D&D 5E Glaive vs. Halberd - what's the difference?

[Savage Wombat]

It's simple, guys.

A halberd is a kind of cleaver on a stick.

A glaive is a five-pointed switchblade throwing star thingy that is only outmatched by the power of love.

 

[Paraxis]

It's simple, guys.

A halberd is a kind of cleaver on a stick.

A glaive is a five-pointed switchblade throwing star thingy that is only outmatched by the power of love.

Ah, the Krull glaive, the only weapon that can compete with the katana in pure uberness.


Seriously if a fanboi wrote up that glaive it would do the damage of five daggers so obviously 5d4, return on a miss or hit, and be usable multiple times in one turn, don't forget have a better range than a longbow.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Krull Glaive is completely different...

 

[SpaceOtter]

Did someone mention weapon nerds and weapon equivalents?

Asian Weapon Equivalents (specifically Chinese and Japanese).

Historical European Weapon Equivalents from about 800-1599AD.

Altogether, well over 150 weapons covered by the existing list in the PHB, and only around 10 new weapons required to round everything out.

I'll do Armour Equivalents next.

 

[mach1.9pants]

Ah, this takes me back to 1E weapon lists. Gliave guisarme halberd bec de corbin ranseur fauchards lucerne voulge bardiches. Or something!

EDIT - found this online:

Tiny list, this is the one you were after!

And Gary says this is the difference

 

[aramis erak]

Yes, I know there really IS a difference - but in my 5e PH, both are listed with identical stats... cost 20 GP, 1d10 Slashing, weight 6 ibs, Heavy, Reach, Two-handed. Why? Is this a mistake?

A glaive is a seax on a pole. A seax is like a meat-cleaver with a thrusting tip.
A halberd is a spear with an axe-head, with a spike opposite the axe-edge; the spike was usually curved. The Vatican's Swiss Guards carry halberds.

Both normally have the ability to stab and to chop.

Functionally, there's not much difference except for the back-spike on the halberd, which allowed pulling horsemen off. Straight spikes were less useful for pulling, but allowed punching through plate...

For D&D purposes, they are close enough to make no difference, but you could allow for different stunts with them, if you're inclined that way. For example, the glaive is a better choice for cutting the rope on the chandelier, while the halberd can be used to push or pull something at distance better.

Bonus: A guisarme is a pruning hook with a back spike and a thrusting point added.

Some links with good info:
http://steelfighting.com/2011/05/22/the-halberd-a-weapons-system-of-the-swiss-guard/
http://arthursarmory.com/medieval-polearm-weapons/

 

[Chocolategravy]

They were different in the play test. Editing.

 

[Minigiant]

It is for future variants.

Like a weapon group variant where one is a "heavy blade" and the other is an "axe type".

Or an exotic polarm rules.

 

[Ilbranteloth]

One thing to consider is cultural. Different weapons evolved in different colitis at different times, often in response to the armor technology of the time. In ancient Greece the short sword was common, in the late medieval it wasn't.

So your cultures can show a particular weapon as a favorite (as well as armor), but the effects are similar in game terms. Remember that the 1st edition altered weapon effectiveness against particular type of armor because many were designed specifically to reduce the effectiveness of specific armor. I know very few people besides me who used those rules (and we didn't stick with them for very long) song with things like weapon speed, etc. D&D isn't a combat simulation and unless you really feel like adding that complexity it's not really necessary.

Ilbranteloth

Randy

 

[Scorpio616]

What, no naginata?