Improving the Tonfa

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Sindri

That's part of the problem really. If it's just a bad choice on the weapons list that's a shame especially if one of the players likes tonfa but it's not a big problem. However it's frustrating for a PC to have to put up with gear that is mechanically bad though if they are a member of that police force. It's much more pleasant for the PC if their assigned gear has some kind of niche of superiority even if it's overall worse than other choices.

...That's just not a reasonable expectation for regulation gear, I think. There's some reason it's the regulation gear, but it's very likely to be one at a policy or political level that is contrary or irrelevant to the PC's direct interests.

And, well, the tonfa does have a niche of 'superiority', if you let the term be flexible enough. You can use it both as a baton and as an arm-guard for 'unarmed' parries. Other weapons don't do that. It is true that that doesn't encourage specializing in Tonfa skill, but it is a merit of the tonfa as a weapon. Police in particular have significant potential use for both modes.

And once the tonfa is your issued weapon, then there's some merit to actually learning to use it well as a weapon, even if in that role it would be outperformed by some other weapon that you are not allowed to carry.