D&D General The rapier in D&D

[Paul Farquhar]

Part of it's that it's such a modern weapon, it begs for an explanation why it's needed in the first place.

It’s not really a “weapon” at all. It’s sports equipment, just like full plate.

It’s true for many of the things in D&D - they aren’t particularly good for killing humans, never mind dragons. Consider modern military - what do they carry? Daggers, knives, bayonets (aka pointy sticks). Despite all the fantastical D&D weapons being possible.

 

[pawsplay]

It’s not really a “weapon” at all. It’s sports equipment, just like full plate.

Maximilian armor is real weaponry. And a rapier is a real weapon, just not one you'd use against someone in Maximilian plate.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Maximilian armor is real weaponry. And a rapier is a real weapon, just not one you'd use against someone in Maximilian plate.

In the same way that a car is a real weapon. You can kill people with it, but it’s not really what it’s designed for.

 

[pawsplay]

In the same way that a car is a real weapon. You can kill people with it, but it’s not really what it’s designed for.

What do you think a rapier was designed for?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

What do you think a rapier was designed for?

Fighting duels, and as a fashion accessory.

Like the "longsword" its basically phallic. "I see your shwartz is as big as mine."

The technology required to make rapiers isn't all that advanced. They start to appear as a cultural thing, not a technological thing.

 

[pawsplay]

Cars actually aren't for fighting duels or killing ruffians.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Cars actually aren't for fighting duels or killing ruffians.

They are status symbols, fashion accessories, and phallic though.

And should you be attacked by ruffians whist in a car, it will kill them quite effectively.

 

[GrimCo]

You can use rapier to get in close and hit dragon in the pinky toe. It would be like he stepped on the lego or d4. Very painful and very annoying

 

[CreamCloud0]

it was never decided it was a weapon for fighting dragons, it was decided as a weapon for 'humans' to fight each other and then they just extended those damage values to cover fighting every other creature they could think of without considering if anything ought to be altered in the process.

 

[Reynard]

Bringing a spear to a fight against a dragon is useless. You're not getting through it's hide before the haft breaks and/or you are swiped into oblivion.

Same thing with the lucerne hammer. "Evade!" doesn't work against a hand the size of a human torso with fingers as long as your arm tipped with claws as long as your hand coming to you at roughly the speed, and impact force, of a midsize SUV.

Fighting a dragon, for real, would be impossible with any melee weapon. And almost all ranged weapons would be equally ineffective.

As a former 11H, I recommend a TOW missile mounted on a Bradley.