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4/24/2015 15:49:53   
Sir Nicholas
Member

Well my friends, we've discussed the workings of RP's - from organization & parties to Magic and the workings of the world, and now I feel it's time we discuss another area which remains somewhat un-addressed in our discussions: Weapons and their fighting styles.

Obviously, combat plays an essential role in most RP's, especially our more "Swords-&-Sorcery" based ones, but how many people can genuinely call themselves experienced in combat-based Roleplay? Not many. The mechanics and subtleties of fighting are often lost on most folks, but that's a problem I believe we can solve here and now.

To begin, it's quite common for characters (and people themselves) to have a "weapon of choice" - a tool based on personal preference. Now, the most common by far is the sword - and indeed, there's no shortage of sword types: Everything from the old standby, the longsword to the katana, to the more exotic scimitar and the elegant rapier.

Swords have played an important role on the battlefield since the concept was first dreamed up: A long, sharpened piece of metal to cut down your enemies.

Though it is a simple concept: Stab or slash, swords have thousands of different styles and methods with which to slay, just as it also has countless classifications, lengths and methods of creation.

For most of my characters (who lean towards a European style of fighting) there is often a preference for double-edged, straight blades. In particular, the hand-and-a-half sword is my favorite. Easy to use but difficult to master, reliable, good for piercing armor, deadly in the hands of an expert - and cool looking.

My fighting styles that I usually describe with this weapon are often the same as they were intended to be: Hack-and-slash. Straightforward, cutting or stabbing the enemy until he's dead.

_______________________________________


As I've mentioned before, there are many types of weapons, and it need not be limited only to traditional stuff like swords and spears: Every weapon has a place on the battlefield.

So, my friends, what are your favorite weapons and fighting styles? Feel free to discuss how you implement those styles at your leisure. The actual description for a fight needs to be lengthy, but also needs to be handled carefully so as to avoid clutter.

Discuss.
AQ  Post #: 1
4/24/2015 16:56:09   
dethhollow
Member

Swords are definitely the most common weapon and I feel like it's mainly because they're really simple and easy to use compared to stuff like spears and polearms where you're constantly at a risk of the enemy simply grabbing the shaft and messing you over. With a normal one-handed sword style, all you have to really do is focus on making contact and getting a hit off. But, at the same time, it feels like most people aren't well educated on actual practical uses of the sword that could very realistically help them use the weapon more effectively in an RP fight, myself included not THAT long ago. People just have no idea how good a longsword could potentially be. You have the benefit of range and can specify that in your post to get an upper hand, your hilt can block attacks and make quite a bit of stuff safe that might not normally be so, and if the enemy gets close you can rely on the side of the blade or Bladehanding to get the advantage. Bladehanding is a medieval tactic that I've literally never seen used before in an RP where you grab or pinch the side of your sword to effectively make it easier to strike at close range with moves very similar to how you'd fight with a rifle with a bayonet or something similar. Or, by flipping the weapon around and striking with the hilt or pommel, you have something that's effective against armor... although I doubt it will be nearly as effective in an RP as it would be in real life.

One of the odd things about RPing a fight is that you need to have absolutes to win a fight. You could try to go at someone bare-handed, but your blunt strikes won't knock them out unless the other player wants it to happen because unless your weapon or fighting style is CERTAIN to do something it probably won't happen. For example, if you hit someone with a sword, they're going to bleed and obviously take damage. But if you throw a brick at them, even though it could do just as much damage in real life, it won't accomplish much in an RP and they'll just walk it off. Blunt weapons aren't effective unless you've got someone strong enough to say, for a fact, that the hit they do is going to cause major damage. Similarly, ranged weaponry isn't super useful unless you can guarantee that the shot will hit. Few people can actually dodge an arrow but, in an RP, EVERYBODY is not only capable of doing it, but you're going to see it happen all the time unless you're clever about how you plan out your shots or shoot multiple arrows at once.

Personally, I flip back and forth between various weapons, trying to figure out how to make each one work as I go on. Usually I use something odd or weird chains or scythes or something that you don't normally see that often, but, recently, I've been wanting to do a few things. I've been wanting to make a longsword user that takes advantage of practical, historical, techniques. I've been wanting to make a character who fights with a hammer who's just so strong that it makes the weapon practical by breaking people's bones and stuff. AND I've been wanting to, at some point, somehow, make an archer just for the sake of making a strategically important support character who can lock people down and generally just be another thing they have to watch out for while fighting a typical swordsman or knight character.
AQ DF MQ  Post #: 2
4/24/2015 17:00:48   
Master K
Member

I tend to stick to swords or daggers, stylized to the character in some way shape or form.

