Is a Small Longsword type=slashing?

[Arrowhawk]

Interesting. Does this give you any insight on why 3.5 maintained that a short sword can't do slashing damage and a dagger can?

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Interesting. Does this give you any insight on why 3.5 maintained that a short sword can't do slashing damage and a dagger can?

lol, nope, not a clue. When I look at the actual pictures of the weapons on page 120 of the PH, They all look like they'd cut and poke quite nicely. My only guess then would be the fighting style one would be trained with to use the weapon has an influence. Which means I'm making stuff up for something that really doesn't make sense.

Perhaps the weapon damage types are designed based around the monsters who have certain resistances/vulnerabilties? Skeleton's DR5/Bludgeoning, Zombie DR5/Slashing. Makes it so you need to have a few different weapons on hand against different enemies, just to keep things interesting. Once again, I'm making wild guesses.

 

[trancejeremy]

In reality, I think swords can stab/pierce, slash, and even bludgeon quite effectively.

A very fascinating book I came across on a TV show showed that knights sometimes apparently reversed their swords, like this:

Or as you see, used to stab almost like a spear.

http://www.thearma.org/Fight-Earnestly.htm

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

In reality, I think swords can stab/pierce, slash, and even bludgeon quite effectively...

Explains the common pointy part at the bottom of many swords.
Doesn't explain the reasoning behind D&D's weapon damage system.

...Silly knights.

 

[Duke Arioch]

I think the other one in that pic is actually a squire handing his master another sword. On related topic, if you slashed across chainmail protected torso, and didn't use enough force to cut through, you would, in fact, deal blunt damage.

 

[Trance-Zg]

If you want to increase reality you can make that longsword does:
1d8 slashing damage
1d6 piercing
and
1d4 bludgeon damage.

 

[Arrowhawk]

If you want to increase reality you can make that longsword does:
1d8 slashing damage
1d6 piercing
and
1d4 bludgeon damage.

That's actually a great thought. A shame D&D doesn't have this as a core rule. I suppose the problem is you'd have to do this for all the weapons and you're sacrificing simplicity.

 

[Salamandyr]

I think the other one in that pic is actually a squire handing his master another sword. On related topic, if you slashed across chainmail protected torso, and didn't use enough force to cut through, you would, in fact, deal blunt damage.

You would, in fact, not deal damage at all. Between the surcoat, suit of mail, and padded gambeson, it's doubtful that your opponent would even notice a slashing hit, especially to the torso.

Which is why, as armor became heavier, the point and its use (and such activities as half swording) became more prominent.

 

[underfoot007ct]

I think the other one in that pic is actually a squire handing his master another sword. On related topic, if you slashed across chainmail protected torso, and didn't use enough force to cut through, you would, in fact, deal blunt damage.

No, that is a drawing of REAL, from The Fechtbuch (Fight-Book) from 1459 AD. Check out the link under the pic.

 

[underfoot007ct]

And you could be correct.


This speaks to why I asked the question. It's odd to me that a short sword can't be both piercing and slashing like a dagger.

In the REAL world a short sword IS a Thrusting (piercing) weapon. And daggers can be Thrusting (Stiletto), but I "think" most daggers are slashing as well. But we live in the REAL world while our Chars live in our fantasy worlds which sometimes does not mirror the REAL world perfectly. That is what house rules are for. Game on.