On Swords, Blades and the Song of Swords

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by Icelander

Assuming that Reach doesn't actually vary by the individual*, any weapon capable of attacking at Reach 2 needs to be long enough so that it's blade length + 30"-32" is enough to reach well into said hex.

Remember, punches are Reach C, so the blade really needs to add more than a yard to what a normal punch can reach.

Full-extension lunges or jabs are All-Out Attack (Long) or Extra Effort: Great Lunge.

Originally Posted by Icelander

No, they aren't. Most katanas are, in GURPS terms, Late Katana.

The Reach 1,2 example that weights 3.33 lbs. from the Basic Set is a nodachi or something very close to it. 36"+ inches in length.

Nodachi isn't a real term for anything, afaik, it's like saying chainmailring armor.

Odachi are two-handed greatswords which aren't balanced one handed weapons, they weigh in at 3.75+ lbs and do have blades that are 36"+, by definition.

Katanas, aka tachis, aka daitos, are paired to the wielder's height, someone below 1.65m (5'5") would wield a 28" katana, which historically was tall in Japan, so most katanas are under 28" in blade length.

A 30" katana would be wielded by someone 6'.

The biggest katanas made were 33"-34" in blade length and meant to be wielded by people over 6'4".


You seem to be confusing the issue and mixing blades meant for taller people vs. normal blades used by average height wielders.