Weapons you wished you'd see sometimes.

[sjmiller]

It's a note in the back of the 1e DMG.
If it ISN'T so, then explain to me why the weapon weights are so off.

See, there you go, it's not even mentioned in the current edition that most people here play (or the not so current edition that I play).

Well, let's look at some of the swords, just as an example. The longsword, as shown in the 3.5 SRD weighs in at 4 lbs. I went through all of my sources, which include archaeological dig catalogs, museum inventory catalogs, various weapon reference books, and personal handling of weapons. I could not find a non-ceremonial weapon that would classify as a longsword that weighed more than 3.3 lbs., and that is being generous in our definition.

A greatsword in D&D, which could be classified as a two-handed sword or a flamberge, weighs a staggering 8 lbs. according to the SRD! In all my research I could not find a non-ceremonial two-handed sword that weighed more than 6 lbs. Presentation pieces, or ceremonial pieces (those not designed for combat) all are made of lesser quality steel, and in consequence, weigh a lot more. Ceremonial pieces can weigh well over 10 lbs for a greatsword.

I also looked at a few other things a minute ago. Ten sling bullets weigh 5 lbs., which means that each sling bullet weighs a half pound. Now, if we made the sling bullets out of cast lead we're looking at sling bullets that are just about 1.5 cubic inches each. I've never seen a sling bullet that big myself, but it's marginally possible.

I guess I am just saying that whoever made the weapon weights did not do their research well. With a few exceptions, I would say most of the weapon weights are too heavy, some ridiculously so.

 

[AE020704]

My current character is a Favoured Soul of a God who, inexplicably, likes shields. TWF, Improved Shield Bash, +2 Spiked Shield, Shortsword.

Unfortunately, it means that I deal out damage roughly equivalent to a Commoner1, but my AC is supernatural.

I am a meat shield. :\

 

[Tetsubo]

See, there you go, it's not even mentioned in the current edition that most people here play (or the not so current edition that I play).

Well, let's look at some of the swords, just as an example. The longsword, as shown in the 3.5 SRD weighs in at 4 lbs. I went through all of my sources, which include archaeological dig catalogs, museum inventory catalogs, various weapon reference books, and personal handling of weapons. I could not find a non-ceremonial weapon that would classify as a longsword that weighed more than 3.3 lbs., and that is being generous in our definition.

A greatsword in D&D, which could be classified as a two-handed sword or a flamberge, weighs a staggering 8 lbs. according to the SRD! In all my research I could not find a non-ceremonial two-handed sword that weighed more than 6 lbs. Presentation pieces, or ceremonial pieces (those not designed for combat) all are made of lesser quality steel, and in consequence, weigh a lot more. Ceremonial pieces can weigh well over 10 lbs for a greatsword.

I also looked at a few other things a minute ago. Ten sling bullets weigh 5 lbs., which means that each sling bullet weighs a half pound. Now, if we made the sling bullets out of cast lead we're looking at sling bullets that are just about 1.5 cubic inches each. I've never seen a sling bullet that big myself, but it's marginally possible.

I guess I am just saying that whoever made the weapon weights did not do their research well. With a few exceptions, I would say most of the weapon weights are too heavy, some ridiculously so.

I agree with you on the swords.

But I have seen sling bullets that large. They weren't spheres mind you but they weighed in at a pound or more. They were sort of football shaped. I wish I could remember what book I saw the pictures in... One of them had the phrase, "Eat This" in ancient Greek... soldiers are soldiers regardless of the era...

And why should a game where EVERY character class engages in melee have weapon weights that reflect reality...? *sarcasm*

 

[Tuzenbach]

See, there you go, it's not even mentioned in the current edition that most people here play (or the not so current edition that I play).

Well, let's look at some of the swords, just as an example. The longsword, as shown in the 3.5 SRD weighs in at 4 lbs. I went through all of my sources, which include archaeological dig catalogs, museum inventory catalogs, various weapon reference books, and personal handling of weapons. I could not find a non-ceremonial weapon that would classify as a longsword that weighed more than 3.3 lbs., and that is being generous in our definition.

A greatsword in D&D, which could be classified as a two-handed sword or a flamberge, weighs a staggering 8 lbs. according to the SRD! In all my research I could not find a non-ceremonial two-handed sword that weighed more than 6 lbs. Presentation pieces, or ceremonial pieces (those not designed for combat) all are made of lesser quality steel, and in consequence, weigh a lot more. Ceremonial pieces can weigh well over 10 lbs for a greatsword.

I also looked at a few other things a minute ago. Ten sling bullets weigh 5 lbs., which means that each sling bullet weighs a half pound. Now, if we made the sling bullets out of cast lead we're looking at sling bullets that are just about 1.5 cubic inches each. I've never seen a sling bullet that big myself, but it's marginally possible.

I guess I am just saying that whoever made the weapon weights did not do their research well. With a few exceptions, I would say most of the weapon weights are too heavy, some ridiculously so.

Hey, hold that thought!

I plan on undertaking & putting to use just the sort of research you're discussing. The goal is to build the better mouse trap. Or, in this case, weapon book.

 

[GreatLemur]

Try this thread. It's a full discussion of weapon as special effect.

Whoa! Thanks! I'm going to be reading that thread thoroughly. DanMcS might just save me a hell of a lot of work.

D&D doesn't support walking armories due to the need for magic weapons. E.g. in LARP I carried a twohanded hammer, a longbow, shortsword, left-hand axe, some daggers, some throwing daggers, some shuriken, two throwing axes, a clawbuckler and some hidden things.

I imagine you must have looked like some sort of very strange Nerf product.

But I have seen sling bullets that large. They weren't spheres mind you but they weighed in at a pound or more. They were sort of football shaped. I wish I could remember what book I saw the pictures in... One of them had the phrase, "Eat This" in ancient Greek... soldiers are soldiers regardless of the era...

Wikipedia is with you on that one. 1d4 for damage ain't looking quite appropriate, now...

 

[sniffles]

Spetums, dammit.........SPETUMS!!!

I'd like to see someone actually using a khopesh. Are there even stats for that?

Or what about the sodegarami? It's actually statted out - who's going to use an ultra-specialized weapon like that?

There's a part of me that would also like to see a game where everyone is limited to realistic weapons, or at least as realistic as D&D weapons can ever be. Right now I'm playing a druid who uses a longspear, and every once in a while the realist part of me balks at the idea that this character can just walk around lugging a 10' pole with a point on it.

And don't even get me started on the illogicality of my Valenar elf character who uses a double scimitar...

 

[sjmiller]

Hey, hold that thought!

I plan on undertaking & putting to use just the sort of research you're discussing. The goal is to build the better mouse trap. Or, in this case, weapon book.

If you need any help with this, let me know. This has been a thorn in my side for just about any RPG I have seen. I would be more than willing to share my research/data with someone willing to fix this.

 

[sjmiller]

But I have seen sling bullets that large. They weren't spheres mind you but they weighed in at a pound or more. They were sort of football shaped. I wish I could remember what book I saw the pictures in... One of them had the phrase, "Eat This" in ancient Greek... soldiers are soldiers regardless of the era...

Like I said, I have not seen them, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. I haven't gotten around to doing extensive research on missile weapons yet. The melee weapons seem to have taken up years of research.

 

[Aaron L]

I like glaives, myself.

 

[Storm Raven]

I'd like to see someone actually using a khopesh. Are there even stats for that?

The 3.0 FRCS and Arms & Equipment Guide statted up the khopesh.