Katanas

>>50361835
Who actually rants about katanas in 2016?

Everybody except the most retarded weaboos know that katanas are trash

>>50361835
>Why does everyone like them so much?
I thought everyone hates them, that they are shit swords always breaking and only good for cutting down unarmored peasants.

>>50361835
>It's just a weird scimitar with no crossguard
Saber, it's a weird saber with no crossguard you uncultured swine.

>>50361886
meh, I'm not supposed to know teh difference between easterling weapons. all non-straight swords are the same.

Practicality and all that aside
I dig the aesthetic

Not to say that it's by any measure my favorite type of sword

>>50361835
That’s it. I’m sick of all this “Masterwork Bastard Sword” bullshit that’s going on in the d20 system right now. Katanas deserve much better than that. Much, much better than that.
I should know what I’m talking about. I myself commissioned a genuine katana in Japan for 2,400,000 Yen (that’s about $20,000) and have been practicing with it for almost 2 years now. I can even cut slabs of solid steel with my katana.
Japanese smiths spend years working on a single katana and fold it up to a million times to produce the finest blades known to mankind.
Katanas are thrice as sharp as European swords and thrice as hard for that matter too. Anything a longsword can cut through, a katana can cut through better. I’m pretty sure a katana could easily bisect a knight wearing full plate with a simple vertical slash.
Ever wonder why medieval Europe never bothered conquering Japan? That’s right, they were too scared to fight the disciplined Samurai and their katanas of destruction. Even in World War II, American soldiers targeted the men with the katanas first because their killing power was feared and respected.
So what am I saying? Katanas are simply the best sword that the world has ever seen, and thus, require better stats in the d20 system. Here is the stat block I propose for Katanas:
(One-Handed Exotic Weapon) 1d12 Damage 19-20 x4 Crit +2 to hit and damage Counts as Masterwork
(Two-Handed Exotic Weapon) 2d10 Damage 17-20 x4 Crit +5 to hit and damage Counts as Masterwork
Now that seems a lot more representative of the cutting power of Katanas in real life, don’t you think?
tl;dr = Katanas need to do more damage in d20, see my new stat block.

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> Why does everyone like them so much?

I dunno. I just think they look kind of cool.

>>50361886
>saber

Now you're not even in the same category, since saber are exclusively one-handed affairs.

>>50362059
there was a discussion on two-handed sabres a few weeks back here (i think)
there actually were more than a few two-handed sabres mentioned in history. although they are rather unique, they still existed.

>>50362059
So are katanas if you're not a squint eyed halfling.

>>50362100
>what is kendo

Realistically it has nothing to do with the katana but everything to do with how japanese history is portrayed. The majority of samurai werent noble at all. I went to an antiques shop selling only samurai weaponry and the most expensive items werent the swords but the daggers used for seppuku.
I was astounded by the general lack of promotion of samurai culture until i found out that they were just hired mercenaries for the most part and due to japans isolationist policy they werent required so made up all this BS about being needed and how they were artists and stuff as well

>>50362110
Game of sticks?

>>50361835
>tfw love katanas

hey man i just like the way they look. i also like samurai and ninjas

>>50361886
>Saber, it's a weird saber with no crossguard you uncultured swine.
>uncultured swine
>saber
>not sabre

>>50362115
Pretty much this.

Also, the glorification of the katana and samurai in anime. Pretty much every show has at least one katana- wielding character even when it doesn't make any sense (looking at you Outlaw Star), and they're always super cool and wow look at how great they are.

The katana and derivatives are fine weapons, but just like everything else, should be used in moderation. We'd be screaming the same thing about the Flamberge if it had a similar culture around it.

>>50362161
don't anime drawers prefer oversized swords the size of a small two-storey house instead?

>We'd be screaming the same thing about the Flamberge if it had a similar culture around it.
NO!
There's nothing wrong with flamberges and zweihanders in any amounts!

>>50361835
Exoticism.

The katana is also inferior to sabers and scimitars, clumsy as it is onr-handed.

>>50361835
They're Aesthetic as fuck, man. Also 100% meme worthy.

>>50362203
>Also 100% meme worthy.
I rather see it as negative quality

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>>50362171
There's always a character with an oversized weapon, just like the katana- man. Tropes and archetypes, friend.

>There's nothing wrong with flamberges and zweihanders in any amounts!

There's everything wrong with everything in excessive amounts. Imagine for a moment an alternate reality where the Flamberge is glorified in the same way the Katanas are.

