Swords Suck - Alternative Weapons

Last week, we discussed some of the Weapons that are, in my opinion, under appreciated in D&D. As a follow up to that, I wanted to create a few homebrew weapons I came up with this week, along with homebrew for some of the weapons we talked about last week.

For those that don’t want my thought process behind the Weapons:
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Warpick Variant

As stated last week, I’m not sure why the warpick doesn’t get more love. I’m sure one of the main reasons is that the absence of magical warpicks make it useless when you start getting all the fabulous magical swords. For new characters, however, it’s great. The warpick does a decent amount of damage and looks cool. Why don’t people take one when they are buying their starting supplies then? Maybe it’s because it only does piercing damage. Well, I’m here to solve that problem.

This warpick variant is primarily used as a hammer (1d8 damage), as the size of the “pick” has been reduced (now only doing 1d6 damage) and the hammer head has been enlarged. Both sides can be used to inflict damage on your foes, so no more issues when you’re fighting an annoying Xorn that is resistance to (non-magical) piercing damage.

Barbed Net

This is one of my favorites and I think would put the net on the map. The barbed net is similar to the net found in the PHB, except that it now has small barbed hooks looped into its netting. When a creature is hit by the net, tens of those little hooks attach themselves to the target doing damage, where the normal net causes no damage. Sure, the damage is minimal (1d4), but damage isn’t the true purpose of a net.

The target is still restrained, and it’s now harder to remove the net. The target trapped in the net cannot remove it themselves and they have limited to no mobility due to the hooks that have imbedded themselves into the creature. Another creature can remove the net, but it is slightly harder to do so (DC 12 Strength check), once again due to the hooks. It’s made even nastier since the creature caught in the net will now take damage (2d4) when the net is removed, as all the hooks will tear out little bits of flesh as they are pulled on. If you want to take the time to remove the next without taking damage, it will cost the creature an action, so you’ll get another chance to beat them senseless.

Finally, the barbed net can be cut open just as a normal net can, but it will not just fall off. Dealing 5 slashing damage to the net (AC 10) will open the net, however it will still be attached to the creature by those pesky hooks. Such creatures will no longer be restrained but have it's movement reduced by half and any action that require intense physical movement (ie. swinging a sword) will result in the creature taking an additional 1d4 damage. Long story short, adding some hooks to a net makes it a whole new weapon, and one that my character wants.

Collapsible Baton

This collapsible metal baton is small and easily hidden when collapsed, and can be quickly whipped out and extended with a sharp downward motion. Once extended, it is locked into place by a spring loaded mechanism. Once this happens, you can start beating your opponent to death with it. The baton is nothing fancy, and doesn’t do a lot of damage (1d4), but its ability to be concealed makes it a weapon to take a look at.

Bat’leth

Fans of Star Trek will immediately recognize the Klingon handheld weapon. A double sided weapon, it has a long curved blade on one side, with up to 4 sharp metal points and up to three handholds on the other. It is a fairly light weapon, and is meant to be used in a fluid twisting motion.

Another weapon that has the potential for two types of damage, it is commonly used by swinging the large front blade in graceful sweeping arcs with one hand. As a two handed weapon it’s commonly used to deliver a downward chopping motion, or a thrusting motion causing piercing damage. This type of attack is usually to coup de gras, and is a violent end to your opponent for sure.

Glaive Boomerang

When one thinks of the glaive in DnD, they picture the pole arm weapon. There are two types of glaives, and this is the other one, which is basically a large throwing star. This ranged weapon has three large curved blades on it and when thrown has the same return properties as a boomerang. On top of that, it does excellent damage (1d8), and the opportunity to use it multiple times as a ranged weapon with no loading properties or decrease in your inventory make it a weapon to think about.

Plus, it was in the classic 80’s movie Krull. Enough said.

Tekko-Kagi (or Hand Claws)

Like most nerds my age, I was a big fan of kung fu/ninja movies when I was a kid. Enter the Dragon was one of my favorite movies, and I must have watched it 100 times. Bruce Lee was a martial arts savant and it can be argued that all other martial art movie stars since his untimely death have borrowed from him in one way or another.

In the final battle scene the BBEG slashes away at Lee with a giant claw “hand” he attached to his arm. This is Tekko-Kagi, except normally you hold onto it via a leather or metal strap that you slip over you hand and grip. You can use one, and if you have the ability to dual wield, wear two if you so choose. If you decide to go that route, you have the chance to release your bear spirit animal and maul someone to death. Just don’t let them fool you into stopping your attack if they try to play dead.

Two Handed Mace

In the movie Conan the Destroyer, the character Bombatta swings a huge two handed mace around in circles to keep her foes 10 feet away from her. It was a great scene from a not so great movie. The two handed mace qualifies as a pole arm, a two handed weapon with reach. It’s pretty straightforward, and this weapon now gives you the ability to crush someones skull from a distance.

So there it is folks, some new weapons you can hopefully convince you DM to let you use in your campaign. They may not be as flashy as swords, but you can sure beat the living crap of some kobolds with them.