The Concept Is... he DOESN'T use a sword.

[Tabarnak Smokeblower]

2 notes:

1) Historically, didn't they use swords because when turned upside down, they could also be used as crosses?

2) The maul (FRCS) is a little better 2hd bludgeoning weapon. The stats are as follow:
15gp / 1d10 / 20 / X3 / 20lbs / Bludgeoning.

TS

 

[Desdichado]

I"m not so sure I agree with your assessment that all these other weapons were common for actual knights to use. The sword was as much a mark of nobility as it was a weapon, a tradition stretching back centuries by the time the middle ages came along; few knights didn't have and use one.

 

[LGodamus]

IMC I make the maul like the bastard sword..usable one handed with a feat, and I have a great hammer that does 2d6 and is two handed works out nicely.

 

[Kichwas]

If you're willing to burn the feat, Spiked Chain was the ginsu knife of 3.0.

Not sure if it remains so, but that thing was a serious meatgrinder in the hands of somebody with combat reflexes.

Slap down a third feat for improved trip and in 3.5 you're a walking cuisinart.

 

[krunchyfrogg]

I'm all about barbarians ditching greatswords and going with either Great Axes (higher chance at rolling 12 damage, better crit multiplyer), or even better yet: Heavy Picks. A strong Barb is going to dish out a ton of damage with Power Attack no matter what 2 handed weapon they're using, so why not "go for the gold" with a X4 crit multiplyer?

 

[Valiantheart]

I love a fighter who uses a bastard sword. Nothing seems more weapon mastery to me than a warrior wielding a bastard sword two handed. I pick up the exotic feat as well but primarily go two handed. Use a breast plate and go for G. Specialization and WW.

Also, I love the Great Hammer 1d12 x3 Barbarian but alas WOTC still hasnt printed one. If they print another 1d10 2-hand maul i think i will choke somebody over there.

 

[arwink]

p.s. the triple-crit on the greataxe doesn't hurt. 137pts of damage in one round last session ... OWIE! How are my poor undead of wretched evil supposed to stand up to that!

er, aren't they supposed to say "I'm Undead, you can't crit me?"



ANyway, on topic:

Prefered weapons tend to be the crooked blades -scimitars and Flachions - especially falchions.

And I love 3e forever for including the punching dagger.

 

[Dirigible]

Piratecat said

It's all about the bohemian earspoon, baby.

Ahhh, that tkaes me back.
*rushes to shelf to check 1est edition Ad&D PHB*
Hmmm... same stats as a partisan. d6 damage, no attack bonus vs armour, 7' long.... what a rip !

The mighty, nay legendary earspoon should do at least d100 damage, grant +10 to disarm and have the special attack fuctions Deafen and Eat Frogurt.

Lesse... my fighting-type characters ahve, in the past used :
A spear
A blade (ummm...which is basically a longsword, but with a longer blade)
A rapier (he was a duelist ! what choice did I have !)
Deliscious cake
A quarterstaff
A warstar (two handed, full metal headed morningstar)
A double-bitted stone greataxe
A greatsword (in a sci fi setting... man, did he get some funny looks from Planetary Customs)

 

[Henry]

Fair enough, though I think part of the appeal to the axe is the joy of taking that opponent to -34. That seems to be my experience anyway - I find equal fun in critting more often, and critting big.

I'll add something else here, too - our group seems to have a DARNED hard time remembering that 19's and 20's threaten on a weapon, instead of just 20's. I don't know if this psychological blind spot stems from our old days when we used to play with "20's crit" rules in AD&D, or not. But the funny thing is: on all weapons, we NEVER forget a 20. We never forget a weapon that crits on an 18-20, like rapiers - I suppose because the people picking that weapon are specifically picking it for the range, and are more conscious of it.

But we ALWAYS are forgetting that a 19 should threaten on swords, crossbows, daggers, etc. It's really odd.

 

[Greybar]

er, aren't they supposed to say "I'm Undead, you can't crit me?"

DOH! Bad GM, Bad GM.
I admit it, I enjoy it when Mark (our greataxe fighter's player) picks up d12s and just keeps rolling them.

Must have less sympathy for PCs and more sympathy for my poor monsters.

Back on topic (ish):
I also have been giving folks like the city guard the specialist polearms with bonus to disarm and trip. I figure that since their job is not so much to kill as pacify and arrest, both of those are good.

john