D&D 5E (2014) The best solution for longswords

[Yaarel]

D&D Blades
• (0+ feet) Dagger
• (1+ foot) Shortsword
• (2+ feet) Sword
• (3+ feet) Longsword
• (4+ feet) Greatsword

 

[Coroc]

[MENTION=58172]Yaarel[/MENTION]

If you want to add to this:

3+ feet Rapier, yes it is that long.


If you want to do it more historically acurate:

- Dagger up to 1 foot
- Shortsword up to 2 feet
- Arming Sword (Sword/ Sidesword / Spatha/ knightly sword/ viking sword) d8 slashing 1 handed only, up to 2.5 feet
-Rapier up to 3 feet
-Bastard sword / Hand and half up to 3 feet (Thats the longsword now in use 1d8/1d10 versatile)
-Longsword 2d6 approx 4 feet / Greatsword 2d6 4-6 feet

If you want to differ between the last two, because Greatsword is a Renaissance Bidenhander for you then give the bidenhander reach 5 ft.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

The Japanese measure blade length by foot.

The length of D&D blades correspond as follows.
• 0+ feet: dagger
• 1+ foot: shortsword
• 2+ feet: ?
• 3+ feet: longsword
• 4+ feet: greatsword

The sword that is missing in D&D is actually the important one: viking sword, knightly sword, spatha, katana, etcetera.

Some of the 3+ ft weapons might be covered by the scimitar, or shortswords pushing into rapier category, but most would be 5e longswords. The shorter ones are less optimised towards two-handed capability; as the length of the weapon pushes towards 4ftish, designs generally become more optimised for two-handed use.
There is no definite demarcation point however, and you have outliers like the katana, which has a short, heavy blade like a falchion but an extended handle for two-handed use, or the arming sword where the two-handed techniques involve gripping the blade, rather than the pommel.

If there are any historical swordfighters among us, what is the main difference in feel between a single-edged sword and a double-edged sword?

I'd personally say that the actual design of the sword matters, and styles of use vary considerably rather than being able to give a straight answer comparing 'single-edged' vs 'double edged'. The katana and falchion/messer feel similar in the hand for example, but actual design and styles of use are very different.

If you took a longsword for example, and ground off one edge, the feel and overall style wouldn't change much, although obviously you wouldn't be using 'false edge' techniques.

Likewise, the sabre, katana and some of the Indian tulwars/scimitars have very similar blades. (Often literally the same blades; the British in India had a lot of praise for the Indian warriors and often refitted tulwars into sabres and vice versa. Likewise the Portuguese in Japan did a roaring trade in sabre blades to be refitted as katana.)
Looking at the different styles in use however, the weapons seem very different.

 

[S'mon]

The 5e longsword stats are fine for the longsword/arming sword.

I add a bunch of d8 damage 1-handed swords - arming sword, falchion, cutlass*, sabre* et al, mostly slashing. The amazons in my Wilderlands campaign have their own finesse weapons which can do extra damage with the Amazon Warrior fighting style. There's even a katana-like Amazon Warblade which is d10 2-handed slashing finesse, but can be used one handed as a STR longsword.

*finesse.

 

[Horwath]

D&D Blades
• (0+ feet) Dagger
• (1+ foot) Shortsword
• (2+ feet) Sword
• (3+ feet) Longsword
• (4+ feet) Greatsword

is this the lenght of the blade only or whole weapon?

daggers were around 50cm in total

so categories can be:

1,5-2ft: dagger
2-3ft: shortsword
3-4ft: sword, arming sword, rapier,
4-5ft, Longsword, claymore,
5+ft, greatsword(this would be a reach weapon more or less)

 

[Hriston]

The term longsword typically refers to hilt length. I.e., the grip is long enough to get two hands on it (or at least a hand and a half). Because of this, I reject the idea that the versatile property of the D&D longsword is intended to represent the use of half-swording technique with an otherwise one-handed weapon, like an arming sword, for example. YMMV.

 

[Coroc]

[MENTION=6787503]Hriston[/MENTION] #126 yepp exactly that, also, a Longsword was a designated two handed weapon which could be used 1 handed in an emergency or while mounted, with those who left place for 1,5 Hands/Bastard sword (You would grip the pommel rather with the left Hand than the grip) were a more compact Version of the Longsword, easier to use in only 1 Hand, and easier to carry around as a civilian.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I've only handled swords that would be double-edged if they actually were sharp (rapiers and sideswords/arming swords), and they have a front or true-edge which is the one that's in the same direction as your knuckles. Using the other edge, the false edge lacks the same leverage or power as the true-edge. There certainly are uses for cutting with the false edge, but they're mainly for things like deflecting and knocking swords out of the way, with sword contact with the rapier it's mostly about leverage and true-edge wins leverage, but false-edge can be used to get around blades.

It's also entirely possible to cut someone with a rapier if you draw the blade, but it requires more effort and setup and is more situational than simply thrusting. In D&D terms I'd say that inflicting slashing damage with a rapier would be an attack with disadvantage.

Having both dexterity and strength certainly helps with whatever weapon one's using too, but D&D has generally been a system where you use one or the other (except for 3e finesse rules). There probably should be an ability (feat or sub-class) called "Ha Ha Think Again!" since I don't have a good name for it, that allows something like:
Once per round (or maybe by using your reaction) when you miss with a melee attack: If it was an attack that used your strength bonus, you may re-roll using your dexterity bonus. If it was an attack using your dexterity bonus, you may re-roll using your strength bonus.

 

[Yaarel]

is this the lenght of the blade only or whole weapon?

The measurements are for the blade only.

Because the hilts can be many different sizes, it is pointless to measure them. And it is confusing to include hilts in a total measurement, since it creates uncertainty about both the blade length and the hilt length.

The Japanese system only considers the blade.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Turns out Tavern Brawler doesn't even need to be adjusted for it to work with a longsword.

"In many cases, an improvised weapon is similar
to an actual weapon and can be treated as such. For
example, a table leg is akin to a club. At the DM’s option,
a character proficient with a weapon can use a similar
object as if it were that weapon and use his or her
proficiency bonus."

[MENTION=6802553]BookBarbarian[/MENTION] : No toes stepped on at all.

While a DM is free to rule a Table Leg is similar enough to merit the damage die of a Greatclub, that's not quite the same a a DM saying a +1 Longsword counts as an Improvised weapon, don't you think?