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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DreadPirateMurphy" data-source="post: 2888676" data-attributes="member: 20715">Well, some folks obviously know a LOT more about medieval weaponry than me.  My original evidence was based largely on prima facie absurdity.  It seems like real weapons have a few basic origins:- tools used for agriculture or hunting and wielded in warfare (daggers, hand axes, shortbows, slings),- pointy or cutty bits on the end of a long pole, to keep the foe as far from your tender flesh as possible (spears, bill hooks),- modifications of the first two allowing trained users to be more effective in combat (e.g., swords, longbows, crossbows, battle axes, pikes),- relatively rare special purpose weapons designed for use by highly trained warriors (sword catchers, chain weapons, etc.).The last category covers most of the "exotic" weapons listed in D&D.  In the real world, you wouldn't see tons of exotic weaponry, because they required a lot of extra training to use properly.  They are more common in D&D because of the "kewl" factor, and since it is a game there is no limit on how ridiculous these fantasy weapons can be.The saving grace is that not everything in D&D is human.  There are lots of creatures that have natural armor or damage reduction, superhuman dexterity, multiple arms, etc., and any of these creatures might find it easier to use such weapons.  That, at least, is how I would hand-wave the existence of these absurdities as a DM.Just a thought.</blockquote>

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