Claymore (is it balanced?) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Claymore (is it balanced?) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Bazlon
04-22-06, 02:55 PM Claymore: This sword is just as long a a greatsword, but a little bit skinnier. It is favored by those who seek both damage and precision.

Exotic Weapon Cost Dmg (S) Dmg (M) Critical Range Increment Type
Two-handed Melee Weapon
Claymore 75gp 1d10 2d6 18-20/x2 ---- Slashing
supernerd8916
04-22-06, 03:26 PM the small damage would be 1d8, it shouldnt cost much more than a greatsword. The balancing point of getting this is that it is an exotic weapon
Bazlon
04-22-06, 03:31 PM The small damage for a greatsword is 1d10 though? Ill change the price to 75
dengarbountyhunter
04-22-06, 03:41 PM isn't the claymore a gigantic scottish sword? I'd rather make the critical 20/x3 because it rarely crits, but when it does, OUCH...
Watchman
04-22-06, 04:02 PM Gigantic my foot. I don't think the things ever reached even the dimensions of the continental pike-busting greatswords (not that most two-handers did either). "Claymore" is a pretty darn generic name anyway - depending on the period and context, it covers pretty much the straight flush from (in D&D terms) Longsword through Bastard Sword to Greatsword.

Mind you, I'm also in the opinion that if you have the EWP for the Bastard but still use it two-handed, Finessing should be allowed. Just to give people something vaguely comparable to a reason to use the things two-handed, which is how that general type of sword was IRL mainly wielded. Just my opinion though.
supernerd8916
04-22-06, 04:09 PM my bad your right, d10
Matthew_
04-22-06, 04:28 PM Interesting scaling; why does 1D6 Medium become 1D8 Large in the SRD, when 1D8 Medium becomes 2D6 Large and 1D8 Small becomes 1D10 Medium?

On topic, I would say the Exotic Weapon Proficiency requirement seems to balance the increased critical range of the weapon. It should probably cost more than a Falchion, though, and whilst it works okay mechanically, I think you might have some trouble with the flavour aspect... (as has been pointed out, a lot depends on your conception of 'Claymore' in relation to your conception of other D&D sword types)
Marshall
04-22-06, 07:29 PM See Elven Courtblade in RoW. IIRC the stats are almost identical.
fatal error
04-22-06, 07:46 PM Stats look fine and quite precisely balanced.
draconic_swine
04-22-06, 11:40 PM Interesting scaling; why does 1D6 Medium become 1D8 Large in the SRD, when 1D8 Medium becomes 2D6 Large and 1D8 Small becomes 1D10 Medium?

I think it's just a quirk in the scaling system. Look hard enough and you'll find many discrepancies.

To the OP: yes, the stats you've shown us are perfectly fine.
Novacat
04-23-06, 03:25 AM Claymore: This sword is just as long a a greatsword, but a little bit skinnier. It is favored by those who seek both damage and precision.
Eh? Did you just use "precision" to describe claymores? Five-foot tall blades wider than your hand can be used for precision? You must be thinking of a different sword.

Large crit-ranges are typical of sharper weapons. Claymores, whatever the era, were NOT typically sharp (I happen to own a claymore, albeit not one of the greatsword-sized variety). Frankly, the difference between a claymore and a greatsword is not extreme enough to warrant whole different stats. Reduce the crit range to 19-20 to be rules-consistant and conceptually accurate.
RaspK FOG
04-23-06, 07:58 AM Eh? Did you just use "precision" to describe claymores? Five-foot tall blades wider than your hand can be used for precision? You must be thinking of a different sword.

Large crit-ranges are typical of sharper weapons. Claymores, whatever the era, were NOT typically sharp (I happen to own a claymore, albeit not one of the greatsword-sized variety). Frankly, the difference between a claymore and a greatsword is not extreme enough to warrant whole different stats. Reduce the crit range to 19-20 to be rules-consistant and conceptually accurate.
http://www.by-the-sword.com/acatalog/CAS_Iberia_Scotland.html

Yours truly.
Sithraldor
04-24-06, 10:35 PM On paqge 12 of the Arms and Equipment guide it says that a claymore is equivelent to a greatsword if that helps and that sounds right ith all the ones i have seen.
GhostStepper
04-24-06, 10:42 PM i say just let the the thing be greatsword.

with people on the boards designing separate stats for claymores, zwiehanders, etc..., makes you wonder what people think the "greatsword" is supposed to be historically. One of the greatest things about D&D (or any pen and paper rpg for that matter) is that as long as everyone agrees on what stats your using for a weapon or armor you can say that it looks however you want it to! Just look at all the great artwork in the WOTC books and compare the equipment the characters use to the characters' entries for some of the prestige classes. For example, look at the pic that is most likely supposed to represent Shanna Furiesdottr in the CW on page 35. In her entry is says mithral FULL PLATE. lol Its all good though because your character's weapons and armor can look like anything you want.

