D&D 5E Falchion & Finesse?

[Hrothgar Rannúlfr]

If you were importing the falchion to DnD 5E, would you give it the finesse property?

Why? Or, why not?

Thank you.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Personally, if someone asked for it I probably would. Although it would be the first (and only) two-handed Finesse weapon... the fact that it's only 2d4 in damage (and thus pretty much on par with the rapier) makes it seem okay from my point of view. I know I definitely would not allow it if they wanted to bump the damage to 1d10 though (both due to average damage and also odds of rolling high/max damage). Falchion with Two-Handed and Finesse properties doing 2d4 damage or nothing is what I'd say to them.

 

[MortalPlague]

I'm not a weapons expert, but I thought falchion was a big, heavy curved blade? It doesn't seem like the sort of weapon to be a finesse weapon.

 

[the Jester]

If you were importing the falchion to DnD 5E, would you give it the finesse property?

I can't think of a single reason why it would be a finesse weapon. I don't believe it ever has been before, it's a big two-handed blade, and... yeah, I got nothing. Is there some reason that you think it ought to be a finesse weapon?

 

[GX.Sigma]

Wait, I thought a falchion was more like a broad long knife / short sword, like a machete?

Unless there's some D&D-specific weapon that someone called a "falchion" because they couldn't think of a synonym for a two-handed sword?

 

[Hrothgar Rannúlfr]

No. I don't have any reason to think it would be a finesse weapon. But, I don't really have any reason to think that it wouldn't.

I was looking at the similarity in its PF stats with the scimitar. Stat-wise, it looks like a two-handed scimitar. And, since the scimitar is finesse in 5E, I thought the falchion might make an interesting two-handed finesse weapon.

It doesn't need finesse. And, I'm guessing that since it couldn't gain any benefit from Weapon Finesse in PF, then there's not really a reason to give it finesse in 5E.

But, I'm definitely putting the damage at 2d4.

Thank you.

 

[Savage Wombat]

Wait, I thought a falchion was more like a broad long knife / short sword, like a machete?

Unless there's some D&D-specific weapon that someone called a "falchion" because they couldn't think of a synonym for a two-handed sword?

I think this is the case - they wanted a word other than "great scimitar" at some point.

 

[jadrax]

mmm.

Rapier 25 gp 1d8 piercing 2 lb. Finesse
Falchion 75 gp 2d4 slashing 4 lb. Finesse, heavy, two-handed

It doesn't look unbalanced on the face of it tbh.

 

[GameDoc]

In D&D, the falchion has always been described as a two-handed scimitar, evocative of the weapon used by the Cairo Swordsman that Indy shoots in Raiders of the Lost Ark. I've always wondered if that ought to be a finesse weapon. It's design and balance makes up for its size.

Historically, IIRC, the falchion was a a heavy single edged sword used for chopping/slashing attacks, basically a large machete. It required less skill and training to use than a cruciform broadsword because in practice if was as much like wielding an axe (and I think it was a one handed weapon).

 

[Henrix]

Falchion (or, in latin, falx) has, through the ages, been used to describe various weapons. The dacians (enemies of Rome) were known for their forward curving two-handed pole arm-like falchions.

And even mediaeval falchions came in bigger versions.

This weird two-handed sword was (probably) called falchion as well.

No version of falchion I can recall seems finesseable. They seem to be rather crude chopping blades, possibly good for cutting through mail links.


[Edit]
Checking my 1e AD&D books close at hand I see 'Sword, Falchion' in Unearthed Arcana, clearly being a one-handed sword.
Wonder when did it become two-handed in D&D.