Hey Shad. Chucked one of my Audible credits at your book to listen to at work and I'm over halfway through already. I'm really impressed, it hooked me almost immediately. Didn't know you had the chops to do really serious, high quality writing. Not even finished yet and can't wait for more!
I just have a picture in my head of a knight galloping about with a sword that has a pommel the size of a banjo, just pulling it out and clubbing foes to death with mighty hammer strikes on top of the head.
In the domions games, combatants get a repel bonus to their defence if their weapon is longer then the weapon they are being attacked with. Every weapon has a length value from 0 to 4.
I mean if you want to change the rules and your players are ok with it then good for you but dnd's rules, at least for 5e, are made to be streamlined and not need to consult tables and weird stuff like that.
The problem with Shad's points here is that these games aren't going for pure combat authenticity. They're going for *balance*, which helps keep the game fun, and keeps different playstyles viable. And in the case of games like D&D, they're also going for some semblance of being user friendly, since we have to calculate everything and work through combat manually. A game that is perfectly accurate may not necessarily be *fun*, and for most of us, fun is more important than real world accuracy.
Because it's difficult to portray just how difficult it is to shoot a handgun compared to a rifle. Plus, barrier penetration is rarely modeled well if at all, and in most cases the game doesn't facilitate fighting at ranges where the ballistic advantages of rifles shine. It's a highly simplified way of trying to depict the fact that you would basically never want to use a pistol in place of a rifle in a gun fight. Spraying SMGs in tight quarters can be an exception but even then a bit of armor throws a wrench in it.
I've played FPS where I've unloaded two magazines of SMG into a person's face and chest they run straight at me, shrung it off and kill me by punching me in the face
The problem with this is that he's referring to a helpless opponent in D&D which would allow you to perform a Coup De Gras: at least in 3.5 meaning you auto crit (and with a dagger also dealing sneak attack damage if you have the class feature), roll your damage, and then the victim must succeed a fortitude save equal to 10 + the damage dealt or die instantly. There are rules to accommodate what Shad wants he clearly just doesn't know them or forgot about them.
@@jcmatanui204 I used to wonder why, in Neverwinter Nights, they gave me a rod of sleep until I figured out the CDG mechanic works in that game ^.^ That's some OP shit right there. Too bad it only works in the beginning since most things turn out to be immune even to magic sleep later on.
@@jcmatanui204 I thought it was just an instant kill if you were in a no stress situation, having a high Con doesn't save you from getting your throat slite, that's how I've played it
He's Mormon - the real thing, not the FLDS child-trafficking creeps - so that's usually a good bet. (Not always, of course, LDS have leaky lamps just like everyone else. And just like everyone else patching the leaks is a lifelong endeavor, that not everyone considers worth the effort.)
DM: Its the dead of night, a thief walks into your camp and aims his dagger at your throat. Fighter: Oh, well his dagger only does 1d4 damage and I have like 40hp, I can take the hit. DM: He stabs your throat, you die and then he takes your boots. Fighter: *surprised face*
That's why you alwhays have someone on guard. ^^ It's also hilariouse when people notice that sneaking up to any sleeping humanoid equals an 80 to 90% chance of instadeath for that poor soul.
My theory in this is that the daggers d4 damage is made to reflect its disadvantages in combat. Dnd's creator, Gary Gygax, once said that HP doesn't just mean physical damage but a using up of luck and energy. Because of this I would argue that the rules of DnD are built to reflect that the chances of getting in to range with a dagger are so much lower that they have a much lower potential to use up your opponent's luck and energy. Thank you, thank you. I'll see myself out.
This is a very good point in all of my games that is how we handle "Hit Points" If you frame hit points like this it really helps justify how leveling up gives you more hp. If you improve your combat abilities you are able to last longer in combat although I still like using "meat points" for big monsters since its more fun to hack away at them.
@@sojtus8681 A good point. There are some systems that do account for reach (I think burning wheel does for instance) but I think the reason is that simulating that is way too finicky. It would slow things down considerably to have to check what each opponent is fighting with.
I think it's a good way to justify the system. It could also be reflected on the chance to hit instead of damage, which seems a bit more accurate for me. D&D's using class of weapons, weight, etc, it wouldn't damage the system to take range into account.
A bit late but you can also think of it like a poise meter in where instead of tanking and shrugging off hits it's them blocking and evading blows until they take a hit from a storytelling standpoint or just get ko'd
0:40 Shad has played so many video games by now, he already thinks of every weapon as an "item." The dagger he's using in this video is a quest-item. When he picked it up, he began the next stage of the "fantasy re-armed" quest. 2:12 Shad demonstrates his new tactic to survive knife and sword wounds. If anyone asks, he insists that preventing a dagger from going too deep is the ONLY reason for it!
Well Shad, the reason that in D&D, daggers are "nerfed" is that D&D is played on a grid of 5 foot squares. This means, that whether you use a dagger or a longsword the range is practically the same. This means, in my opinion, that weapon length is factored into the damage potential along with the amount of force you can put behind them. This means that a heavier longsword, even if realistically it's not a massive difference depending on the longsword and dagger you use, can put a little more force behind it similar to comparing a hand axe and a greataxe. Also, you didn't factor in AC, or armor class, which accounts for different peoples types of armor and also their Dex or ability to dodge and weave. Overall, the reason backstabs are so much stronger is that with the 5 foot squares, especially if the enemy isn't being flanked, then two fighters with equal levels of mastery using a long sword and a dagger wouldn't be equal. The longsword, with its greater reach and heft, would likely be able to do more damage overall. And I've pulled all of this off the top of my head in the middle of the night, so don't judge me too harshly
You're 100% correct in your assessment of the reasoning of the rules, unfortunately they just aren't good rules even within the game. Daggers should have had a penalty to hit any target that isn't unarmed, carrying a similar class of weapon or unaware/helpless but still deal full sword damage if it does manage to hit. The implication there would be that targets that are both grappled on the floor could be ended in the fashion that taking down knights actually happened, sneak attacks aren't penalized and concealed daggers actually have a designated use in fighting where no one else is armed. Considering bows and the Rapier exist, I don't feel bad about the idea that a dagger can match the damage but is less likely to hit a well armed opponent who knows you're there. It might make daggers complicated, but it would fill the very real utility that meant everyone owned one during the medieval/renaissance periods in contrast to DnD players leaving it at the bottom of their bag of holding since session 0. As for sneak attacks, well, they've been criticized to death by the DnD community for being awful and inconsistent, particularly based on flanking rules being used or not and what kind of hiding your specific DM will allow and when. I've got no suggestions to fix them, but my proposal certainly doesn't break them more.
The Shadiversity discord has many minecrafters building castles he would be proud of. I made a 1:1 replica of his "what to put inside a castle" castle on my own server
"I'm losing the Light, so I need to wrap this up quickly. " That confirms it. Shad is a lightbinder bonding light to his entertainment value and that's how he makes such great videos.
Actually and fortunately, there are couple of roleplay systems, where weaponry is used historically accurate or close to it. For example Burning wheel or Runequest. Weapon reach and armor's actual level of protection are taken into consideration and any solid hit leads to a gruesome result. Especially coming from a bigger opponent.
