Most Outrageous Weapons

[Imperialus]

WAR actually did an illo of the gyrspike in a Dungeon article that made it a lot more logical. It was more like a long chain came off of the hilt of the sword with a flail's head at the very end - long enough to hold the chain in one hand and the sword in the other. Still not the most logical thing in the world, but a sight better than just sticking a flail on the end of a sword.

Demiurge out.

Yeah I'm still waiting for them to come out with swordchucks

 

[Rockwolf66]

WAR actually did an illo of the gyrspike in a Dungeon article that made it a lot more logical. It was more like a long chain came off of the hilt of the sword with a flail's head at the very end - long enough to hold the chain in one hand and the sword in the other. Still not the most logical thing in the world, but a sight better than just sticking a flail on the end of a sword.

that makes it sound alot like a couple of Japanese weapons.

The Kusari-Gama was a sickle and weighted chain combination.

The Kyoketsu-Shogi was a hooked dagger with an Iron ring attached by a long cord.

the Gyrspike would use similar techniques as a Kusari-Gama. Thats in my opinion, how you would use one is up to you.

 

[Testament]

Then in 2E (possibly earlier editions too) there was the sovereign glue, and universal solvent. The solvent I suppose I could see, but super glue?

Don't diss the glue! I've had a party save themselves from a very tough encounter through creative use of the glue. It involved one bottle of glue, a hammock, and a very confused Will o' the Wisp.

 

[Luthien Greyspear]

Some examples from games I've played:

A toothpick of lightning (like the javelin, but great for getting out that hard-to-reach gristle)
Another bowling ball (this one was enchanted to turn corners. Pity you couldn't AIM.)
A big-honkin' book, carried by a Kender priest of Gilean. (it had two uses in combat: either she'd swat you with the book (about 1d6 damage) or she'd open it and show you all the cool places she'd been and all the maps she'd made...putting you to sleep.)

And finally:

A mimic. We had tamed a mimic in a low-level dungeon (about 4th) way back in the days of 1e. It had been abused by the evil mage that was using it to hide his wand collection, and my druid/fighter made peace with it. The DM ruled that the mimic's natural movement prevented it from travelling with us, so the other fighter and I carried it between us as a chest. Whenever we came across anything that it could eat (kobolds, goblins, cave critters, whatever) we'd yell "Lunch!" and heave it at the walking snack-pack. IIRC, we hit about half the time...

 

[genshou]

bah,

the swizzle stick ... aka mercurial greatsword has them all beat

Hey, at least this one is based on a real-world attempt that just didn't work for reasons of past metallurgy limits... I can imagine a sword that gets heavier at the tip after it's swung, but how am I supposed to envision the use of a dire flail or gyrspike?

Edit: demiurge1138 explained the gyrspike, now all we have to do is figure the dire flail out.