Change to Katanas

[Nightshadow]

I once saw another server, Path of Ascension I think it was, change around the damages and criticals of weapons. For instance, a Bastard Sword was 19-20x3, I believe. This server had some overrides, like we do, but I don't think it had haks, though I may have been wrong.

Anyway... my suggestion is to make the katana more than just a cooler looking bastard sword, and change it to a 1d8 damage and 18-20x2 critical, if it's possible.

[Egon the Monkey]

I think that really, the reason few PCs use katanas is there are a lot of good bastard swords but no katanas of any sort for sale on the mainland AFAIK. Probably possible as Nut overrode Staves.

[Drakill Tannan]

Make it two handed as it should be, imo.

[Nightshadow]

A 2 handed 1d10 weapon? No thanks. Increase its damage to 3d4 if we do that, I say, making it slightly better than the greatsword.

[petey512]

Drakill's got it right. Not sure if it's possible to make it weapon finessable either, but if so, I think we should do it.

[ExileStrife]

It's to triage the Kara-Turs.

[Iron Oligarch]

Let's give them +5 enhancement bonuses too, so that they can cut through tanks.

Seriously, all weapons are not created equal. The DMs look favorably on PCs that use subpar weapons, and quite often give them an excellent weapon to remove the handicap -- but frankly, the katana isn't subpar in the slightest! A bastard sword by any other name would cut as well.

[Egon the Monkey]

Thanks to Wikipedia:
Katana- 1 handed sword
Tachi -2 handed sword

The point's that it looks cool and has the minor but often significant bonus of taking up slightly less space, as it's shorter by 2 squares.

I just wish it was possible to get hold of basic and decent ones without a trip to Old Port now Ymph's developed. Rather than clutter the server with drops of them, thus making them less special, I would suggest a Kara-Turan Swordsmith who sells a basic katana for 300 Gold, and a Massive Criticals 1d4, +1 AC or other basic bonus, fancy looking version for 1000 gold. Like the Fort Mur Smith sells upgraded Waraxes. Allow katana users a prestige item to buy as an upgrade from a basic one. Also have him sell Shuriken and Kamas.

[Nightshadow]

A katana is a great weapon, yes. I'm just offering a suggestion to make it more unique, not necessarily more powerful.

[Equinox]

The only change i'd suggest if one was to be made at all. Would be to make katanas finesseable and 1d8 dmg. I like the idea of taking a feat to have a slightly more damaging finesse weapon, much like most people choose bastardsword over longsword.

[Drakill Tannan]

1d8 damage and finesable sonds good to me

[Nightshadow]

Maybe it's just because I'm playing the only katana-user on the server right now (to my knowledge) and I'm a strength based fighter... but I disagree, lol

[The Boom King]

Your character would still be more powerful than katana wielders who use finesse, Nightshadow. :P I mean, your AC might be a little bit less, but you'd still do more damage with more or equal AB.

[GoblinSapper]

Why the heck would Katana be a finessable weapon? At all? It's a Bastard Sword, and a slashing weapon.
 
If we're going to make anything finesse, make Scimitars finesse so I can make a Scimitard WM.

[Equinox]

Have you seen the typical people who use katanas in films and the like, little old oriental men with not much muscle, but skill. A katana is about speed and prescision, utilising the razor sharp edge to tear your opponents down, not brute force.