The origin of Rangers with Two-Weapon-Fighting

[Hypersmurf]

Incidentally, 1e Fiend Folio Drow can only fight 2-handed with shortsword & dagger combination, per the entry. No dual scimitars or dual longswords like Salvatore's munchkin drow!

The 1E DMG rules also only allowed a dagger or hand-axe as an off-hand weapon, with penalties that reduced as your Dex increased.

The UA drow weren't so limited and took no penalties, from memory; to use two scimitars in 1E, you had to play a UA Drow.

-Hyp.

 

[JohnSnow]

Personally, I thought R.A.Salvatore was just a fan of Nasir, the two-weapon fighting Saracen ranger guy from Robin of Sherwood.

First, I just want to say I LOVED that series. One of the best D&D inspiration series EVER. Now if someone would just release it on DVD...

More on target, I always figured Rangers were about two weapon fighting. Not necessarily paired scimitars, but Sword and dagger, or sword and light sword kinda stuff. Simply put, fighting with nothing but a single sword is stupid (bare minimum, use your offhand to punch or grapple), and rangers are not inclined to carry shields.

And to those whining about Aragorn never two-weapon fighting, I'll point out that he faced down the Nazgul at Weathertop with nothing but "a flaming brand in either hand." Which sure sounds like two-weapon fighting to me.

Yes, Drizz't is the model of the TWF ranger, and probably the reason it made it into 2e, but the archetype makes a LOT of sense.

Just my two coppers.

 

[Hypersmurf]

First, I just want to say I LOVED that series. One of the best D&D inspiration series EVER. Now if someone would just release it on DVD...

I've owned it on DVD for about four years.

Try here.

-Hyp.

 

[JohnSnow]

I've owned it on DVD for about four years.

And you got it how??

 

[Hypersmurf]

And you got it how??

See edit above.

-Hyp.

 

[Set]

Never even considered that Drizzt had anything to do with it, I thought it was inspired by Aragorn's two-fisted sword-and-torch fighting against the Nazgul.

 

[JohnSnow]

Never even considered that Drizzt had anything to do with it, I thought it was inspired by Aragorn's two-fisted sword-and-torch fighting against the Nazgul.

Just to be pedantic - Aragorn used two torches against the Nazgul (see quote above), not a sword-and-torch. The sword and torch thing was only done in the movie where he's not carrying the broken Narsil (reforged in Rivendell as Anduril), from the beginning of the story.

The "sword that was broken" stays in its sheath at Weathertop (and elsewise), except when he draws it to show Frodo it's "not much of a threat" (because it's broken off a foot from its hilt).

 

[Drowbane]

Drizzt

Best thing that could've happened to Rangers too

 

[Herobizkit]

I've owned it on DVD for about four years.

Is this the same series that ran on PBS in America, made Robin Hood friends with a druidic "Green Man", and had the theme song sing over and over "Robin Hood... The Hooded Man"?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Is this the same series that ran on PBS in America, made Robin Hood friends with a druidic "Green Man", and had the theme song sing over and over "Robin Hood... The Hooded Man"?

Don't know about PBS, but otherwise yes.

My favourite Robin Hood of all time

-Hyp.