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View Full Version : 3.5 Sheaths, Scabbards, and Clubs? Oh my?



CTLC
2010-03-04, 03:05 PM
So, ive scoured 3.5 and cannot find SHEATHS

you know, the rpg with hundreds of books about fantasy battles.
yeah that one.
no sheath rules.
So, basically im trying to make himura kenshin as a dnd character. So far hes using two different katana, one lethal and one non lethal, but my dm doesnt like this. I dunno why, i payed for the dam thing. But i was thinking i could use the katana with the scabbard on to deal non lethal. Then i saw that there were no rules for scabbards. Hence, thread.

So, do any of you have sheath rules from somewhere, or a way to get me a non lethal katana, preferably without a -4 penalty!

Eurus
2010-03-04, 03:16 PM
Book of Exalted Deeds. Subduing Strike feat. You can make any attack nonlethal at your option.

DragoonWraith
2010-03-04, 03:17 PM
Hmm, I dunno if it should have the same stats as an actual Katana (after all, most sheathes are not designed to be used as weapons), but I don't think it would be unreasonable to say that you have a special sheath designed to be used as a weapon, and treat it as a separate weapon. Say, call it a sap (as in, 1d6 nonlethal damage, 20/x2 critical, 2 lb., make it cost extra because it's hard to make a sap that is also a sheath (say, 5 gp? that's a 500% increase), give it a 'disguise' bonus, and allow it to be used with standard TWF combat. Seems entirely reasonable.

Hell, really, just refluffing a sap as a sheath by itself seems reasonable.

Mangles
2010-03-04, 03:19 PM
sheath 100gp
You pay for a sheath fitted for your sword. This may be used to deal non-lethal bludgeoning damage, but makes it easier for you to be disarmed (-4 to disarm checks). As it is not meant for combat a sheath that is deliberately targeted or takes damage is likely to break. (Low hitpoint or hardiness).

Masterwork Sheath 1000gp
As with sheath except without the -4 to disarm checks

Combat Sheath 1000gp
As with sheath except built to withstand combat

Masterwork combat Sheath 2500gp
As with combat sheath except without the -4 to disarm.


Sure the prices arnt balanced at the moment but i'm guessing that's about what your looking for. Also I don't know what is considered low hp for weapons nor how hardness works properly

EDIT: If you were to use this I would add that the sheath supresses the magical properties of the sword but can be enchanted itself to gain magical properties when it is wielded. I also would leave the damage the same as the base weapon with the same crit chance and allow any abilities specific to that weapon to be allowed to apply to the sheath.

Ashtagon
2010-03-04, 03:28 PM
A sheath for a sword should be treated as an improvised weapon of the same size as the weapon it is home to. Rules for improvised weapons are in Complete Warrior. Sheaths are not weapons - their are devices to hold other objects.

As for a "non-lethal" katana, you might find a bokken or shinai in Oriental Adventures.

hmm, apparently not in there. Try these stats then...

Bokken (literally "wooden sword"): 1d6 damage, crit 19-20/x2, 4 lb, one-handed bludgeoning

Shinai (strips of bamboo tried together; used as a training weapon for kendo): 1d6 damage, crit 19-20/x2, 3 lb, one-handed, bludgeoning, non-lethal

Each of these weapons has, in its own context, been considered a non-lethal weapon, at least when compared to the real swords.

DracoDei
2010-03-04, 06:35 PM
I remember reading a book on the real-world historical ninja (as opposed to the Hollywood junk), and I THINK it mentioned the sheath of the ninja-to (a sword) being something they were trained to fight with in their off hand... of course, I MIGHT be getting confused with the "Legend of the Five Rings" RPG, but I don't think so. What I KNOW I got from L5R (although it may have been true IRL) is the concept of ninja-to being basically disposable. Thus, if you can't use the sheath as a sheath after you hit someone with it a few times, then it isn't any great loss.

In any case, designing a workable "hitting people" sheath shouldn't be any more difficult than making everything EXCEPT the spring and trigger mechanism of a telescoping baton, which is WELL within the craft of your average 8th level gnomish or dwarven Expert(Weapon-Smith) at the most difficult. I would think it basically just has to be hollow with a certain interior cross-section, have a non-slip grip near the open end, and still strong enough to stand up to combat. Adding an hand-guard would be gravy...

FWIW I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

There is actually a thread for "real world armor/weapon questions" in the Roleplay area.


P.S. Mangles acknowledged in his post that the prices might be very off. When considered in light of the prices in the PHB, and the fact that adding Masterwork only costs +300, I feel safe in saying that he overshot greatly.

Draken
2010-03-04, 06:50 PM
From the Player Handbook, chapter 7:



Cost: This value is the weapon’s cost in gold pieces (gp) or silver pieces (sp). The cost includes miscellaneous gear that goes with the weapon, such as a scabbard for a sword or a quiver for arrows. This cost is the same for a Small or Medium version of the weapon. A Large version costs twice the listed price.


In addition to this, there is a magical scabbard in the Wondrous Item section of the Dungeon Master Guide, the Scabbard of Keen Edges.

Anyway. What you want is probably a Merciful weapon. Non-lethal and bonus damage to boot.

Edit: Few issues.

CTLC
2010-03-04, 10:01 PM
slightly unrelated, here is the sheet
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=189730
and i get another feat, ideas?
i was debating darkstalker, but how handy is it at level 2?

lightningcat
2010-03-05, 05:36 PM
Ah ha. i knew that I had seen something like what you were looking for in my "hundreds of books about fantasy battles". Just had to find the right one. It may or may not be what you were looking for, but its the best I could find.

Taken from More Ultimate Equipment
Neversharp Sheathes
Gnomes are adamant about taking care of their borders and do not suffer intrusion lightly, but they prefer to leave their foes alive unless given no other choice. The neversharp sheath is a way of ensuring this. Consisting of a set of thick leather straps that lay along the edges of a bladed weapon and blunt its impact, any weapon with a neversharp sheath fitted to it inflicts subdual damage with a penalty of only -2 to the attack. Neversharp sheathes take one full round to put on and take off. They cannot be used on magical weapons with the keen or vorpal quality, as the blade simply cuts through the sheath when it strikes.
Neversharp Sheath: 50 gp, 1 lb.