Items · Melee Weapons · Combat
Scissor Swords
"How did you lose your arm?" "Well you see, I fought this one bloke with a bizarre sword..."
Full Item Description
Scissor swords, when closed, appear much like a normal sword. The main differences being that the blade is twice as thick as a normal sword, the bottom inch of the blade widens greatly, and there appears to be some sort of rivet near the tip of the weapon. Also, upon closer inspection, the blade seems to actually have two edges, almost flush with each other.
There is a trigger in the hilt however that releases a catch holding part of the base in place. It is then that the sword becomes truly unique, with it sliding smoothly in half, hinging at the top. With the extra weight from the widened base, a skilled user can perform a signature scissoring slice, often severing lightly armored limbs if used correctly. Like with many multi-part weapons though, improper use can result in a reasonable amount of self-inflicted injury.
Many models grow narrower as the blade approaches the tip, though it almost never comes to a sharp tip.
History
These blades have never seen widespread use. Finding someone to teach the basics is a bit of a task in and of itself, and actually mastering this peculiar blade is a feat that is rarely accomplished. It usually resides in the realm of stories, there are a number of fables that recount heroes wielding such weapons. It's not known where the weapon originated, practice of it doesn't seem particularly concentrated in any one area.
When someone does pick up the art, they usually use one of two disciplines. One seems to be almost pendulous, the blade moving slowly and being swung in very wide arcs. The scissoring action with this form is very powerful, though it is by far the easier of the two forms to anticipate. Also, simply due to the basics of this form, it tends to be slow.
The other form is focused on building momentum with the blade, and keeping it turning as fast as possible. Blows are rarely struck with the anchored part of the blade, most of the damage being inflicted by the top few inches of the free swinging blade. This can quickly whittle down an opponents defense, as it is a particularly fast form. The drawback is it's also very easy to injure oneself, and the injury per strike is a good sight lower than that of the pendulum form.
Other unique styles are occasionally used, but most don't work as well as the two primary forms.
Magic/Cursed Properties
None. It is essentially a hinged sword. A skilled user can use it to shear off limbs of people wearing light armor, which is to say that predominantly metal armors are what to wear while facing such things. It can be used as a normal sword as well, simply by not triggering the release. In such a case it doesn't perform as well, though it is heavier.
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Continue the path
Three more steps through the hall.
- Interesting Weapons- Non-Magic by Michael Jotne Slayer Bound
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Useful, if dangerous to the untrained.
Updated: Expanded this a little.
War Forbici
took me a few minutes to find it, but the war scissors have been done already, and in this case, done better.
Dipping into the comments from the War Forbici, such a weapon would require excessive strength to use. Cutting through sinew and bone with a pair of scissors is not nearly as simple as hacking through them with a sword.
Otherwise, solid.
The thing is that the Scissorsword can be wielded like a normal if heavy sword, simply with the added bonus of striking them again from the other side of the limb / torso / whatnot. It's more likely to crack a limb then to actually shear it off, but if the limb was struck with the part of the blade near the hinge with the pendulum form it might take it off.
On the other hand, if you were running a campaign in which realism was slim to none, The War Forbici and the Scissorswords could be closely related. Perhaps the Forbici-wielding Prince Kestor from the linked post there is leading a force of men wielding Scissorswords. Presto! Instant army theme!
While I appreciate any interesting non magical weapon, the descriptions is confusing and the physics of such a weapon (as described) would make for an odd attack. The trade off of weight and manipulation for an inertial second attack seems unwieldy and unlikely.
Still.
I have a very hard time visualizing this weapon - I just cannot see a free-moving sword blade having enough inertia to create more than a superficial gash.
If the split blade closed with increased force due to magic/steampunk/etc, then I could see it being effective at removing things.
I also can't help but seeing the moving parts toast the first time they do a hard parry against another weapon.
Like the idea of a scissor sword, but the practicality is hard for me to see.