Improving the Tonfa

[DanHoward]

FWIW it is supposed to be unimpressive. It is a handle from a mill used by a people who were forbidden to use real weapons.

[Varyon]

Any character designed around using a tonfa is probably going to be in a society where he can't access better weapons and/or be using a cinematic version of the tonfa.

For the first, you're probably talking about something like Social Stigma, low Status, etc. For the latter, you might want to have the tonfa usable in both grips (and even when swinging) with Karate (possibly a Perk) and either let it benefit from both the Karate damage bonus and the Weapon Master damage bonus (a rules exemption probably worth at least [5], arguably more) or make Striking ST (Only when striking with a tonfa) fairly cheap. Let them have the Ninja modifier (DF12, p.13), and have Parrying with a reverse-grip Tonfa be at +1 normally, possibly +3 or higher against a foe who doesn't know you have a tonfa. Spinning the tonfa might allow it to Block as a DB 1 or 2 shield (particularly against light projectiles). Allow characters to use the handle with Hook, and also as a climbing aid. Having a tonfa protect the hand (and forearm, if in reverse grip) passively like a katar or similar weapon might also be worthwhile.