Author Topic: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )  (Read 6127 times)

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Offline Spectre771

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I've been curious about this for a while and decided to finally ask:

When making a new PC (Spell user, semi-spell user, non-spell user), what is your favorite weapon at creation time and why?

Most of my players go plain old Board and Sword.  Some will get fancy and take Falchion.  My daughter loves using the Steel Whip, which is really cool and I have a couple of characters that carry it as a secondary or tertiary weapon. 

I love the Morning Star and Flail.  Some players don't like the higher fumble range, but "go big or go home!" and I liked to take weapons that everyone else didn't already have.  It's RM!  Get those crits early and get 'em often folks.  Step right up!

As the years went on and the Companions came out, I ended up falling in love with the Tebuje and that's solely for the Rip/Tear Critical table  ;D  And, when opponents face the weapon, they have to make a fear roll or fight at a negative, and that's all non-magical.   Apparently the NPC's read the Rip/Tear Crit table too!  :o

However, think my favorite is the Estock for the sheer versatility of it.  It has three types of attack;  1H, 2H, and Mounted!  The attack modifiers are on the attack table.  It's primarily a thrusting weapon, but it works so well.  You don't need to carry 3 weapons, and more importantly, you don't have to worry about carrying a lance if you want to attack from horseback.  The "lance" comes with you into battle.  Getting hammered in 2H mode?  Use it 1H and grab a shield!
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Offline Peter R

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2016, 02:14:01 PM »
Mine is the plain old spear.

You get the 1H/2H versatility, it is similar to just about everything from quarterstaff to lance and with its long reach you can fight from behind big butch fighters and not get hurt. I am playing a Lay Healer and have a terrible OB. Given the bonus to initiative I am frequently the first to strike.
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Offline Thot

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2016, 02:21:57 PM »
Nothing has the same vibe as a good sword.

Offline Peter R

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2016, 02:34:33 PM »
Nothing has the same vibe as a good sword.
I don't know, lowering your spear and nudging your horse into a canter has a pretty good feel to it.
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Offline Thot

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2016, 02:39:54 PM »
Nothing has the same vibe as a good sword.
I don't know, lowering your spear and nudging your horse into a canter has a pretty good feel to it.

Still not a sword. :P

Offline Peter R

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2016, 02:59:09 PM »
Nothing has the same vibe as a good sword.
I don't know, lowering your spear and nudging your horse into a canter has a pretty good feel to it.

Still not a sword. :P
But I can make lewd jokes in the tavern about weapon size.
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Offline Hurin

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2016, 08:56:16 PM »
I usually go sword and board, but am seriously thinking of going spear and board for the versatility. Having a weapon that is even better mounted than it is on foot is pretty appealing, as well as one that can be braced to discourage charges. I also like the ability to throw my weapon if I can't reach my opponent in time.
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Offline Peter R

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #7 on: October 19, 2016, 01:37:33 AM »
I usually go sword and board, but am seriously thinking of going spear and board for the versatility. Having a weapon that is even better mounted than it is on foot is pretty appealing, as well as one that can be braced to discourage charges. I also like the ability to throw my weapon if I can't reach my opponent in time.
If you find yourself weapon-less and alone on a beach spear is similar to two handed club if you can find some driftwood. In a forest spear is similar to quarterstaff. There is a lot less metal in a spear than in a sword.
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Offline Thot

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #8 on: October 19, 2016, 02:36:41 AM »
Nothing has the same vibe as a good sword.
I don't know, lowering your spear and nudging your horse into a canter has a pretty good feel to it.

Still not a sword. :P
But I can make lewd jokes in the tavern about weapon size.

It is more about the skill at using it than the size. ;)

Offline Spectre771

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #9 on: October 19, 2016, 09:35:36 AM »
Nothing has the same vibe as a good sword.
I don't know, lowering your spear and nudging your horse into a canter has a pretty good feel to it.


To Thot:
Estoc.   ;D

To PeterR:
Estoc.  8)

Back to Thot:
(see above)

Back to PeterR:
(See also wik wik)   LOL


It can be used as a spear and as a mounted spear.  Maybe not "Lance" statistics, RM2 let's you use it mounted.  Don't know if I can post outside links, but there is some info on Wiki.  "edgeless sword" good for poking through armour.

You guys make great points and RM2 created a beauty of a weapon.  I'll have to look up some stats from the attack table to post here.


If you find yourself weapon-less and alone on a beach spear is similar to two handed club if you can find some driftwood. In a forest spear is similar to quarterstaff. There is a lot less metal in a spear than in a sword.

Yes, definitely.  I always add a 3rd or 4th weapon skill that uses plain old club, armoured fist, or brawling.  It's easy to break the leg off a chair to club someone with than it is to break off a piece of steel, sharpen, and attack your foe with in a tavern.  There's something to be said for the good old club skill.
If discretion is the better valor and
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Offline intothatdarkness

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #10 on: October 19, 2016, 12:16:54 PM »
It all depends on my character concept. I've played a farmer turned bashkar who had a deep-seated hatred of mounted warriors. His weapon of choice? Halberd, with javelins as secondary. For my troubled elven duelist it had to be rapier and main gauche (picture Johnny Ringo from Tombstone and you get close to this guy). Character for me always drives weapon.
Darn that salt pork!

