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Old 05-13-2001, 06:07 AM   #1
Cayle
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Join Date: March 16, 2001
Location: From NJ, USA IN Wiesloch Germany
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I was just wondering. Am I the only the only one for whom the idea of dual wielding Katanas is just over the top? If I recall correctly, the proper (and elegant) usage of a katana is as a two handed weapon. It has been a long time since I did a sword kata, but it was definitely a two-hander. Most straight bladed weapons follow the western tradition of doing the damage on the initial impact, cut on the push if you will. Wielding two is simply a function of strength, dexterity and skill. IN the SCA for instance, dual wielding is its own discipline. Scimitars, cutlases, sabers, katanas etc. do their damage on the pull. The blade makes impact and it then sliced across the opponent. Scimitars and sabers are clearly one-handed weapons, often having a basket hilt. The above rule can also be applied to them. The katana is light, but longish. The length of the handle is for guidance and grace. In principle, one could wield it as a single handed weapon, but it would become a high speed factor scimitar and loose its true elegance. If you are going to have katanas, you should have them as true katanas. I know I have been accused of making mountains out of molehills in the past and it is just a game

Note on hiprocracy: I still keep Val dual wielding because it just LOOKS so cool.


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Old 05-13-2001, 06:17 AM   #2
ShadowUK
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I'll bear that in mind. But it still looks cool to weild 2 katanas.

BTW How do you know so much about weapons........?

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Old 05-13-2001, 06:27 AM   #3
Bahamut
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unless those katanas are 21 inches and below, but the katanas that are shown in the game are obviously those samurai katanas. it wouldnt look cool, rather it would look rather impossible. besides if the technique is only slash this and that, sure but...

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Old 05-14-2001, 10:16 AM   #4
Bristowe
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Join Date: March 4, 2001
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I agree with you fully Cayle, I think katanas really should be a two-hand sword, anyway, you need two hands to get full advantage of its power. THe length of the handle also to get more power from the swing right? The left hand pulling back gives it MUCH more power...

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Old 05-14-2001, 11:26 AM   #5
Greadius
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Aren't two handed katana's called diashi's? Its just a bigger version of the same... Katana in itself is long-ish (but then so are the arms of fighters) but light. I thought Katana's were designed to use a wakizashi (horrible spelling on that one) in the off hand... which is a shorter version of a katana? Or am I messing up my samurai history here, but they used two blades, one to strike and one to parry with (in the off hand).

I'm sure this would be very easy to look up on the internet
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Old 05-14-2001, 12:24 PM   #6
boran_blok
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hm here's a real statlist (dunno for 100% it is all stuff I read in translated japaneese books etc.. (and my feet/inch calculations arent perfect either)


Katana :
blade : about 120 to 150 cm (4 to 5 feet)
hilt : 12 to 30 cm (4inch to 1 feet)

katana's are like bastard swords they are mostly used single handed but two hands where used sometimes to give a stronger force

there are no longer swords than this exept for the very rare gigantic slayer swords that were made (but they are more ceremonical than actually usefull (for the bad understanders : beheadings)


Kodadchi (strangely calles a washisiki in BG)
blade : 60 to 90 cm (2 to 3 feet)
hilt : 12 to 24 cm (4 to 8 inch)

these small swords where oftenly used in pairs and always single handed never dual handed

shintatchi
blade : 40-50 cm (hmmm dunno)
hilt : 12 to 15 cm (4 to 5 inch)

this want really a blade more an enlengthed dagger, it is referred to as the hara kiri sword .. this or a kodachi was always carried by a samurai so that he could commit suicide when he would fall into enemy hands...

Boran
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Old 05-14-2001, 12:25 PM   #7
boran_blok
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hm here's a real statlist (dunno for 100% it is all stuff I read in translated japaneese books etc.. (and my feet/inch calculations arent perfect either)


Katana :
blade : about 120 to 150 cm (4 to 5 feet)
hilt : 12 to 30 cm (4inch to 1 feet)

katana's are like bastard swords they are mostly used single handed but two hands where used sometimes to give a stronger force

there are no longer swords than this exept for the very rare gigantic slayer swords that were made (but they are more ceremonical than actually usefull (for the bad understanders : beheadings)


Kodadchi (strangely calles a washisiki in BG)
blade : 60 to 90 cm (2 to 3 feet)
hilt : 12 to 24 cm (4 to 8 inch)

these small swords where oftenly used in pairs and always single handed never dual handed

shintatchi
blade : 40-50 cm (hmmm dunno)
hilt : 12 to 15 cm (4 to 5 inch)

this want really a blade more an enlengthed dagger, it is referred to as the hara kiri sword .. this or a kodachi was always carried by a samurai so that he could commit suicide when he would fall into enemy hands...

Boran
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Old 05-14-2001, 03:36 PM   #8
ShadowUK
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There's that Damn echo again

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Old 05-14-2001, 04:11 PM   #9
Pennance
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I always believed that when dual wielding the weapon in the off-hand had to be lighter/shorter than the weapon in the primary hand. I personally think that dual wielding weapons like Katana's is ridiculous unless your character is super strong...but yeah, if we can DW Katana's, then why not 2-Handed Swords?
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Old 05-14-2001, 05:52 PM   #10
Cayle
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A short-, bastard- or longs-word has a VERY different balance than a katana. The pommel acts as a counterweight to the blade and the center of gravity should rest just a bit above the hilt. A well-made sword should handle nicely if it is not too heavy. It would be easier to dual wield a single-handed sword because of this. The katana has a funny balance, but a long handle. If you grab the bottom of the hilt with your off hand, it can change direction very fast and can be aimed very precisely. You do not always have your off hand on the katana, but it helps if it is free.

Back when I was younger I was in the society for creative anachronism (SCA). They do a lot of re-creation heavy armor and weapon fighting, both one-on-one sparring and mass melee. Two-sword is a legitimate fighting style, though it differs from the D&D rules. Both blades are used in unison as a team. Parrying for instance is done with both weapons. Having two swords gives you opponent more things to worry about and makes it easier to feint. I never much cared for the style (I preferred pole-arms myself) and found it lacking. At the time I was in the SCA, about 90% of the REALLY good fighters used sword and shield and were almost impossible to hit. This may have changed over the years as the two sword styles may have improved. Perhaps someone with more recent experience could shed some light here.

I think dual wield is too powerful in the game. Perhaps it should only add attacks from the off hand at 1 / 2 the rate of the main hand. In PnP, each proficiency in sword and shield style improved AC by one (grand master=+5 bonus).
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