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Best weapon?

Started by Hairfoot, August 21, 2009, 10:18:12 PM

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Hairfoot

August 21, 2009, 10:18:12 PM
Enough gaming industry esoteria.  What's the best weapon for a fantasy adventurer to carry?

I'm going with the hand axe or battle axe.  It's a weapon, a tool for chopping, a hammer, a wedge, a lever, a stick to poke things with, and it's durable and resistant to breakage.

The Worid

#1
August 21, 2009, 10:26:30 PM
The halberd is a superb weapon. Does pretty much anything the axe can do, but it has more reach.
Playing: Dungeons & Dragons 2E
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On Hold: Castles and Crusades, Gamma World 1E

VectorSigma

#2
August 21, 2009, 10:30:45 PM
When you put it that way, Hairfoot, I have a hard time arguing with the practicality of the hand axe.

Depending on setting, of course, good luck finding a magic one, though.

A staff (aka the less-than-ten-foot-pole) might come in second by those criteria.
Wampus Country - Whimsical tales on the fantasy frontier

"Describing Erik Jensen\'s Wampus Country setting is difficult"  -- Grognardia

"Well worth reading."  -- Steve Winter

"...seriously nifty stuff..." -- Bruce Baugh

"[Erik is] the Carrot-Top of role-playing games." -- Jared Sorensen, who probably meant it as an insult, but screw that guy.

"Next con I\'m playing in Wampus."  -- Harley Stroh

Hairfoot

#3
August 21, 2009, 10:34:25 PM
Halberds require two hands to use, I believe.  That swings my opinion more in favour of the axe.

As for magic axes, what's even better is a magic axe head.  Small and easily lost in an ancient ruin for adventurers to pillage, and it can be attached to anything.

jeff37923

#4
August 21, 2009, 10:38:15 PM
Quote from: Hairfoot;322593Enough gaming industry esoteria.  What's the best weapon for a fantasy adventurer to carry?

I'm going with the hand axe or battle axe.  It's a weapon, a tool for chopping, a hammer, a wedge, a lever, a stick to poke things with, and it's durable and resistant to breakage.

I would say the dagger, for similar reasons. It is a weapon, a tool for skinning and cleaning fish and game, also a hammer, a wedge, lash it to a stick and you have a spear, if it can be fixed beneath a musket you have a bayonet, it can be concealed (which a hand axe can not easily), it can be thrown, it can used as a climbing piton, it can also pin curtains or tapestries back, it can be used to carve wood, it can be used to fashion other tools or weapons out of soft materials (like wood), and best of all - you can look dashing while picking your teeth with a dagger.
"Meh."

VectorSigma

#5
August 21, 2009, 10:39:13 PM
Can I knap the axe-head to make magic arrowheads?
Wampus Country - Whimsical tales on the fantasy frontier

"Describing Erik Jensen\'s Wampus Country setting is difficult"  -- Grognardia

"Well worth reading."  -- Steve Winter

"...seriously nifty stuff..." -- Bruce Baugh

"[Erik is] the Carrot-Top of role-playing games." -- Jared Sorensen, who probably meant it as an insult, but screw that guy.

"Next con I\'m playing in Wampus."  -- Harley Stroh

jeff37923

#6
August 21, 2009, 10:44:21 PM
Quote from: VectorSigma;322605Can I knap the axe-head to make magic arrowheads?

Depending on your character's skills and background, I'd probably allow that in a game I ran.
"Meh."

Halfjack

#7
August 21, 2009, 10:46:45 PM
I'm onside with the axe provided there's a good pick on the back.
One author of Diaspora: hard science-fiction role-playing withe FATE and Deluge, a system-free post-apocalyptic setting.
The inevitable blog.

VectorSigma

#8
August 21, 2009, 10:50:29 PM
I think we've unwittingly generated a truism here: if it's a tool/weapon we used 5000 years ago, and still use today essentially unchanged, then it's a pretty goddamn good tool/weapon.

Also in the top ten (although not used today): if I could have an atlatl that doubled as a nice skull-crunching club, I'd be golden.
Wampus Country - Whimsical tales on the fantasy frontier

"Describing Erik Jensen\'s Wampus Country setting is difficult"  -- Grognardia

"Well worth reading."  -- Steve Winter

"...seriously nifty stuff..." -- Bruce Baugh

"[Erik is] the Carrot-Top of role-playing games." -- Jared Sorensen, who probably meant it as an insult, but screw that guy.

"Next con I\'m playing in Wampus."  -- Harley Stroh

Imp

#9
August 21, 2009, 11:19:39 PM
Flaming sword. Provided you could turn it on and off. You said fantasy adventurer!

Weapon, good for some chopping, fire at your command, light source, and unambiguous "don't fuck with me" signal to peasantry and animal-type problems.

Yeah, a GM might make the tiger pounce anyway, but realistically, that tiger's gonna turn his ass around.

Restricted to mundane weapons? I'd probably go with some kind of solid cut-and-thrust short sword. Can do some of the things a hand axe can do, some of the things a dagger can do, and it could score enough of a stab wound to kill larger adversaries than either.

Xanther

#10
August 21, 2009, 11:25:36 PM
Good one Imp.  But why not the flaming axe?  All the flame, all the axe.  A magical one that returns after throwing would be best.

For mundane weapons I like the spear, reach and penetration, with speed.  You can throw it in an emergency. You can use the back end to subdue.  It can be a backup 6' pole, pole to climb or vault with, handy to use as a makeshift door bar, and you can hold it out to help a friend.
If you can remove the spear head and use it as a dagger even better.

My second choice is surely the axe.
 

Hairfoot

#11
August 22, 2009, 01:02:04 AM
The axe's lack of stabbiness is its real drawback, but game mechanics rarely take that into consideration.

I like the atlatl club idea.  Ranged weapons and metatarsals are why we're at the top of the food chain.

aramis

#12
August 22, 2009, 01:02:27 AM
Quote from: Xanther;322634Good one Imp.  But why not the flaming axe?  All the flame, all the axe.  A magical one that returns after throwing would be best.
Because most axes have wooden hafts...

Imp

#13
August 22, 2009, 02:09:54 AM
Well I suppose we could start listing off item properties (+2 flaming, returning, vampiric throwing axe with extensible handle and cheese grater) but I just thought I'd throw one of the archetypical fantasy weapons into the mix.

(Presumably a flaming axe has at least a partially metal haft or is protected from uselessness by magical means...)

lastspartacus

#14
August 22, 2009, 03:39:03 AM
A rapier.  pointless in practicality, but you get more gold thrown at you by adoring peasants during your outlandishly choreographed duels, and a nice crit range to boot!

This may belong in a thread of its own, but as a side question, what game system has the most in depth representation of different weapons?
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