You dont really need to stat a claymore to get that "claymore" feeling. Just use a greatsword and tell everyone it looks like a claymore. ;)
Grug the Just
04-24-06, 11:56 PM The term claymore is a rough term. Here are three claymores.
Scottish Basket-hilted (http://www.arscives.com/vevans/images/2.2-Scottish-Basket-Hilt.jpg)
Clamshell (http://www.armourclass.co.uk/Data/Pages/Scottish_4.htm)
Scottish Two-handed (http://www.armor.com/view.html?sword100a.jpg)

I assume you are going for the two-handed variety, just use a greatsword for stats.
Hippokrene
04-25-06, 04:14 AM Oh, how I wish he had said it was a katana.
RaspK FOG
04-25-06, 04:39 AM Since the word claymore is nothing but an anglicised form of the word Claidheamh-mor, which is the Gaelic wording for "big/large sword", one can easily surmice that it's not that different from the historical great sword, that is, any weapon that is quite larger than a sword (historical name for a single-handed sword, arming sword, etc.)
RavenDrake
04-25-06, 05:02 AM i say just let the the thing be greatsword.

with people on the boards designing separate stats for claymores, zwiehanders, etc..., makes you wonder what people think the "greatsword" is supposed to be historically. One of the greatest things about D&D (or any pen and paper rpg for that matter) is that as long as everyone agrees on what stats your using for a weapon or armor you can say that it looks however you want it to! Just look at all the great artwork in the WOTC books and compare the equipment the characters use to the characters' entries for some of the prestige classes. For example, look at the pic that is most likely supposed to represent Shanna Furiesdottr in the CW on page 35. In her entry is says mithral FULL PLATE. lol Its all good though because your character's weapons and armor can look like anything you want.

You dont really need to stat a claymore to get that "claymore" feeling. Just use a greatsword and tell everyone it looks like a claymore. ;)

And my counterpoint to you is, what is it with people whining every time someone creates weapon stats on this board. Yes, the Greatsword can cover everything from the zweihander to the claymore to the Dai-katana/Nodachi. BUT, there's no reason to complain just because someone wants something else, is there? As you point out, the NAME isn't the important thing(mechanically speaking) the stats are. He want's a two-handed weapon with an 18-20 crit range, and he's gotta call it SOMETHING. Why not claymore?

Just my frustrated inner designer venting....
Sunrider
04-25-06, 06:58 AM Mechanically, it's an elven court blade.

Descriptively, you can say it looks like a claymore, a katana, a short spear used to slash as well as stab, or a greatclub with razor blades attached to it - as long as you have the right proficiency, it doesn't make a difference.
Nyaz
04-25-06, 08:09 AM The bigger the slashing area of the blade, the better the critical range; the deadlier the blow, the bigger the critical multiplier. A scythe scores a critical on a natural 20 roll, but does quadruple damage; a falchion scores criticals more easily (18-20), but they are less lethal (double damage).

If the claymore is taken to be a sword, then I'd go with 20/x3, or even 20/x4. The mercurial greatsword functioned in a similar manner.

BTW, didn't one of the WoTC books already have stats for a claymore?
supernerd8916
04-25-06, 07:36 PM Mechanically, it's an elven court blade.

not quite. courtblades can be finessed.
True_Raistlin
04-25-06, 08:06 PM How can a two-handed sword be finessed!?!?!?!

DM's should discourage this weapon, there is no such thing as a 2H estoc!

A Claymore is a greatsword with a distinctive hilt, that's it. I wouldn't bother to give it different stats.
DocBeard
04-25-06, 09:52 PM How can a two-handed sword be finessed!?!?!?!

Magic elf powers, apparently.
Dessirris
04-25-06, 11:09 PM Actually, Mechanically, this is identical to the Jovar, from the planar handbook. 18-20/x2 critical, 2d6 damage, 2 handed weapon. Elven Courtblade is 18-20/2 1d10, finessable. A die step down for the finesse ability.