So, on the topic of shadow of the conqueror, the day they figure out blood transfusions, they can lightforge animals into familiars. Have fun with that thought.
Actually, most versions of D&D had rules for performing a Coup de Grace maneuver which would allow you to instantly kill sleeping or unconscious characters with a dagger.
Just happy to say my hard copy of Shadow of the Conqueror was finally delivered, took long enough to reach France. 🙄 I wish you even more success Shad! Thanks for being such an inspirational figure, hard work is always rewarded!
Considering melee combat in fantasy/D&D consists of swordsmen in plate waving their swords at each other, I'm not surprised at all. I'd love to play by Shad's house rules.
Yeah I would love some kind of homebrew manual for melee combat that modifies the reach and damage of individual weapon types and a list of rules on how they interact, like for example: if your weapon's reach is shorter than the enemy's, recieve -1 to hit per foot shorter.
Me: *Armed* *with* *a* *gladius* Knight: Hah! You're just like that measly dagger of yours! Me: *Stab* *him* *on* *the* *opening* Gladius: For the Emperor! *FULL* *CRITS*
I don’t like the way daggers are in D&D either really. Typically when I’m DM’ing I’ll allow an instakill against sleeping or incapacitated opponents with a high enough attack roll.
There's a "coup de grace" mechanic in Pathfinder (which, for those unaware, is basically a version of D&D). It's an automatic critical hit against helpless opponents, and requires the victim to make a Fortitude save (based on the amount of damage dealt) or die.
@@overlorddante That would effectively make them useless as once you impose on nearly any weapon against something the rogue would be better off learning to stealth with a normal sword
The problem is that why shouldn't you then be able to do an instakill if, say, you sneaked up to someone from behind? Or if you restricted someone in a grapple. While it may be realistic, it throws the balance based on an unrealistic hitpoint system off way too much, imho. There are other systems that go a long way at simulationism, like GURPS for example.
@@thecreator9256 here I am thinking that you were hinting at shad's book where the whole universe in in perpetual daytime but can be delved into shadows by evil creatures.
@@CharlesBalester sounds like the plot of the video game sudeki. not that i'm saying he copied obviously, just that they have a similar scenario there. I loved that game. Might have to get his book haha
@@r390gt1lm while it would probably be a faster death using a longsword I don't think anyone who had a dagger jammed up their arse would be in any condition to fight, flee or make a recovery in any way and would just bleed to death in an unnecessary excruciating painful manner.
Schw4rztee well, some people destroy they arses with things not meant to be used to do so, so dagger isn't exceptionally bad, wound would be deeper, but clean instead of laceration, so person may survive
Just Finished Shadow of the Conqueror In one sitting. This is the best story I've had the pleasure of listening to in a great while. You Sir have Serious Chops. Please keep the story coming.
Shade that fellow telegraphed his cuts hard. Light this video shines brightly, but the lack of dark stone dagger brings shade on Shad as the shade approaches Shad irl
I will say, d&d had coup we grace, and I think most DMs also allow it in other role playing games. That said, I agree most games sacrifice martial accuracy for balance and mechanics.
Just finished reading the book, It was incredible! The description of the battle's so good and easy to understand! I can easily imagine them. Love the magic system and how it is logical and cientific. Wating forward for the next one. (Light! Hope it's arrives soon)
I loved your book. The way Daylen’s legacy Intergrated into everything (Same for the magic/setting). I really enjoyed the theme of redemption. It was excicuted amazingly
Who are you friends with? "Oh, the dagger? Its a piece of poo weapon, used only by cravens and the unready" The dagger is a great weapon! Its not my first pick, but i'd still rather use it over an Axe.
My takeaway from this is, when developing an RPG rule set, have a weapons reach mechanic that gives a bonus/penalty to hit based on who has the greater reach and how much of a difference there is between the weapons each combatant is using.
Fun fact In Shadow if war (and mordor) one very effective way of dealing tons of dammage to captians and insta-killing regular orcs is to knock them to the ground and stab them with a dagger
Shad, I just want to drop in to thank you for Shadows of the Conqueror. By the light, it was a fun read and didn't pull any punches. I eagerly look forward to your next one. My only regret is that not once did any character ever scream MACHICOLATIONS!
I just finish the Audible version of your book. You, my good man, are quite the nerd, and I enjoyed every minute. Your world building and character forging skills are on point! I hope to read more work from you in the future.
ones again I suggest you look into pathfinder rules as it have an rule called "Coup de grace" that instantly kill defencless characters and daggers have a bonus to the role and also is one of the few weapons that can be increased to be better at it
Which game are you playing? Most of these games give bonuses to damage vs helpless foes, so it is entirely possible to kill somebody with a dagger if they're asleep. It's hard to kill somebody with a dagger in normal combat unless you have backstab, but then again these are also games with magic and dragons so realisim is a little hit and miss. If you want something a little more high lethality you might want to look at the Cyberpunk 2020 rules. Even a low damage dagger is pretty threatening, though it doesn't do as much damage as a gun for some reason. Unless you get a Kendachi Monoknife, then you're just as deadly. 2d6 doesn't sound like much until you realize you can possible die from eight damage... or four to the head. HP is a weird concept, it usually helps if you don't think of it as the player "Taking the hit and shrugging it off". Think of HP more as that time the hero frantically ducks under a swing, or manages to lurch out of the way with only a small knick, or even blocking the attack but being slammed into stuff. HP can just be your ability to avoid damage, but once you're out of it you've used up all your luck and one good hit... The Pendragon RPG might be up your ally. It has some rather stiff rules for combat, and healing is really hard since there is no magic or potions to save you. It's just interesting to read if nothing else. Bonuses to damage for long swords vs daggers seems weird. I mean, daggers do less damage according to the rules but I don't remember anything beyond magic weapons doing more damage. Which game were you playing?
I agree, but daggers usually have a higher chance to deal critical damage (something i allways thought of as stabbing the opponent in the throat / eye / or a major artery) Also high attack speed due to the small size and low weight of the dagger. :)
@@valandil7454 It makes perfect logical sense that a dagger is faster beacuse it is a small one-handed weapon that can be used to cut and stab the opponent at remarkable speed. Spears are best wielded with two hands and are much less effective once the opponent has advanced past the spear tip, and the opponent can grab the spear-haft to lock the weapon before getting close enough to kill the spear-wielder. By your logic the crossbow is the fastest weapon because with it you can kill the enemy from a hundred meters away, it does not make it a fast weapon. You can't compare "attack speed" to "movement speed". Besides, daggers are mainly used in games as an assassin weapon, it's a small weapon that you can conceal and use in small spaces where a larger weapon would be impractical. You sneak up behind someone and shove the dagger into their weak spots, visor slits or underneath the helmet, something that does not require martial arts training. In combat it can be used to finnish off an already downed opponent, (read Bernard Cornwells "Azincourt" for that part). It is of course preferable to have a regular weapon in direct combat on a battlefield.
