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Message: <blockquote data-quote="TheCosmicKid" data-source="post: 7271394" data-attributes="member: 6683613">I would not call arming swords, viking swords, or spathas "versatile". Sure, you could grip the pommel with your off-hand, but that's not really what they were designed for.I think you're overlooking the fact that a greatsword's main purpose is to allow its wielder to safely get inside the reach of soldiers who have longer weapons (i.e., pikes), that very few soldiers ever have any interest in dropping their weapons while engaged (i.e., in the middle of a pike formation that is trying to kill them), and that to this end it has a number of design features specifically for improving its wieldiness at half-sword (i.e., so they can stab pikemen better than they can stab back, possibly forcing them to drop their weapons).5E has generally done away with close-in penalties for reach weapons and other such "realistic" rules caveats, but even if you feel the burning need to reintroduce them to a game about saving the world from evil wizards, the greatsword is probably a poor choice of weapon to do it with.</blockquote>