It occurs to me that a list of ten swords would be of use. And then I could later come back and borrow from it for other worlds. It would also be of use because thats a little detail that can by handy for spicing worlds with small details.
These are, as pretty much everything in a role-playing game is, optional. You could make good arguements for things being different, and I may not even be wholly consistent with my own guidelines.
You may wish to require a separate skill of horse-born sword combat to utilize the extra power inherent in a curved sword in that situation. Or you may simply want to have this be a strictly skill situation. However, it seems to me that some element of this inherent to the sword. I believe that making it fully inherent to the sword as this list does, or requiring an extra skill to represent the familarity with this potential are both reasonable solutions.
An increase in a Situation Modifier is favorable in nearly all cases. It allows for more damage, and a greater chance to hit.
One reason to give such modifiers is because of the reputation of the sword's excellence. The gladius and the katana both enjoy a favored reputation among some for this quality.
Also, a two-edged sword is more apt to be usable in more situations in combat than a single-edged sword.
An increase in Die Roll generally makes the weapon do more damage, but hit less often. This is particularly suited to a heavy, hard to maneuver, but deadly weapon.
1. Highland Claymore--Typically used by Scottish clansmen. The hilt is about a foot. The blade is between 40 and 45 inches in length. The guards are lengthy and set forward at a thirty degree angle roughly. This is a two-handed weapon.
Also basket-hilted claymores are possible.
Dangerous: NOT Ranged: +15 Die Roll: RF 1
(A two-handed, and somewhat awkward weapon that does large amounts of damage.)
2. Gladius--The Roman legionaires used this leaf-bladed, double-edged thrusting weapon. It is frequently found as a masterwork weapon.
Dangerous: NOT Ranged: +5 for Excellence Sit-mod: RF 2 (RF 3 if used in a shieldwall with only thrusting attacks).
(One may wish to add a +3 for it being a two-edged weapon.)
3. Zweihander--This sword was used by the German Landsknechts supposedly to chop pikes of the opposing forces. It is up to six feet long in its entirety. The knight in the movie Ladyhawke uses a Zwiehander. It is, of course, a two-handed weapon.
Lethal: NOT Ranged: +20 Die Roll: Simple Check by defender who is using wooden weapon if attack vs. weapon succeeds. Failure means the weapon is broken. RF 1.
(This is an enormous weapon that requires two hands or superhuman strength. If it hits, which is somewhat unlikely, its going to hurt...a lot. Thus the +20 Die Roll.)
4. Rapier--A slender, and lengthy (usually more than one yard) sword used primarily to thrust. They often feature complex hilts. Fighting is very fast, and since thrust damage is inherently worse for humans than slicing damage (as internal organs are often damaged) they can be quite lethal. However, they are of little use against zombies.
Dangerous: NOT Ranged: -10 Die Roll: RF 3.
(As described in the Big Black Book of Multiverser aka The Rules, it is suggested that this weapon is faster, quicker, less likely to botch, and does less damage. All this is well represented by a -10 DR).
5. Sabre--This is a curved single-edged sword usually with a large hand guard. It is sometimes carried from a baldric (at the shoulder) or at the waist, but there are lengthier versions meant to be hung from a cavalryman’s saddle.
Dangerous: NOT Ranged: +5 Die Roll: Cavalry version has an upgrade damage category if on horseback. RF 2.
(This is a single-edged, somewhat awkward weapon with a limited number of attack angles. However, it is a moderately heavy weapon.)
6. Falchion--This single-edged sword type covers a variety of shapes, but one shape may be fairly called ‘a machete with a cross-guard’. It is a simple, brutal weapon largely suited for chopping.
Dangerous: NOT Ranged: + 10 Die Roll: RF 1.
(This is a crude and brutal weapon. One may be tempted to change the +10 DR to -5 SM, +5 DR to more accurately reflect the weapon's nature.)
7. Katana--This curved, single-edged Nipponese sword is over two Shaku in length and under three. A Shaku is about thirty centimeters. A curved sword is useful for a horseman as it adds power to the downward strike. This weapon is designed for attacking light armor.
Dangerous: NOT Ranged: + 10 Sit-mod for excellence: + 5 if attacker on horseback with Damage Category Shift Up: + 5 Sit-mod if light or no armor and -5 for heavier. RF 2.