Offline Hurin

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #11 on: October 19, 2016, 02:16:40 PM »
For my troubled elven duelist it had to be rapier and main gauche (picture Johnny Ringo from Tombstone and you get close to this guy).

Age quod agis!

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Offline Ecthelion

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2016, 04:06:50 PM »
For spell users I love the spear because it offers the option to attack from the 2nd line. For semi spell users or non-spell users I like to use another weapon with every new character and have no weapon I prefer the most. I try to avoid weapons with a fumble >5 and there are some weapons, like dagger or club, that do so little damage that I never select them as primary weapon.

Offline Peter R

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2016, 04:22:45 PM »
I agree that character concept drives the weapon choice but for most of the professions (pure, semi and hybrids) they can only afford a single weapon skill. The three most flexible weapons are spear, shortsword and hand axe. The last two have plenty of similar weapons, have a ranged option, are concealible and can be used in two weapon combo.

With the shortsword you can do that Crocodile Dundee thing "call that a knife?"
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Offline arakish

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #14 on: October 19, 2016, 09:21:49 PM »
I had a spell user wielding a Steel Spiked Chain Whip.  Nice weapon, but easily tanglable.  You might could get one good shot, then next turn foe can catch it, wind it around gauntlet...

Overall, I'd say the Long Sword or Broad Rapier.

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Offline Thot

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #15 on: October 20, 2016, 12:40:17 AM »
For spell users I love the spear because it offers the option to attack from the 2nd line. [...]

Isn't a ranged weapon a more natural choice for a spell user?

Offline Peter R

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #16 on: October 20, 2016, 01:14:03 AM »
For spell users I love the spear because it offers the option to attack from the 2nd line. [...]

Isn't a ranged weapon a more natural choice for a spell user?

In my experience if a spellcaster is resorting to using weapons then it will be in hand to hand rather than ranged.
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Offline Thot

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #17 on: October 20, 2016, 01:27:25 AM »
[...]
In my experience if a spellcaster is resorting to using weapons then it will be in hand to hand rather than ranged.
  • Magic points used up or remaining magic points needed for healing the party or similar support functions - stay in second line and use your higher dexterity over your low strength. Bow or crossbow seems like a natural choice.
  • Unwittingly caught in melee: Run!

Offline OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #18 on: October 20, 2016, 07:21:22 AM »
I don't make PCs. :p
OTOH, I like polearms and double-weapons so I like to give my NPCs such weapons. To note, currently I have a NPC for each of these: gau lung dai chah (九龍大叉),  shuāngshǒudài (双手带), gum gsin chian (金錢鏟), sodegarami (袖搦), hùntiānlù (混天戮), sān jiān liǎng rèn dāo (三尖两刃刀), chiyiyueyadang (歯翼月牙鎲), fāng biàn chǎn (方便鏟), jiǚ chǐ dīng pá (九齒釘耙), hǔchā (虎叉), gōu lián qiāng (钩镰枪), and xīzhàng (錫杖), spade, hoe, for the polearms; lùjiǎodāo (鹿角刀), jiu zi gou (九歯双鈎), rìyuè qiang dāo (日月槍刀), feng huo lun (風火輪), shuang gou (護手双钩), jī dāo lián (鷄刀鐮), húdié shuāng dāo (蝴蝶雙刀), gōngtiānshū (宮天梳), shuāng shǒujǐ (双手戟), yuanyangfu (鴛鴦斧), shuāngtóuqīang (雙頭槍) used in pair of course, pàn​ guān​ bǐ​ (判官筆), fung lui seung bat (風雷雙鈸), emeici (峨嵋), twin rings, for the double-weapons; or stuff such as the kyoketsu-shogei (距跋渉毛), kusarigama (鎖鎌), zǐ mǔ chuí (子母锤), jiànbian (剣鞭) that are double-weapons but not with the same weapon in both extremities; or weapons such as the qiánkūn rìyuè dāo (乾坤日月刀; would that could as a twin weapon?).

For spell users, I tend to go for inconspicuous weapons: some of the above such as the spade, hoe, twin rings, emeici, pàn​ guān​ bǐ​ or fung lui seung bat, but also a parasol, umbrella, wooden stool or oar.
The world was then consumed by darkness, and mankind was devoured alive and cast into hell, led by a jubilant 紗羽. She rejoiced in being able to continue serving the gods, thus perpetuating her travels across worlds to destroy them. She looked at her doll and, remembering their promises, told her: "You see, my dear, we succeeded! We've become legends! We've become villains! We've become witches!" She then laughed with a joyful, childlike laughter, just as she kept doing for all of eternity.

Offline Peter R

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Re: What is your favorite weapon (Even the spell casters have one :-) )
« Reply #19 on: October 20, 2016, 08:15:06 AM »
[...]
In my experience if a spellcaster is resorting to using weapons then it will be in hand to hand rather than ranged.
  • Magic points used up or remaining magic points needed for healing the party or similar support functions - stay in second line and use your higher dexterity over your low strength. Bow or crossbow seems like a natural choice.
  • Unwittingly caught in melee: Run!
In 30+ years my experience has been that when the spell caster draws a weapon it is normally to parry with waiting for help to arrive. It sounds like your game is somewhat different.

In my game and the games I have played in no one uses bows. In RMC they are very dissatisfying.
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