A reaver as a D&D weapon? [Archive] - Wizards Community

A reaver as a D&D weapon? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Mad Mage
08-06-05, 10:53 AM No evidence of such in a google search, so...

Any idea what stats would be like for this ancient weapon? Of what few pictures I've ever seen of it, it looks like a real-life falchion, but I'm quite sure someone else could provide more info (historical and D&D-wise).

Thanks in advance.
A Man In Black
08-06-05, 03:46 PM If it looks like a falchion, doesn't two-handed, 2d4 damage, 18-20/x2 crit cover it nicely?
Mad Mage
08-07-05, 12:14 AM If it looks like a falchion, doesn't two-handed, 2d4 damage, 18-20/x2 crit cover it nicely?

Don't know. That's why I'm leaving it to others. Besides, I was just curious, nothing more.
Vahenir
08-07-05, 01:11 AM The Reaver?

What are you talking about?
Mad Mage
08-07-05, 10:14 AM The Reaver?

What are you talking about?

IIRC, it's a machete-shaped blade weapon often used by celtic warriors, notably around the time of William Wallace (aka: Braveheart).
Nuntius128
08-07-05, 02:03 PM IIRC, it's a machete-shaped blade weapon often used by celtic warriors, notably around the time of William Wallace (aka: Braveheart).

Do you have any links to images, or informative websites? Something like that would've surely gotten you a response by now.
Vahenir
08-07-05, 03:30 PM IIRC, it's a machete-shaped blade weapon often used by celtic warriors, notably around the time of William Wallace (aka: Braveheart).

You mean.... falchions?

There's no such weapon as "the reaver."

Or are you talking about the forms of seax used during the period, or crude falchions used by tribesmen?
Watchman
08-07-05, 04:05 PM ...and before we go any further let us remember that the names contemporaries called their weapons by were quite a legion; they were often rather odd too, got around a lot and didn't always go away with their counterpart objects. Two examples: in German the greatsword was sometimes called Slachterschwerd, literally about "battle-" or "fighting-sword". The contemporary Anglophones cheerfully bastardized that to "slaughtersword"...
Another is the terminology and typology of various maces in the Muslim Middle East between about 600 and 1000 AD (read an interesting article that touched upon the subject). Which was anything but constant; a word signifying a certain type of mace might mean an entirely another sort two hundred years later, or have disappeared entirely from circulation either along with its counterpart weapon or replaced by another term. This caused contemporary scholars in the fields of history and lexigraphy no small amounts of headaches...

For comparision a weapon usually called "falchion" in modern sources and apparently also fairly commonly during the Middle Ages too, ie. a rather short, heavy chopping sword probably derived from butchers' cleavers pressed into militia duty as weapons, was widely known and used throughout the Medieval period. And you're free to try and track down even a fraction of all the names its innumerable permutations got called by... Similar weapons were incidentally also used during the Classical era, again with a vast proliferation of names. The katana ? I know there's at least half a dozen subtypes of the thing, all subtly different from one another and more or less indistinguishable for a layman...

A good rule of thumb is to ignore what some weapon was actually called by its users and instead look at how, what for and why it was used instead and then figure out the closest game-term approximation. The odd name gets dredged up after that as flavor text only.
Manyfist
08-07-05, 04:20 PM Talking about Soul Reaver? ;) I personally don't know anything about a Weapon called a Reaver.
Watchman
08-07-05, 04:25 PM I don't even really know what the damn word means; I've seen it used in at least two or three different meanings...
Mad Mage
08-08-05, 10:19 AM Talking about Soul Reaver? ;) I personally don't know anything about a Weapon called a Reaver.

No, I'm talking about a reaver.

Besides, I never really played the Legacy of Kain games. :embarrass

A good rule of thumb is to ignore what some weapon was actually called by its users and instead look at how, what for and why it was used instead and then figure out the closest game-term approximation. The odd name gets dredged up after that as flavor text only.

So... what are you suggesting, exactly? :confused:
James Wildspell
08-08-05, 11:57 AM From what I can find in on- and off-line sources, there is no such weapon. From what I could find, there is no such usage of the word as a Noun.
BraveSirPatrick
08-08-05, 01:01 PM There is a sword called the Falcata that looks like the falchion, but it is curved slightly downward instead. It is considered "one of the most devastating swords every made. The inward curving blade delivered a tremendous blow and could split both shield and helmet. Considered to be of Greek, or possibly Etruscan origin."
Mad Mage
08-08-05, 01:22 PM There is a sword called the Falcata that looks like the falchion, but it is curved slightly downward instead. It is considered "one of the most devastating swords every made. The inward curving blade delivered a tremendous blow and could split both shield and helmet. Considered to be of Greek, or possibly Etruscan origin."

Hmm, interesting.

However, I've been convinced from my recollections that the reaver is celtic in origin or use.
BraveSirPatrick
08-08-05, 01:30 PM I forgot to add that I found that on a site detailing celtic weaponry, using a google for celtic weapons. The one I'm describing is the celtic version.
Mad Mage
08-08-05, 05:39 PM I forgot to add that I found that on a site detailing celtic weaponry, using a google for celtic weapons. The one I'm describing is the celtic version.

