Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Elkas Saralonde 01-02-06, 10:09 AM	Before you read the following weapons' descriptions and then reply, or not, take into consideration that I am a relatively 'fresh' player, which actually is a false term for me, since I haven't played a game of D&D, ever. What I have done, however, is observing the Community, trying to mingle in, and all that jazz. I have seen several rants on the 'fullblade' and the 'katana'. I've given these two some thoughts, and now, I will try to create a mechanically sound version for both. Fullblade Category: Exotic two-handed weapon Damage: 2d8 points of slashing damage Critical: 19-20/x2 Weight: 16 pounds Cost: 100 gold pieces Fullblade: A fullblade has reach. You can strike opponents 10 feet away with it, but you can’t use it against an adjacent foe. In addition, attacking with a fullblade provokes attacks of opportunity. On a natural 1, a character wielding a fullblade must make a Difficulty Class 15 Reflex save. If he fails this save, the fullblade drops 10 feet in a random direction from the character. A fullblade is almost too large to be wielded in even two hands; thus, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (fullblade) has a prerequisite of Strength 15. Katana Category: Exotic two-handed weapon Damage: 1d8 points of slashing damage Critical: 18-20/x2 Weight: 3 pounds Cost: 100 gold pieces Now that we've got that out of the way, I'm curious about your comments. All comments are welcome, and corrections are appreciated. As I said before, I was trying to make mechanically sound weapons, and these weapons might not even be supposed to be like this. If so, then tell it to me in a way the WizO's would expect you to.
pres_man 01-02-06, 11:44 AM	I think your katana attack/damage issue is too complicated for regular play.
David Berlapin 01-02-06, 12:43 PM	Well the problem with the Full Blade is that its gonna do 1-18 damage; and a Great Sword with Power Attack, rather than using the EWP for the FB, will have a 6-16. Although thats a lot of damage for a reach weapon to do.
David Berlapin 01-02-06, 12:53 PM	sorry, maybe i should clarify the damage, i used a base str 10 which wouldnt work (min 15) the FB = 2-20 / GS = 8-18. Which i feel only makes the FB look worse.
David Berlapin 01-02-06, 12:56 PM	man do i look like an idiot, forgot to carry over the 1 for the Str and a half... FB 2-20 / GS = 9-19 remember these two numbers are off a base 15 STR and power attack for the GS, so they would both have the same attack mod . done
Waterhammer 01-02-06, 01:21 PM	I really don't like the idea of making the katana always masterwork. If what other posters have said in these boards is true,and I tend to think so,then given the low quality of Japanese ore, all the effort of folding the sword so many times would only produce a standard quality weapon. Remember that in D&D standard weapons work just fine. On the full blade,what I'm thinking is use of such a massive weapon would provoke an AoO as you brought the weapon back into ready. However I'm also thinking a feat to get around this. Haven't worked out the details though.
Sluagh 01-02-06, 01:53 PM	I really don't like the idea of making the katana always masterwork. If what other posters have said in these boards is true,and I tend to think so,then given the low quality of Japanese ore, all the effort of folding the sword so many times would only produce a standard quality weapon. Remember that in D&D standard weapons work just fine. On the full blade,what I'm thinking is use of such a massive weapon would provoke an AoO as you brought the weapon back into ready. However I'm also thinking a feat to get around this. Haven't worked out the details though. On the Katana: Masterwork is partially a weapon quality thing, partially an effort to craft thing; looking at effort to craft, using traditional techniques, I can see maintaining masterwork requirement. Removing the neccessitation of using traditional techniques (ie using the same quality ore as other weapons in your setting), the masterwork requirement wouldn't make sense. On the OP, I would reduce the katana's damage to 1d8 to fall in line with other curved slashing weapons. You got the increased threat range, but the damage should be lower. On the Fullblade: I definately agree with the AoO on swing idea, that makes a lot of sense.
Vestigial_Thumb 01-02-06, 01:58 PM	The Katana is fine as is, except it shouldn't automatically be masterwork. Katanas in movies are smaller than they should be. I've tried swinging one and it's heavy. So katanas are big, rowdy swords that are well represented in DnD.
Elkas Saralonde 01-02-06, 02:03 PM	I've adjusted it as you've all suggested. I have to admit, it does make a lot more sense. Let's hope that with this thread, we will no longer need to argue over these two weapons. Now, are there any other weapons which provoke a lot of arguments, which I can attempt to make? 'cause the friendly setting of this thread is alot better than the flame war setting in most of these threads. Everyone who replied, thanks for your help.