I readthe Audiobook of your book Shad, I absolutley loved it. I love how you really let your imagination run wild within the cosntraints of the world you crafted. Your characters are compelling and memorable. The reformed villain asthe main character is just inspired and not jsut another farm boy follow some silly destiny balogne etc.
Ah yes, daggers! I've always had a big affinity for daggers in general, though they are inaccurate in games and movies. This gave me a better understanding of daggers in games and how they're accurate and inaccurate to how a dagger really works
Hey Shad, I would love you to make a video about prehistoric weapons. (Recently was caught by Far Cry Primal Marathon and was fascinated by the aura and would love to learn more about the weapons/traps/wars/hunting techniques.
Man i love your videos you have a very practical outlook on things. Seriously has changed my perspective on medieval fighting and all that. love your stuff keep it up. :)
Dear Shad Thanks for another fascinating vid! I've finally started to read your Shadow of the Conqueror yesterday as I was reading another book when it was released. As soon as I started I regretted that I didn't start earlier but kept reading another one. Well, another one (recently became a blockbuster movie) was good too, but I should've put it aside and start reading Shadow of the Conqueror straight away! Anyways thank you very much for writing such an epic novel!
I'm really amazed at how good Shadow of the Conqueror is. I bought it cause it was Shad's book, but it is actually very good. It keeps your attention the whole book and I had a hard time putting the book down. If you haven't read it, so it. PS. Shad, can you make a video about Tellos and the sunstone and darkstone technology, the floating islands, the fall, etc? It is a very appealing world you have created.
The best description I've ever heard for hitpoints, imperfect though it may be, is that it's not your HEALTH, it's the energy and effort you have to avoid attacks, roll under fireballs, all that sort of thing. Works fairly well with a dagger, the lower damage just represents the short reach etc. Running out of HP is when something finally hits and you go down.
A great show, but thanks to knowledge gained from Shad and other sensible people on the internet, I know Kahlan would have died very quickly. The same can be said for the Mord-Sith with their agiels.
Well you see there is a mechanic in D&D called the Coup De Grace, which is an instant kill on any incapacitated character. An attacker delivering a coup de grace automatically scores a critical hit, after which the defender must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or di Basically the only thing that saves you is your body being for some reason or another insanely resistant to damage on its own merits.
Shadow of the Conqueror is probably one of my favorite fantasy novels to date, even compared to the Stormlight Archive and the Wheel of Time. It's wonderful to see a book that uses actual named historical techniques and really thinks about the technology and how it affects the world and culture. I'm halfway through my second listen on Audible and its just as good the second time around. I can't wait to get my hands on the second one whenever it's finally out. Great job Shad, dying to read more from you.
i told my players i have been watching your videos to help inspire me for my whitewolf dark ages game i am running. they're response: sure, what ever dude. the next game session... dude you're a (comment redacted) me evil grin.
1:55 so, this thing you describe was a thing in editions being 5e D&D, namely 3, 3.5, and pathfinder. It’s called a coup de grace in those systems. If your opponent is in a vulnerable position or is helpless in someway you may attempt a blow capable of killing them instantly. 5e replaced this with simply automatically achieving a critical hit, which just doesn’t work the same way.
@@tortture3519 well, any (melee) adventurer will have at least a +2 to either dex or strength, and anyone else is still very likely to instakill. If they do botch it, you can interpret how hard it is psychologically for someone used to casting spells from a distance to take a life while touching the still warm body of their victim.
Hay shad I'm 14 and ive been listening to your book since it came out I love the world the characters and the weapon.one of the best books I've listened to 5 stars
I agree that the damage of short blade weapons is usually absurly low in tabletop roleplaying games but I think is just to keep it simple enough to be comfortable while representing the disadvantage of having a small weapon. I have tried many systems and even made my own custom rules to make combat more flexible and credible than the sterotypes of "Big weapon=big damage,sluggish speed ; Small weapon = Toothpick damage, lighting fast" but in the end most of it made the rules of combat slow and unconfortable. There's a lot of room for improvement on tabletop combat rules but I still dont see how to accurate represent accurately the advantages and disadvantages between melee short weapons and longer weapons.
Maybe by using a system like in Fire Emblem? Sword>Dagger>Axe>Sword (for example, I bet it's totally inacurate). You can get a +2 bonus on hit by using the proper weapon. Furthermore, you can in some extent add a mecanism related to armor. Sword : -4 on full plate. Dagger : +0 on full plate. Hammer : +4 on full plate. This make the game like a double level paper-cisor-rock on which you have to take armor and weapon into account. I don't know if it's confortable enough.
Okay, so I can actually 100% "answer" this question/issue you've posed. I had this issue for years and finally found a great explanation which I use to this day. You see, one of the main problems is the way you are thinking of Hit Points. Now, in video games, this is harder to address, but in most RPG systems like D&D, Pathfinder, and so on, HP are not just a representation of your body getting physically stronger and tougher. Here's a brief explanation from my own gaming system: "Hit points are an abstraction of not only physical hardiness, but your ability to avoid or resist damaging blows. As you increase in level, your higher HP represents the ability to parry a deadly thrust into a slight graze or move your body with a strike to reduce the impact of a blow. Combat-oriented classes train more to resist physical punishment, and therefore these classes gain more Hit Points each level." Also, remember the characters with many HP are heroes. Most commoners only have 2-4 HP, and a dagger is all you need to put one down. However, a character with 40 hit points does not have "10 times the body" of a commoner. Instead, they have vast martial training that they use when attacked to turn an otherwise lethal blow into a harmless scratch. Now, most game systems also include things such as "Coup de Grace," where you can just kill a helpless character by slicing their throat or, as you said, jamming a dagger in their chest. This system bypasses the HP, as the HP usually represent your toughness while aware of combat. Since the sleeping character has no chance to dodge or parry, they just die. As for the advantage and disadvantage of daggers, I would argue the lower damage is the simplest solution to your problem. As you mentioned: "Dagger vs Longsword, the dagger is at a huge disadvantage." Well, in the RPG system, that disadvantage is less damage. The problem is that in a tabletop gaming system, the minutia of adding bonuses and penalties for every little thing eats up time and causes players to lose interest as the numbers get tallied (or just forgotten). I have tried many other ideas such as individual weapon length, weight, player reach, etc, but it just bogs down the system so much that its unplayable. Now, daggers are easy to conceal, carry, and use indoors, and swinging a longsword in a crowded room is difficult, so you can provide situational bonuses as needed. Large weapons are harder to use in a grapple. Use the story to make certain weapons more useful. Anyway, I hope this makes sense and you understand what I'm trying to say! Many games have found decent ways of addressing this issue, and while there are more realistic options, they generally slow the game down so much it becomes frustrating. As for Hit Points, they represent far more than just your physical body! Hope that helps! Thanks!
^This. HP in dnd isn't the amount of blood or how many cuts and stabs it takes to kill a character. A hit doesn't mean the blade made contact with the skin. it means the character that hit is closer to winning the fight. My old DM liked to describe combat (and if we didn't he would actually do it for us) and blood would only start to show up in the descriptions when the enemies (or characters) were close to 0 HP. I miss dnd...