(This weapon was designed to deal with the light armor favored by the samurai. Accordingly, against the full plate of a medieval knight, it should do less well. This is a reflection of war--no weapon is perfect for all situations.)
8. Arming Sword--The knightly cruciform, single-handed sword is typically one yard in length. It is sometimes inaccurately called a ‘longsword’ or ‘broadsword.’
Dangerous: NOT Ranged: Damage Category Shift Up if on Horseback. RF 2.
(Fairly straightforward.)
9. Scimitar--This is a misnomer. The Arabic weapon, the Saif is one example of this ’type’. It is a single-handed, single-edged, variably curved with a slender hand-guard protruding from the sides or quillons, and a small bit protruding from the pommel to make a ‘pistol grip‘. It has a false edge at the tip.
Dangerous: NOT Ranged: -5 Die Roll: RF 2.
(The light nature of this weapon makes the user less likely to fumble, and less likely to do really severe damage which are reflected in teh -5 DR.)
10. Spatha--The later Romans and the Vikings used this double-edged, single handed sword. Its length falls between 3/4ths of and 1 yard. It was carried on the left due to its length.
Dangerous: NOT Ranged: +10 Die Roll: +3 Sit-mod: RF 2.
(Being double-edged is a general advantage represented by the small sit-mod advantage. The length and heaviness of the sword make for a less subtle, and more destructive weapon which is seen in the +10 DR.)
I'm not convinced that the +'s and -'s should be attached to the weapon, except for quality and magical sit-mods. The damage category shift for horseback, for example, should be a seperate skill or martial art manoeuver.
In the rulebook, there is a description of the longsword and the rapier. If I remember right, the difference is a longsword is +10 Die Roll, and a rapier is -10 Die Roll. The logic being that a rapier is faster, and easier to handle, but does less damage than a typical sword. And the longsword compared to a typical sword is harder to handle, but does more damage. And thats what these numbers do.
As to the horseback...I can see the point, but in the discussion of swords they mentioned that straight katana were difficult to handle horseback, and that the curved nature made it easier for the horseman to bring more damage to bear. So, to some degree, its intrinsic to the swords. Of course, to some degree its intrinsic to the user, as well, and I'm not sure what to do about that.
Besides, what else am I to do to differ a katana from an arming sword?
Hey Tad, could you use a 10D list of guns? I can give you the specs and you write up the damage categories for it.
I've got some of them done up for other games already. I might have ten guns already. I'm thinking the Mary Piper Old West world and the Music Wars world has a bunch, and perhaps the Ship of Ghosts world would have written up weapons already. Let me see what I can gather together.
But in any case, the game needs a 1d10 Gun list so good idea.
Tadeusz
Here's the guns, melee, and armor in the Mary Piper Gamma: Old West Caravan setting...
Mary Piper Gamma: A wagon train traversing the Old West
Weapons:
------------
1)Derringer: Range 2’: 5’: 15’:X: -10 SM to hit: Two shots: Lethal damage: RF 1
The pearl-handled friend of ladies of ill repute and gamblers also resides in many more honest hands. It is occasionally stored in a rig in the sleeve which enables its use as an initiative stealer weapon.
2)Knuckleduster: This crude weapon, a set of rings of brass into which the fighter slips his fingers increases the punch damage by one intensity.
3)Colt Peacemaker: Range 10’: 20’: 30’: 40’:+2/1‘: Six shots: Lethal damage: RF 2
This widely famed revolver is found in most Western movies. The longer the barrel, the more accurate the weapon. These numbers assume a six inch barrel.
4)Winchester rifle: Range 20’: 60’: 120‘: 240’: +10 SM to hit: Lethal Damage RF 1
5)Double-barreled shotgun: Range 5’: 15’: 30’: 40:+5/1‘: Two shots: Fatal Damage if 15’ or less; lethal damage if more: RF 1
Reloading requires “breaking†the gun apart, and inserting two new shells.
6)Bowie knife: 0’: 10’: 20’: 30’: +10/3’: This is a Damaging weapon that can be used in hand-to-hand combat, or reversed and held by its point and thrown. RF 1: +10 SM as this is a fine weapon.
7)Cavalry Sabre: This is a Dangerous weapon with a RF 1 and it is used in melee combat.
8)Tomahawk: This is a Damaging weapon that can be used in hand-to-hand fighting, and also it can be thrown. RF 1: 0’: 15’: 25: 40’: +5/1’.
