ForsakenRapture/Sickles

Sickle
Speed 5, Accuracy +1, Damage +2L, Defense +2, Rate 2, Minimum Strength 1, Cost 1, Tags D

Grimscythe (Artifact • •) (A sickle version of the two handed Grand Grimscythe)
Speed 5, Accuracy +2, Damage +5L, Defense +3, Rate 2, Minimum Strength 2, Attune 5, Notes D,P

The curving blade of a grimscythe extends only about 18 inches from the hilt, but the curve of the blade makes it actul length almost twice that. A grimscythe has one Hearthstone slot, usually located in the hilt or pommel of the weapon.

This is often favored by those who come from a background as farmhands, those with a penchant for the marcabe, or anyone looking for a strong defensive blade.

Comments

I like the idea of the grim scythe. I think your stats for the weapon may be off. If you look in the core book on pages 386-387, the grande grimscythe and grand grimcleaver are listed. Basically they are the exact same thing, just with different flare for visual affect. They have the same tags and stats. The regular grim cleaver is listed also and is a smaller version of the grand grimcleaver. I think that your grimscythe should have the same statistics, or at least close to the grimcleaver. I didn't check every book, but most weapons have a defense of 2 or less, the only weapons with a defense of 3 or higher are typically very defensive weapons. The grimscythe even though smaller than it's counter part, is still off balance, top heavy and made to do damage, not to defend. I understand visual appeal and also wanting a weapon with a good defense rating, but then use a weapon that is good for defense instead of taking a weapon that is strictly offensive and has a high damage, knocking off 7 levels of damage and adding 3 to defense. Madoka

First off, the reason I have given the sickle and grimscythe a high defense value is because of the concave blade, it seems to me perfect for catching an opponents attack in it, and that is likewise why I had given it the Disarming tag. Secondly when coming up with the stats for the grimscythe I tended to compare the stats of a basic axe with that of a sickle, then using similar values to create the grimsythe and opposed to teh grimcleaver. For example the damage on a axe is +5L, where as the sickle is only +2L, a ratio of 5/2, so comparing the +12L a similar ratio, rounding up, is +5L. Forsaken Rapture

Don't use the phrases first off and second off and so on, it looks as if you are mad and defending, even if you are not. One of the major parts of the wiki is to receive and perform constructuve critisim. A curved blade provides a great ability for decapitating. There is a blade called the kukri knife designed to do just this. But the kukri blade is also very bad at defending because of the curve or bend in it's design. A curved blade make the point of impact between an incoming weapon and itself vary, which increases the difficulty to parry something. In turn, because of the curve and its varying points of impact, the point at the end or anywhere along its concavity, it is more difficult to parry. The weapons that are great at disarming all have one thing in common, they entagle their opponents weapon. The sai with its 3 prongs literally grabs the other weapon with a twist of the wrist. A trident can also do this. The fighting chain, whip, hooked sword and others all wrap around the weapon. I finally found a useful way to use the tons of physics I have had to study in my life, yey. Madoka

The other thing that I note is that while a scythe-type weapon may have a curved blade, this curve may not be useful at all, as it's at the end of a long handle. In particular, the longer the handle, the tougher it is to deftly control that blade, angle it around, and get it between you and an incoming attack. Imagine an incoming attack with any type of peircing weapon, for example - in that situation, maneuvering a scythe to interpose is almost impossible - getting the blade into the action even more so. You're lucky to hit the guys' arm with the handle. Sickles and scythes, while (as Madoka notes) great damaging and decapatating weapons, aren't proper fighting weapons in almost any martial arts style, nor have they been used by any sustained army. Have you heard of trained armies heading into battle with sickles? (Not farmhand conscripts) Probably not. You'll hear of swords, polearms, maces, and all sorts of other things, as those are intentional and refined weapons. Sickles really are weapons of opportunity, as if anyone were to try and practice with a sickle regularly, they'd find the balance all wrong (it's intended to make reaping easier on the arm) for anything but full-through clean strokes, and they'd find that the weapon lacked adequate arm or hand guards for use in actual parrying. Again, just my thoughts, but sickles are an evolved tool - but that evolution leads them away from being a good weapon. -- GreenLantern