I think you'd like my homebrew tabletop RPG rules. Daggers and swords do the same damage, but have disadvantage against longer weapons. I enjoy your videos a lot! They've really been an influence on how I handle weapons in my home games. Thanks for you efforts and keep it up!
Weeeell, what you're saying about the damage is true when it comes to fighting humans.. but i games such as DnD you can also be fighting things like ogres and dragons.. a sword is much more effective there.
There is still a heavy depends on that. A +1 enchanted dagger is far more effective against some creatures than an unenchanted sword, or any unenchanted anything.
Hey Shad, if you ever got any time on your hands, how about watching all 110 episodes of Legend of the Galactic Heroes. You'll love it, it has plenty of drama and character development, plus the battles all revolve around strategy and careful planning, there's even references to various historical events.
Shad, you place imo too much emphasis on HP in D&D being supposedly how much more than 5 liters of blood someone has. Hit points are meant to be abstract and with characters of higher level, I'd advise to assume the attacks barely scratched them because they managed to almost avoid/deflect it even if it "hits" - which then makes HP make sense. And ofc, you are completely free to ignore HP when the character is sleeping and defenseless. HP are for combat mainly, ale not everything is solved by combat and rules, many things are just roleplayed out in many groups.
Well, most of characters we play in D&D are not common people. At high level they can take inhuman damage because they've become much more than merely mortals, so yes, a sword through their chest is not gonna stop them. Is a high fantasy setting where some guy could be strong enough to kill a freaking dragon by punching really hard.
Hey Shad. Chucked one of my Audible credits at your book to listen to at work and I'm over halfway through already. I'm really impressed, it hooked me almost immediately. Didn't know you had the chops to do really serious, high quality writing. Not even finished yet and can't wait for more!
I have the same story as you man. I'm loving the book so far I cant wait to see how it ends.
@@theroyalrat9992 spoiler alert:. It ends well.
I did the same, gonna start listening a bit later in the afternoon. Can't wait to start.
It ends rightly
Love the book! Subscribed to Audible for it!
I was wondering quite a while if Shad conscious started the name of his book with "Shad"?
"SHADow of the conqueror"
Shad illuninati confirmed
a subtle nod to the authors exceptional cleverness and self promotional abilities
He made a functional Back-Scabbard and called it the Shabbard (Shad Scabbard), so that could be possible.
the next book: "shaddered swords" ;-)
@@Niemer82 i love it 😂
"The way to a man's heart goes through his stomach. The curved blade makes it easy."
It does
No, the way to a man's heart is between the fourth and fifth ribs. Learned that one from Riddick.
"Humans aren't that wide"...
Clearly Shad doesn't know the marvel that is Ben Swolo
Deathstroke Obelix
you can't even get trough the skin of beh swolo, forget about getting all the way trough
He is too wide for a longsword to go through. Let alone a dagger
Clearly Shad has never been inside a Wal-Mart....
Or John Thicc
"It's not the size of your blade, it's the size of your pommel that counts!"
-Sir Rightly, A Treatise On Ending Opponents
How far has this meme traveled as I see it everywhere?!
@@Pikkabuu The pommel of justice has been ending people rightly for centuries, do not underappreciate it!
I just have a picture in my head of a knight galloping about with a sword that has a pommel the size of a banjo, just pulling it out and clubbing foes to death with mighty hammer strikes on top of the head.
@@danielbretall2236 I think the rule is the pommel has to be unscrewed. Basically like pulling the pin.
All the talk about gun control, is just to cover up the damage from assault pommels 😉
*shad makes point about how fantasy combat should work*
I will change the rules of my D&D campaign accordingly
In the domions games, combatants get a repel bonus to their defence if their weapon is longer then the weapon they are being attacked with. Every weapon has a length value from 0 to 4.
I mean if you want to change the rules and your players are ok with it then good for you but dnd's rules, at least for 5e, are made to be streamlined and not need to consult tables and weird stuff like that.
The problem with Shad's points here is that these games aren't going for pure combat authenticity. They're going for *balance*, which helps keep the game fun, and keeps different playstyles viable. And in the case of games like D&D, they're also going for some semblance of being user friendly, since we have to calculate everything and work through combat manually. A game that is perfectly accurate may not necessarily be *fun*, and for most of us, fun is more important than real world accuracy.
good man
"dagger does insignificant damage in games"
I feel the same about Glocks, 9mms and many SMGs
Because it's difficult to portray just how difficult it is to shoot a handgun compared to a rifle. Plus, barrier penetration is rarely modeled well if at all, and in most cases the game doesn't facilitate fighting at ranges where the ballistic advantages of rifles shine. It's a highly simplified way of trying to depict the fact that you would basically never want to use a pistol in place of a rifle in a gun fight. Spraying SMGs in tight quarters can be an exception but even then a bit of armor throws a wrench in it.
I've played FPS where I've unloaded two magazines of SMG into a person's face and chest they run straight at me, shrung it off and kill me by punching me in the face
@@PJDAltamirus0425 .44 magnum to face= all good
Throwing knife to foot= instakill
Ever heard of the Northwood hollywood shootout?.
Until you play Deus Ex: Human Revolution where the 9mm is the god weapon that nothing short of a rocket launcher can compare to.
"I don't care how many hit points they have they're gonna die!" -Shadiversity
Mininukes in a nutshell
Shad talking to the bbeg who is pretending to be a good guy
Bbeg "hahaha ya" *sweats intensely *
The problem with this is that he's referring to a helpless opponent in D&D which would allow you to perform a Coup De Gras: at least in 3.5 meaning you auto crit (and with a dagger also dealing sneak attack damage if you have the class feature), roll your damage, and then the victim must succeed a fortitude save equal to 10 + the damage dealt or die instantly. There are rules to accommodate what Shad wants he clearly just doesn't know them or forgot about them.
@@jcmatanui204 I used to wonder why, in Neverwinter Nights, they gave me a rod of sleep until I figured out the CDG mechanic works in that game ^.^
That's some OP shit right there.
Too bad it only works in the beginning since most things turn out to be immune even to magic sleep later on.
@@jcmatanui204 I thought it was just an instant kill if you were in a no stress situation, having a high Con doesn't save you from getting your throat slite, that's how I've played it
So you could say the dagger compared to a sword only has a shortcoming.
Great video Shad as usual!
That was almost funny, reword it a bit.
@Marko Botic I know. We all get the "point".
i think that commentor got... the point!
@@VeryPeeved I did.
yall are really "sharp".
Missed out saying "The point I'm trying to drive in here is..."
I met Shad in real life a week ago and he's the most wholesome dude ever
Shad has confirmed this
He's Mormon - the real thing, not the FLDS child-trafficking creeps - so that's usually a good bet. (Not always, of course, LDS have leaky lamps just like everyone else. And just like everyone else patching the leaks is a lifelong endeavor, that not everyone considers worth the effort.)
@@albertnorman4136 who are you talking about?
@@Huy-G-Le, I'm talking about Shad. He's a Mormon, so chances of being absurdly wholesome are pretty high.
