Dwarves + axes... why?

[WizarDru]

All that was left was the combustibles and non-combustibles.

What's the third category?

 

[genshou]

Dwarves are short. I always laugh when I think of a dwarf wielding a greatsword (or, gasp, a fullblade). They have Donkey Kong arms in 3E and beyond, but I've always imagined them as being stubby enough that axes were the most effective weapons for delivering the momentum of their arms' movement.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

What's the third category?

Combustion Retardants.

 

[Imret]

What if orc and goblinoid bodies *did* burn fairly easily? What if their blood is oilier, or they just have the right kind of fat, or whatever? All of a sudden, the eternal dwarven war against those evil humanoids might be about resources...getting enough fuel for the forges.

Even if they did burn well, they probably wouldn't burn hot enough...unless they had some fire or earth elemental in their heritage.

I love it! Consider this combined idea yoinked. I'd been looking for something interesting to do with orcs for my world in progress, and I think I have something now.

As for the dwarven weapon question, I've always favored the "tools as weapons" rationality, particularly as my dwarves were once slaves of the giants (also, in my mind, explaining the +4 dodge bonus) in the distant past.

The elf-chopping argument holds more sway, IMO, from the other side. Elves look down on dwarves (figuratively), among other reasons, because they fight with tools. It's so.... dwarf.