The most unique thing I've had a character use was a twin bladed fans stylized as a card hands.
AQ DF MQ AQW Epic  Post #: 3
4/25/2015 22:14:39   
Sir Nicholas
Member

An excellent point Deth. The primary weapon the battlefield, especially Ancient Battlefields was actually the bow. Contrary to popular belief, it takes quite a lot of strength to properly nock and release an arrow, especially from a longbow. Contrary to the "Arrows are Useless" myth, if you took just one - it would hurt, and (given the state of medicine in the old days) likely be a permanent injury.

That's why during the Hundred Years' War - the English Longbow was a decisive factor in England's early victories. (Agnicourt anyone?)

And while I'm at it, cavalry played a decisive role in the battlefield too - as did its weapons: Typically spears or lances, although it wasn't unknown for horsemen to wield very long, curved swords or even bows.

The Mongols come to mind for their superlative horsemanship, and as well for their amazing accuracy with a bow while still on horseback.

That's why I applaud people that choose to RP as Archers.
AQ  Post #: 4
4/28/2015 10:42:43   
black knight 1234567
Member

I'v recently been playing Bloodborne and I love the idea of trick weapons. I want to incorporate that into some kind of roleplay, really.
The basic idea is you get your weapon, but its mechanically designed to transform into something else, and it all looks really organic and kind of real even if it obviously isn't.

Traditional weaponry though, a good ol' sword fight is always fun although I do want to make an archer and a person who uses an axe(s} one day.
AQ DF MQ AQW  Post #: 5
4/28/2015 11:12:49   
Dragonnightwolf
How We Roll Winner
Apr/Jun/Aug15


 I've used a variety of weapons in my rp days. Though in actual gaming I enjoy the mechanic's of some of the gun-types specifically when there are monsters barreling down on you and you have to reload said weapon.

But I also use swords a lot. I mean a lot. Throughout my rp history I've used long swords, short swords, curved swords, a fencing sword (once) and that usually hit my primary weapon preference.

AQW Epic  Post #: 6
11/22/2015 12:12:59   
Remaint
Member

I like to draw upon historical material for influence in regards to weapons. At least for me, it's rather often reality that is more fantastic, as opposed to fantasy itself. There's a certain charm to the historical names of things, from names of classes to names of weapons, names of techniques to names of general concepts.

Vague equivalents:

Paladin/Knight: Gendarme, Cuirassier, Men-at-Arms, Grenadier
Ranger: Chasseur, Jager, Cacador, Fusilier, Voltigeur, Bombardier
Infantry: Halberdier, Targetier, Rodelero, Musketeer, Ashigaru, Alabardero
Cavalry: Hussar, Dragoon, Uhlan, Gendarme, Cuirassier, Pistolier, Genite
Mercenary: Condottiero, Landsknecht, Privateer, Doppelsoldner
Miscellaneous: Conquistador, Janissary

Armoured Fighting: Harnischfechten
Unarmoured Fighting: Blossfechten
Wrestling at the Sword: Ringen Am Schwert

Polearms: Guisarme, Roncone, Bill, Scorpion, Alabarda, Voulge, Fauchard, Glaive, YanYueDao, Naginata, Spiess, Partisan
Swords: Schiavona, Szabla, Basket-hilt, Sinclaire-Hilt, Mortuary-Hilt, Tessak, Dussack, Side-sword, Arming Sword, Fauchion, Falcata, Langenmesser, Kriegsmesser, Montante, Spadone, Miao Dao, Spadroon, Smallsword, Tulwar, Gladius, Spatha

I do have to say, swords aren't particularly simple compared to spears. Spears are thrust centric and long, making for simple fights. The advantage of reach is so mundane, that people often undervalue it; it's just so very hard to get past an obscenely nimble point, whether by grabbing the haft or charging past it. The length of polearms also mean that relatively slight movements can generate vast amounts of power; you often require a much larger movement to come even close with a sword. Simplicity is what makes a prime weapon of war, and spears have always been the prime weapon on ancient battlefields. From Greek Sarissa wielders to Mongol Lancers, Swiss Pikemen to Polish Hussars.

Rapiers aren't particularly elegant in regards to any of the complex hilts I mention, especially Glasgow and Stirling Basket-hilts, or any Schiavona. Even in fighting methods, swords tend to be just as elegant as one another. In no art does one strive for brutish swings and classless hacks.

A good point made about bows. Military Longbows found on the shipwreck of the Mary Rose averaged 150 Pounds. That meant one needed to pull 150 pounds with three fingers horizontally, to the ear. Not saying all bows required such draw-weights, though many military ones did, like Turkish and Mongol 140 Pound Composites, but archery is really a feat of massive strengths, concentrated on the shoulders and back. This tends to make me feel a bit condescending toward fantasy female archers, but the fact that not everyone in fantasy scenarios wore effective armour balances this.
AQW  Post #: 7
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