Quote:
Originally Posted by RGTraynor
You mean a weapon where you're seeking to defend a fixed position, and in fear of your life, might not give much of a damn about bashing about the decor (which you can afford to replace anyway), and you're likely to have ample time to prepare?
Not really comparable to the bloke who draws a sword on Big Mama, looking at her all the while, and may well not be courteous enough to allow her to go for and ready the partisan. (Because, after all, this is a guy who's drawing on an unarmed woman in the first place.)
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Just a pair of questions:
1) How widespread is armed violence across the city streets?
If the answer is "it's quite common" or worse, then would be reasonable for houses and shops to be provided with some means of defence for their occupants. Things like reinforced doors and windows, magic protection circles, alchemic potions, polearms, crossbows and throwing weapons may be felt as a necessity against troublemakers.
2) Is Big Mama the only one skilled fighter among the tavern personnel or there are other people capable to brandish a weapon as well?
If Big Mama isn't alone, a polearm in good sight can be an optimal choice to grab behid the counter in order to come in aid to a threatened co-worker or to placate an armed fight between customers. Even in numerical disadvantage, a skilled Spear/Polearm wielder can keep at bay two or even three swordsmen* if the fight spaces are not
too cramped.
* street swordsmen armed only with one-handed swords, with no shields or bucklers wielded with the other hand.
Anyway, large tables and a counter with a good amount of space in its behind may actually favourite someone having a longer thrusting weapon, because they would constitute an impedment a wielder of a relatively short weapon for closing against a Reach 2 thruster, the latter just needing some space behind him/her in order to manouevre the weapon's pole.