Piearcing *and/or* Slashing ??

[Quasqueton]

Type: Weapons are classified according to the type of damage they deal: bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing. Some monsters may be resistant or immune to attacks from certain types of weapons.
Some weapons deal damage of multiple types. If a weapon is of two types, the damage it deals is not half one type and half another; all of it is both types. Therefore, a creature would have to be immune to both types of damage to ignore any of the damage from such a weapon.
In other cases, a weapon can deal either of two types of damage. In a situation when the damage type is significant, the wielder can choose which type of damage to deal with such a weapon.

Dagger = piercing or slashing

Morningstar = bludgeoning and piercing

Halberd = piercing or slashing

Scythe = piercing or slashing

Hooked hammer = bludgeoning and piercing

Urgrosh = slashing or piercing


If the "and" means any hit with the weapon counts as both types, then why:

The hooked hammer is a double weapon, with a hammer at one end and a hook at the other. It is typed as bludgeoning and piercing.

The urgrosh is also a double weapon, with an axe at one end and a spear at the other. But it is typed as slashing or piercing.


If the "or" means the wielder chooses which type when using the weapon, they why aren't more weapons listed as "or"? The sword can be used to stab as well as slash; just like the dagger which is listed as piercing or slashing. [I would have thought a dagger was always piercing. A knife would be slashing. ??]

The kama and sickle are basically small scythes, so why are they not "piercing or slashing" like the scythe?

And, interesting that the "bludgeoning" great club is illustrated with spikes -- which would make it a piercing and bludgeoning weapon, no?

Then there is the spiked chain. It is statted as a piercing weapon, but isn't it used as a slashing weapon? (I'll grant that this "complaint" is probably less meaningful.)

Quasqueton

 

[James McMurray]

Perhaps the "or" means you choose when you buy it. I.e. getting a dagger that's built for stabbing (a stilletto-type blade) or one that's built for slashing (a buck knife blade).

Then the "And" would mean those weapons can be used as whichever type of damage you want at the moment.

Just a speculation.

 

[Sir Whiskers]

...
If the "or" means the wielder chooses which type when using the weapon, they why aren't more weapons listed as "or"? The sword can be used to stab as well as slash; just like the dagger which is listed as piercing or slashing. [I would have thought a dagger was always piercing. A knife would be slashing. ??]

I agree the weapon damage types are not consistent, but I think you've got the right idea. "Or" means the type of damage is dependent on the way the wielder attacks and can be chosen at that time. "And" means it does both types of damage on every successful hit.

The only rationale I can think of for some of the other weapons is that damage type was chosen based on how a weapon was most often used. If there was no one clear choice, they used "or". Just a guess on my part.

 

[the Jester]

The difference is that you're talking about double weapons. Each head counts as its own weapon; so for an urgrosh (f'rinstance), you have a-

Hey wait, you list the urgrosh as piercing or slashing, but you refer to it as piercing and slashing... which way is it? This really affects my whole argument!

Hm, I'll get back to you after I have a chance to look (or you reply)... sorry, didn't mean to add to the confusion.

 

[Quasqueton]

"Hey wait, you list the urgrosh as piercing or slashing, but you refer to it as piercing and slashing... which way is it?"

Oops. Typo.

"This really affects my whole argument!"

But make sure you note the hooked hammer before making your argument. It is also a double weapon.

Quasqueton

 

[the Jester]

Well, having taken a look, I can safely say never mind what I was going to say. I am now officially puzzled.

I do think weapons with only one damage type are listed that way because any other method of use is suboptimal- I'd say you'd have a penalty to use them for a different damage type. Hm, idea for a new feat...

 

[Pagan priest]

I suspecrt that the answer has more to do with lazy authors not checking for consistancy tahn anything else.

 

[Malk]

I always thought that people who say the rapier is only piercing have never actualy seen one in real life, at least a heavy combat rapier. Of course they wouldnt damage an armored opponent as easily as robed one...but thats a different thread.

 

[dark2112]

The sword can be used to stab as well as slash; just like the dagger which is listed as piercing or slashing.
Quasqueton

That depends. A Short Sword was actually dull, it was only the point that was used, iirc. Which would be why a short sword is listed as P, and a longsword is listed as S.

 

[Norfleet]

I think piercing and/or slashing is like being injured and/or killed. You can suffer from only either or both.