Slashy, Pokey Weapons

When you’re in a battle, you want to have the edge. That’s why you grab a sword or something else that can chop, hack, slash, pierce, slice, impale, sever… well, you get the gruesome idea. Swing away!

Menu of stuff with blades…

• sword, knife,
• longsword, broadsword, bastard sword, hand-and-a-half, 
• shortsword, cat gutter or katzbalger, 
• scimitar, sabre, cutlass
• falchion,  rapier, dress sword, hanger, 
• katana, gladius,
• dagger, hidden blade,

  

• great sword, two-handed sword, claymore, zweihander, 
• war pick, light pick
• sickle, scythe
• war axe, great axe, battleaxe, bearded axe, short axe, long axe, poleaxe, narrow axe, broad axe,
• hatchet, tomahawk, 
• wood axe, splitting axe,
• trident
• claymore, baselard, espadon, seax
• hidden cane sword, retractable toe blade, spring blade, trick blade,
• ogre “stabbar,” goblin “sharpy,” kobold “jagger,” sprite “nicker,”  
• knuckle spike, elbow spike, shoulder spikes, helm spikes, 

  

• obsidian blade
• pointed stick
• awl, marlin spike,
• elven blade,
• cavalry sword
• serrated blade
• dragon scale dagger
• dwarf battleaxe
• gnome shiv
• basket hilt
• cleaver
• badelaire, tuck, hurl, bat,
• paratrooper knife,
• bayonet,
• stiletto khopesh short spear, half spear dirk
• saw blade skewer
• toothed blade, flamberge, executioner’s sword
• machete,
• estoc, landsknecht ,backsword,
• katar, punching dagger,
• kris, wave blade,
• triple dagger,
• shotel, curve blade, shamshir, sickle blade, hawk’s bill knife, 
• cleaver, knife, tongue blade
• gauntlet sword
• jack knife, pocket knife, switchblace, gravity blade, springblade,

Sword and Blade Parts

• tip, point, tanto point, spear point, clip point, trailing point, slant point, drop point, beak point, sheepfoot, dagger point,
• spine, back, grind, swage, false edge, axis,
• blade, knife, edge, curve, belly, angle, bevel, taper, chamfer, leaf-shape,
• saw, serrated, wave, notch, straight, curved, gut hook,
• channel, fuller, cannelure, groove, slot, holes, “blood gutter,” hollow,
• ricasso, parrying guards, notch, choil, bolster,
• tang, full tang, rattail tang, half tang,
• heel, sub-hilt, guard, basket, cross guard, quillons, protrusions,
• hilt, handle, grip, grip plate, wrap, finger grooves, handle belly, knurled, chape,
  • handle can be:
    • wood, bone, ivory, horn, gem stone, antler,
• pommel, butt, end, rear bolster, ferrule, ring, cap, talon, fitting, scales, spacers, pins, rivets, welds,
• wrought, cast, tempered, forged, blued, honed, laminated, pattern welded,
• steel, copper, bronze, iron, alloy,
• single edged, double-edged

Stuff to add to your blade weapon…

• rune writing, inscription, gold inlays, etchings, markings, symbols, writings, words of power, invocations, maker’s mark,
• tassels, beads, gems, jewels, bone, wood, metal, chain
• belt, scabbard, sheath, frog, sash, boot sheath, cloth wrapping, lashings, cords, ties, chape, crampet, bouterolle,
• new, fantastic minerals and elements and chemical compounds are found all the time in narrative worlds, things like dwarf minerals, elf alloys, or gnome alchemical treatments…
  • you can name these new materials that you invent to make them sound cool… just use some of these Latin prefixes & suffixes around any three or four letters to make it sound scientific:
    • prefixes: chlor- chrom- cata- ana- endo- ecto- plasmo- iso- leuk- herp- med- malle- proto- poly- bi- rhiz- stoma- meso- hemi- hex- arche- arthr-
    • suffixes: -ic -ium, -mer -algia -al -aceous -oid -phase -ase -derm -ploid -fer -flect -eous -helminth -ign -ine -septic (not good… means like an infection) – nom
    • examples (it took me five minutes to make these up):
      • chlorbidine steel (plant-based alloy, therefore elvish — stronger than titanium or any other fantasy or sci-fi metal ever conceived of – Ha! I win!)
      • protomagaceous stone (the most primordial stone ever… carries ancient magical knowledge and power)
      • plasmotynoid mineral powder (used inside sheaths to keep a weapon ever sharp)
      • leukoproseptic treatment (a white layer that protects metal weapons from decay or oxidation)
      • medilladign alloy (a bendable metal; makes great shackles… perfect fit every time)

Actions with swords and knives

• stab, slash, slice, prod, impale, gut, hack,
• hammer with the pommel, knock out, clobber,
• back swing, follow throw,
• thrust,
• parry, block, spin, duck,
• brandish and proclaim something, raise and holler,
• throw, hurl,
• swing low,
• trip, knock,
• use two swords and come up with some wicked cool combos; or sword and axe,

Developments

• swords can wear out, get knicked, lose an edge,
• blades can break off handles if the tang is not strong,
• dropped weapons create a need for improvised quick thinking
• this is kinda gross, but swords can get wedged into ribs or bone or armor
• surprise! the sword you found is actually cursed!
• sword arms get tired in long fights; how will you deal with exhaustion?