@@albertnorman4136 then what is a LDS child-trafficking creeps.. and what does it have to do with Shad.
So maybe for daggers, same damage, lower hit rate if the opponent has a longer weapon but higher crit hit rate when strikes do land.
DM: Its the dead of night, a thief walks into your camp and aims his dagger at your throat.
Fighter: Oh, well his dagger only does 1d4 damage and I have like 40hp, I can take the hit.
DM: He stabs your throat, you die and then he takes your boots.
Fighter: *surprised face*
Why just the boots tho?
That's why you alwhays have someone on guard. ^^
It's also hilariouse when people notice that sneaking up to any sleeping humanoid equals an 80 to 90% chance of instadeath for that poor soul.
merten0083 What not to do as a DM. Killing your players for seemingly no reason.
@@TheSteam02 To be completely fair, the DM gave the player a chance to avoid it so it's all fair.
@@TheSteam02 Hmmmmm. Maybe the fighter should've actually done something instead of being motionless and silent, letting the bandit slit his throat.
My theory in this is that the daggers d4 damage is made to reflect its disadvantages in combat. Dnd's creator, Gary Gygax, once said that HP doesn't just mean physical damage but a using up of luck and energy. Because of this I would argue that the rules of DnD are built to reflect that the chances of getting in to range with a dagger are so much lower that they have a much lower potential to use up your opponent's luck and energy.
Thank you, thank you. I'll see myself out.
This is a very good point in all of my games that is how we handle "Hit Points" If you frame hit points like this it really helps justify how leveling up gives you more hp. If you improve your combat abilities you are able to last longer in combat although I still like using "meat points" for big monsters since its more fun to hack away at them.
Well that would work, when fighting somebody with a weapon with longer reach. But what if you are fighting againts somebody who also has daggers?
@@sojtus8681 A good point. There are some systems that do account for reach (I think burning wheel does for instance) but I think the reason is that simulating that is way too finicky. It would slow things down considerably to have to check what each opponent is fighting with.
I think it's a good way to justify the system. It could also be reflected on the chance to hit instead of damage, which seems a bit more accurate for me. D&D's using class of weapons, weight, etc, it wouldn't damage the system to take range into account.
A bit late but you can also think of it like a poise meter in where instead of tanking and shrugging off hits it's them blocking and evading blows until they take a hit from a storytelling standpoint or just get ko'd
0:40 Shad has played so many video games by now, he already thinks of every weapon as an "item."
The dagger he's using in this video is a quest-item. When he picked it up, he began the next stage of the "fantasy re-armed" quest.
2:12 Shad demonstrates his new tactic to survive knife and sword wounds. If anyone asks, he insists that preventing a dagger from going too deep is the ONLY reason for it!
Every object is an item.
Well Shad, the reason that in D&D, daggers are "nerfed" is that D&D is played on a grid of 5 foot squares. This means, that whether you use a dagger or a longsword the range is practically the same. This means, in my opinion, that weapon length is factored into the damage potential along with the amount of force you can put behind them. This means that a heavier longsword, even if realistically it's not a massive difference depending on the longsword and dagger you use, can put a little more force behind it similar to comparing a hand axe and a greataxe. Also, you didn't factor in AC, or armor class, which accounts for different peoples types of armor and also their Dex or ability to dodge and weave. Overall, the reason backstabs are so much stronger is that with the 5 foot squares, especially if the enemy isn't being flanked, then two fighters with equal levels of mastery using a long sword and a dagger wouldn't be equal. The longsword, with its greater reach and heft, would likely be able to do more damage overall. And I've pulled all of this off the top of my head in the middle of the night, so don't judge me too harshly
You're 100% correct in your assessment of the reasoning of the rules, unfortunately they just aren't good rules even within the game.
Daggers should have had a penalty to hit any target that isn't unarmed, carrying a similar class of weapon or unaware/helpless but still deal full sword damage if it does manage to hit.
The implication there would be that targets that are both grappled on the floor could be ended in the fashion that taking down knights actually happened, sneak attacks aren't penalized and concealed daggers actually have a designated use in fighting where no one else is armed.
Considering bows and the Rapier exist, I don't feel bad about the idea that a dagger can match the damage but is less likely to hit a well armed opponent who knows you're there.
It might make daggers complicated, but it would fill the very real utility that meant everyone owned one during the medieval/renaissance periods in contrast to DnD players leaving it at the bottom of their bag of holding since session 0.
As for sneak attacks, well, they've been criticized to death by the DnD community for being awful and inconsistent, particularly based on flanking rules being used or not and what kind of hiding your specific DM will allow and when. I've got no suggestions to fix them, but my proposal certainly doesn't break them more.
I'd love to see what kind of castle Shad would make in Minecraft
He really should set up a server where we all make medieval castles and towns lol
MACHICOLATIONS!!!!!?!
Honestly, that'd be a nice patron idea.
His channel though, so it's up to him
The Shadiversity discord has many minecrafters building castles he would be proud of. I made a 1:1 replica of his "what to put inside a castle" castle on my own server
I’ve thought to ask him how accurate could one build a castle in Minecraft.
"Never bring a Dagger to a Sword Fight" they said...
"Daggers have killed more Armored Opponents than Swords have..."
wait actuallyz?
@@mikdoesb-ball daggers ignore armor completely at extreme close range.
@@mikdoesb-ballonly plate armor
"I'm losing the Light, so I need to wrap this up quickly. " That confirms it. Shad is a lightbinder bonding light to his entertainment value and that's how he makes such great videos.
One bond to entertainment, one to sword skill, and one to intelligence
@@DeeSnow97 The last one is bound to personal charm of course?
@@Tuclix Are you suggesting he's the Great Bastard?
Actually and fortunately, there are couple of roleplay systems, where weaponry is used historically accurate or close to it. For example Burning wheel or Runequest. Weapon reach and armor's actual level of protection are taken into consideration and any solid hit leads to a gruesome result. Especially coming from a bigger opponent.
So, on the topic of shadow of the conqueror, the day they figure out blood transfusions, they can lightforge animals into familiars.
Have fun with that thought.
i would only think a dead animal at best since it only works on objects and not living things right?
trinityfang, ah but that stipulation is never made, and animals ARE considered objects within this system. At least by lightbringers.
Actually, most versions of D&D had rules for performing a Coup de Grace maneuver which would allow you to instantly kill sleeping or unconscious characters with a dagger.
Your enthusiasm is addictive in your videos. I love it!
Just happy to say my hard copy of Shadow of the Conqueror was finally delivered, took long enough to reach France. 🙄
I wish you even more success Shad! Thanks for being such an inspirational figure, hard work is always rewarded!
Shad: "and Im losing the light! I'm losing the light!"
I know it wasnt a book reference but I can't help it.
Nobody:
Shad: I am not that wide get off my back!
Considering melee combat in fantasy/D&D consists of swordsmen in plate waving their swords at each other, I'm not surprised at all. I'd love to play by Shad's house rules.
