Brawling weapons/saved posts

Category: Weapons and Armor (11)
Topic: Brawling (12)
Message #: 1036
Author: GS3-MIKOS from PLAY.NET (Mikos)
Date: Nov 9, 2001 at 02:37
Subject: ** New Brawling Weapons Added **

Well, it definitely delayed the Forging system, but in order to support the stepped skill approach for weapon patterns we needed more than one brawling weapon. Consequently, the following brawling weapons are now available in the game: cestus, blackjack, paingrip, razorpaw, jackblade, knuckle-duster, hook-knife, knuckle-blade, yierka-spur, troll-claw, and fist-scythe. Each of these is a unique weapon profile, although some are very similar in stats, just different damage types - for instance a cestus is the blunt version of an armored/studded glove, a paingrip is the piercing version and a razorpaw is the slashing version.

The weapons shop in Solhaven has been updated to offer them for sale, however no magical or otherwise special versions are included at this time. A more austentatious announcement than this posting will likely occur in the very near future and more shops and/or live merchants will likely offer a wider selection at that time.

The conceptual descriptions of them are as follows:

Cestus - Studded leather hand wrappings used as a primitive and somewhat more lethal precursor to modern day boxing gloves.

Paingrip - Leather gloves set with inch-long spikes on the inside of the hand rather than the back. Designed for open-handed attacks, but most effective when employed to grasp an opponent, then clench the hand in order to drive the spikes into the victim. (these are intended to be scripted so that a CLENCH following a successful hit would inflict more damage, but don't hold your breath - the ball-n-chain is still the incomplete dog it got implemented as)

Razorpaw - Similar to the Paingrip, but employing thin blades on the inside of the hand along each finger. Designed for open-handed "slapping" attacks, the blades are usually thin enough that clenching the hand will break off one or more of the blades. Employed most often by "enforcers" of various clandestine organizations when disfigurement, rather than death, is the desired result.

Knuckle-duster - A more generic name for the classic brass knuckles. Designed to lend weight and a higher level of lethality to fist attacks.

Hook-knife - Featuring a rapidly tapering blade that is wide at its base and usually quite thin in cross-section, the blade extends two-to-three inches before bending sharply 90 degrees and tapering quickly to a point. Seen most often in "sporting" pits in waterfront dives, the weapon is used almost exclusively in a slashing type of attack.

Blackjack - A usually lead-filled leather sack designed for incapacitating a victim rather than killing them.

Knuckle-blade - Essentially, a knuckle-duster with a thin, two- to three-inch deep blade that runs across the knuckles and is employed most often in a slashing attack. Versions mounting a thicker blade can also be used with a punching motion.

Yierka-spur - Austensibly evolved from the foot gear of Sea of Fire nomads, the yierka-spur is essentially a knuckle-duster mounted with from one to three spikes, which can range up to several inches in length. Although the weapon can be used in slashing attacks with limited effectiveness, it is primarily designed as a punching weapon.

Troll-claw - A larger, heavier version of the tiger-claw, the troll-claw is usually constructed with longer, heavier blades sometimes reaching lengths in excess of six inches. Given the weight of the blades, and the need for carry-through to lend inertia to the weapon's impact, the troll-claw is often built with parallel braces which run along the wielder's forearm. Although able to do effective damage against heavier armor classes, the troll-claw is substantially slower than the tiger-claw and is still only marginally effective against plate.

Fist-scythe - Resembling an elongaged sickle blade moreso than a scythe, the fist-scythe is commonly produced with a thickening of the blade towards the point, resulting in a less nimble weapon, but one which packs a more effective impact for its size. Constructed in this way, the weight distribution necessitates a fighting style which employs more chopping-style attacks and can result in either a cutting action from the blade's leading edge, or a stabbing impact if the point of the weapon is brought to bear.

Jackblade - Constructed as an oversized and elongated blackjack with one or two shallow blades protruding across the "head" of the weapon, the jackblade can be used as either a slashing or impact weapon. More flexible than a blackjack. and sometimes lengthened by the addition of thick leather straps, the jackblade is often employed in two-weapon combat. Masters of the weapon use a rotation of the wrist to keep the weapons in a constant blur of motion, snapping the weapon forward to inflict shallow gashes on the limbs or faces of their targets.

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Please realize that the intent in the design of these weapons was to add variety, but to remain true to the Brawling name, hence the heftiest of these weapons is in the shortsword area of size, speed and damage. Without the length of blade or weight that larger or longer weapons have, the increased impact cannot be achieved. Katars have been suggested as a brawling weapon, but because they historically could reach the length of a broadsword, katars are being implemented as a hybrid brawling/ohe weapon that will use the average of the two skills. Katars will be available as soon as testing is complete.

- Mikos