d20 E.N. Publishing E.N. Arsenal - Two-Bladed Sword.pdf - E.N. Arsenal - R5700

E.N. Arsenal - Two-Bladed Sword

E.N. Arsenal

Two-Bladed Sword

A Complete Weapon Sourcebook - Volume 111

Written by

Alex Jacobs

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Weapon

Additional Material & Editing By

The ENWorld A-Team

Adam Windsor & M Jason Parent

Statistics

Racial Preferences

Chapter 2: Weapon Variants

Craftsmanship

Illustrations

Danilo Moretti, Kevin H. Yancey

Chapter 3: Feats & Fighting

Tactics, Tricks & Techniques

Feats

Cover and Layout Design

M Jason Parent

Fighting Styles

Chapter 4: Prestige Classes

Art Director, Layout & Project Lead

Denise Robinson

Keltath Master

Dual Soulblade

Warrior of Annakra

The ENWorld A-Team(Dec’04)

Peter M. Ball, Alex Jacobs, JoeGKushner, Russell

Morrissey, Joe Mucchiello, Ryan Nock, M Jason

Parent, Denise “Dextra” Robinson, David Sanders,

Adam Windsor

Chapter 5: Magic

Spells & Psionic Powers

Magic Items

Sevesties, the Double-Edged God

OGL

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E.N. Arsenal Spiked Chain is produced under version 1.0a of the Open

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Table of Tables

1.1: Weapon Stats by Size Category

2.1: Weapon Variants

3.1: Feats

3.2: Storm of Blades Fighting Style

3.3: Igraine’s Vengeance Fighting Style

4.1: Keltath Master

4.2: Soulblade

4.3: Warrior of Annakra

E.N. Arsenal - Two-Bladed Sword

The Two- B laded

Sword

Welcome to the 3rd book of the E.N.Arsenal, a

series of d20 “mini-sourcebooks” focusing on particular

weapons and their role in real-world history and in classic

d20 fantasy games. Each book concentrates on a single

weapon, describing not only the weapon itself, but those

who use it, its history, and variations on the theme. Each

book in the series is quite rules-intensive and includes many

optional rules throughout the text, often in sidebars. Some

of these rules work independently, but a majority work best

when all the optional rules are applied, as some detract from

the usefulness or usability of the weapon while others

enhance the weapon.

Statistics

A typical two-bladed sword is about six feet in length,

measured from tip to tip. Each blade has about two feet of

steel with a two-foot hilt. While this is an unusually long

length for a hilt, it is necessary to control the balance of

such a heavy and unwieldy weapon and permits some hand

movement while still giving a great deal of control and

leverage. The blades are invariably double-edged, allowing

for rapid spinning motions, while the hilt may be wood or

metal and left unadorned or wrapped in wire or leather as

with any other sword. Guards tend to be small – closer to

the tsuba on katanas than the bars of longswords – both to

save on weight and because locking blades and close parries

are disadvantageous to the wielder of a two-bladed sword.

Unlike most weapons in the d20 fantasy rules set, the

two-bladed sword has no historical precedent. Instead, it is

one of the key weapons that set the style of the d20 fantasy

RPG games. It is a weapon based entirely on style with no

historical routes, though it does bear a resemblance to vari-

ous staff weapons, particularly the English quarterstaff.

The resemblance is more in technique (hands rarely shift on

the quarterstaff and then mostly on the middle section)

then a resemblance of the actual weapon.

Several methods of sheathing the two-bladed sword

have evolved. Some of the more barbaric cultures eschew

scabbards entirely; they merely keep the sword well oiled to

protect it from the elements and laugh at any warrior fool-

ish enough to cut himself on his own weapon. Other cul-

tures simply put a short-sword sheath on each end, clipping

it on so it doesn’t fall off during travel. Unfortunately these

sheaths are hard to remove quickly in battle. Though few

gnomes take up the two-bladed sword, an enterprising

smith has developed sheaths with mechanical locks that fly

off the blades at the press of a button.

Within these pages we attempt to bring the two-blad-

ed sword to life through expansion the theme presented.

This material is designed to be usable in any medieval fan-

tasy setting that incorporates or is thinking of incorporating

the two-bladed sword.

While traditional two-handed weapons are carried

across the back, with double-weapons this prevents easy

access, as an over-the-shoulder draw is nigh impossible.

Some travellers try to carry it in hand or use it as a staff, but

given the weapon’s great weight, this can be wearying over

Table 1.1: Weapon Statistics by Size Category

Weapon

Cost

Damage Crit

Weight Type

Hardness/HP

Tiny

50 gp

1d4/1d4

19-20/x2

2.5 lb. Slashing

10/4

Small

100 gp

1d6/1d6

19-20/x2

5 lb.

Slashing

10/8

Medium

100 gp

1d8/1d8

19-20/x2

10 lb. Slashing

10/15

Large

200 gp

2d6/2d6

19-20/x2

20 lb. Slashing

10/30

Huge

400 gp

2d8/2d8

19-20/x2

40 lb. Slashing

10/60

Gargantuan

800 gp

4d6/4d6

19-20/x2

80 lb. Slashing

10/120

Colossal

1600 gp

4d8/4d8

19-20/x2

160 lb. Slashing

10/240

E.N. Arsenal - Two-Bladed Sword

distance for even the strongest warrior. No truly efficient

method has been developed as yet, though there has been a

recent trend in carrying it across the shoulders while some

of the wealthier users swear up and down by their squires.

