OSR: d8 Battle Axe or d8 Broad Sword?

[GuyBoy]

Jethro Tull did a song called “Broadsword”
They didn’t do a song called “Battle Axe”

 

[Voadam]

A question from my continuing OSR saga: what's the difference between a battle axe that does d8 damage and a sword that does d8 damage? Both are one-handed, both are too heavy to continuously wield. The battle axe, however, is priced significantly lower than the sword.

Not AD&D (that's actual old school), but enchantability could be a difference: swords are better for holding magic gems!

Which OSR system are you asking for?

Sometimes this just comes down to granularity (axes and swords do about the same damage) and simulation (swords require more metal and forging than an axe head which is put on a wooden handle).

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

My take on it is that, like so many old school gaming things, it's because the player thinks one is cooler than the other. There's no mechanical benefit to an axe (or if you go back to OD&D, any other weapon because they all do d6), but if it feels cooler for your fighter or dwarf to wield a battle axe, that's enough. And that's one of the things I love about old school gaming at its best - there are fewer mechanical benefits to weigh, so players pick things because they think they're cool, not because it's the most optimal choice.

Of course, that's "at its best." There are still plenty of people that will argue for whatever choice ekes out whatever marginal benefit being the only way to go, and have been since the beginning of time. But hey, sometimes you just want to have a thief that stabs people with a dagger, not the more damaging shortsword.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Well, it comes down to visual and possible world myth and of course any house rules your DM may throw in. Examples, for visuals: I have always found a Battle Axe very intimidating, for world myth, a battle axe is a dwarf weapon or a weapon has just gone out of style. For house, well there is that intimation. Work with your DM.

 

[GMMichael]

Which OSR system are you asking for?

Sometimes this just comes down to granularity (axes and swords do about the same damage) and simulation (swords require more metal and forging than an axe head which is put on a wooden handle).

I'm writing an OSR mod for my game (Modos RPG) and for the dozens of local players who cringe at the thought of a new game, but will play D&D before you can say "roll for initiative." So you could say I'm adding granularity to combat /weapon lists.

@Ralif Redhammer that's a promising thought: fewer mechanical benefits are a hallmark of OSR gaming. For what it's worth, the d8s for the titular weapons apply only in combat; it's almost purely narrative differences when PCs are in a simple (or non-) conflict.

@Voadam led me to another difference: supply. When your weapon gets eaten by the rust monster, you'll have to go back to your henchman-supply-train for another or worse: loot one. If you've been slaying duergar left and right, I hope you're proficient with axes.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

A question from my continuing OSR saga: what's the difference between a battle axe that does d8 damage and a sword that does d8 damage? Both are one-handed, both are too heavy to continuously wield. The battle axe, however, is priced significantly lower than the sword. So what in-game reasons would a fighter (or any other class) have to specialize in swordsmanship over axe-wielding, or to "upgrade" from an axe to a sword? Why would a player, creating her character, decide "I want the more expensive d8?"

The question also applies to armor; mail and scale mail offer the same protection, although scale mail is slightly more harsh on one's dexterity. Mail (chain-like) is significantly more labor-intensive, and much more expensive. So why save up for it?

After the first adventure any differences in cost are close to irrelevant. Only the initial outfitting of the character really makes money a factor in equipment decisions. There are a few exceptions for some things. Acquiring plate mail would be one that my 1E AD&D games make a factor for a while longer, firstly because the 400gp cost may require a few more adventures to save up for, and secondly because I've traditionally required that plate mail almost always must be custom-fit for each individual, and that takes specific characters to the sidelines for a significant period early on in the campaign. Usually players will find other things for PC's to do and enable just skipping past the time required, but sometimes players can be kinda obnoxious and want to keep adventuring non-stop, delaying armor fittings for PC's that are trying to acquire it.