Author Topic: The Bastard Sword  (Read 13501 times)

Offline Jarin

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The Bastard Sword
« on: September 15, 2008, 06:29:02 AM »
When I look at the description of the Bastard Sword, I see that it does 1D8 damage (equal to the Long Sword), has a higher speed factor then the Long Sword, and is more expensive then the Long Sword.

Is there anything not-obvious-from-the-description I have obviously missed here?

Offline Echon

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Re: The Bastard Sword
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2008, 07:58:30 AM »
No, you have got it all right. It is also heavier than the long sword. Is there any reason for using the bastard sword instead of the long sword? No.

Why is it like this? In AD&D, the bastard sword can be used both as a one-handed and a two-handed weapon, dealing 1D8 and 2D4 damage respectively. BioWare decided to have it do 2D4 as a single-handed weapon and I when I made this mod, I altered it to 1D8. Now, things have changed a bit since then. While the purpose of this mod is still to correct the various AD&D sources that the game draws upon, I do not necessarily want everything to be the same. Such as the bastard sword. I am either going to make it both single-handed and two-handed, or change it back to 2D4, since it pointless to have a weapon in the game that is essentially useless. (Scimitars? They are there because of the druids.)

Offline strayshift

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Re: The Bastard Sword
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2008, 03:55:41 PM »
The big difference between the Long and the Bastard Sword was in damage against Larger Size Creatures in the AD&D game - the longsword would do 1-12, whereas a Bastard Sword would do 2-16 - almost as much as a Two Handed Sword (3-18).
I'm not sure how that is translated into the Bioware Games but 'Larger Size' monsters (such as Dragons and Giants) do appear.
G

Offline Echon

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Re: The Bastard Sword
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2008, 12:10:06 AM »
Damage vs. large creatures is not included in these games.

Offline strayshift

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Re: The Bastard Sword
« Reply #4 on: September 16, 2008, 05:42:54 AM »
Thanks I sorta figured that - I suppose because the weapon is slower, I would retain it as 1 Handed and allow it to do 2-8 to compensate for the slower speed factor.
There is also the question of proficiency slots - I don't see how you could be a Grand Master with a lLongsword and a total Novice with a Bastard Sword - I recall in 'Rolemaster' solution to this was to allow some skill at half the value of the skill level for 'Similar' Weapons.
Possible?

Offline Echon

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Re: The Bastard Sword
« Reply #5 on: September 16, 2008, 06:54:53 AM »
No, that is not possible.

Offline Marauder

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Re: The Bastard Sword
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2009, 04:06:46 PM »
[I figure a necro isn't too much of a problem, since the question still stands]

If you want to go for a spot of realism, make the bastard sword more of a piercing sword - the sword evolution went from slashing attacks to piercing attack, so in lack of a D&D-provided (which is the no. 1 reference for FotD) solution, it might be an idea.

Ingame this would mean that the bastard sword is more effective against maille-clad warriors that the regular longsword, which might make it marginally more useful.
(http://i16.tinypic.com/2a6lgg9.gif)

Offline Echon

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Re: The Bastard Sword
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2009, 04:30:33 PM »
No, it is not a problem. Discussion never is.

As for the bastard sword, I am going to change it back to 2D4 and make it useful again.
« Last Edit: March 15, 2009, 09:50:15 AM by Echon »

Offline Jarin

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Re: The Bastard Sword
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2009, 09:25:26 AM »
No, it is not a problem. Discussion never is.

As for the bastard sword, I am going to change it back to 2D8 and make it useful again.

You mean 2D4, right?

Offline Echon

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Re: The Bastard Sword
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2009, 02:42:59 PM »
Yes. 2D8 might turn out to be a tad overpowered.

Offline Jarin

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Re: The Bastard Sword
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2009, 04:19:12 AM »
Although I may get shot for mentioning D&D 3/4e in this topic, I am going to suggest this anyway: Could the damage values be changed to 3/4e damage values (So the bastard sword becomes 1d10, and the greatsword 2D6)? Since the bastard sword with 2d4 (2-8) stlil seemslkinda useless to me. Or change it to 1D8 + 1?

Offline Echon

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Re: The Bastard Sword
« Reply #11 on: May 28, 2009, 02:52:35 AM »
Nobody is going to get shot in this thread unless I say so. :) But I do not think I will use those damages. Why is 2D8 useless, though? It makes the bastard sword the best single-handed sword.

Offline Jarin

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Re: The Bastard Sword
« Reply #12 on: June 26, 2009, 04:20:28 PM »
I don't know. An damage range of 2-8 instead of 1-8 doesn't feel like much.

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Re: The Bastard Sword
« Reply #13 on: July 07, 2009, 12:37:22 PM »
2d4 guarantees a minimum damage amount and has a normal probability curve. 1d8 has a linear distribution - you have the same chance to do 1, 5 or 8 hp damage per hit.

With 2d4, you have the same chance to do 2 or 8 hp damge, more chance to do 3 or 7 etc and overall have a better chance of averaging higher damage overall. I have tables and graphs somewhere.

Another thing with the bastard sword - a house rule is that single-handed it's 2d4 + STR  bonus, two-handed it's 2d4+1 + 1.5x STR bonus (also the appropriate damage for large creatures). There's rules in the Complete Fighter's Handbook for using a single-handed weapon two-handed and getting +1 damage. The 1.5x STR bonus is from 3E.

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