Yeah I would love some kind of homebrew manual for melee combat that modifies the reach and damage of individual weapon types and a list of rules on how they interact, like for example: if your weapon's reach is shorter than the enemy's, recieve -1 to hit per foot shorter.
Me: *Armed* *with* *a* *gladius*
Knight: Hah! You're just like that measly dagger of yours!
Me: *Stab* *him* *on* *the* *opening*
Gladius: For the Emperor! *FULL* *CRITS*
wrong.
you should say: incredibilis!!
Gladius is a sword, it would be easier with an actual dagger, even a classical one.
@@twanvanderdonk2504 *Now uses the Albion dagger*
Weapons + Education = #outstanding #combos
You are absolutely blacking right. By the light they need to increase the damage in games.
Ironically enough, Skyrim's daggers can become the most powerful melee weapons in the game.
In Turok 2008, they made it an instakill.
PvP was dead instantly as well. :p
I don’t like the way daggers are in D&D either really. Typically when I’m DM’ing I’ll allow an instakill against sleeping or incapacitated opponents with a high enough attack roll.
I think some of the various editions cover that in rules under Coup the grace
There's a "coup de grace" mechanic in Pathfinder (which, for those unaware, is basically a version of D&D). It's an automatic critical hit against helpless opponents, and requires the victim to make a Fortitude save (based on the amount of damage dealt) or die.
What about daggers having the same damage as a sword but attack rolls during combat with longer weapons have disadvantage?
@@overlorddante That would effectively make them useless as once you impose on nearly any weapon against something the rogue would be better off learning to stealth with a normal sword
The problem is that why shouldn't you then be able to do an instakill if, say, you sneaked up to someone from behind? Or if you restricted someone in a grapple. While it may be realistic, it throws the balance based on an unrealistic hitpoint system off way too much, imho. There are other systems that go a long way at simulationism, like GURPS for example.
Shad I finished your book this week and it was amazing. I lost way to much sleep reading it. I look forward to more.
"I am losing the light!". Are you hinting at something... *wink wink
*losing derives from lose, not loose.
@@Riceball01 Oh, sorry! Thank you Siri!
For real though, thanks for pointing that out before my english-teacher sees this👍
@@thecreator9256 here I am thinking that you were hinting at shad's book where the whole universe in in perpetual daytime but can be delved into shadows by evil creatures.
Shad Rages against the dying of the light
@@CharlesBalester sounds like the plot of the video game sudeki. not that i'm saying he copied obviously, just that they have a similar scenario there. I loved that game. Might have to get his book haha
Shad is the type of guy to come to a birthday party, just to slice the cake with a great sword.
4:31
"J A M T H I S T H R O U G H T H E A R S E"
edit: where tf did all these likes come from?
I think you should jam a longsword through the arse, you will need some reach to get to the vital organs lol
That be'st what she spake.
@@r390gt1lm while it would probably be a faster death using a longsword I don't think anyone who had a dagger jammed up their arse would be in any condition to fight, flee or make a recovery in any way and would just bleed to death in an unnecessary excruciating painful manner.
@@schw4rztee502 oh god, lets keep sharp objects away from arses, ok
Schw4rztee well, some people destroy they arses with things not meant to be used to do so, so dagger isn't exceptionally bad, wound would be deeper, but clean instead of laceration, so person may survive
“Welcome to Shadiversity.”
No more like “Welcome to you gon learn taday!”
On Chapter 16 of Shadow of the Conqueror. And LIGHT am I enjoying it 😁
Just Finished Shadow of the Conqueror In one sitting. This is the best story I've had the pleasure of listening to in a great while. You Sir have Serious Chops. Please keep the story coming.
Shade that fellow telegraphed his cuts hard.
Light this video shines brightly, but the lack of dark stone dagger brings shade on Shad as the shade approaches Shad irl
I will say, d&d had coup we grace, and I think most DMs also allow it in other role playing games. That said, I agree most games sacrifice martial accuracy for balance and mechanics.
A blow of mercy?
@@thenthson Its an attack you did when someone was incapacitated, it was an auto crit.
@@beganfish basically an execution move.
@@thenthson Yeah.
@@beganfish makes sense. My dm where an enemy can interrupt my killing. And vice versa.
Just finished reading the book,
It was incredible!
The description of the battle's so good and easy to understand! I can easily imagine them.
Love the magic system and how it is logical and cientific.
Wating forward for the next one.
(Light! Hope it's arrives soon)
Shad I just finished your book through audible, it was amazing I loved the humor and the darkness of the characters.
...I got an ogre slaying knife, its got +9 against ogres...
I've always liked the concept of magic bastard swords. +1 bastard sword, +3 vs. bastards.
Ok, but if there are any girls here, I want to DO them!
I cast magic missile!
@@Riceball01 But do bastard swords do + damage against bastards? If not I call bullshit on the name as they are just another two-handed sword
@@JackofNothingess Do you also attack the darkness?
Amazon took longer than expected to deliver my copy of your novel, but I’m now a few chapters into it. It’s got my interest. Enjoying it for certain.
I loved your book. The way Daylen’s legacy Intergrated into everything (Same for the magic/setting). I really enjoyed the theme of redemption. It was excicuted amazingly
Your book was AMAZING Shad, I really enjoyed it. Very well done! Looking forward to listening to the rest of the books you write!
The audiobook is great Shad, you should be proud.
Daniel S I enjoyed it tremendously
Loved Shadows of the Conqueror. Just finished the audio book today. So good. Really hope there's a sequel planned for the future.
Finally someone who respects the Dagger! My favorite weapon.
Who are you friends with? "Oh, the dagger? Its a piece of poo weapon, used only by cravens and the unready"
The dagger is a great weapon! Its not my first pick, but i'd still rather use it over an Axe.
DZ, you would use it over an Axe? but what about a pole Axe? witch just happens to be my favorite weapon.
Its still an axe.
Unless its a halberd, i'll tolerate it, as its more like a pike than an axe.
My takeaway from this is, when developing an RPG rule set, have a weapons reach mechanic that gives a bonus/penalty to hit based on who has the greater reach and how much of a difference there is between the weapons each combatant is using.
Am I the only one who thinks that it would be super cool if Shad designed a new, realistic roleplaying system for us to play?
Maybe a shadow of the conqueror RPG game?
Cogent Roleplay. There are a few series using the system on his brothers old channel It's Table Top Time
That sounds like it could get rather complex and hard to balance.
No, you are not the only one. I would like to see it done.
He already has a system he made with his brother. He made a video about it and linked the download. They haven't updated it in a while though.
Fun fact In Shadow if war (and mordor) one very effective way of dealing tons of dammage to captians and insta-killing regular orcs is to knock them to the ground and stab them with a dagger
Shad, I just want to drop in to thank you for Shadows of the Conqueror. By the light, it was a fun read and didn't pull any punches. I eagerly look forward to your next one.
My only regret is that not once did any character ever scream MACHICOLATIONS!
they did so silently
I just finish the Audible version of your book. You, my good man, are quite the nerd, and I enjoyed every minute. Your world building and character forging skills are on point! I hope to read more work from you in the future.
