fantasy crafting

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

I take 'sticks' to be: Any weapon made entirely (baring shodding) of wood.

Otherwise.... which weapon on the Weapon's Lists counts as a 'stick'?

I take 'sticks' to be a subcategory of improvised weapon, since there is no actual stick on the weapon list.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Anders

Presumably the ones that are called Throwing Sticks.

This probably needs to go in the FAQ, this is the third or fourth thread on essentially this same topic. The definition of sticks that can't take the Fine (balanced) modifier is loosely specified in the original definition of the modifier, on Martial Arts p.216, and reads "Sticks – batons, clubs, quarterstaffs, wooden stakes, etc. – and improvised weapons can’t have fine balance."

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by brianfb

I see, I guess I dont share that interpretation of the word stick. Thanks though. I believe even a sword has a point of balance, the cf balanced factor means its well balanced.

Indeed the singlestick was specifically meant to be a cane that balanced like a sword so that you could use the same techniques with it...

[brianfb]

Originally Posted by malloyd

This probably needs to go in the FAQ, this is the third or fourth thread on essentially this same topic. The definition of sticks that can't take the Fine (balanced) modifier is loosely specified in the original definition of the modifier, on Martial Arts p.216, and reads "Sticks – batons, clubs, quarterstaffs, wooden stakes, etc. – and improvised weapons can’t have fine balance."

Well that's good enough for me, annoying though that it seems like low tech and martial arts are possibly in some disagreement here, or the low tech write up us incomplete. Very annoying.

[Kalzazz]

It is also quite frustrating for staff users that even if they have dough to pony up they can't get the nice weapon bonus.

[simply Nathan]

Originally Posted by The Colonel

All this reminds me of the (possibly apocryphal) D&D module in which the first print run had some NPC (?monks) wielding 6" sticks as their primary weapons...

Inches were also the measurement for combat distances in many ones so depending on the edition that might have had the even more hilarious unintended effect of giving the NPCs a reach of six spaces.

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by simply Nathan

Inches were also the measurement for combat distances in many ones so depending on the edition that might have had the even more hilarious unintended effect of giving the NPCs a reach of six spaces.

That confused the crap out of me for ages - that and the fact that all distances were three times longer outdoors.

[Zeta Blaze]

Originally Posted by The Colonel

All this reminds me of the (possibly apocryphal) D&D module in which the first print run had some NPC (?monks) wielding 6" sticks as their primary weapons...

that's actually an artifact of a typographical error noted in the book instead of the standard ' means a feet " means inches they inadvertently reversed the notation They do explain there notation in the book the notation is consistent and technically valid it is just non standard.

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by Zeta Blaze

that's actually an artifact of a typographical error noted in the book instead of the standard ' means a feet " means inches they inadvertently reversed the notation They do explain there notation in the book the notation is consistent and technically valid it is just non standard.

I think we all figured out that they'd accidentally reversed the feet and inches signs - it was just a wierd image of these guys attacking with tongue depressors...

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by The Colonel

I think we all figured out that they'd accidentally reversed the feet and inches signs.

Now you tell me! After I've already ordered my Stonehenge megaliths!

I don't think the use of "inches" in D&D was a typo. Rather, it was a result of its miniatures wargame heritage, where the "inch" on a tabletop battlefield was a common measure for distance, with varying scale factors depending on the mini rules in use.