>That’s it. I’m sick of all this “Masterwork Greatsword” bullshit that’s going on in the d20 system right now. Flamberges deserve much better than that. Much, much better than that...

>>50362222
>Imagine for a moment an alternate reality where the Flamberge is glorified in the same way the Katanas are.
I fail to see a problem. It's flamberge, not some goddamn weeb pizza cutter.

>>50362233
It's called oversaturation, retard.

>>50362059
>>50362100
>>50362090
>>50362110
>>50362135
Off the top of my head, like all swords around 2-4 ft. Katanas can be used one handed or two handed, depending on if the situation calls for more control or reach. Variation and exceptions apply for users with different builds and discipline, of course.

>>50361835
They looking cool. Why else?

>>50361835
honestly at this point people who shit on katanas at every opportunity are more annoying than even the most dedicated katanafgs. It's a sword. It's associated with a certain warrior archetype, for better or for worse. It can be good or bad in your fantasy setting. That's it. Screaming about proper curvature of a sword in your homebrew setting only makes a modicum of sense if your setting is hardcore historical realism and nobody is doing that (except for SoS-guys, but they're doing their stuff in their thread and not harming anyone, might as well pretend they don't exist).

That's my taking the bait for today, cheers.

>>50361835
It's aesthetic as fuck you fucking pleb

It has a gradual and consistent curvature, which makes it look "normal". Almost all other curved swords become more curved towards the end of the blade, which looks wonky by comparison.

Comparing it specifically to a scimitar or a sabre is ridiculous. They're nothing alike.

>>50361905
t. autism

>>50361835
>It's just a weird scimitar with no crossguard
Actually is more like a messer or grossemesser, 2hd cleaver, and they have crossguard, though it doesn't have the form of a cross.

Also that pic isn't a katana.

They look cool.
Besides, in a sci-fi setting where melee weapons are modded to the point where they can cut through buildings and block bullets I don't think it's gonna make a huge difference what your weapon looks like.

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It's a shitty weapon not like pick related which is superior in every way.

>>50361944
I know this is pasta, but do masterwork variants get 4x on a crit?
Our dm said masterwork just means you get advantage with it

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Curved swords are sexy as fuck

>>50363232
In 3.PF masterwork only means +1 to hit (doesn't stack with +1 from magic enhancement)
Also in 3.5 katanas are just bastard swords, in PF they're an entirely different weapon (1d8 18-20x2 2hd exotic +4 on coup de grace damage)

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>>50363233
No arguments there, lad.

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>>50363233
>>50363258
My brothers of African descent

They're romance weapons, like revolvers.

Just the right mixture of aesthetics, historical significance and presence in the popular consciousness.

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>>50363357
>tfw played a literal samurai cowboy in Dungeons: the Dragoning

I know it's "every /tg/ meme: the system", so mentioning it is kinda cheating, but shit was cash.

>>50363357
>like revolvers
And longbows.
Fucking longbowfags saying longbows were more accurate and harmful than not only muskets but also modern guns.

>>50363375
It's a good system. One of the few that actually lets you do over-the-top weeb bullshit without having to stretch the rules too much.m. Hell, the only reason I'm homebrewing my own system instead of using D:td is because I think the outright superpowers they give the players are a little too much.

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>>50363375

>>50363221
Took me a while

>>50361835
Because they look fucking cool that's why and are beautiful to boot. Also because iaijutsu is fucking cool as fuck.

>>50361835
It's a two handed sabre, the idea alone is fucking retarded and gives away the greatest benefits of both
And then there are the dumb niggers who think that thick, heavy blade is somehow "fast" due to its "form"
Weight matters you retards, the form gives it no benefit in that regard

Katanas are shit swords for weebs, more info @ easton-sempai

Me Personally? I like the weapon for it's look and versatility. Is it the most god awesome weapon in the world? Nope. Is it overblown. Yep. But still a sexy piece of smith work.

It's beautiful in it's craftsmanship, elegant, sleek and steeped in history and folklore. The idea much like the Knight that there are men who dedicate themselves to a cause, to Justice, Mercy. Who stand above the rest to defend the weak and helpless. We all know it's bullshit and the few Knights or Samurai who actually followed their respective code were a rare few.

