Fighting with scythes

[Moralgay]

Originally Posted by SuedodeuS

It seems to me like a typical tip slash is going to run along the outer edge - running along the inner edge would be more difficult to manage (and would probably set up a Hook technique rather nicely). I could be mistaken, of course.

Look at claws; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cat_claw_closeup.jpg
They pierce and cut with nature designing the inside edge to be sharper, coming to a narrow edge more than the outside, thus from nature we can consider that a sharp inner edge is likely better for cutting. Why? I would suggest the rotational nature of slashing - out - hit/pierce - and then in/cut.

Originally Posted by SuedodeuS

Using a staff nearer the end gives you more reach - note that the quarterstaff has Reach 1,2. I'd say the more "scythe-like" grip would give you Reach 2, whereas the typical one gives Reach 1. Holding it at the end is, as Crakkerjakk noted, a quarterstaff wielded with the Two-Handed Sword skill. Alternatively, the scythe-like grip might be a Defensive Grip of some sort for a staff (which sacrifices side defenses for better frontal defenses and thrusting damage).

Cool. Seems quite accurate to me.

[SuedodeuS]

Originally Posted by Moralgay

Look at claws; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cat_claw_closeup.jpg
They pierce and cut with nature designing the inside edge to be sharper, coming to a narrow edge more than the outside, thus from nature we can consider that a sharp inner edge is likely better for cutting. Why? I would suggest the rotational nature of slashing - out - hit/pierce - and then in/cut.

The inside edge of natural claws aren't sharp, actually. Neither edge is sharp - cuticle isn't that great of a material for sharpness, and would be difficult to maintain an edge on, although a point is a different matter. Claws essentially are used for Tip Slashes, and the curved nature just makes them bite a bit deeper (although probably below the level of GURPS resolution; if not, then all scythes - and sickles for that matter - get the bonus +1 but don't get any extra bonus for a sharpened backside). The curve also allows the animal to swing fully, which probably helps in hitting the prey (and also might allow stronger muscles than a straight strike; basically a kick rather than a punch). EDIT: Come to think of it, the curvature might also be important for maintaining a sharp point, kind of like rat teeth. Basically, by having softer material on the inner curve, the hard outside sticks around longer and thus you end up with a self-sharpening apparatus. If you had to have the inner side hard enough to hold an edge, this scheme wouldn't work.

As for Two-Handed Sword, the damage for a quarterstaff wielded like this is in Basic Set Characters. A scythe wielded like this would probably use Two-Handed Axe/Mace and have a good deal higher MinST. Oh, and defensively it would suck - it would be tough to maneuver for a Parry when holding it like that!

[Bruno]

Claws are curved for structural support, to make them into traction devices, and in the cases of extreme curves like on a cats claw, to make them like hooks - for sinking into and holding onto prey.

Skin resists forces pressing in from the outside well, but not being pulled away from the inside, which is what a curved claw lets you do - get under the skin, and pull up. You also take advantage of the weak point punched into the skin when the claws went in the first place. It's VERY much like a run in stockings; there's a weave of elastic collagen in the skin much like the mesh on nylon stockings. This provides a lot of the structural strength. Once the collagen weave is cut in one section, it's very easy to "unravel" with applied force.

And as an interesting aside - scar tissue is what happens when the collagen layer is damaged and the body has to repair it - the body essentially "darns" the edges of the tear together with more collagen strands, but it's not a criss-cross weave any more, it's just back-and-forth between the edges of the damaged area.
This makes it less elastic than undamaged skin (which is why new scar tissue tears easily) and gives scar tissue the characteristic striated appearance.