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<blockquote data-quote="Essence" data-source="post: 782421" data-attributes="member: 10741">&lt;grimaces&gt;OK, I've never been in an honest fight with a sword.&nbsp; But I've studied iaijutsu (katana), ninpo taijutsu (ninjato and aiguchi with lots of other random toys), and kobujitsu (naginata and sai with lots of other random toys), as well as doing a whole bunch of live-action RPing with foam-and-kitespar swords and homemade chain- and scale-mail, and the occasional breastplate.I can tell you this: the foam swords give a huge advantage to light, fast fighters, because they can change the direction of their swings and parry far more easily with the foam swords than they ever could with a wooden sword, much less a metal one.And even with that advantage, the stronger fighters usually had a distinct advantage &quot;to hit&quot;.&nbsp; Specifically, the stronger fighters could stop a swing that was obviously going to miss more easily, they could parry with enough force to throw the attacker off-balance, and they could blow through the parries of a weaker opponent.I'm stronger than I am dextrous, but I've fought with a sabre against a bastard sword (both padded for training, but the same theories apply), and I can tell you, I was hard pressed to find an opening when the bastard sword was wielded by someone with a modicum of strength, even if he wasn't as well-trained as I was with my sabre.&nbsp; When we switched weapons, and I was &quot;in my element&quot; so to speak, the battle was even more one-sided.As to armor: with light, foam swords, it sucks.&nbsp; &lt;grin&gt;&nbsp; You're much better off with the mobility when someone's weapon can follow you as easily as a foam bat will.&nbsp; Armor Check Penalty...truer words were never spoken.Just the experience of a random college schmoe.Essence Champion of the Heterodoxy</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Essence, post: 782421, member: 10741"] <grimaces> OK, I've never been in an honest fight with a sword. But I've studied iaijutsu (katana), ninpo taijutsu (ninjato and aiguchi with lots of other random toys), and kobujitsu (naginata and sai with lots of other random toys), as well as doing a whole bunch of live-action RPing with foam-and-kitespar swords and homemade chain- and scale-mail, and the occasional breastplate. I can tell you this: the foam swords give a huge advantage to light, fast fighters, because they can change the direction of their swings and parry far more easily with the foam swords than they ever could with a wooden sword, much less a metal one. And even with that advantage, the stronger fighters usually had a distinct advantage "to hit". Specifically, the stronger fighters could stop a swing that was obviously going to miss more easily, they could parry with enough force to throw the attacker off-balance, and they could blow through the parries of a weaker opponent. I'm stronger than I am dextrous, but I've fought with a sabre against a bastard sword (both padded for training, but the same theories apply), and I can tell you, I was hard pressed to find an opening when the bastard sword was wielded by someone with a modicum of strength, even if he wasn't as well-trained as I was with my sabre. When we switched weapons, and I was "in my element" so to speak, the battle was even more one-sided. As to armor: with light, foam swords, it sucks. <grin> You're much better off with the mobility when someone's weapon can follow you as easily as a foam bat will. Armor Check Penalty...truer words were never spoken. Just the experience of a random college schmoe. Essence Champion of the Heterodoxy [/QUOTE]

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