Elvin thinblade: Cool racial weapon or Exploited Powergamer Ploy?

[IanArgent]

In my game, it's not a specifically elven weapon. I ended up calling it a Duellist's rapier. As for the whys and wherefores behind the increased damage die? It's a little longer, a little heavier, different balance... Given the abstraction represented by hit points anyway, all it means is that attacks from teh thinblade are slightly harder for the target to ignore/shrug off.

 

[BelXiror]

Cool Weapon. It's the Elven version of the Dwarven Waraxe. Up until it's inclusion, only 2 core races didn't have racial weapons, not including the half-races, and they were the Halfling and the Elf.

 

[Drifter Bob]

There is such a thing historically as a "Smallsword", that is the kind of sword they used in the 18th -19th century, wihch basically replaced the rapier, which was itself an evolutionary development of earlier transitional cut and thrust swords such as sideswords (espada lato) and swords of the robes (espada roperas) the smallsword is the predecessor of the modern sport-fencing foil, saber, and epee.

The smallsword was a bit shorter than a rapier, had even less of an edge, (sometimes no edge, sometimes a triangular cross section which was sharpened only so people couldn't grab the blade) and was even more narrow, making it faster and arguably better penetrating.

Here are some smallswords

http://www.myarmoury.com/albums/albums/aa_antique/normal_01323.jpg
http://www.myarmoury.com/albums/albums/aa_antique/normal_01319.jpg
http://www.myarmoury.com/albums/albums/aa_antique/normal_01367.jpg

This is a related weapon, the so called colichmarde, or konigsmark to the germans. THis was a smallsword with a thick, comparatively heavy forte (the base 12" or so of the blade) which made it better for parrying heavier opposing weapons.

http://www.myarmoury.com/albums/alb...al_178090-tal infantry officer smallsword.jpg

DB

 

[Pseudonym]

I'll go with cool racial weapon, though I've yet to use one as a player or have on appear in any game I've run.

 

[Dark Jezter]

I'm with Saeviomagy. It's just a rapier, but because it has the word "elven" in the name it's treated as being more powerful. Because of that, I think it's a pretty silly concept for a weapon.

Still, in gameplay terms, it's not too unbalanced because you have to spend a feat to use it effectively. If the elven thinblade were a martial weapon rather than an exotic weapon, nobody would ever use longswords anymore.

 

[Drifter Bob]

I'm with Saeviomagy. It's just a rapier, but because it has the word "elven" in the name it's treated as being more powerful. Because of that, I think it's a pretty silly concept for a weapon.

Still, in gameplay terms, it's not too unbalanced because you have to spend a feat to use it effectively. If the elven thinblade were a martial weapon rather than an exotic weapon, nobody would ever use longswords anymore.

Like I said, you could easily link it with a smallsword, which would probably have better penetration than a rapier.

Or if you wanted to go the other direction (a heavier weapon) you have the tuck, estoc, or kanzer, which was a heavy no bladed thrusting-only sword designed for piercing heavy armor.

DB

 

[cdsaint]

My answer is ....Yes. It is a cool racial weapon and an exploited powergamer ploy.

Chris

 

[Aaron L]

I love the posts from all of the elf haters. Really, I do.


Dwarves get thier special heavier axes. Gnomes get thier hooked hammers. Elves can have thier damned special heavier rapiers. Jeez.



I like thinblades. I imagine they are only very slightly different from longswords, just a more acutely defined point, and a large difference in the way that they are wielded.

 

[Drifter Bob]

Sidesword as elven thinblade

Here is another historical possibility, the sidesword. Sideswords were the predecessors of rapiers, they were heavier, and could both cut and thrust. Unlike both smallswords and rapiers, sideswords were considered both military and civilian weapons.

DB

 

[Dark Jezter]

Actually, I just took a closer look at both the rapier and the elven thinblade, and I noticed something...

Rapiers are not light weapons, but you can use the Weapon Finesse feat with it. You cannot add 1 1/2 your strength modifier to damage rolls if you use a rapier two-handed.

Elven thinblades are not light weapons, but you can you the Weapon Finesse feat with them. However, there is no mention of not being able to use it two-handed to add 1 1/2 your strength modifier to damage rolls.

This makes me wonder if the elven thinblade really is overpowered. Certainly it beats the crap out of a longsword; it has a better threat range, it can be finessed, and you can use it effectively two-handed.