My copy of shadow of the conqueror arrives today, can't wait
Snape kills Dayless
Thanks for this! As someone who enjoys playing as a rogue immensely, I’ve wondered about RL daggers quite a bit. Very informative and interesting!!
Your book just arrived in the mail! I am so excited to read it.
Dagger stab stab stab
Sword slash and stab
Ax slash
Spear stab
What do all this thing have common
There all bladed
Some spears can slash too. And I'm not talking about glaives or stuff like that.
@@SamuraiAkechi mostly stab tho
@@UnaverageNerd Yes, mostly stab.
I know but stab
Cause it much easier to slash a enemy but stabbing is cooler
Shad! Light this book is good! Not quite half way through and loving it!
I realy enjoy the e-book. Fantastic story, great imagery. A modern masterpiece destined to be a classic.
Thank you for this blessedly concise video, Shad.
ones again I suggest you look into pathfinder rules as it have an rule called "Coup de grace" that instantly kill defencless characters and daggers have a bonus to the role and also is one of the few weapons that can be increased to be better at it
Pathfinder carries that over from D&D 3.0/3.5 Coup de grace was a thing there as well.
Which game are you playing?
Most of these games give bonuses to damage vs helpless foes, so it is entirely possible to kill somebody with a dagger if they're asleep.
It's hard to kill somebody with a dagger in normal combat unless you have backstab, but then again these are also games with magic and dragons so realisim is a little hit and miss.
If you want something a little more high lethality you might want to look at the Cyberpunk 2020 rules. Even a low damage dagger is pretty threatening, though it doesn't do as much damage as a gun for some reason. Unless you get a Kendachi Monoknife, then you're just as deadly. 2d6 doesn't sound like much until you realize you can possible die from eight damage... or four to the head.
HP is a weird concept, it usually helps if you don't think of it as the player "Taking the hit and shrugging it off". Think of HP more as that time the hero frantically ducks under a swing, or manages to lurch out of the way with only a small knick, or even blocking the attack but being slammed into stuff. HP can just be your ability to avoid damage, but once you're out of it you've used up all your luck and one good hit...
The Pendragon RPG might be up your ally. It has some rather stiff rules for combat, and healing is really hard since there is no magic or potions to save you. It's just interesting to read if nothing else.
Bonuses to damage for long swords vs daggers seems weird. I mean, daggers do less damage according to the rules but I don't remember anything beyond magic weapons doing more damage. Which game were you playing?
I agree, but daggers usually have a higher chance to deal critical damage (something i allways thought of as stabbing the opponent in the throat / eye / or a major artery)
Also high attack speed due to the small size and low weight of the dagger. :)
@@valandil7454 It makes perfect logical sense that a dagger is faster beacuse it is a small one-handed weapon that can be used to cut and stab the opponent at remarkable speed. Spears are best wielded with two hands and are much less effective once the opponent has advanced past the spear tip, and the opponent can grab the spear-haft to lock the weapon before getting close enough to kill the spear-wielder. By your logic the crossbow is the fastest weapon because with it you can kill the enemy from a hundred meters away, it does not make it a fast weapon. You can't compare "attack speed" to "movement speed". Besides, daggers are mainly used in games as an assassin weapon, it's a small weapon that you can conceal and use in small spaces where a larger weapon would be impractical. You sneak up behind someone and shove the dagger into their weak spots, visor slits or underneath the helmet, something that does not require martial arts training. In combat it can be used to finnish off an already downed opponent, (read Bernard Cornwells "Azincourt" for that part). It is of course preferable to have a regular weapon in direct combat on a battlefield.
Shad, your book just arrived! I’ll dig into it as soon as I finish my current read.
I readthe Audiobook of your book Shad, I absolutley loved it. I love how you really let your imagination run wild within the cosntraints of the world you crafted. Your characters are compelling and memorable. The reformed villain asthe main character is just inspired and not jsut another farm boy follow some silly destiny balogne etc.
Ah yes, daggers! I've always had a big affinity for daggers in general, though they are inaccurate in games and movies. This gave me a better understanding of daggers in games and how they're accurate and inaccurate to how a dagger really works
Hey. Just pre-ordered the book. Definitely looking forward to it.
Hey, Shad. I just finished your book and I really enjoyed it. I'd love to run a tabletop campaign in your setting. I'm looking forward to the sequel.
I’m loving the book so far Shad!!
Hey Shad, I would love you to make a video about prehistoric weapons. (Recently was caught by Far Cry Primal Marathon and was fascinated by the aura and would love to learn more about the weapons/traps/wars/hunting techniques.
That's a great idea. I like the game as well and know that they strived for at least some measure of realism. Would enjoy Shad's take on it.
Read and Reviewed. Short answer, 5 stars, long answer, five stars! You did an amazing job, and I'm working on a professional review now!
Man i love your videos you have a very practical outlook on things. Seriously has changed my perspective on medieval fighting and all that. love your stuff keep it up. :)
Dear Shad
Thanks for another fascinating vid!
I've finally started to read your Shadow of the Conqueror yesterday as I was reading another book when it was released.
As soon as I started I regretted that I didn't start earlier but kept reading another one.
Well, another one (recently became a blockbuster movie) was good too, but I should've put it aside and start reading Shadow of the Conqueror straight away!
Anyways thank you very much for writing such an epic novel!
Joined Audible just to listen to your book and I really liked it. the only problem is now I have to wait for the next one.
Just got done with your book!!!! LOVED IT!!!!
I'm really amazed at how good Shadow of the Conqueror is. I bought it cause it was Shad's book, but it is actually very good. It keeps your attention the whole book and I had a hard time putting the book down. If you haven't read it, so it.
PS. Shad, can you make a video about Tellos and the sunstone and darkstone technology, the floating islands, the fall, etc? It is a very appealing world you have created.
What other books do you like. I’m trying to gauge if I’d enjoy.
The best description I've ever heard for hitpoints, imperfect though it may be, is that it's not your HEALTH, it's the energy and effort you have to avoid attacks, roll under fireballs, all that sort of thing. Works fairly well with a dagger, the lower damage just represents the short reach etc. Running out of HP is when something finally hits and you go down.
This is going to be really weird but my favorite example on TV of a dual wielding dagger user was the character kahlan amnell on Legend of the Seeker.
A great show, but thanks to knowledge gained from Shad and other sensible people on the internet, I know Kahlan would have died very quickly. The same can be said for the Mord-Sith with their agiels.
Well you see there is a mechanic in D&D called the Coup De Grace, which is an instant kill on any incapacitated character.
An attacker delivering a coup de grace automatically scores a critical hit, after which the defender must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or di
Basically the only thing that saves you is your body being for some reason or another insanely resistant to damage on its own merits.
Shad: I’m not that wide
I’m a lil *THICC*
Just finished the book, really hope for a sequel soon. I can't get enough :)
“It’s just difficult to land the attack”
*peacekeeper doubts in light attack*
Shadow of the Conqueror is probably one of my favorite fantasy novels to date, even compared to the Stormlight Archive and the Wheel of Time. It's wonderful to see a book that uses actual named historical techniques and really thinks about the technology and how it affects the world and culture. I'm halfway through my second listen on Audible and its just as good the second time around. I can't wait to get my hands on the second one whenever it's finally out. Great job Shad, dying to read more from you.
i told my players i have been watching your videos to help inspire me for my whitewolf dark ages game i am running.
they're response: sure, what ever dude.
the next game session... dude you're a (comment redacted)
me evil grin.