That's my take on it atleast and why I like Katana.
>Inb4weeb

>>50363676
>the idea alone is fucking retarded and gives away the greatest benefits of both
Laughinglandsknechts.jpg

>>50362115
>>50362161
These two fine fellows pretty much have it.
Its an exotic and weapon from a mysterious land associated with strange "not-knights" that has been informed in the west mostly by samurai movies and anime, both over-the-top media by their nature that has granted samurai a sort of "real life jedi" status and their weapons as well

That said i've never been much of fan of them, either in gaming or real life, western arms just have such a fantastic variety compared to fetishistic devotion to the same designs over hundreds of years, which may not be fair since Japan WAS an isolated culture thus had no real reason to develop militarily but still

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>>50363676

>>50363750
Saying katana didn't change much is like saying rapier didn't change much. Katana is a type of Japanese blade, Japanese blades varied quite a lot through the ages, from straight to mostly curved by the end (varying in degree of curvature, thickness, cross secction, types of steel used and length)

What are some names you can give the katana or similar blades in a fantasy setting that doesn't have a shoehorned EASTERN LANDS notNipon in it?

Best I've been able to come up with is "razor swords."

>>50363823
Cleaver
Messer
Curved sword

>>50361944
They also arent flexible and can snap easily

>>50363296
>>50363258
>>50363233
Can we all at least agree that Messers are just slightly better European katanas? Like they do everything the same and operate on the exact same principles?

>>50363732
weeb

>>50363856
Depends on the weapon and period.
Most Japanese swords have a dull metal core while the edge is "britle", most Japanese swords don't "snap", they bend and don't recover their form because they aren't flexible.

You'd be right if you mention Japanese swords for cheap ass ashigaru.

>>50363868
see >>50363221

>>50361835
Scimitars/tulwars are one-handed swords with severe curves that are specialized for draw cuts.

Katanas are more like bastard swords, but shorter, used primarily for chopping, can be pretty decent for stabbing, and have a cosmetic curve to the blade that really doesn't do much for it but also doesn't hurt it too bad. Sure. they can be used in one hand like a longsword or bastard sword, but nearly every single school of swordplay that used katanas was a two-handed style, probably for the same reason that the same holds true for longswords.

Generally, two-handed swords tend to have better recovery times after swings, stronger guards, and can be made to be longer without becoming to clumsy. Using a "bastard" style weapon (or even what we would think of a soley two-handed weapon) is totally plausible, it's just going to be so clunky, telegraphed, and easy to deflect.

>>50361846
second post best post.

I love messers, I also love katana hilts and armors (with the demonic mask and kabuto with horns). Though my fav Japanese weapons are yari and nagamaki

>>50361835
They look (subjectively!) cool and are fine for games/stories where realism isn't an issue. If a guy wants to use a katana in D&D or what have you, any game where magic exists or people aren't expected to keep track of stuff like weapon sharpness and penetration values.

They don't have much of a place when realism is a thing, admittedly, since it's a niche weapon. Ultimately, if you get assmad about the katana you need to check your autism.

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>>50363221
That's a nice sword but I don't see it

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>Samurai Warior"
>never took jerusalem
>only killing naked starving peasants
>would literraly loose 100-0 to Brother Guillaume in pic related

>>50364253
Your uncultured swine will say it's a katana
Your knowledgeable guy will say it's a messer and he'll be right
No he won't it's a katana with a messer's hilt

>>50364253
It's a katana blade with a messers crossguard and handle.

The joke is people will think pic's sword is better because it looks European.

They look cool, anon.

>>50363941
>have a cosmetic curve to the blade that really doesn't do much for it but also doesn't hurt it too bad.
In fact there is a lot of use of the curve in the bind and when cutting diagonally. It's also why the katana is more forgiving in the cut (partially at least).

>>50364289
>>50364329
It's really not a messer guard since there is no nagel and the handle construction looks nothing like a messer.

>>50362161
>looking at you Outlaw Star
Outlaw Star had literal magic space pirates and magic-bullet shooting handcannons, so when you think about it one character favoring wooden swords really isn't the least realistic thing in the series at that point....

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>>50362156
Either speak American or French, not some inbetween monstrosity.

The dumbest thing about katanas is that almost every character that uses one uses the later period "katana", which were mostly civilan and/or ceremonial, rather than one of the military model tachi. It's not a huge difference, mostly just a bit of length, the taper of the blade, and how you wear the sheath (Blade up vs blade down), but it's still annoying.

>>50363820
Long saber. Run it through google translate into German for maximum Westaboo faggotry.

>>50364449
Does katana use involve a lot of drawing cuts? If not I have a hard time seeing the curve really adding anything significant. I mean, I know that all of the are mostly unique, but I'm also aware that the curve is essentially left in as a by-product of the differential tempering because, well, it's pretty as hell. I would think that the cutting power comes from the sharpness you can put into the hard edge and the way it's weighted/it's length, but that's totally an inexperienced observation, so I have no way to know for sure.

