Sneaky, Tricky Weapons

Sometimes, you just need to keep an ace up the sleeve… or a weapon! Use some of these in your narratives to surprise and confound your characters…

Sneaky, Tricky Weapons

  • whip, chain whip, heavy knotted rope, nunchuks,
  • expanding staff, telescoping cane,
  • hidden blade, boot dagger, spring blade,
  • hilt blade, triple blade,
  • bayonet,
  • caltrops, floor spikes, marbles, grease, oil, a banana peel,
  • hair pin, ice pick,
  • blackjack, sap, brass knuckles,
  • telescoping nightstick,
  • bootnails, cleats,
  • spiked toe boot,
  • pocket pistol, derringer, doubletap,
  • shiv, shank, improvised prison knife,
  • piece of cord, rope, cable, wire,
  • broken glass,
  • nails, screws, hobnails,
  • marbles, ball bearings, lead shot,
  • useful tools: screw driver, saw blade, tire iron, jack stand, breaker bar, ratchet arm, bar clamp,
  • sandpaper, file, rasp, reamer,
  • narwhal horn, unicorn horn, ogre tooth, troll claw,
  • bear spray, vinegar, hot sauce,
  • poison, drug, opiate, powder, elixir, ointment, grease, dormant infection or disease, herbs, mushroom, fungus, spores, scrapings,
  • broken bottle, porcelain doll, shard of dinner plate,
  • dumb bells, golf club, bat, hockey stick,
  • ray gun with all kinds of weird and tricky settings
  • improvised explosive device (IED), cellphone bomb, pipe bomb, car bomb, suicide vest, molotov cocktail,
  • stink bomb, smoke bomb, tear gas,
  • sharpened stick, spoon, toothbrush, comb, violin bow, lamp stand,  obsidian, rock, tent peg, table leg, dragon scale, bone, horn, antler, holy symbol,
  • things to throw: coconut, stone, stump, log, frying pan, picture frame, lamp, torch, drill, stool, platter, brick, pot of oil, box, sand, broken glass, beehive, pail, barrel, keg, vase,
  • scalding things: hot oil, coffee, water, tar, grease, sand, gel, ooze, slime, magma; burning embers, sticks, brush, torch, lamp, hairspray and a lighter,
  • blade concealed in: bedpost, lamp base, cutting board, hammer shaft, cricket bat, crucifix, prosthetic limb, torch, guitar neck, another bladee, firearm stock, judge’s gavel, yard stick,
  • grease, firebomb, oil + flaming torch,
  • sand (in the eyes), broken glass, metal shavings,
  • spade, hoe, rake, lawn mower,
  • poisons, poisoned darts,
  • hidden blade, boot knife, boot toe dagger, steel toe boot,
  • spiked shield, edge of shield,
  • bedroll, rolled up carpet,
  • goblet, canteen, fork, spoon to the eye, sharpened ladle, cast iron pan, steel griddle, barbecue tongs, bread peel,
  • pepper spray, bear spray,
  • the classic ice pick,
  • broom, mop, bucket, filthy water, dirty rag,
  • ladder, step stool, scaffolding, ladder rung,
  • grappling hook,
  • bee hive,
  • rusty spike, iron spike, wooden stake, silver tipped stake,
  • wire, cord, rope, twine, shoelace, leather strap, neck tie, chain, barbed wire,
  • pot of molten gold, lead,
  • heavy padlock, ring of keys,
  • plank, board, lumber,
  • saws-all,
  • pencil, pen, quill, bottle of ink,
  • bag of rocks, sock full of stones, pillow case with a pewter beer mug in it,
  • real old crusty buns, hard tack, a gourd,
  • bone, bone fragment, skull,
  • belt, baldric, strap, scabbard, sheath,
  • burrs, spurs, curs,
  • block and tackle, airplane wheel stops,
  • heavy pipe, angle iron, stair rail,
  • dinosaur bone (fresh, sun-bleached, or petrified)
  • armour bits, bracers, greaves, epaulets, broken helm, rusty gauntlet,
  • gong, cymbal, drum, drumstick, guitar neck, guitar wire, banjo, lute, harp, lyre, trumpet, bugle,
  • gear, cog,
  • curtain, drapery, theatre curtain, curtain hook, curtain rod, shower curtain, blind slats, cord,
  • lamp, lamp shade, candle wax, burning candle, brazier leg, candelabra, chandelier, broken lightbulb,
  • elbow, fist, finger, knee, claws, fingernails,
  • chair, chair leg, spindle, folding chair,
  • sack of potatoes,
  • codpiece full of coin, belt pouch (still on belt), purse full of nails,
  • wine bottle, urn, tankard, keg, jug, flagon, ale horn, champagne cork (carefully timed),
  • bedpan (full or empty), coal warmer (for a bed),
  • frisbee,
  • beads, marbles,
  • nettle, poison ivy, thorns, burrs,
  • handful of hobnails,
  • big ol’ stick (with a nail), weighted walking staff (cored and filled with lead),
  • bowling pin, bowling ball, squash raquet, hockey stick,

Places to Hide Sneaky Weapons

  • boot, hat, hair (big hair), shoe heel,
  • cane, staff, umbrella, walking stick,
  • inside another weapon,
  • map case,
  • belt, waste band, buckle,
  • hollowed out torch, picture frame,
  • couch cushion, mattress, quilt,
  • hidden compartment in wall, floor, ceiling, door frame, window casing, closet, wardrobe, dresser drawer, vehicle dashboard,

Body Parts Susceptible to Improvised Attacks

Improvised weapons are only as good as their applied tactics. Think not only of the weapon itself but how it might be used in a compromised situation. Consider some of these targets…

  • groin, genitals – soft disabling target
  • collarbone – breaks easier and makes the arm useless
  • neck, throat, gullet – soft, disabling target
  • knee caps – great target to break and disable movement for a quick character getaway
  • gut, stomach, belly – softer and disabling
  • eyes – they’re soft and can be blinded
  • nose – anything caustic or noxious can be disabling; the nose is also a softer breakable target that gushes a lot of blood,
  • head, temple, face – go for the big shot!
  • legs – aim to trip or sweep an opponent
  • hands, fingers – soft and disabling
  • tail, wings, antennae, proboscis, – for a beast/creature/animal these features can make suitable targets
  • underbelly – flipping a creature on its back and attacking the exposed belly is effective

Notes and Ideas

  • sharpened minute hand from the town clock,
  • you can make up your own strange devices by crediting the inventions to various species, regions, people’s etc…
    • Kobold Nasty Sand – a burning concoction of natural elements hurled at enemies (Kobolds are immune)
    • Dwarf Rock Axe – Dwarfs are endlessly inventive and use axes of rock tempered in special fire… these things are heavy and durable.
  • blood, mud, ink smeared in someone’s eye can incapacitate them.
  • think of the things you can do to cause secondary damage to your foes:
    • pull down a support column to collapse a roof,
    • to cause unstable footing throw things on the floor… beans, marbles, dried chickpeas,
  • clapping the hands over someone’s ears is a good dirty fighting move
  • blind an opponent to gain advantage
  • weapons in disguise are great for thieves, assassins, and other sneaks: iron smoking pipe, hairpin, stiletto heel, dagger in a cane, hand fan with pointed metal stems, thing cord in a belt for strangulation… think ahead about what disguised or improvised weapons your characters might be able to use.

Links and Resources

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