1:55 so, this thing you describe was a thing in editions being 5e D&D, namely 3, 3.5, and pathfinder. It’s called a coup de grace in those systems. If your opponent is in a vulnerable position or is helpless in someway you may attempt a blow capable of killing them instantly. 5e replaced this with simply automatically achieving a critical hit, which just doesn’t work the same way.
To be fair a Dagger may only deal 1d4 + STR or DEX, but your average Commoner NPC, only has 4 HP.
7 actually (5e)
@@tortture3519 A coup-de-gra will still instakill most times, autocrit is great
@@Oznerock Except if you have
@@tortture3519 well, any (melee) adventurer will have at least a +2 to either dex or strength, and anyone else is still very likely to instakill. If they do botch it, you can interpret how hard it is psychologically for someone used to casting spells from a distance to take a life while touching the still warm body of their victim.
@@Oznerock Fair point
Hay shad I'm 14 and ive been listening to your book since it came out
I love the world the characters and the weapon.one of the best books I've listened to 5 stars
I was waiting for this
I agree that the damage of short blade weapons is usually absurly low in tabletop roleplaying games but I think is just to keep it simple enough to be comfortable while representing the disadvantage of having a small weapon.
I have tried many systems and even made my own custom rules to make combat more flexible and credible than the sterotypes of "Big weapon=big damage,sluggish speed ; Small weapon = Toothpick damage, lighting fast" but in the end most of it made the rules of combat slow and unconfortable.
There's a lot of room for improvement on tabletop combat rules but I still dont see how to accurate represent accurately the advantages and disadvantages between melee short weapons and longer weapons.
Maybe by using a system like in Fire Emblem? Sword>Dagger>Axe>Sword (for example, I bet it's totally inacurate). You can get a +2 bonus on hit by using the proper weapon.
Furthermore, you can in some extent add a mecanism related to armor. Sword : -4 on full plate. Dagger : +0 on full plate. Hammer : +4 on full plate. This make the game like a double level paper-cisor-rock on which you have to take armor and weapon into account.
I don't know if it's confortable enough.
Okay, so I can actually 100% "answer" this question/issue you've posed. I had this issue for years and finally found a great explanation which I use to this day. You see, one of the main problems is the way you are thinking of Hit Points. Now, in video games, this is harder to address, but in most RPG systems like D&D, Pathfinder, and so on, HP are not just a representation of your body getting physically stronger and tougher. Here's a brief explanation from my own gaming system: "Hit points are an abstraction of not only physical hardiness, but your ability to avoid or resist damaging blows. As you increase in level, your higher HP represents the ability to parry a deadly thrust into a slight graze or move your body with a strike to reduce the impact of a blow. Combat-oriented classes train more to resist physical punishment, and therefore these classes gain more Hit Points each level."
Also, remember the characters with many HP are heroes. Most commoners only have 2-4 HP, and a dagger is all you need to put one down. However, a character with 40 hit points does not have "10 times the body" of a commoner. Instead, they have vast martial training that they use when attacked to turn an otherwise lethal blow into a harmless scratch. Now, most game systems also include things such as "Coup de Grace," where you can just kill a helpless character by slicing their throat or, as you said, jamming a dagger in their chest. This system bypasses the HP, as the HP usually represent your toughness while aware of combat. Since the sleeping character has no chance to dodge or parry, they just die.
As for the advantage and disadvantage of daggers, I would argue the lower damage is the simplest solution to your problem. As you mentioned: "Dagger vs Longsword, the dagger is at a huge disadvantage." Well, in the RPG system, that disadvantage is less damage. The problem is that in a tabletop gaming system, the minutia of adding bonuses and penalties for every little thing eats up time and causes players to lose interest as the numbers get tallied (or just forgotten). I have tried many other ideas such as individual weapon length, weight, player reach, etc, but it just bogs down the system so much that its unplayable. Now, daggers are easy to conceal, carry, and use indoors, and swinging a longsword in a crowded room is difficult, so you can provide situational bonuses as needed. Large weapons are harder to use in a grapple. Use the story to make certain weapons more useful.
Anyway, I hope this makes sense and you understand what I'm trying to say! Many games have found decent ways of addressing this issue, and while there are more realistic options, they generally slow the game down so much it becomes frustrating. As for Hit Points, they represent far more than just your physical body! Hope that helps! Thanks!
^This. HP in dnd isn't the amount of blood or how many cuts and stabs it takes to kill a character. A hit doesn't mean the blade made contact with the skin. it means the character that hit is closer to winning the fight. My old DM liked to describe combat (and if we didn't he would actually do it for us) and blood would only start to show up in the descriptions when the enemies (or characters) were close to 0 HP. I miss dnd...
No views, 22 likes, 3 comments, posted 29 seconds ago. Hell yeah
*JENNA MARBLES INTENSIFIES*
I've finished reading your book just now. It's great! Nice style. I've learned a few new words. Congrats with debut!
Only two weeks and I can also read SotC!
I've finally managed to buy the book, really excited for it to arrive now!
Love it
I think you'd like my homebrew tabletop RPG rules. Daggers and swords do the same damage, but have disadvantage against longer weapons. I enjoy your videos a lot! They've really been an influence on how I handle weapons in my home games. Thanks for you efforts and keep it up!
Weeeell, what you're saying about the damage is true when it comes to fighting humans.. but i games such as DnD you can also be fighting things like ogres and dragons.. a sword is much more effective there.
Yes, it is why oversize swords are staple of fantasy, as dedicated anti-gigant weapons.
There is still a heavy depends on that. A +1 enchanted dagger is far more effective against some creatures than an unenchanted sword, or any unenchanted anything.
@@Krahazik well yeah of course, he's talking in general though. Magic (+1) will always change things
Hey Shad, if you ever got any time on your hands, how about watching all 110 episodes of Legend of the Galactic Heroes. You'll love it, it has plenty of drama and character development, plus the battles all revolve around strategy and careful planning, there's even references to various historical events.
Shad, you place imo too much emphasis on HP in D&D being supposedly how much more than 5 liters of blood someone has. Hit points are meant to be abstract and with characters of higher level, I'd advise to assume the attacks barely scratched them because they managed to almost avoid/deflect it even if it "hits" - which then makes HP make sense. And ofc, you are completely free to ignore HP when the character is sleeping and defenseless. HP are for combat mainly, ale not everything is solved by combat and rules, many things are just roleplayed out in many groups.
Well, most of characters we play in D&D are not common people. At high level they can take inhuman damage because they've become much more than merely mortals, so yes, a sword through their chest is not gonna stop them. Is a high fantasy setting where some guy could be strong enough to kill a freaking dragon by punching really hard.
I got it! The paperback is here! Best weekend ever