D&D 5E (+)What Ubiquitous DnD Tropes Get It Totally Wrong?

[Lanefan]

And, yeah, @Lanefan, that's something that always bugs me. But, isn't it funny, you talk about using 18th century ships as okay, but, a printing press is too high tech?

For me, the problem becomes, if you have the technology to build an 18th century ship, you have a LOT of technological advances that don't exist in Medieval times.

By the time of the clipper ships, yes this is true.

But over the years I've come across some info on how the Victory and similar Napoleonic-era warships were built (my family has roots in Portsmouth thus I've been there, and toured the Victory, several times) and the actual technology used to build them wasn't all that different from what was used to build the Mary Rose over 250 years earlier.

The difference was in both the design of the ships being built, and the size. And, the same technology could be used for a clipper ship but it'd be way more labour-intensive than what was actually done.

But, as was mentioned, most people just don't know or care. I'm in the same boat (ha) in that I know just enough that it bugs the heck out of me when I see an 18th century ship (complete with gun ports no less) in a book meant for D&D.

I can get behind the idea of gun ports in a D&D ship when behind them are large tween-deck mounted ballistae firing metal-tipped heavy bolts instead of cannons firing shot.

I have to admit, other than size, the ship the PC's get in the Saltmarsh adventures is actually pretty historically accurate. (Again, other than the fact that it's about twice the size that it should be - but, I blame AD&D's 10 foot scale and 5e's 5 foot scale for that - it's hard to have an encounter with PC's and a dozen or so baddies in an area that's only 40 feet long from fore to aft)

I had the same issue recently - the party were on a large-ish ship similar to a 70' Chinese junk and I had to run a combat there which involved the 9 party members, several named NPCs connected with the ship, and about 15 ordinary sailors. Fortunately the enemy was in the water (a kraken) so I didn't have to fit it in there as well!

Some large 5' squares and a bit of imagination later...

 

[Lanefan]

You mean axes with a symmetric blade? Or the 3e double headed axe.

By 'double headed axe' are you referring to something with a separate blade on each end of the pole?

Or are you referring to a labrys, which has two blades (one each 'side') on one end of the pole and very much did exist?

 

[Doc_Klueless]

Poor example, though, as bow can be pronounced both ways for different meanings.

...Like the weapon, or the act of bending at the waist in supplication?

Sorry, poor joke (as pointed out). I was just trying to have fun with how Drow could be pronounced either as rhyming with Cow or with Crow.

Personally, it's always rhymed with cow, as it's also pronounced in the DnDbeyond app.

 

[Hussar]

Wasn’t there a fighting style with two rapiers? Estoc? If that’s how you spell it. Never minding the old trident and net.

Then again shields are a lot more versatile than dnd gives them credit for.

 

[Horwath]

Ok I add another trope: Your beloved greatswords only saw use in from the 16th century onwards.
(Knight swords (D&D Long swords)of 13th century were often designed like bastard swords, so you could use them one handed from horseback or with a shield or if injured and two handed for bigger effect.)

Also swords are far to dominant, apart from some periods they had not much military use.

Swords are great for D&D adventurer, murderhobo style.

lugging around a 15ft pike is just damn impractical. If you limit yourself to weapons that you can have on your person while you are running/climbing/swimming, then sword wins for it's utility.

Yes, we could have a debate if we had different categories of armor damage reduction(like in Pillars of eternity), when an axe or a mace or hammer would be better. but when armor has the same utility vs all weapons and damage reduction vs, type of phisical damage is rare, no need to think about your weapon outside they visual style of your character or racial stereotypes.

 

[Horwath]

I’m sure that a dwarf would be able to design an axe that suits both purposes.
Also if you look at examples of historic forester axes, the difference between them and battle axes isnt so great.

Take the Tomahawk for instance - a good wood working tool and an effective hand or thrown weapon too

Finnish Axe
View attachment 120393

well, not quite.

If you compare battle axes(various type) and felling axe you would see the difference in how narrow a battle axe blade is. It is almost swordlike.

when you are making a weapon your goal is to make is as light as possible and still be able to perform its function.

most warhammers didn't pass the 1 kg mark, even as they are designed as blunt weapons for defeating armor. Yes some have a spike head, but still they made it as light as possible.

You need your weapon to be light so you can generate more speed with your muscles.

And you get more Energy in impact from speed than from mass.

And not to mention that it is harder to parry a faster weapon.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Wasn’t there a fighting style with two rapiers? Estoc? If that’s how you spell it. Never minding the old trident and net.

Sometimes called Florentine I think, although technically incorrect.

The Estoc is a pointy steel bar masquerading as a two-handed sword.

 

[Horwath]

Sometimes called Florentine I think, although technically incorrect.

The Estoc is a pointy steel bar masquerading as a two-handed sword.

Estoc is a intermediate of longsword(historical 2Handed sword) and rapier

 

[Hussar]

In any case, there is a fighting style that uses two of them.

 

[jasper]

Well, they are dark-skinned because they were cursed by a god. You think that wears off?

I am not going to do a blazing saddles reference. Gawd curses in D&D do vary in strength.