hi knights,

I was thinking about Ladyhawke and the one scene I can think of where the black knight guy throws his sword and hits a tree like he was shooting and arrow. I've always liked that.

Yet in Pendragon, it seems like it could be unknightly if it was used in combat. Last that I read knights were only supposed to use javelins. Other missile weapons were unknightly. Then again it is his sword! I have no idea if the knight would do this or not.

The second question is if sword throwing is even possible. I don't have a sword to throw around to see how good of a weapon it can be. Movies always confuse me with things like this. Anyone have any ideas on this one? If a gamemaster were to allow this, I don't think his sword skill should be used. He'd get a big fat 0 for the Sword Throwing skill. Or maybe a fraction of his sword skill should be used. For every foot of sword throwing subtract 5 from the skill.

how would you deal with this?
ArmerdBear

As far as I know sword throwing is not possible. They're not balanced for throwing. Also if you look at people that throw knives they throw it from the blade not the handle. I wouldn't fancy trying that with a bloody big sword.

Throwing a sword would be like throwing an axe, it would fly end-over-end rather than straight like an arrow or crossbow bolt. The best way to attempt it would be with both hands brought overhead and the hilt released when the arms are straight and the hands about at the level of the forehead.

Possible, yes. Realistic, no. Unknightly, probably. Unwise, certainly.

If you prefer a more cinematic game, go ahead and let someone develop Sword Throwing as one of his additional weapon skills. Realistically, Dagger Throwing and Axe Throwing are a stretch, something only Saxons (and Jutes. And Angles) do. Seriously, disarming oneself is rash in the extreme.

I've only seen this in Ladyhawke. Though I'd swear it happened at some point in the LOTR movies. Argh!

I think because of its relative rarity in appearing in fantasy, I'd not allow it.

ArmerdBear

Undead Trout is right. And note that since the motion and rotation concerns are not those of a normal sword-blow, there would be no default from your existing Sword skill.

I have thrown axes and spears, though I am by no means an expert. I assure you that it takes a great deal of practice with even a balanced axe or knife to make sure it hits at a point-forward part of its rotation. With something as unbalanced as a sword? Your valuable blade would be wrecked long before you could hit with reliability, and even then you’d have be so close that you might as well charge into melee range and take the -5 (IIRC) move-and-attack-in-one-turn penalty to your regular skill while hitting with your full weight behind your blow.

If your knight wants a distinctive ranged weapon for when he’s surrounded by lowly bandits (not knights), he’d be far better off exchanging the misericorde at his hip for a balanced throwing knife and practicing throwing that (as well as the sword-to-shield-hand-draw-knife-and-throw move).

I think that if u decide to throw ur sword at a NON-Knight it would be fine , they are just peasants and u owe them no real respect anyway( although maybe not the best tactic) BUT if u throw ur sword at another WORTHY opponent (such as a knight) u would probably at the very least be ridiculed as a coward , and maybe even lose honor. :)

I was thinking about Ladyhawke and the one scene I can think of where the black knight guy throws his sword and hits a tree like he was shooting and arrow. I've always liked that.

Yea, movieland is wonderful. I recall this was a gimmick in a 3 musketeers movie too.
How about those pistol crossbows that can penetrate plate armor?
Or machine-gun crossbows?
Or wizards that throw fireballs?


Yet in Pendragon, it seems like it could be unknightly if it was used in combat.

Not so much unknightly as stupid (see below).


Last that I read knights were only supposed to use javelins. Other missile weapons were unknightly. Then again it is his sword! I have no idea if the knight would do this or not.
Also, note that the use of javelins by knights is valid only during the Uther and Anarchy periods.
Finally, in actual fact it is only unknightly to use missile weapons against knights--it's just fine to use them to slaughter peasants.
By the Boy King period armor just doesn't allow easy use of javelins, bows or crossbows. Commoners have those weapons, and use them, so obviously it is not honorable to use them as knights. Thus do customs change over time.


The second question is if sword throwing is even possible.

The answer to "will it work" for all weird weapons is whether they were used historically that way.
For instance:
I am waiting for anyone to give me an example of a knight actually fighting with two weapons, instead of a sword, during the time where shields were commonly used (note that the later periods have armor so good that it's better to have a 2-handed weapon than a shield)
Also now on my list of desires: any historical examples of throwing swords


how would you deal with this?

Not allow it
or, if I did, then make it a separate weapon skill
but it is so clumsy I'd give the enemy a chance to resist using his DEX
and be sure to play the enemies as smart enough to keep his sword away afterwards,
leaving him disarmed.
which is why it is stupid to throw your sword.
As in the Three Musketeers, "He has discovered a new way to disarm himself!"

Unless of course it was a one-time thing that is really cool in the story, then I'd make it super easy for a one-time cast :)

Been thinking this over for a while. I agree with the majority where we would consider it to be stupid and a possible new skill full of penalties.

However, postulating some quests here, I could see it coming up. A fortune told, a prophecy, etc could lead a knight where he must throw his sword to complete it. Putting it in a verse or such where the knight must interpret it might be the solution to the problem.

Bob S.

However, postulating some quests here, I could see it coming up. A fortune told, a prophecy, etc could lead a knight where he must throw his sword to complete it. Putting it in a verse or such where the knight must interpret it might be the solution to the problem.


Excellent usage!
I think it is ALWAYS BEST when something like this is put into a scenario to be used.
to extend the idea--your PC actually witnesses it in action, but it fails and the casting knight dies, but not before telling his sad story and desperate need for someone to learn to throw the sword and finish the quest, because if not, then...

Excellent usage!
I think it is ALWAYS BEST when something like this is put into a scenario to be used.
to extend the idea--your PC actually witnesses it in action, but it fails and the casting knight dies, but not before telling his sad story and desperate need for someone to learn to throw the sword and finish the quest, because if not, then...


Great scenario seed there - we really ought to set up a sticky thread where little seeds like this that come up can be posted to be plumbed for inspiration.

Edit: This has now been done - http://www.gspendragon.com/roundtable/index.php?topic=1354.0