Ahhhh.... :w00t:

So, BraveSirPatrick (I just love the sound of that), what would you (or someone else considering this information) suggest for stats? :plotting:
A Man In Black
08-08-05, 07:16 PM Ahhhh.... :w00t:

So, BraveSirPatrick (I just love the sound of that), what would you (or someone else considering this information) suggest for stats? :plotting:
First reply, dude.

If it's a curved two-handed sword, use the falchion stats.
BraveSirPatrick
08-09-05, 07:25 AM It appears to be a one-hander.

Look at http://www.celticgrounds.com/chapters/c-weapons.htm
Rulebook
08-09-05, 09:25 AM depending on the person in charge, the Falcata generally uses one of three sets of stats...

Same as the Kukri (because the two weapons are almost identical)

Same as the Battle Axe (because the two weapons function almost identically)

Same as the longsword (because its a good generic sword)
Jshock_75
08-09-05, 10:03 AM I always thought of the falcata as a scimitar (longer than a kukri, thus more damage).
Watchman
08-09-05, 11:50 AM Well, D&D insists on treating convex and concave curved blades the same - lower base damage than straights, but higher crit range. Which would suggest that a shortsword-sized, Martial cleaver like that should use Kukri stats (which is a step smaller, AFAIK, and pays for that with being Exotic). One the size of a full sword would then logically be, in game terms at least, a Scimitar.

Or at least whe nthe issue has been brought up in the past, the resident number-crunchers have assured me going the opposite way - raising base damage above that of a "straight" and conversely worsening the crit to a plain X2 - is unbalanced, although IMHO it'd better convey the "chopper" nature of forvard-curved swords.

'Course, relevant axe stats work too...

Incidentally that sort of fairly short, forward-curved sword rather like a big kukri in appereance was actually fairly popular around the Classical-era Mediterranean and Middle East - while the historical accuracy of the movie Alexander can be debated, the sword he waves at the poster is perfectly authentic. I wouldn't actually be particularly surprised if I learned from somewhere the Nepalese kukri was actually a distant decendant of the short chopping sword ancient Hellenics and Middle Easterners called kopis, and to which the falcata at one time popular among at least the Iberian Celts is almost certainly derived from.

