Historically, truly inferior weapons and weapons which had been outmoded by new designs disappeared from the battlefield.  That is why for example the javelins and slings of the classical era largely disappeared as effective crossbows, recurve bows and longbows became increasingly ubiquitous in the middle ages, which were in turn gradually supplanted by firearms during the Renaissance.The weapons which were around in any given era had some characteristics which made them useful.  If the combat system for the game you are playing can reasonably portray the basic characteristics of how different types of weapons work in combat, and if the research has been adequately done, then the actual balance is there.  (unfortunately this is not the case with DnD / D20, which is more interested in it's own 'philosophy' than balance based on any external source)So for example, a battle axe, i.e. a one handed axe purposely built for combat as opposed to farm work, has certain advantages and disadvantages when compared to a sword, as does a dagger, a sap, a spear, a mace or a quarterstaff.  In D&D the only way you can differentiate one weapon from another is basically by the damage it does.In reality, some weapons have better reach, others pierce armor better, others are better in close, and some are easier to defend with.  That was why so many travelers carried staffs, for example.  They are exceptionally good for active defense.  In D&D there is no way to portray this.  Your weapon plays no role whatsoever in your defense.  An axe causes a great deal of damage, and is especially efficient at cutting through hard substances like wood, or armor.  On the other hand it's not very easy to parry with an axe and not as nimble on the attack as say, a single sword.  Thus, axes of this type were usually used with shields.  As shields became less prevalent on the battlefield, axes were mounted on longer and longer hafts and used two handed, to give them a reach advantage and thereby help with both defense and attack.  Hence halberds, poll-axes etc.An axe is in other words a specialist weapon.  A sword is more versatile.  In a campaign where the enemy is likely to have heavy armor and / or shields, an axe may be a good choice.  Against unarmored opponents, a spear or a sword might be better.  Or even a staff!Similarly, D&D stats to the contrary, a dagger is a very dangerous weapon.  Not every knight carried a spear, an axe, or even a sword, but every knight always had a dagger.  A typical medieval fighting dagger averaged a blade of 9 1/2".  Many were considerably longer.  At close quarters, this is as lethal as any sword or spear.  More lethal than a gun.  It's only disadvantage is in reach, which can be either a huge prblem or no problem at all depending on the situation...  it's not rare at all for fights with longer weapons to devolve into hand to hand grappling, and that is where the dagger is handy.Per above, that depends a hell of a lot on the environment, and the fighting style of the player.  A very fast guy going after a single target, or someone fighting in very close quarters, would be better off with the kurkri.  Try swinging an axe in your typical underground tunnel.  In a big pitched battle facing opponents with shields or in armor, the axe makes more sense.In this way, a slightly more realisitc system could allow for considerable nuance in different approaches to melee combat for different players. A wizard could choose a defensive weapon like a staff.  A rogue, preferring to attack from ambush or from behind, could do quite well with a short sword or a dagger.  Nothing wrong with a dagger!  A fighter (ranger, barbarian, paladin etc.) could choose any number of specialist approaches.   DB</blockquote>

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