How to build a Scythe for a weapon?

[MordeanGrey]

Any ideas?

Thinking of a Pole Weapon with these stats.
OCV -1
Damage 2d6
StunX 0
STR Min 16
Body 5
DEF 4
Mass 2.1 kg
A/R Cost ?????? (didnt really want to figure that all out)
Length Long

Maybe included with a sweep ability? Obviously a 2H weapon as well.

[Savinien]

I would probably use poleaxe stats for it. From wikipedia, the Polish shifted the blade 90 degrees and used the scythe that way. Otherwise, it doesn't look like a very effective weapon.

Here is a Ranseur build:

<b>Ranseur</b>: (Total: 52 Active Cost, 10 Real Cost) Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (3 DEF, 5 BODY, L, Set), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (45 Active Points); Independent (-2), OAF (-1), STR Minimum 13 (-1/2), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), -1 OCV, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (-1/2), Real Weapon (-1/4) (Real Cost: 8) <b>plus</b> Stretching 1", Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (7 Active Points); Independent (-2), OAF (-1), no Noncombat Stretching (-1/4) (Real Cost: 2)

Pull out the set and I think you're good to go.

[cutsleeve]

hmmmmm dontcha think str min 16 and 13 are a bit much. Scythes arent that hard to swing or control once you get usto them. I just think it might be a bit high for those poor old farmers to be swinging around all day. :nonp:

[Black Rose]

I also think those HKA are a bit high; I could be wrong, though. I would have said 1 1/2d6 HKA myself. Being able to wonk out a 4d6 HKA is pretty nasty.

[Bismark]

Agricultural scythes would be lucky to have a base HKA of 1D6 - the STR Min (allowing for the usual HERO-style 'inflation') would be 10 though, and a -1 OCV is being a bit generous, if anything.

War/battle scythes are a different kettle of fish entirely - check out the ancient Thracian Dorudrepanon and the Dacian Falx, as well as the mediaeval Faussal (the last one looks like a rather clumsy, wide-bladed and slightly curved bastard sword minus the hand guard). There are also 1-handed versions of the first 2 weapons - the Drepanon and the Sica.

[The Thracian Rhomphaia is a sort of battle scythe, but a lot of the examples found, especially recently, have nearly straight blades, so are actually closer to swords.]

[Thia Halmades]

Agreed, I think we're talking about the difference between a farmers scythe, which is grossly unwieldly in combat (-2 OCV, -2 DCV) and isn't built to handle the rigors of pinging off armor (Real Weapon) and probably won't hurt someone too badly (1d6+1, if you're being generous). It has no internal reach (I don't know how to represent that) and would be used only as a last ditch defense.

A War Scythe - something built to reach over a line and spear people through the shoulder/take off their heads/sever limbs would make more sense under the model you've described. A greatsword is STR 17, I can see a War Scythe at STR 13 or 14.

[L. Marcus]

Naginata outta Ninja Hero (or was it UMA? I forget.) Or the Glaive. I'd use either for War Scythe.

[Bismark]

Try the following URL (thanks, Google :) ) for some info on the Dacian falx battle-scythe:

www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?p=19314#post19314

There is a load of info on all sorts of slashing/chopping/thrusting goodness on that site :thumbup:

[Bik Britelite]

Well for all you old timers out there the reason for the post isn't so much the realistic but more the fantastic.

Our group will be running a Sigil game in the near future. We have run many campaigns using this setting as Sigil will allow the creative aspect of Hero to flesh out very interesting character concepts other than the D&D world will allow for sigil.

The concept that we are working on is a follower of Nehrull (sp?). Similar to Games Workshops Nurgle in some regards. Basically a god that is a hater of life, etc. In case you havn't already figured it out, we are playing bad guys this time. :eg:

All the imagery associated with Nehrull has him using a Scythe. Hence the character who is a follower of Nehrull was going to use one.

We are not expecting a "uber" weapon by any means, but we followed a pole arm aspect to the weapon as a guide. Yes it would be unwieldly, yes its not the best weapon for damage, but the idea is more for "fluff" reasons than for reality reasons.

Too many of the posts are pushing the "it has to be real" when it doesn't really have to. Hence the fantastic statement. In most ways then I can accept that it would have a lower damage output, 1d6+1 or 1-1/2d6 with a -2 OCV. Even adding a minus to the DCV because its unweildly.

Thanks for the posts and help, this should get the ball rolling for that then.

[Zeropoint]

1) If you're going for a symbolic/mythical effect, then it would make sense that a scythe, in the hands of a follower of such a deity, would be more effective than you would otherwise expect.

2) If, on the other hand, you wish to keep the symbolism, but also want to be realistic, consider using a sickle instead of a scythe. A Japanese-pattern sickle, the kama, is considered quite the effective weapon in the right hands.

[daeudi_454]

Nergal? Nergal is a failure... (GABM inside joke)

The Kama would work great. Realism really can't come into play, because the classic illustration of the reaper scythe is more or less a pole-arm version of the kama...
which would be way too unweildy.

But if it is an "Unholy Weapon" who the hell cares about realism?

[Lethosos]

Or... oooh! Oooh!

Make it a Focus for particular damage-effect spells. :D