Difference between swords and axes in high-powered games

[Rasmus Wagner]

Axe or sword? If you can afford a sword, you can afford a fine-quality axe instead. Say you have ST 13.

You can do 2d+2 cutting with the axe, or 2d cutting with the sword and still get a parry. It's a reasonable trade-off.

Now, take a ST 17 Weapon Master, with a deep purse. A Very Fine broadsword will do 3d+5 cutting, and the axe will do the same damage. A sword that's merely Fine (much cheaper) only does a single point less. That leaves the sword as the no-brainer choice for those who can afford it.

Enter Dungeon Fantasy 1, and the dwarven quality. A Balanced, Very Fine broadsword ends up at 12,000$. Or 14,400$ if you want an impaling sword. Balanced, fine, dwarven axe will set you back a mere 900$, for the same damage, same parrying ability.

So, once you hit the big leagues, there's no meaningful damage bonus to be had by wielding an axe instead of a sword. And if DF1 is on the table, if you have something else to spend 11k on, the axe is the better of two more-or-less identical choices.

Am I completely alone in wanting axes to do more damage?

[benz72]

Also recall that axes are better for certian non-combat tasks than swords. If you are running with a weight limit that might be a concern.
Also also, there may be social realities that dictate this choice. "Only nobles are allowed to carry swords, but every peasant woodsman and his nine-fingered brother has an axe."

[chris1982]

Without magical properties GURPS assumes that swords are superior to axes. Which is not totally unrealistic. Who can afford the sword takes a sword unless they need the extra damage.

[Sam Baughn]

Aren't there rules for Very Fine axes in Low-Tech? That preserves the damage advantage (although +1 damage is somewhat irrelevant if you are doing 3d+5 cutting).

Really, if you are playing a 'cinematic' high-powered fantasy hero with access to unlimited funds, your weapon of choice is mostly a matter of style. +1 damage or +1 to skill aren't a huge deal when you have Weapon Master, ST in the high teens and skills in the low twenties.

That said, axes can be throwable and use the same skill as maces and picks, which gives you more choice in the type of damage you do and allows you to pick up replacement weapons more easily.

[Kalzazz]

You can add an impaling spike to axe also if want I believe to stab with it?

[Sword-dancer]

Axes are better at hooking than swords and do more damage, are better against armor

[mlangsdorf]

It's pretty cheap to add a haft-spike and backhammer to an axe, giving it slightly more flexibility for damage types than a sword. The lack of a Parry when attacking (unless the game allows the DF Dwarven quality), and the inability to fast-draw an axe, still generally leave the sword as the better weapn.

I'm comfortable with the differences between the weapons falling away as the level of power increases, so that the choice of weapon becomes cosmetic.

[adimar]

Actually this makes perfect sense when you think about it.
On one hand an axe : basically a farmer's tool that's being used as a weapon. Quite useful and relatively cheap.
On the other hand a sword. Specifically designed for war demands very high skill to make and is prohibitively expensive.
There shouldn't be any contest between the two. (If a sword would have been even remotely comparable to an ax than nobody would use a sword.)

IMHO it's like comparing a thorough bred war horse to a donkey and than saying there is something wrong with the fact they are not balanced.

Adi

[Sword-dancer]

Wan´t a warriors, Knights battle axe not designed and made as a weapon with other uses?

I remember a Nordic Kings who´se retinue had gold inlaid´s sword and axes.

Knut the Great, HardaKnute?

[pawsplay]

Originally Posted by adimar

Actually this makes perfect sense when you think about it.
On one hand an axe : basically a farmer's tool that's being used as a weapon. Quite useful and relatively cheap.
On the other hand a sword. Specifically designed for war demands very high skill to make and is prohibitively expensive.
There shouldn't be any contest between the two. (If a sword would have been even remotely comparable to an ax than nobody would use a sword.)

In many eras, axes were more common weapons of war than swords. Particularly, during the Crusades, maces and axes enjoyed a renewed popularity.