But yes, the weapon, as written is perfectly balanced.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Bazlon 04-22-06, 02:55 PM	Claymore: This sword is just as long a a greatsword, but a little bit skinnier. It is favored by those who seek both damage and precision. Exotic Weapon Cost Dmg (S) Dmg (M) Critical Range Increment Type Two-handed Melee Weapon Claymore 75gp 1d10 2d6 18-20/x2 ---- Slashing
supernerd8916 04-22-06, 03:26 PM	the small damage would be 1d8, it shouldnt cost much more than a greatsword. The balancing point of getting this is that it is an exotic weapon
Bazlon 04-22-06, 03:31 PM	The small damage for a greatsword is 1d10 though? Ill change the price to 75
dengarbountyhunter 04-22-06, 03:41 PM	isn't the claymore a gigantic scottish sword? I'd rather make the critical 20/x3 because it rarely crits, but when it does, OUCH...
Watchman 04-22-06, 04:02 PM	Gigantic my foot. I don't think the things ever reached even the dimensions of the continental pike-busting greatswords (not that most two-handers did either). "Claymore" is a pretty darn generic name anyway - depending on the period and context, it covers pretty much the straight flush from (in D&D terms) Longsword through Bastard Sword to Greatsword. Mind you, I'm also in the opinion that if you have the EWP for the Bastard but still use it two-handed, Finessing should be allowed. Just to give people something vaguely comparable to a reason to use the things two-handed, which is how that general type of sword was IRL mainly wielded. Just my opinion though.
supernerd8916 04-22-06, 04:09 PM	my bad your right, d10
Matthew_ 04-22-06, 04:28 PM	Interesting scaling; why does 1D6 Medium become 1D8 Large in the SRD, when 1D8 Medium becomes 2D6 Large and 1D8 Small becomes 1D10 Medium? On topic, I would say the Exotic Weapon Proficiency requirement seems to balance the increased critical range of the weapon. It should probably cost more than a Falchion, though, and whilst it works okay mechanically, I think you might have some trouble with the flavour aspect... (as has been pointed out, a lot depends on your conception of 'Claymore' in relation to your conception of other D&D sword types)
Marshall 04-22-06, 07:29 PM	See Elven Courtblade in RoW. IIRC the stats are almost identical.
fatal error 04-22-06, 07:46 PM	Stats look fine and quite precisely balanced.
draconic_swine 04-22-06, 11:40 PM	Interesting scaling; why does 1D6 Medium become 1D8 Large in the SRD, when 1D8 Medium becomes 2D6 Large and 1D8 Small becomes 1D10 Medium? I think it's just a quirk in the scaling system. Look hard enough and you'll find many discrepancies. To the OP: yes, the stats you've shown us are perfectly fine.
Novacat 04-23-06, 03:25 AM	Claymore: This sword is just as long a a greatsword, but a little bit skinnier. It is favored by those who seek both damage and precision. Eh? Did you just use "precision" to describe claymores? Five-foot tall blades wider than your hand can be used for precision? You must be thinking of a different sword. Large crit-ranges are typical of sharper weapons. Claymores, whatever the era, were NOT typically sharp (I happen to own a claymore, albeit not one of the greatsword-sized variety). Frankly, the difference between a claymore and a greatsword is not extreme enough to warrant whole different stats. Reduce the crit range to 19-20 to be rules-consistant and conceptually accurate.
RaspK FOG 04-23-06, 07:58 AM	Eh? Did you just use "precision" to describe claymores? Five-foot tall blades wider than your hand can be used for precision? You must be thinking of a different sword. Large crit-ranges are typical of sharper weapons. Claymores, whatever the era, were NOT typically sharp (I happen to own a claymore, albeit not one of the greatsword-sized variety). Frankly, the difference between a claymore and a greatsword is not extreme enough to warrant whole different stats. Reduce the crit range to 19-20 to be rules-consistant and conceptually accurate. http://www.by-the-sword.com/acatalog/CAS_Iberia_Scotland.html Yours truly.
Sithraldor 04-24-06, 10:35 PM	On paqge 12 of the Arms and Equipment guide it says that a claymore is equivelent to a greatsword if that helps and that sounds right ith all the ones i have seen.