Racial Preferences

The origins of the two-bladed sword are difficult to

trace. Some believe that the dwarves were the first to make

them, citing the dwarves’ propensity for creating unusual

weapons, but others point to the dwarves noted lack of

interest in swordsmanship and remind their opponents

that the dwarves already have a popular double-

weapon: the urgosh. Perhaps the dwarves did invent

the two-bladed sword, but if so they no longer use it.

Others claim the elves invented the two-bladed

sword. While it is true that many elves take up the weapon,

enjoying the rapidly spinning, dance-like nature of the

style, elves rarely excel beyond the basics as it takes a great

deal of strength and stamina to truly master the weapon.

Of the common races, it is usually humans, though often

half-orcs, who become masters of the two-bladed sword.

Amongst the monstrous races, however, drow have many

infamous two-bladed sword masters. While drow physiol-

ogy is not best suited for the two-bladed sword, the compet-

itive nature of the society ensures there are always those

drow willing to push themselves.

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Drow Masters

Drow are more powerful than elves according to their racial entry, but few of their additional abilities are direct-

ly useful in melee combat. True, the Intelligence bonus means they can more easily qualify for feats that would other-

wise be beyond their reach (e.g. Combat Expertise and Whirlwind Attack) but otherwise they are no more advantaged

than other races. Imagine, however, a drow fighting academy. It would be ruthless and sadistic, filled with masters

who delight in making their students suffer and students backstabbing each other (literally and figuratively) to earn

their master’s favour and extra training. In such a place, only the strongest would survive. While normally addition-

al class levels would represent this, some of the abilities of surviving students are so basic they would be part of their

inborn abilities and thus represented as racial traits. The following racial abilities only apply to graduates of the Drow

Fighting Academy, but at the GM’s discretion may apply to the top students at the Academy. Needless to say, only

drow are ever admitted to the Academy and they are always members of PC classes; members of NPC classes are sim-

ply too weak to survive the training.

Drow Fighting Academy Graduate Traits (Ex):

These traits are in addition to the drow traits, except where noted.

- +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity (stacks with high elf bonus for a total of +4).

- Weapon Proficiency: An academy graduate is automatically proficient with all simple and martial weapons.

- +2 racial bonus to Balance, Hide, Move Silently, Jump, and Tumble.

- Favoured Class: Fighter. This trait replaces the drow’s favoured class.

- Level adjustment +3. This replaces the drow’s level adjustment.

- Challenge Rating: drow fighting academy graduates have a CR equal to their character level +1.

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E.N. Arsenal - Two-Bladed Sword

Weapon Variants

The design of the two-bladed sword, while seemingly

simple, can vary just as much as the design of a sword can.

Herein we cover some of the most common designs and

noteworthy variations on the theme. All of these variants

except the Removable Bladed Sword require their own

Exotic Weapon Proficiency to wield effectively.

Weapon:Sword-Dagger

Cost: 110 gp

Damage:1d8/1d4

Critical: 19-20/x2

Weight: 8 lb.

Type: Slashing

Two-Bladed Flamberge

The flamberge is a greatsword with a wavy blade pro-

duced primarily in Germany and Switzerland during the

middle ages. Smiths believed that the waves on the blade

caused a more vicious wound and unnerved opponents by

the weapon’s intimidating appearance. The truth of the for-

mer point is debatable but the latter is certainly true and

soon a few smiths discovered that by putting waves on

other swords – rapiers, for example – they could cause a jar-

ring sensation in their opponent’s hand that caused him to

drop the weapon. If a character uses a two-bladed flamberge

to make a sunder attack on his opponent’s weapon, after the

attack he may make a disarm attack as a free action with a

–2 penalty. This disarm attempt does not provoke an attack

of opportunity and the opponent may not attempt to disarm

the character in return.

Weapon:Two-Bladed Flamberge

Cost: 200 gp

Damage:1d8/1d8

Critical: 19-20/x2

Weight: 15 lb.

Type: Slashing

Two-Bladed Scimitar

One of the easiest ways to modify the two-bladed

sword is to change the shape of the blade. By curving the

blade and sharpening it as a scimitar, a vicious more precise

cut can be executed that takes advantage of the sword’s

rapid spinning and the changing angle of the wound. While

less precise wounds tend to be less damaging, these vicious

wounds are inflicted more often. Most drow who use two-

bladed weapons use two-bladed scimitars, although this

weapon requires a different Exotic Weapon Proficiency to

wield effectively. A character can use the Weapon Finesse

feat to apply his Dexterity modifier to the two-bladed scim-

itar instead of his Strength modifier.

Weapon:

Two-Bladed Scimitar

Cost:

150 gp

Damage:

1d6/1d6

Critical:

18-20/x2

Weight:

10 lb.

Type:

Slashing

Sword-Dagger

Adjusting the length of one of the blades is another

easy modification to make. With this variant long, far-

reaching strikes can be rapidly pulled back into position, as

it is possible for the wielder to cross the blade directly in

front of her body without eviscerating herself.

Furthermore, because of its small size and tendency to “hide

behind the hilt,” attacks with the dagger end are often hard-

er to see. Attacks with the dagger end gain a +1 circum-

stance bonus to hit.

Removable Bladed Sword

A gnomish invention, this weapon appears to be a nor-

mal two-bladed sword until a button on the hilt is pressed

and the blade is ejected. This is not a forceful ejection and

is unlikely to do any damage, but thanks to the remaining

blade the sword may be used as a bastard sword. If both

blades are ejected, the hilt may be used as a club. Re-attach-

ing an ejected blade is a full-round action that provokes an

attack of opportunity. Unless the person doing the attach-

ing is wearing a protective chain glove or a gauntlet, he or

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