Low Tech Favorite Weapon

[ravenfish]

Another vote for the spear. It was one of man's first weapons, is ideal for fighting monsters- from wild boars to dragons-, and, in the form of the bayonet, is about the only melee weapon still used in warfare to the present day.

Plus, in GURPS, its low price means it can be made Fine and Balanced and still be easily affordable.

[Sorenant]

Originally Posted by FuelDrop

I can't really get behind a sword in a TL 3-4 setting. They're just way too expensive for the benefits they give, often eating up more than half of your default starting cash for just a basic sword when a dueling halberd or a pollaxe offers so much more as a main weapon.

I could definitely see a cheap sword as a sidearm, or just a walking around weapon, but not really as a primary.

I've used cheap large falchion as the entry weapon for my swordsman character, it costs $250 which is not cheap but much more palatable. sw+2 is nice, parry 0U is less so but at low-tech games you're likely to be using a shield anyway so it's not *that* bad. Unlike axe that has same damage and unbalanced parry, a large falchion can be fast-drawn. Finally, it weights 4.5# so breakage is very unlikely.
I think its thrust damage is treated somewhat unfairly, there's plenty of falchion designs with very pointy ends that definitely would qualify thr+1 imp damage or more.
It could be argued that cheap large falchions, pretty much a machete, could be carried to more places than a polearm, which are likely to be confiscated at cities depending on the setting.

[phayman53]

I like the Longsword. Not because it is hands down the best weapon for every situation, and yes, it is expensive, but because it is a good and versatile sidearm. Your character can wear it in daily life and have both hands free, it is good defensively, can be used in one hand with a shield (or on a horse) or two hands, has decent damage, and has the ability to target gaps in armor with good imp damage (especially with half swording). And, if you are using optional rules that make sword cuts against armor realistically worse, and your GM allows it, you can take the perk Skill Adaption (Blade held swings default to Two-Handed Sword) to do murder strokes effectively, which have very good cr damage [they usually use Two-Handed Axe/Mace].

...And because I like swords IRL because they are the iconic weapons of the warrior elite for most of the historical periods I am interested in (even though as battlefield weapons they were usually sidearms), and longswords are a particularly effective variety of sword.

[zoncxs]

Originally Posted by Sorenant

I've used cheap large falchion as the entry weapon for my swordsman character, it costs $250 which is not cheap but much more palatable. sw+2 is nice, parry 0U is less so but at low-tech games you're likely to be using a shield anyway so it's not *that* bad. Unlike axe that has same damage and unbalanced parry, a large falchion can be fast-drawn. Finally, it weights 4.5# so breakage is very unlikely.
I think its thrust damage is treated somewhat unfairly, there's plenty of falchion designs with very pointy ends that definitely would qualify thr+1 imp damage or more.
It could be argued that cheap large falchions, pretty much a machete, could be carried to more places than a polearm, which are likely to be confiscated at cities depending on the setting.

On the point of falchions, that is why I like the weapon design rule in LTC 2 to make weapons "falchions", +1 swing -1 thrust, adds some weight and cost and done.

So a shortsword turned falchion ends up with sw+1 thr+0

[RyanW]

My favorite combat-centric character used axe and shield combo. If I play in another fantasy campaign any time soon, I may play a barbarian (but not a Barbarian) and use a light shield and a handful of javelins.

[Varyon]

While I really like swords, it’s tough to beat the utility and cost of a spear. A polearm of some flavor can also be nice, thanks to the boosted swing damage, but unless going up against foes with high DR I think the high thr imp and modest sw cr (using Staff) of the spear is sufficient. Ideally, get a normal spear and give it a spearhead more like that of the heavy spear for improved tip slash (in case you need cutting damage). A cinematic/magical design that allows you to treat the spear as barbed when desired can also be useful (and while you’re at it, an extendable shaft can be great).

For a sidearm, a machete is good - not too expensive, but can hack up a target’s limbs pretty well, and has utility outside of combat. You’ll also want the ubiquitous knife/dagger, of course.

[Black Leviathan]

In 2nd Edition the Spear and the Staff were kind of interchangeable skills so you could perform swing blows with the butt of your spear or do staff parries but still keep that spear reach and impaling attack. 4th edition allows this to some extent with Martial arts techniques. It makes for such a dominant fighting style. In tactical combat. spears are cheap and easy to come by so it's hard to make you unarmed for long. If you need a missile attack you don't have to change out weapons, just throw.

[Rasna]

Originally Posted by Sorenant

I've used cheap large falchion as the entry weapon for my swordsman character, it costs $250 which is not cheap but much more palatable. sw+2 is nice, parry 0U is less so but at low-tech games you're likely to be using a shield anyway so it's not *that* bad. Unlike axe that has same damage and unbalanced parry, a large falchion can be fast-drawn. Finally, it weights 4.5# so breakage is very unlikely.
I think its thrust damage is treated somewhat unfairly, there's plenty of falchion designs with very pointy ends that definitely would qualify thr+1 imp damage or more.
It could be argued that cheap large falchions, pretty much a machete, could be carried to more places than a polearm, which are likely to be confiscated at cities depending on the setting.

A more costly alternative that gives better thr impaling damage is using the "Falchion" option (+50% weight, +1 sw damage, -1 thr damage, +0.25 CF) on a Thrusting Broadsword. Combined with the Cheap option, you'd have a Large Falchion with thr+1 imp for only $330.

[Rasna]

Originally Posted by Varyon

Ideally, get a normal spear and give it a spearhead more like that of the heavy spear for improved tip slash (in case you need cutting damage).

I think it's possible without using House Rules. Javelin and Short Spear do have the same cost and weight, but the latter has better Tip Slash damage and it cannot get thrown. So just take a common Spear, improve its Tip Slash damage and make it unthrowable. Weight and cost would remain the same.

[Kalzazz]

Edged Rapier. Sure, you likely have to start with a cheap one or a wood one, but F parry, reach 1,2 sw cut, and Main Gauche is Rapier -3 so you can with high Rapier skill use reach 1,C long knife as well


Who doesn't like 2-C on one skill? And you can fast draw