What is a siangham?

[s/LaSH]

Seems to me that a siangham might be a little easier to make than a dagger - just get a metal bar and put a point on it, no need to spend time hammering it flat. It's one form of superiority...

Of course, they're 50% more expensive than daggers in the PHB, so there goes that theory...

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Sianghams exist so that Monk/Duelists can make the baby Jesus cry.

 

[Havilor]

Here you go:

The siangham is based on the historical weapon siangkam. A Malaysian weapon used in both penjak silat and kuanto (forms of martial arts from this region that focused on quick, deadly strikes and very little defense), siangkams were generally wielded in pairs, and resemble very short thrusting spears. They are usually used in support of longer knives, and are often surprise weapons, intended to catch an opponent off guard when he believes you to be disarmed. Keep them hidden up your sleeves and drop them down at the last moment to reveal deadly thrusting weapons. Wielders often spun them in the hand to distract and confuse opponents.

It's one of those weapons that they keep trying to convince us that halflings used in whatever halfling homeland Greyhawk halflings come from.

 

[Sejs]

it's a monk-stick.

It's for flurrying with, which is why it's exotic, yet at the same time sucks packmule.

 

[tarchon]

The question, young grasshopper, is not what a siangham IS, but what a siangham is NOT.
[cue gong]

 

[apocalypstick]

it's not ... cool.

i'm not trying to say the siangham is useless, i'm saying that it's ... well ... goofy. ot does have the whole piercing-type weapon thing going for it, but i don't see how that balances out its inherent visual goofiness.

 

[candidus_cogitens]

NoOneOfConsequence and Havilor seem to know their stuff. Thanks guys. You've redeemed this weapon for me.