Rapier (2d4, not light) vs Scimitar (1d6, light), why the change?

[Blerrger19]

TL;DR I want to power-game without making sacrifices for asthetic reasons. Yes, I want my cake and eat it too. Yes, I want to make derpy Drzz't clones. Waahhh wahhh waahhh

Why is a rapier not a light weapon? And why does it do 2d4 damage? Feels like a lot for a rapier.
Why is a scimitar a light weapon? And why does it only do 1d6 damage? A scimitar is basically a finessable longsword. Always has been. Why change it now?

Compare a real life rapier to a scimitar. One is a long, thin thrusting sword with a sharp, pointed tip and no sharpened edge--very light--the other is a broad sharp-edged weapon that's so heavy its almost used more for crushing than slashing. D&D classically leans towards realism, at least for weapon and combat mechanics.

In the game, the rapier classically flaunts a high crit range with middling damage to represent it can normally inflict moderate harm and can be lethal with precise thrusts, while the scimitar consistently does above average damage and is essentially your finesseable longsword. I think scimitar may also have a high crit range, but the only explanation for that I can come up with is...because scimitars are cool...?

Dual-wielding scimitars made little sense before (since they weren't light it kind of mucks up two-weapon fighting) and makes even less sense now as there are obviously superior main-hand weapons (i.e. rapier)...which I feel is a pretty important point (at least mechanically) considering Rage of Demons has a bit of focus on a certain drow...

Dr. Drizzy may as well be toting dual-rapiers except that'd be plain silly. Anyone remember doing that in DDO? Cuz I sure do. Swoosh, double-slash, swoosh, isn't a rapier a piercing weapon hurr durr? shouldn't I be poking? Hurrr durrr, double-poking? Hurrrr durrrr

Just a whiny no-skill casual complaining about nothing over here don't mind me....

[Blerrger19]

Perhaps light is not meant to be taken as a literal reference to weight then. Maybe light simply means less taxing...?

[robomagon]

IMHO, being able to effectively use a weapon in your off-hand depends more on its point of balance than its weight.

[Blerrger19]

Its amazing you can even use a shortsword in your offhand let alone a rapier or scimitar.... The only weapon I'd think of as a suitable offhand is either a dagger or a hachet.

[Effusion]

İlk olarak Blerrger19 tarafından gönderildi:

Perhaps light is not meant to be taken as a literal reference to weight then. Maybe light simply means less taxing...?

In d&d light weapons tend to be things like daggers, sickles, and kurkis.

İlk olarak robomagon tarafından gönderildi:

IMHO, being able to effectively use a weapon in your off-hand depends more on its point of balance than its weight.

Point of balance is more about whether the weapon is used for thrusting (balanced toward the grip to be more manuverable) or cutting/crushing (balanced toward the tip to produce more force). I belive the biggest concern (in real life I mean) actually tends to be length. Having a short weapon in the off hand lets you manuver it freely without obstructing and or being obstructed by the longer weapon in your main hand.

[MoNKeZi]

The benefit of a Scimitar over a Rapier is that the Scimitar is the only Slashing Finesse weapon. Rapier, Shortsword and Dagger are all piercing. That being said, I didn't think Sword Coast Legends applied any penalty to wielding non-light weapons in the offhand. It most definitely should though.

[Effusion]

İlk olarak Elth tarafından gönderildi:

That being said, I didn't think Sword Coast Legends applied any penalty to wielding non-light weapons in the offhand. It most definitely should though.

Yes, effectively all weapons in scl are treated as being light. There isn't a strength bonus on 2h weapons or penalty for off hand weapons either.

[Blerrger19]

So "light" means absolutely nothing then?

Also, so what if it offers slashing damage? The only thing I can think of where slashing might be helpful is, I dunno, zombies? Bludgeoning is generally your go-to for getting around DR.

[Effusion]

İlk olarak Blerrger19 tarafından gönderildi:

So "light" means absolutely nothing then?

Yep.

İlk olarak Blerrger19 tarafından gönderildi:

Also, so what if it offers slashing damage? The only thing I can think of where slashing might be helpful is, I dunno, zombies? Bludgeoning is generally your go-to for getting around DR.

In p&p there are more attributes (eg keen), feats, and purposes (eg cutting a rope) which are limited by weapon type as well as a larger variety of enemies. In slc though, not so much.

[wendigo211]

If you switch between piercing and slashing you're fine in SCL, none of the enemies are immune to both slashing and peircing (IIRC oozes are slashing resistant and skeletons are piercing resistant). The problem I have with blunt is the only equipment I've ever found that has a boost blunt damage is the Red Tiger armor, which is light armor, and since none of the blunt weapons are finesseable, it's difficult to use. I also find blunt weapons drop rarely and don't often have good enchantments.

Whoever made this game loves scimitars, it seems like 1 out of every 3 weapon drops I get is a scimitar. And the weapons I've found with the best enhancements are daggers, staves, greatswords, scimitars and rapiers.

On the whole light vs. heavy thing, rapiers are the heaviest of the fencing weapons, but they are still used with a fencing technique as opposed to a heavier longsword (about 5 pounds weight) technique. Scimitars describe a wide range or weapons, swords like the talwar or yatagan would probably be considered light. The kilij, shamshir and the two-handed falchions would not be light.

[Blerrger19]

Shamshir is probably what is used in D&D...or an exaggerated version of it like a 1h falchion.

Also, longswords weigh 5lbs? Hmm, you don't say...and someone was just saying how a rapier is "heavy."

[Effusion]

İlk olarak Blerrger19 tarafından gönderildi:

Also, longswords weigh 5lbs? Hmm, you don't say...and someone was just saying how a rapier is "heavy."

Longswords are hand and a half swords (also known as bastard swords). They are 2h swords that are capable of being used in 1h. 5 lbs would be on the heavy end of the spectrum with around 3lbs being the lighter end.

In d&d a longsword is different from a bastard sword though, even though they're both used as hand and a half swords. A bastard sword is considered an exotic weapon and requires proficiency to use in 1h though while a longsword can be used in 1h without proficiency, so I would guess that they represent opposite ends of the weight spectrum. Or possibly what d&d calls a longsword is actually something more like a medieval arming sword (the double bladed 1h sword you see in a lot of movies).

[Blerrger19]

İlk olarak frzn tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak Blerrger19 tarafından gönderildi:

Also, longswords weigh 5lbs? Hmm, you don't say...and someone was just saying how a rapier is "heavy."

Longswords are hand and a half swords (also known as bastard swords). They are 2h swords that are capable of being used in 1h. 5 lbs would be on the heavy end of the spectrum with around 3lbs being the lighter end.

İlk olarak Blerrger19 tarafından gönderildi:

Perhaps light-er is the proper terminology to use?

ಠ_ಠ

[Effusion]

İlk olarak Blerrger19 tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak frzn tarafından gönderildi:

Longswords are hand and a half swords (also known as bastard swords). They are 2h swords that are capable of being used in 1h. 5 lbs would be on the heavy end of the spectrum with around 3lbs being the lighter end.

İlk olarak Blerrger19 tarafından gönderildi:

Perhaps light-er is the proper terminology to use?

ಠ_ಠ

İlk olarak frzn tarafından gönderildi:

Lighter than what though? Heavier swords are mostly intended to be used in 2h.