This well-balanced axe with a stone head is primarily used by the indigenous tribes, but many settlers have come to value them as well.
9)Long Duster Coat: This flowing coat helps hide the users body outline so that he can shift his body a bit and “hide†in the open, and it denies precise targeting information to his assailant yielding a -10 SM to the opponent’s shot. It also causes a -1 DC to hand-to-hand weapons.
10)Gatling gun: This weapon is terrifically damaging as it fires a hail of bullets (it is the precursor to the Heavy Machine Gun), and does Annihilating damage to its target if held on that target for any length of time. Every hundred bullets requires a stoppage, and a lever to be pulled, and a metal plate with holes in it for storing bullets to be removed since all the bullets are spent. Then another plate is put in, and the whole process is reversed. Then the winding lever is started up again, and the Gatling gun starts spitting out fire.
The gun is heavy enough to require two strong men to move it. It usually has a tripod upon which it can be freely rotated.
The bullets it fires have not the penetrating power to hurt serious armor, but against an unarmored human it does very well. 25’: 50’: 75’: 100’: +2/1’.
11)Dynamite stick: This has a hissing fuse that can be set anywhere from a minute to a second before detonation. The damage is Fatal, and affecting all like so if they are within ten feet. Within twenty feet, and it is Lethal, and within thirty feet and it is Damaging. Beyond that it is Annoying out to fifty feet.
Eric, you're forgetting something with the dynamite. A common thing to do was wrap a length of chain around the dynamite to provide shrapnel. It was a precursor to the modern hand grenade. I believe doing that lowers the blast radius somewhat, but everything within the blast radius would receive a much heavier damage value.
I'll give you a list of modern firearms, and see if you can do anything with them. I know 2 gunsmiths, so they should be able to help me with the specs and whatnot.
My Music Wars gun stats are on the laptop which the Ladyfaire has right now.
One thing I noticed I forgot for the swordlist was the Repeat Factor.
I want to try to put together a d10 list for guns. And I want to try to finish Music Wars. I think one of the big things need-- skills.
And I still need to work a little day by day on pushing "Mountain Home" to its completion. Right now, its a bit of an albatross about my neck....just a bit, not a lot. But it is a good opportunity.
I'll be glad to accept the data for the modern guns to turn the d10 list into a d20 list, but it might be a while until I get to it. I also wrote up a bit back a list of SF pistol weapons which is needed as well. Also a list of psi benefits (physical devices that help in using psi like 'crystal ball', 'peyote',...got some of this already done.)
I should mention that the modifiers suggested for those swords were entirely optional, up to the referee, if he wished to create weapons with a better chance to hit but lower minimum and average damage, versus weapons with a lower chance to hit but higher minimum and average damage.
You certainly can include such suggested mods in such lists, but you should probably include an explanatory note as to what they do and why.
--M. J. Young
Since I hope to see this list, and the several other such lists on the website, is it neccessary for the word 'optional' to be put in? I would think that to be understood. However, I can do this.
As to explanatory notes on each and every one of them....Two points...
1. I read d20 books and they list 'longsword d10'. They rarely go into an explanation for why they chose that.
2. I think this is an appropriate moment to bring up the notion of 'sketch worlds'. I've read and purchased books by companies that detailed settings or situations which were not detailed in rules. Judge's Guild used to make such. They were as I understand very good. They looked good to me.
So, I would think there was a whole spectrum of detail. At the one end, you have a five hundred words that give 'adventure seeds' for ten different worlds. At the other end, you have complete detail for every major race, their weapons, and all the major NPC's to boot with maps of major cities, and lists of the most common herbs. It seems to me that the right level of detail is determined by the specific product.
Now, I'm generally wishing for more detail when it comes to Multiverser worlds that I've seen published. I suspect the curious reader always wants that. I told you that Dark Honor needed more detail, forex.
Now, some of my worlds might need more detail which I personally find to be a hardship, but I'm learning the system, and adding more detail despite the pain this causes me. I'm stretching myself. It doesn't help when the bar keeps going higher and higher. There needs to be an understanding that not all worlds need to be fully detailed by the Multiverser rules.
Multiverser DESPERATELY needs a d100 list of martial weapons. However, if I have to do a triple half-gainer through flaming hoops of doom to do each and every one of them, its not going to happen.
