The Broadsword

[gpetruc]

I was considering the following weapons:
Broadsword: medium-sized martial slashing weapon, damage 2d4, critical x2, price 10 gp, weight 6 lb (2.7 kg)
Large broadsword: large martial slashing weapon, damage 3d4, critical x2, price 30 gp, weight 20 lb (9 kg).
The blades have the same hardness of the corresponding longsword and greatsword, but has 50% more hp.

The main use for this weapon is for standard soldiers (not heroic PCs) that find it more relayable than the longsword: it has a smaller chance of dealing a deadly strike, but has a better average damage on a non critical hit.
The damage is 0.5 more than the normal sword variant, that instead has a better 19-20 critical and so it's better in more specialized hands (it becomes much better when you take improved critical and so on)


What do you think about this ?

I was also considering to add a +2 bonus against disarm attempts (it this does not make the sword more powerful than the longsword, but I think it should not)

 

[tengu]

In Sword and Fist , there is a small chart listing weapon equivalents. In 3e, the longsword was given as the equivalent/substitute for the broadsword. I wasn't sure if I agreed with this, but I could sort of see the logic. However, your stats for the broadsword aren't too bad. I think they would work nicely.

 

[Staffan]

Historically, the term "broadsword" was used when things like rapiers were in vogue to describe swords that had broad blades, i.e. were *not* rapiers. Using longsword stats for any "broadsword" seems eminently reasonable to me.

 

[Khorod]

So then this is a Broadersword, a little more heft, a little less fine tuned to go for the precise kill shots.

Good idea. I like.

Don't add the disarm bonus. Anything that will weaken their grip will increase the likelihood of them dropping. That balances whatever bonus rationale you might have (i don't see it offhand). And the grip on this weapon really shouldn't be all that better than a longsword/

 

[Indigo7]

So then this is a Broadersword, a little more heft, a little less fine tuned to go for the precise kill shots.

Good idea. I like.

I agree with this. I've always though of a broadsword as less refined, heavier, etc., than a longsword. We also house rule that a longsword can do Piercing damage at the player's option, something a broadsword probably could not do.

 

[trentonjoe]

Like the others, I think your version is fine but I would not include the disarm bonus.

 

[Geoff Watson]

Since the sword starts off more powerful than a longsword, adding a disarm bonus would be overkill. I think everyone would start using the broadsword instead of the longsword in your campaign since it's better.

I suggest using longsword stats. Make it 1d8 (20/x2) if you think it's not good at getting critical hits.

Geoff.

 

[Terraism]

I suggest using longsword stats. Make it 1d8 (20/x2) if you think it's not good at getting critical hits.

Geoff.

In which case it becomes weaker than the longsword. Go with what you've got, Gpetruc. It looks good. (Minus the disarm bonus, though.)

 

[Jack Daniel]

Traditionally, in D&D, the term "broadsword" has been used as a synonym for longsword, but such weapons are never technically described as broadswords. To be perfectly accurate, a broadsword is a single-edged, slashing sword, either straight like English and Scottish broadswords, or curved like the cutlass (aka "true broadsword") and the Manchurian sword (aka "kung fu broadsword"). D&D already has official stats for the cutlass, and other broadswords are similar enough in form and function that one need not bother deviating too much.

 

[Khaalis]

Just on a side note here, the "broadsword" of which you speak IS technically a generic term. It refers to many different weapons from a Scottish Basket Hilt, Bohemian Longsword, to Chinese Dao.

However, the type of blade you are referencing: slightly heavier, longer and wider, would cover the Hand-and-a-Half Sword. However, as already posted about the "classic broadsword" (which btw - are not always only single edged), the D&D "Bastard Sword" is the equivalent of the Hand-and-a-Half sword.

Technically just about every class of "European" blade has been covered by the generic classifications in D&D. If you really want to be specific and create something you specifically call a Broadsword, thats cool, but I personally think its a bit redundant.