>>50364516
>Inbetween of English and French
Hate to break it to you bub, but that's still just English.

>>50364537
You know what's annoying? when people say Tachi were Katanas, they're two different types of swords.

Also when people use "Katana" as word for any Japanese sword like weapon ever.

>>50364581
"Katana" is both the general term and the specific name used for the later civilian model.

>>50364516
Les anglais ayant repris le mot sabre aux français (qui l'avaient pris aux hongrois mais chut), cela s'écrit en français comme en anglais "sabre" et certainement pas "saber", porc inculte.

>>50364581
It's kind of like how the modern terms for european swords were misleading and vague.

Broadsword could arguably be used to describe a SHITLOAD of different weapons, but generally when somebody says "broadsword" you tend to get the idea of what they mean (straight one-handed sword, perhaps thicker), in a manner I assume is comparable to the use of the word Katana.

>>50361835
Anime. My god /tg/, we all know this.

>>50364581
Katana literally means sword in Japanese (or more like saber, as opposed to ken, straight sword) and a tachi is a big katana. I'm not talking about just the kanji readings either, the Japanese freely use "katana" to refer to Western curved swords.
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/刀

Now people foolishly use the term "katana" to mean "Japanese swords" but it's a tachi IS a katana, or curved sword.
Not only are tachi listed on the 刀 page, but here's the description for the odachi:
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/大太刀
>長大な打刀、および太刀
>a very long uchigatana or tachi

The real mistake is pretending that all katana are uchigatana when tachi and wakizashi are also considered katana, even if katana is often used to refer to uchigatana for short.

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>nippon sometime in the past
>be samurai
>waste shitload of money buying a shitty ass peon cutting knife
>wife nags about it
>justify your choice of buying it by shouting how it can cleave through rocks and armor easily even though it has been generations since last real war
>bitch silenced
>write the rant down so that your son will be able to use it when his wife nags about how you wasted all of the family money by buying a penis extender
>centuries later
>some weaboo reads your rant online
>shitposts on his formosan shitboiling board how katanas were the greatest weapon known to man

>>50361835
Like a million anons have already pointed out, it is a pretty sword.
I would argue that a big part of it is probably the very explosive and violent way katana-fighting is shown in samurai-movies.
Where the portrayals of historical european fighting can seem (perhaps undeservedly) brutish contests of strength, with huffing burly dudes in metal cans, the samurai of movies usually concentrate, plan, say a cool one-liner and then have amazingly choreographed fights that take 3.5 seconds.

Which is admittedly very appealing.

>>50363750
>that has granted samurai a sort of "real life jedi" status and their weapons as well
It's funny that you say that, because George Lucas actually took inspiration from samurai concepts and other East Asian lore in designing the Jedi concept. The whole philosophy surrounding the Force takes a lot of cues from Eastern mysticism, Yoda is a classic "wise old sensei" archetype (and his speech style is actually modeled on Japanese syntax, with the verbs at the end of the sentence), and Darth Vader's helmet design was inspired by samurai helmets.

>>50364555
There are some drawing cuts especially to escape or counter binds. The curve was indeed a by-product of the quenching, but it doesn't mean that it wasn't used in fighting, they found ways to use it especially at close range.
There are many techniques in some japanese swordsmanship styles that are possible solely because of the existence of a curve, even a minimal one, mostly by messing with the lines of defense at the shortest measure.

>>50364254
Knightfags need to gassed

>>50365041
>>50365042
I was about to say that the sperging over katanas by weebs reminded me a lot of the sperging over lightsabers by Star Wars fans.

>>50364254
>never took jerusalem
So Janissaries>Mamluks>Knights>Samurai?

>>50367956
Looks good to me.

Personally I like the things that are often associated with the katana, not the sword itself. Dedication to master a weapon, the fixation on sheathing and unsheathing the sword, the absurdly sharp cuts, the elaborate techniques passed down from ancient masters, and other silly shit along those lines.

Weebshit can be fun at times but I don't really care what the sword being used for it ends up being. Lightsabers give the exact same feel without being "glorious nippon steel folded a thousand times". So do rapiers if you go full Zorro. Any sword really, though light and fast blades tend to evoke the feel of elegance better.

>>50364329
It has proper guard, of course it's better.

>>50362110
A shitty version of fencing

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>>50362059
I would beg to differ.