Stats for punch-knives?

[TerryW]

So far my jidaigeki campaign has seen two duels and three armed fights, none of which resulted in PC deaths or even serious injury. However, one collapsing ladder killed two PCs and wounded another (I gave them two perception rolls to avoid even getting on that ladder, plus an easily accessible alternate route).

Most of the fights have taken place indoors, and on two occasions katanas have proved to be a bit inconvenient. One of the players wants to replaced his samurai with a more urban streetfighter, focusing on close-in weapons. He'd like to use a punch-knife as one of his options, but if there are official stats for those anywhere I can't find them. Does anyone have a page reference for those, or a link to a description?

Thanks.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by TerryW

He'd like to use a punch-knife as one of his options, but if there are official stats for those anywhere I can't find them. Does anyone have a page reference for those, or a link to a description?

Thanks.

That sounds like a Katar. Text entry on p.57 of Low Tech and multiple table entries (for multiple sizes) referrenced in the text. I'm pretty sure it's in Martial Arts too. Just as "katar" and not as "punch knife".

[Tinman]

Push Knife: High-Tech p.200

[Eric Funk]

Originally Posted by TerryW

Most of the fights have taken place indoors, and on two occasions katanas have proved to be a bit inconvenient. One of the players wants to replaced his samurai with a more urban streetfighter, focusing on close-in weapons. He'd like to use a punch-knife as one of his options, but if there are official stats for those anywhere I can't find them. Does anyone have a page reference for those, or a link to a description?
Thanks.

It depends on the length of the blade which then is grouped by skill. Martial Arts pp. 226+

Brawling, karate, DX (all reach C) has Bladed Hand , Cestus, Myrmex

Knife skill section has Katar (reach C,1) , knife-wheel / slashing wheel (Reach C only)

Shortsword section has Large Katar (reach 1 only)

[TerryW]

Thanks, all.

[tbone]

The katar even pops up in DFRPG, where it sees good use as a go-to weapon for smaller PCs.

For anyone still saying "Needs more katar!", I propose the (clumsily-named) medium katar, fitting between the Knife and Shortsword versions, here.