Falchion-type weapons - wide, essentially straight, rather heavy chopping swords - for their part are known already from early Bronze Age, and judging by the fact the Chinese for example were still using a version in the 1800s the design had widely appreciated merits.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mad Mage 08-06-05, 10:53 AM	No evidence of such in a google search, so... Any idea what stats would be like for this ancient weapon? Of what few pictures I've ever seen of it, it looks like a real-life falchion, but I'm quite sure someone else could provide more info (historical and D&D-wise). Thanks in advance.
A Man In Black 08-06-05, 03:46 PM	If it looks like a falchion, doesn't two-handed, 2d4 damage, 18-20/x2 crit cover it nicely?
Mad Mage 08-07-05, 12:14 AM	If it looks like a falchion, doesn't two-handed, 2d4 damage, 18-20/x2 crit cover it nicely? Don't know. That's why I'm leaving it to others. Besides, I was just curious, nothing more.
Vahenir 08-07-05, 01:11 AM	The Reaver? What are you talking about?
Mad Mage 08-07-05, 10:14 AM	The Reaver? What are you talking about? IIRC, it's a machete-shaped blade weapon often used by celtic warriors, notably around the time of William Wallace (aka: Braveheart).
Nuntius128 08-07-05, 02:03 PM	IIRC, it's a machete-shaped blade weapon often used by celtic warriors, notably around the time of William Wallace (aka: Braveheart). Do you have any links to images, or informative websites? Something like that would've surely gotten you a response by now.
Vahenir 08-07-05, 03:30 PM	IIRC, it's a machete-shaped blade weapon often used by celtic warriors, notably around the time of William Wallace (aka: Braveheart). You mean.... falchions? There's no such weapon as "the reaver." Or are you talking about the forms of seax used during the period, or crude falchions used by tribesmen?
Watchman 08-07-05, 04:05 PM	...and before we go any further let us remember that the names contemporaries called their weapons by were quite a legion; they were often rather odd too, got around a lot and didn't always go away with their counterpart objects. Two examples: in German the greatsword was sometimes called Slachterschwerd, literally about "battle-" or "fighting-sword". The contemporary Anglophones cheerfully bastardized that to "slaughtersword"... Another is the terminology and typology of various maces in the Muslim Middle East between about 600 and 1000 AD (read an interesting article that touched upon the subject). Which was anything but constant; a word signifying a certain type of mace might mean an entirely another sort two hundred years later, or have disappeared entirely from circulation either along with its counterpart weapon or replaced by another term. This caused contemporary scholars in the fields of history and lexigraphy no small amounts of headaches... For comparision a weapon usually called "falchion" in modern sources and apparently also fairly commonly during the Middle Ages too, ie. a rather short, heavy chopping sword probably derived from butchers' cleavers pressed into militia duty as weapons, was widely known and used throughout the Medieval period. And you're free to try and track down even a fraction of all the names its innumerable permutations got called by... Similar weapons were incidentally also used during the Classical era, again with a vast proliferation of names. The katana ? I know there's at least half a dozen subtypes of the thing, all subtly different from one another and more or less indistinguishable for a layman... A good rule of thumb is to ignore what some weapon was actually called by its users and instead look at how, what for and why it was used instead and then figure out the closest game-term approximation. The odd name gets dredged up after that as flavor text only.
Manyfist 08-07-05, 04:20 PM	Talking about Soul Reaver? ;) I personally don't know anything about a Weapon called a Reaver.
Watchman 08-07-05, 04:25 PM	I don't even really know what the damn word means; I've seen it used in at least two or three different meanings...
Mad Mage 08-08-05, 10:19 AM	Talking about Soul Reaver? ;) I personally don't know anything about a Weapon called a Reaver. No, I'm talking about a reaver. Besides, I never really played the Legacy of Kain games. :embarrass A good rule of thumb is to ignore what some weapon was actually called by its users and instead look at how, what for and why it was used instead and then figure out the closest game-term approximation. The odd name gets dredged up after that as flavor text only. So... what are you suggesting, exactly? :confused:
James Wildspell 08-08-05, 11:57 AM	From what I can find in on- and off-line sources, there is no such weapon. From what I could find, there is no such usage of the word as a Noun.
BraveSirPatrick 08-08-05, 01:01 PM	There is a sword called the Falcata that looks like the falchion, but it is curved slightly downward instead. It is considered "one of the most devastating swords every made. The inward curving blade delivered a tremendous blow and could split both shield and helmet. Considered to be of Greek, or possibly Etruscan origin."
Mad Mage 08-08-05, 01:22 PM	There is a sword called the Falcata that looks like the falchion, but it is curved slightly downward instead. It is considered "one of the most devastating swords every made. The inward curving blade delivered a tremendous blow and could split both shield and helmet. Considered to be of Greek, or possibly Etruscan origin." Hmm, interesting. However, I've been convinced from my recollections that the reaver is celtic in origin or use.
BraveSirPatrick 08-08-05, 01:30 PM	I forgot to add that I found that on a site detailing celtic weaponry, using a google for celtic weapons. The one I'm describing is the celtic version.
Mad Mage 08-08-05, 05:39 PM	I forgot to add that I found that on a site detailing celtic weaponry, using a google for celtic weapons. The one I'm describing is the celtic version. Ahhhh.... :w00t: So, BraveSirPatrick (I just love the sound of that), what would you (or someone else considering this information) suggest for stats? :plotting:
A Man In Black 08-08-05, 07:16 PM	Ahhhh.... :w00t: So, BraveSirPatrick (I just love the sound of that), what would you (or someone else considering this information) suggest for stats? :plotting: First reply, dude. If it's a curved two-handed sword, use the falchion stats.
BraveSirPatrick 08-09-05, 07:25 AM	It appears to be a one-hander. Look at http://www.celticgrounds.com/chapters/c-weapons.htm
Rulebook 08-09-05, 09:25 AM	depending on the person in charge, the Falcata generally uses one of three sets of stats... Same as the Kukri (because the two weapons are almost identical) Same as the Battle Axe (because the two weapons function almost identically) Same as the longsword (because its a good generic sword)
Jshock_75 08-09-05, 10:03 AM	I always thought of the falcata as a scimitar (longer than a kukri, thus more damage).
Watchman 08-09-05, 11:50 AM	Well, D&D insists on treating convex and concave curved blades the same - lower base damage than straights, but higher crit range. Which would suggest that a shortsword-sized, Martial cleaver like that should use Kukri stats (which is a step smaller, AFAIK, and pays for that with being Exotic). One the size of a full sword would then logically be, in game terms at least, a Scimitar. Or at least whe nthe issue has been brought up in the past, the resident number-crunchers have assured me going the opposite way - raising base damage above that of a "straight" and conversely worsening the crit to a plain X2 - is unbalanced, although IMHO it'd better convey the "chopper" nature of forvard-curved swords. 'Course, relevant axe stats work too... Incidentally that sort of fairly short, forward-curved sword rather like a big kukri in appereance was actually fairly popular around the Classical-era Mediterranean and Middle East - while the historical accuracy of the movie Alexander can be debated, the sword he waves at the poster is perfectly authentic. I wouldn't actually be particularly surprised if I learned from somewhere the Nepalese kukri was actually a distant decendant of the short chopping sword ancient Hellenics and Middle Easterners called kopis, and to which the falcata at one time popular among at least the Iberian Celts is almost certainly derived from. Falchion-type weapons - wide, essentially straight, rather heavy chopping swords - for their part are known already from early Bronze Age, and judging by the fact the Chinese for example were still using a version in the 1800s the design had widely appreciated merits.