Quote:
Originally Posted by RyanW
Could it really survive a serious swing, or would it be more of a tip slash?
|
All of the early specifications were for "cut and thrust" blades and even with the late one it was described as being sharp on both sides all the way to the guard.
By Skill description from Basic this should be covered by Smallsword but for specific stats you go to the "Light Edged Rapier" on p.229 of Martial Arts.
Unlike some of the chimeras on the weapon tables (i.e. blunt-tipped broadswords) Thrust-only Smallswords did exist. They were not necessarily the most common type though and were never issued by the military to my knowledge. Sir Richard Francis Burton says that they were difficult to temper and frequently bent.
I've never actually seen a "Dress Smallsword" and am uncertain of their reality. Maybe those bendy Thrust-only blades are what we should call Dress Smallswords.
If you're worried about the sword breaking that's Cheap Quality or worse if you want to make up rules for it.
At any rate the OP is unlikely to want his character to carry a Cheap replica so what he wants is that Light Edged Rapier. If you wonder, I've never seen a Thrust-only Rapier either.