Should a weapon be statted based on "realism" or "balance"?

[sjmiller]

So what weapons (besides firearms) are there that would realistically be "better" than what's already in the books?

Well, just about every weapon in the PH would, if done more realistically, weigh about 1/2 or 1/3 the weights shown. A typical longsword should not weigh more than 3 pounds, tops. A greatsword should not weigh more than 9 or 10 pounds, and that is pushing the limit. Just about all the weapons in D&D, and most other RPGs, are grossly overweight.

That being the case, you really cannot stat a new weapon realistically, because none of the ones in the game currently are.

 

[Umbran]

A typical longsword should not weigh more than 3 pounds, tops.

Rapiers weigh in around 3 lbs. Longswords shoudl be considerably heavier.

 

[francisca]

Just about all the weapons in D&D, and most other RPGs, are grossly overweight.

Doesn't that date back to the old editions and encumberance, where objects were sometime given unrealistic weights to try to provide some compensation for bulk?

 

[diaglo]

Doesn't that date back to the old editions and encumberance, where objects were sometime given unrealistic weights to try to provide some compensation for bulk?

i would assume it does too.

although, i have seen more golf bag full of polearm fighters in recent years than i can remember back then mostly due to the lack of encumbrance.

 

[francisca]

i would assume it does too.

although, i have seen more golf bag full of polearm fighters in recent years than i can remember back then mostly due to the lack of encumbrance.

Sad but true, but that is one funny mental image, regardless.

 

[gamecat]

Balance is where it is all at - every other weapon appears to have been designed on a table where crit vs. weapon size vs. damage dice vs. weapon proficiency all scale against each other.

 

[lukelightning]

Probably because of the new DR rules. You're expected to carry around a bag of silver, iron, adamantine, byeshk and targath weapons, of all the various alignments.

i would assume it does too.

although, i have seen more golf bag full of polearm fighters in recent years than i can remember back then mostly due to the lack of encumbrance.

 

[was]

I'd probably opt for realism and then make it an exotic weapon.

 

[Sledge]

I would aim towards balance, but still follow reality as much as possible. Reality is so hard to judge that it's easy to make things balanced, weaponwise.

 

[sjmiller]

Rapiers weigh in around 3 lbs. Longswords shoudl be considerably heavier.

Sorry, no, you are incorrect there. Authentic longswords from several medieval and renaissance era armouries are, practically without exception, in a weight range of 2.4 to 3.6 pounds. I can, if needed, give you the scientific reasons why a weapon of a particular length and width has to weigh a given weight, but I imagine most here would find it unnecessary. A brief search of the internet of armouries and museums will also confirm this.

Stephen