Duncs 01-02-06, 04:50 PM	A proper katana, made for fighting not ornamentally, is bloody strong and bloody sharp, or so i have been led to believe. Maybe its a common misconception, but katanas are amazing quality - seen a video clip where some guys have lined up a pistol to shoot a bullet at the sharp edge of a katana held in a vice. It shoots, the katana cuts the bullet in half and is not damaged AT ALL. Not even a scratch. I'm sure thats gotta be masterwork quality, personally
kalstrand 01-02-06, 07:27 PM	Personally I see nothing wrong with the fullblade as its presented in the AEG. I would allow make it 2d8 19-20 x2 and require an exotic weapon proficiency to use 2 handed by an appropriately sized creature. That would be slightly weaker than upping the great sword damage by 1 step and its fairly common an exotic weapon increases the damage die by 1 step over a martial.
CryoSilver 01-02-06, 07:32 PM	I would just make the katana 1d8 18-20/x2 and take out the bit about them breaking. After all, just because historical katanas were made of crappy steel doesn't mean that if access to better steel if possible, as is likely in a D&D world, that they'll be made of crappy steel there too. As to fullblade, I'd knock that down to 2d8 and remove the strength thing; after all, the very mass of thing will give it a lot of momentum. Perhaps if you roll a nat 1 with it, you lose your grip as the weight gets away from you?
Waterhammer 01-02-06, 08:07 PM	A proper katana, made for fighting not ornamentally, is bloody strong and bloody sharp, or so i have been led to believe. Maybe its a common misconception, but katanas are amazing quality - seen a video clip where some guys have lined up a pistol to shoot a bullet at the sharp edge of a katana held in a vice. It shoots, the katana cuts the bullet in half and is not damaged AT ALL. Not even a scratch. I'm sure thats gotta be masterwork quality, personally I saw that same trick done with an axe. The kind of axe that can be bought in a hardware store IRL. Does that make the "woodchopper special"masterwork? No one one on this thread has suggested that katana should be more easy to break than other swords. That may come later though, given the subject matter. Not by me.
CryoSilver 01-02-06, 08:12 PM	And, I'm not Vahenir or anything, but I think I know enough about historical type stuff to venture a guess and say most swords that were actually used were bloody strong and bloody sharp. My guess is that a knight/samurai/pirate/Viking wouldn't say to the smith: make me a sword, but not too strong, and not too sharp, because I want it to break as it fails to cut my enemies down. Which would mean any sword used extensively, or hell, even not extensively, like the "greatsword" would be pretty strong.
Waterhammer 01-02-06, 08:55 PM	And, I'm not Vahenir or anything, but I think I know enough about historical type stuff to venture a guess and say most swords that were actually used were bloody strong and bloody sharp. My guess is that a knight/samurai/pirate/Viking wouldn't say to the smith: make me a sword, but not too strong, and not too sharp, because I want it to break as it fails to cut my enemies down. Which would mean any sword used extensively, or hell, even not extensively, like the "greatsword" would be pretty strong. Who are you arguing against? No one has said that swords are easy to break. In your post here we can assume that all the types;samurai,pirate,etc.will want the best sword possible, given money to spend,and skill of the smith,quality of ore available,and time. BTW any sword ever made; you clamp it in a vise, and I'll hit it with sledge hammer,it will break if it's a real sword, and bend if not. This proves nothing though.
CryoSilver 01-02-06, 08:58 PM	I'm not sure what I'm arguing; I think I've just gotten sucked partially into the "katana debate" spirit for a while.
Waterhammer 01-02-06, 09:04 PM	Yes it's a seductive evil much like a succubus.
CryoSilver 01-02-06, 09:10 PM	I blame Xmas break for giving me too much free time.
Elkas Saralonde 01-03-06, 01:26 PM	Kalstrand, the Arms & Equipment Guide is 3.0, and from what I've heard, it's that kind of fullblade that is the source of all the wars raging on and on. The conversion is tough, so I've tried, emphasis on tried, to convert it into a reasonable weapon. As for CryoSilver, thanks for the suggestions, I've made them as you said. Now, let's hope that with this, the great katana and fullblade wars have ended.
kalstrand 01-03-06, 07:06 PM	I know the AEG is 3.0 and I know that it is argued over. Maybe I should have said use the statistics ie wt, dam, cost and require EWP: Fullblade to use it 2 handed for a medium creature. A largre creature could do the same and use a large Fullblade 2 handed and a small creature could also do the same to wield a small fullblade.
Zhymth 01-03-06, 09:08 PM	Thats right kalstrand *boosts Ego*