Why a rapier is bad for an adventurer

[Ryujin]

Reject swords. Return to polearms.

And, for a backup weapon, take a shortsword -- very popular with the sort of people who carried polearms IRL, and probably for good reason.

Axes, likewise, for polearm users and archers.

 

[gorice]

There's a whole meme in steelfighting / bohurt circles about how dangerous/effective halberds/poleaxes are.

And for funsies, here's a good video on a recent movie duel between two combatants in plate armor with longswords:

I've actually seen that film, and I enjoyed that fight. One big scary weapon and one mean stabby weapon seems like the way to go.

 

[Ryujin]

I've actually seen that film, and I enjoyed that fight. One big scary weapon and one mean stabby weapon seems like the way to go.

A super reinforced ice pick with a big round pommel. Great for when you wrestle your opponent down and just want to put all your weight behind being all stabby.

 

[Mannahnin]

A super reinforced ice pick with a big round pommel. Great for when you wrestle your opponent down and just want to put all your weight behind being all stabby.

Misericordes do the job; big round pommel or no.

 

[Dioltach]

Original D&D had 'Sword' and 'Two Handed Sword.' Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry distinguished that some swords were sickle-shaped (since druids could use those), but no rules on what proportion. The swords got split out for AD&D with various types each with different stats and the miss-attribution of what was a longsword and so on. 2E expanded the list, and rapier showed up as a distinct entry in AD&D 2nd Edition's Complete Fighter's Guide (along with the swashbuckler kit/character option).

If I recall correctly, "Tales From the Floating Vagabond" divided weapons into the categories "Sharp Pointy Thing" and "Long Sharp Pointy Thing", and "Gun", "Big Gun", "Really Big Gun", "Oh My God That's A Big Gun" and "Don't Point That Thing At My Planet".

At the other end of the spectrum, there's the full page of named (but almost identical) gun types in D20 Modern. I always assumed that was because they expected players to be gun enthusiasts who'd argue endlessly over the merits of one type over another. (They probably did anyway.)

 

[Ryujin]

If I recall correctly, "Tales From the Floating Vagabond" divided weapons into the categories "Sharp Pointy Thing" and "Long Sharp Pointy Thing", and "Gun", "Big Gun", "Really Big Gun", "Oh My God That's A Big Gun" and "Don't Point That Thing At My Planet".

At the other end of the spectrum, there's the full page of named (but almost identical) gun types in D20 Modern. I always assumed that was because they expected players to be gun enthusiasts who'd argue endlessly over the merits of one type over another. (They probably did anyway.)

Some game systems would really be simplified if they just went by basic types. Maybe assign a damage type to them (slashing, piercing, bludgeoning...) if it's going to make any difference, like with damage resistance/armour. Everyone wants the uber-weapon and it becomes a sort of arms race.

 

[CleverNickName]

At the other end of the spectrum, there's the full page of named (but almost identical) gun types in D20 Modern. I always assumed that was because they expected players to be gun enthusiasts who'd argue endlessly over the merits of one type over another. (They probably did anyway.)

So the polearm really was the precursor to the firearm!

 

[MGibster]

So the polearm really was the precursor to the firearm!

My friends and I used to joke.

Man invented the stick, and the stick was good because you could smite your enemy.
And then man invented the rock, and the rock was good because you could smite your enemy from afar.

 

[Ryujin]

So the polearm really was the precursor to the firearm!

They liked polearms so much that they turned guns into them.

 

[Mannahnin]

My friends and I used to joke.

Man invented the stick, and the stick was good because you could smite your enemy.
And then man invented the rock, and the rock was good because you could smite your enemy from afar.

The first time I read a book about ancient warfare I was surprised by how much the word "firepower" was used. How missile weapons (slings and bows, back then) were the primary dominant weapons millennia ago, and melee basically always secondary.

The ability to hit the other person from farther away than they can hit you is, if not all-important, very close to it.