GhostStepper 04-24-06, 10:42 PM	i say just let the the thing be greatsword. with people on the boards designing separate stats for claymores, zwiehanders, etc..., makes you wonder what people think the "greatsword" is supposed to be historically. One of the greatest things about D&D (or any pen and paper rpg for that matter) is that as long as everyone agrees on what stats your using for a weapon or armor you can say that it looks however you want it to! Just look at all the great artwork in the WOTC books and compare the equipment the characters use to the characters' entries for some of the prestige classes. For example, look at the pic that is most likely supposed to represent Shanna Furiesdottr in the CW on page 35. In her entry is says mithral FULL PLATE. lol Its all good though because your character's weapons and armor can look like anything you want. You dont really need to stat a claymore to get that "claymore" feeling. Just use a greatsword and tell everyone it looks like a claymore. ;)
Grug the Just 04-24-06, 11:56 PM	The term claymore is a rough term. Here are three claymores. Scottish Basket-hilted (http://www.arscives.com/vevans/images/2.2-Scottish-Basket-Hilt.jpg) Clamshell (http://www.armourclass.co.uk/Data/Pages/Scottish_4.htm) Scottish Two-handed (http://www.armor.com/view.html?sword100a.jpg) I assume you are going for the two-handed variety, just use a greatsword for stats.
Hippokrene 04-25-06, 04:14 AM	Oh, how I wish he had said it was a katana.
RaspK FOG 04-25-06, 04:39 AM	Since the word claymore is nothing but an anglicised form of the word Claidheamh-mor, which is the Gaelic wording for "big/large sword", one can easily surmice that it's not that different from the historical great sword, that is, any weapon that is quite larger than a sword (historical name for a single-handed sword, arming sword, etc.)
RavenDrake 04-25-06, 05:02 AM	i say just let the the thing be greatsword. with people on the boards designing separate stats for claymores, zwiehanders, etc..., makes you wonder what people think the "greatsword" is supposed to be historically. One of the greatest things about D&D (or any pen and paper rpg for that matter) is that as long as everyone agrees on what stats your using for a weapon or armor you can say that it looks however you want it to! Just look at all the great artwork in the WOTC books and compare the equipment the characters use to the characters' entries for some of the prestige classes. For example, look at the pic that is most likely supposed to represent Shanna Furiesdottr in the CW on page 35. In her entry is says mithral FULL PLATE. lol Its all good though because your character's weapons and armor can look like anything you want. You dont really need to stat a claymore to get that "claymore" feeling. Just use a greatsword and tell everyone it looks like a claymore. ;) And my counterpoint to you is, what is it with people whining every time someone creates weapon stats on this board. Yes, the Greatsword can cover everything from the zweihander to the claymore to the Dai-katana/Nodachi. BUT, there's no reason to complain just because someone wants something else, is there? As you point out, the NAME isn't the important thing(mechanically speaking) the stats are. He want's a two-handed weapon with an 18-20 crit range, and he's gotta call it SOMETHING. Why not claymore? Just my frustrated inner designer venting....
Sunrider 04-25-06, 06:58 AM	Mechanically, it's an elven court blade. Descriptively, you can say it looks like a claymore, a katana, a short spear used to slash as well as stab, or a greatclub with razor blades attached to it - as long as you have the right proficiency, it doesn't make a difference.
Nyaz 04-25-06, 08:09 AM	The bigger the slashing area of the blade, the better the critical range; the deadlier the blow, the bigger the critical multiplier. A scythe scores a critical on a natural 20 roll, but does quadruple damage; a falchion scores criticals more easily (18-20), but they are less lethal (double damage). If the claymore is taken to be a sword, then I'd go with 20/x3, or even 20/x4. The mercurial greatsword functioned in a similar manner. BTW, didn't one of the WoTC books already have stats for a claymore?
supernerd8916 04-25-06, 07:36 PM	Mechanically, it's an elven court blade. not quite. courtblades can be finessed.
True_Raistlin 04-25-06, 08:06 PM	How can a two-handed sword be finessed!?!?!?! DM's should discourage this weapon, there is no such thing as a 2H estoc! A Claymore is a greatsword with a distinctive hilt, that's it. I wouldn't bother to give it different stats.
DocBeard 04-25-06, 09:52 PM	How can a two-handed sword be finessed!?!?!?! Magic elf powers, apparently.
Dessirris 04-25-06, 11:09 PM	Actually, Mechanically, this is identical to the Jovar, from the planar handbook. 18-20/x2 critical, 2d6 damage, 2 handed weapon. Elven Courtblade is 18-20/2 1d10, finessable. A die step down for the finesse ability. But yes, the weapon, as written is perfectly balanced.