Now, I can do a few Forex, or I can write up a 'How to Make a Martial Weapon' and have that attached to the list for use on the website.
Eric
Multiverser DESPERATELY needs a d100 list of martial weapons.
I disagree. One of the great strengths of the Multiverser combat system is that weapons need so little detail - a repeat factor, a damage rating based on broad categories, maybe a range or reload time - that the statistics of many can be created in seconds or less. Granted, you lose some of the fine details and distinctions that, say, AD&D has between various kinds of swords, but I think that in the main, Multiverser doesn't need those fine distinctions. You're not playing a Fantasy Warrior who needs to be different from all the other scads of Fantasy Warriors running about and whose player needs to feel that his choice of weapon (long sword, broad sword, bustard sword) is meaningful and important. You're a multiversal traveler who might use any weapon imaginable, and in the main, it is sufficient that swords are RF 1 and Dangerous, as opposed to clubs which are only Damaging but are less likely to lose effectiveness when the laws of physics start breaking down.
I'd say Multiverser DESPERATELY needs a very long list of things. More worlds, more characters, more swords, more types of Martial Arts...
After all, your arguement would be that 'Black-handed Brawling' is unimportant.
If I could wave a magic wand I'd....
1. A d100 list of martial weapons.
2. A d30 list of SF materials (already done)
3. A description of ten different types of multi-dimensional structures.
4. A d20 list of SF weapons (hand blasters that is)
5. A dozen different magic schools
6. Two dozen martial arts schools
7. Seven different types of vamps ranging from Faux to Weeds to Devlin to Fully Magical to Wodium's Wamphyres.
8. An easy sixty more worlds.
9. A hundred normal NPC characters for a modern world, and twenty-five each for Ninja, Old West, Medieval, Star Trek SF, Transhuman SF, and Stone Age Tribesmen.
10. A dozen set-pieces that are designed to be generic with optional add-ons so that they can be slotted into whatever world.... like a cave with a monster in it. The monster would have several descriptions of its abilities....ones that would fit in a Dinosaur world, or on an alien planet, or on a world of Vampires and magical monsters, or on a world where Science Experiments escaped, or on a normal world where lions escaped from zoos. That way the GM can slot them into a situation as he needs.
And thats just the first ten. There is probably a hundred needed. Now, do I say that a d100 chart of martial weapons is more desperately needed than any one of the others listed? No, I don't.
But I've long seen that there is a vast field of creativity that needs to be filled up for this project to work. A long time ago I read a review that said Multiverser was a brilliant bit of innovation, and thus it would either take the world by storm, or it would vanish in a black hole. It has to expand greatly to avoid the latter fate.
And that is why I try not to get competive with other players creating, and in fact, try to support other player's creating. Because even if I went at full-tilt (and my full-tilt is astonishing and more than a little scary), it still would not be enough.
So I've encouraged MacCallister (his Matrix and 'Only the Insects Survive' world and The Infinite Plain world) and Tom Day (with his World of Mirrors) and John Alnut (with his Music Wars) to create stuff, and helped them with it because I need help. And thats why I was so encouraging with the Body Vampires idea you wrote up, and the Brawling.
More, please.
Also, any sentence that has AD&D and the words 'fine distinctions' in it merits a Perry Mason eyebrow or a 'whatcha' talking about, Willis?' Besides which, Multiverser is a game of fine distinctions in many regards. You're arguing for the game to be something its not designed to be.
Now I have on occasion wished it had less granularity. After all, fourteen base stats is an awful lot, but that does make it hard to say Multiverser is a game of dramatic simplicity. The sit-mods and the die roll mods are there to be used.
I do support the idea of producing material that doesn't get into 'fine distinctions'. Indeed, probably most material should not. In a way, I hate fine distinctions. Much prefer a grand sweep and a broad brush, but sometimes its useful to get rococco.
If you're trying to defend MJ from my ranting and raving, well, I appreciate that. Sometimes I hit harder than I should even when I'm trying to be nice. Instead of saying Multiverser 'desperately needs', lets just say 'there is a huge amount of potential work that could greatly enrich the creative imagination of hundreds of gms.' A few weeks back MJ said something to JohnA1 about wishing he could make a Player's Guide so he could have something to sell. I kinda listened to that and thought MJ was thinking there was a limited field of items that he could make for this game. I'm here to tell ya', it ain't so. The gate is wide open.
