Marshall said:
Theres a huge range of real world weapons in both those categories.
No, thats a Gladius or what D&D calls the Broad Bladed Short Sword(and a large version is a Claymore)
The basic D&D short sword is little more than a long knife or exactly the same as a short bladed long sword(whatever that is)
Yeah, but I've held the 'short bladed long sword' and claymores. The two designs are very different. For example, claymores tend to have significantly longer hilt sections.. often about 3-4 times as long, and the hilt is a much larger percentage of the total length, sometimes reaching about half. Additionally, most swords designed to be wielded in 2 hands were never sharpened to the guard like many one-handed weapons were. This was for two reasons: one, it made the weapon easier to parry with and less likely to break. For another, it allowed the user to get better leverage much more easily. So the use of a 2-handed sword is not the same as for a 1-handed version, and is balanced according to the supposition that either the person will be able to balance it by wielding it in both hands where they are spread apart to maximize the torque that counters the torque from gravity affecting the blade end, or that they will be roughly evenly spread apart and bracketing the center of gravity of the sword.
A one-handed version would be balanced farther back. A creature of larger size using the weapon would probably have balance issues (and bad balance is definitely a fairly significant hampering factor, though a skilled fighter who is both strong enough and familiar enough with that particular blade would be able to compensate) that rob them of strength of force. Also, larger blades have a nasty tendency to be difficult to forge, and therefore prone to defects, which make them much more likely to snap. Considering the fact that many large-size monsters have attack bonuses from strength 1.5-2 times a humans, that would mean vastly increased rates of destruction, since the relatively thin handles and blades (a larger creature would need a thicker blade to compensate.. however, there is only so far one can go before it becomes unfeasible) would make vibration problems and other problems resulting in torsional and other stresses that are more severe during impacts.
As a result, there's two problems: one, small humanoids would probably be able to use ordinary human weapons well, assuming they have the strength and size to use them appropriately. Daggers and shortswords are likely to be used well, as they are short and therefore don't require much height, and halflings are likely to have roughly human-sized hands. Longswords would have to be made specifically for them, as well as all types of 2-handed use weapons. Below the 3'-4' range, we'd have to make custom shortswords too, though daggers might still be workable. Below about 2', we'd have to make custom daggers. I believe it would be the reverse for 2-handed weapons. for the 7'-8' range, medium 2-handed weapons are likely to be preferable, as well as some of the longer types of longsword. Short swords might be sized up, but perhaps not. Daggers would need to increase in size to account for increased hand sizes. 8-9, short swords get sized up, and longswords go on the bubble. 9-10, longswords get sized up, and maybe 2-handers. 10'+, and you're in a realm of SLOs, (sword-like objects) as no real swords could be forged that size and be usable in combat unless made by a true master who is incredibly lucky. So I don't mind ogres using different types of weapons than humans. Ogres need weapons that can stand up to the stress of impact, and swords just won't work for them. Clubs and blunt weapons will.
Either way, the weapon sizing would not be the 3.0 version, but somewhere between a hybrid of 3.0 and 3.5.
Very nice, Klaus!
