[3.5] New Elven Racial Weapon

[Tetsubo 57]

According to the 3.5 edition of D&D elves have a racial affiliation with long swords, rapiers and bows. The association with bows may well be a cliché but I think it makes sense and it's a cliché that pleases me. But I have never associated elves with long swords or rapiers. Not even mentioning the vast time period differences between a long sword and a rapier.

So I decided to created a new 'racial' weapon for the elves, the Double Leaf Staff. This will replace the proficiency with long swords and rapiers. Mechanically it is mostly a reskinning of the already existing double sword. I don't like how the double sword is designed in the D&D game. This weapon would replace that as well.

Double Leaf Staff

The double leaf staff appears as a four foot wooden shaft with a tapered, double edged blade attached at either end. The blades are almost always designed with a leaf motif.
A double leaf staff is a double weapon. You can fight with it as if fighting with two weapons, but if you do, you incur all the normal attack penalties associated with fighting with two weapons, just as if you were using a one-handed weapon and a light weapon. A creature wielding a double leaf staff in one hand can’t use it as a double weapon — only one end of the weapon can be used in any given round.
The double leaf staff can benefit from the Weapon Finesse feat.
The double leaf staff does either piercing or slashing damage depending on the desire of the user. Only one type of damage can be done with any single attack action.
The double leaf staff is most often used in single combat and duels, it is rarely seen on the open battlefield.

Cost: 100 gp
Damage: 1d6/1d6 (Small sized version)
Damage: 1d8/1d8 (Medium sized version)
Critical threat range: 19-20/×2
Weight: 6 lb.
Damage type: Piercing or Slashing

An illustration of the weapon can be found here:

http://ironstaff.deviantart.com/art/Elven-Double-Leaf-Staff-130711147

[Spiryt]

Not even mentioning the vast time period differences between a long sword and a rapier.


Where? In Faerun or what? :smalltongue:

[Tetsubo 57]

Where? In Faerun or what? :smalltongue:

Well, in the real world...

[Spiryt]

Well, in the real world...

To best of my knowledge, first rapiers were used in Europe in late XVth century, and developed fully in XVIth.

In this period weapons that would pass as "longswords" (all one handed swords) in D&D were still widely used, even if they were a bit different than earlier ones.

And most importantly, I don't know why weapons and timeline in fantasy worlds should be the same as in RL.

[Tetsubo 57]

To best of my knowledge, first rapiers were used in Europe in late XVth century, and developed fully in XVIth.

In this period weapons that would pass as "longswords" (all one handed swords) in D&D were still widely used, even if they were a bit different than earlier ones.

And most importantly, I don't know why weapons and timeline in fantasy worlds should be the same as in RL.

Point. But neither of those weapons says 'elf' to me.

[Spiryt]

Point. But neither of those weapons says 'elf' to me.

Generally, those "elf" weapons are weird. Is elf who was raised in city and never trained with those weapons (beacuse had no opportunity or teacher) also proficient with them? :smalltongue:

Anyway, you weapon is OK, I guess, but it's basically a finessable double sword. Not much to comment here.

[RS14]

I like it. As a martial weapon, perhaps a bit strong (it effectively allows one to finesse with dual longswords), so I assume it is exotic.

Perhaps a smaller, lighter version could serve as a martial weapon and deal 1d6/1d6 damage in the hands of medium creatures. In this way it would be similar to dual-short swords, with the advantage of optional slashing damage, or slightly stronger than a quarterstaff.

[Mando Knight]

I like it. As a martial weapon, perhaps a bit strong (it effectively allows one to finesse with dual longswords), so I assume it is exotic.

It would have to be exotic to be balanced... it's a pair of finessable longswords. Using this thread (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=694416) as a basis, it's on par with the Greatsword after applying exotic proficiency. Without, it's on par with the Composite Longbow.

[Tetsubo 57]

Correct, this would be an exotic weapon unless you are an elf when it would be martial.

[Cieyrin]

It's a nice exotic weapon but it rather gives elves an oriental feel to them. That could be good or bad, depending who you talk to. Personally, for elven racial weapons, I look to the elven thinblade, lightblade and courtblade, rather than to rapiers and longswords, which are rather like non-masterwork versions for them.

Them's my 2 coppers. Take as you will.

[Tetsubo 57]

It's a nice exotic weapon but it rather gives elves an oriental feel to them. That could be good or bad, depending who you talk to. Personally, for elven racial weapons, I look to the elven thinblade, lightblade and courtblade, rather than to rapiers and longswords, which are rather like non-masterwork versions for them.

Them's my 2 coppers. Take as you will.

I have done a number of Japanese/Elven fusion designs in my weapon sketches before. I think the two cultures compliment each other well. Even if one is fictional. :) So I vote it's a good thing.

[Mando Knight]

Aesthetically, I find the ribbed design of the blade displeasing.

Also, the blades themselves look too short to have each head deal the same damage as a longsword, to me.

[Spiryt]

Also, the blades themselves look too short to have each head deal the same damage as a longsword, to me.

And why lenght should be proportional to "damage dealt"?

If anything, broadness of the blade should, but that's anyway oversimplification to say at least. :smallamused:

[Tetsubo 57]

Aesthetically, I find the ribbed design of the blade displeasing.

Also, the blades themselves look too short to have each head deal the same damage as a longsword, to me.

Everyone has different tastes. I've done similar designs without such edges in the past. But the theme is a leaf... so, it gets leaf like edges.

The blades may be smaller but combined with them being wider and attached to a longer shaft, you would get a similar level of kinetic force.

[Mando Knight]

What's usually thought of as a leaf-shaped blade is this:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Xhy0.jpg

Or the left-most design from this:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Schwerter2.jpg

[Tetsubo 57]

What's usually thought of as a leaf-shaped blade is this:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Xhy0.jpg

Or the left-most design from this:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Schwerter2.jpg

I was actually aware of that. :) I've drawn several of that design over the years. But the blades in this weapon are definitely 'leaf' shaped. :)

[The Neoclassic]

I like it! I don't have anything to add crunch-wise since it seems others have already covered that, but it is a nice change from the usual "Elves with swords" thing.

[Tetsubo 57]

I like it! I don't have anything to add crunch-wise since it seems others have already covered that, but it is a nice change from the usual "Elves with swords" thing.

Thanks. Much appreciated.