America might have looked like a narrow land from the first rowboats on shore which were tightly pent up by the forest, but it was a vast land. Right now, Multiverser is like those Pilgrims who just landed on shore. There is a huge country out ahead.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not against giant lists of things. I'm just lukewarm about a giant list of martial weapons. Martial weapons are simple. In the main, they're things you hit things with, and the differences are mostly color and damage category. For weapons, I'm much more interested in the ranged variety, and in particular a wide array of tech levels for those weapons. Ranged weapons need more than martial ones; they need a bias level, a set of ranges, an ammo type, a reload time, possibly an array of settings, possibly other inherent limitations, a damage type (often related to ammo, but not always), possibly other incorporated devices (scope, heat-seeker, martial component, others), maybe even a sound effect or visual description of weapon fire. Because there's a lot more to their design, they're a lot tougher to come up with on the fly, tougher to balance against other weapons, and a lot more useful to have already written up as examples for further weapon creation by an individual referee.
If you must have martial, perhaps a focus on martial arts weapons would be more helpful. Does a sai give a bonus to disarming and weapon-catch skills to make up for its base annoying damage? Do nunchaku have a higher repeat factor than other club-like weapons (if so, surely they're annoying rather than damaging)? What exactly is a kau-sin-ke, and why should I master that instead of the kusari-gama?
Alternatively, what about some Sci-Fi martial weapons? Or some sci-fi ranged weapons that are decidedly not blasters?
I'm right behind you on this generally (and I do intend to write that stuff up; I've got word documents filling up with martial arts styles and I'm puzzling over some of the problems with the venompires - what's the Strength, Agility, or Willpower of a microbe?). I'm just not too excited about making a gladius different from a scimitar different from a longsword. (I'd call your Zwiehander lethal, though, and perhaps make a rapier or other light foil damaging depending on the make and model.)
Scott, I am fairly knowledgeable about modern firearms. I could help you (or anyone, for that matter) write up a list of firearms. I'm not certain how to translate what I know into Multiverser lingo, but I bet if I gave you the descriptions, you could figure something out. Actually, that's now a standing offer to anyone. If you need help with modern firearms (And by modern, I mean probably back to the Revolutionary war) just ask me. I know 2 student gunsmiths whom I could ask about them. Standing offer, as of right now.
Okay, a d100 list of Martial Weapons (anything hand-to-hand ranging from gladius to spears to pikes to kurisigama) would do. I'm not going into this immediately anyways. I'd like to finish up the SF hand blasters first anyways (I've got a list of types made a while back...bout thirty I think.)
Some good ideas there, Scott.
I too am interested in the Strength of a microbe because 'Only the Insects Survive' has the characters as bacteria men.
John, hopefully one of us will get around to the task you're suggesting. But I definitely need to finish Music Wars before I jump on your new task.
Also, Wodium, I think we are from different ends of the bell curve on one issue. For me "Systems Make My Head Hurt", and it seems from your ease with Multiverser that you find "Systems are Very Simple".
Now most gamers are not as extreme as me in this regard, but I think most gamers tend to be more on my end of the bell curve than on yours.
I helped MJ design some firearms for Dark Honor Empire, and I would be more than happy to assist anyone that needs advice with firearms. I was trying to write up a list of them, I'll check and see if I still have it. It was I guess 1D30 firearms. I had it broken down into rifles, pistols and shotguns. You could mix-n-match if you needed to. I'll check for it.
Just a minor nitpick way back to the original post, just for the long term benefit of the list if ever published elsewhere...
Should sword #3 be "Zweihander" rather than "Zwiehander"? (ei instead of ie) That would be the correct German, though if the name has passed through Dutch, Danish or an older dialect, it may be otherwise...
John. Kewl.
Llarry. Um. Probably. Open Source Creation Rules! Cause that means you got lots of help in katchinnggg all yer misteaks.
Eric
Okay, I've included explanations on them all, and some opening notes. Also, I put in the now standard 'of course its optional!' explanation.
Hopefully, thats good enough.
Eric
Actually, it's Zweihänder, with the trema (two dots) on the a. At least according to Wikipedia...
This is cool, though the way I play, I tend to stay away from weapons and other pointy or exploding things...