Best weapon in FANTASY setting.

[JesterRaiin]

There's wonderful thread about swords here, and it got me thinking about something else...

The setting : generic fantasy realm. Here be dragons, magicians, skeletons, golems among other things. Let's think "D&D" or something similar.
The question : what's the most versatile weapon type for wandering adventurer ? Let's not speak about magical, blessed, cursed, poisoned and similar inventions. I'm simply curious about what type of weapon (or combination of weapons) you consider most universal and why ?

Remember, knights, robbers, armored dwarves and agile elves walk the land. So do dead brought back from the graves. Giant creatures can be spotted here and there, monsters with thick skin are considered no less common than simple livestock.


<spoiler=I'd choose something like this>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_hammer
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/War_hammer2.jpg

It can do some serious damage. It's useful against humanoids, animals and monsters alike. One can block with it, one can strike with it, and with enough skill - disarm enemy, or pierce through his armor.

Sure it isn't most flexible, sure it can't slash and has some additional disadvantages, but i'm not looking for a weapon capable of killing each and every enemy imaginable. I'm asking about weapon type that is - once again - most versatile - gives most chances against as many types of enemies as possible.

And you ?

 

[Vern5]

It's always magical/sacred swords.

Seriously, in almost every fantasy media there is a magical sword or even multiple magical swords that seemingly decide the fate of the entire kingdom/empire/cosmos. I can even take JRPGs into account with this trope.

Examples: Soul Edge/Calibur, Excalibur, The Vorpal Sword, The Buster Sword, The Master Sword, Soul Reaver, Froustmourne, Umbra, Narsil, Glamdring, Sting, etc.

The list goes on and on.

 

[JesterRaiin]

That's great, but it doesn't answer my question.
When magic or other blessings are available, we can take ANY item (it doesn't have to be a weapon), enchant it with power, let's say "kill everything on touch". Et voila - "toothbrush of instant death".

I'm interested in type of weapons. Axes, knives, swords, halberds, morgensterns, boomerangs, crossbows, yatagans, sickles - that's what i consider a "type".

 

[Mr.Mattress]

Guns... Enchanted Guns. Specifically an Enchanted Machine Guns (I don't know any brands or types). As someone famous once said, "Always bring a Gun to a Knife Fight".

If your being serious, then I would take a Sickle. And I'd be a Necromancer. Cause Necromancers are cool. Why would a Sickle be the best? Long range to hit people, yet you can bring it in to fight off people in your face. Although it does have it's weaknesses with bows, I would still take a Sickle.

 

[fnartilter]

If your being serious, then I would take a Sickle. And I'd be a Necromancer. Cause Necromancers are cool. Why would a Sickle be the best? Long range to hit people, yet you can bring it in to fight off people in your face. Although it does have it's weaknesses with bows, I would still take a Sickle.

Are you thinking of a scythe? Because I've seen sickles, and they vary in size.

Best fantasy weapon: M41A Pulse Rifle with pump action grenade launcher, combined with digital bullet count and motion sensor.

 

[Wushu Panda]

since your topic only designates Fantasy settings, I will choose one of my favorite from a video game.

R.Y.N.O. II from Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando.

its an automatic gun firing homing missiles with a clip size of 100 rounds. what more could an aspiring evil villain ask for?

EDIT: spelling

 

[JesterRaiin]

Guns... Enchanted Guns. Specifically an Enchanted Machine Guns

Best fantasy weapon: M41A Pulse Rifle with pump action grenade launcher, combined with digital bullet count and motion sensor.

since your topic only designates Fantasy settings, I will choose one of my favorite from a video game.

R.Y.N.O. II from Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando.

its an automatic gun firing homing missiles with a clip size of 100 rounds. what more could an aspiring evil villain ask for?

Interesting.

It's true, some fantasy settings actually contain more advanced projectile weapons. As for RPGs, i'm not sure about D&D, but there are some systems based on D20 mechanics that mix fantasy and future elements. Yet i had simple "generic" fantasy reality in mind. But, for the sake of discussion :
Does possible lack of ammunition, risk of jamming and - i suppose - high cost of upkeep doesn't discriminate such weaponry ?

 

[fnartilter]

GURPS is an excellent pen and paper alternative. It is actually Generic Universal Role Playing System, and it's very flexible for any fantasy or sci-fi setting.

Hmm, with limited ammunition, or just the necessities of upkeep, I would have to go with a gladius/shortsword and roundshield for close quarters.

 

[FalloutJack]

A Daiklaive.

For those of you not in the know, a Daiklave refers to a sort of exceptionally-strong weapon that normal humans cannot wield. To use such a weapon, you must be Exalted, as in the RPG same. Granted, there ARE usually powers linked with these things, but take that away for the purposes of this discussion. If you ARE carrying one of these, you are defined as better-than-human anyway, to the point of it not making any sense or having TO make sense.

 

[FortheLegion]

I would use a mace kind of like this:

Anybody gets hit by this and they'll be hurting, armored foes, undead, and unarmored all feel the blunt force of a mace.

 

[Nouw]

A Warhammer alright, but I like my Warhammers from Warhammer. Whether it be Thunder, Daemon or simply War.

 

[DarkRyter]

A significant enough amount of magic can overpower every other weapon imaginable.

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

Bow and arrow, all the time! There is no comparason! Although a bow which doubles as a blade would be awesome!

 

[sms_117b]

I'm always partial to a sword and shield, every fantasy game (except Skyrim (Two Handed) and now The Old Republic (Duel Wield)) I have always played with a sword and shield first, it just feels right to me.

 

[Insanity72]

<spoiler=I'd choose something like this>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_hammer
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/War_hammer2.jpg

It can do some serious damage. It's useful against humanoids, animals and monsters alike. One can block with it, one can strike with it, and with enough skill - disarm enemy, or pierce through his armor.

Sure it isn't most flexible, sure it can't slash and has some additional disadvantages

I shall now remove your disadvantages from your weapon and give you the Halberd

Spoiler

http://www.warriors-wizards.com/Images/Halberds_European_Knights_Halberd_2612_124.jpg

You can slice, stab, pierce, hook horsemen off, can block some attacks and also has a better range then the warhammer.

 

[Guffe]

We are talking fantasy so I am going with a cool one handed blade and a revolver! and if I can't have my revovler I will have a small crossbow of some sort shooting darts/miniarrows (with poison)
Or alternatively a stick.... yeah a 180cm long piece of wood, of course it would have some small "traps" built into it but then I could play darth maul, AGAINST DRAGONS!!

 

[Guffe]

Bow and arrow, all the time! There is no comparason! Although a bow which doubles as a blade would be awesome!

Spoiler: Something like this?

Pitt with his bow-at-range-then-double-blades

 

[Omnicide]

The Ba'Gangsaw.

Spoiler

I'm sure it's practical for chopping up things that get in your way.

 

[davros3000]

I'd have to go for the machine gun. A gun that shoots machines.

Not very practical, but when that spinning jenny goes flying out it makes one hell of a mess.