Scythes

[Limos]

I'm confused as to why a scythe would be an innappropriate weapon for the grim REAPER. Reaping is the verb that usually refers to harvesting crops. It was later that it came to mean killing.

Ever heard, you Reap what you sow?

The Scythe is actually quite an effective weapon, it's not so much a stabbing weapon as a slashing weapon. It's merit is that it is meant to loop behind the opponent, this would be particularly effective against knights as their armor is meant to protect mainly from frontal assualts. A scythe gets past the shield and then the sharp tip can punch through the armor more readily than most weapons available to the peasantry.

If you're leading a peasant revolt using a scythe is probably going to be more effective than using a pitchfork. And since melee weapons aren't in much use today it's not like ANYONE has a shotgun, much less the farmer.

The whole death imagery is pretty deeply ingrained into western culture. People respond to it more than most weapons.

 

[eypyeash]

Because the scythe was used as a tool for reaping hay. The Grim reaper used it for reaping souls. It has connotations to harvesting, that's why they associate Death, I.E The harvester of souls,with it. It all makes perfect sense when you think about it. Also, a sharpened Scythe will cut you in half with one swing. They are fairly suited for battle.

No. No they won't. They'll cut hay in half with a single swing. The shape of a scythe means swinging it 'at' someone is impossible, you'd need to move it past them then pull it towards you, no where near enough momentum to go through bone.

If you have the blade twisted away from you, as it should be, you're using your hips' natural energy... which is used in every martial art to deliver finishing blows. The blade is angled out as it travels too. You don't pull it towards you, just move side-to-side, and if you must, tug a little as you do.

Conversely, they were pretty poorly made, as noted earlier. Even if "war scythes" were developed, it would only be to give serfs-turned-men-at-arms something they were already familiar with and pump up their morale with their fancy new tool, and only too late would they find out it was just as crappy as their scythe back home.

Just like the Russians giving citizen hordes SMGs during WW2. The rapid fire kept them happy long enough that they died for the cause and took a couple baddies down too.

 

[Excelcior]

A scythe can be an effective weapon, in the hands of someone who knows what he's doing. Ever heard of hashijutsu? That's fighting. With chopsticks. That doesn't seem like the best weapon to me, but hey, apparently some people think different. And I know it is mostly defensive, but most people would still prefer a shield for that.

 

[Aries_Split]

A scythe can be an effective weapon, in the hands of someone who knows what he's doing. Ever heard of hashijutsu? That's fighting. With chopsticks. That doesn't seem like the best weapon to me, but hey, apparently some people think different. And I know it is mostly defensive, but most people would still prefer a shield for that.

...Chopsticks...?
Want!

 

[poleboy]

I've never heard of "war scythes" outside D&D. I suppose that if you sharpened the other edge, it could cause some damage... but you'd have to modify it pretty heavily for it to be as effective as other melee weapons. I'm also not crazy about the fact that you'd have to get it around your opponent and pull towards yourself to cut anything. That seems like it would leave you wide open for attacks before you even get a chance to hit him.

 

[Knight Templar]

I've heard of a war scythe been used in war. Seems logical for an army to use whatever they can in a time of need.

The flail was a tool not unlike the scythe before its use in war.

 

[The Wooster]

I've heard of a war scythe been used in war. Seems logical for an army to use whatever they can in a time of need.

The fail was a tool not unlike the scythe before its use in war.

Your absolutely right. Just not in the way you expected.

 

[meatloaf231]

Because the scythe was used as a tool for reaping hay. The Grim reaper used it for reaping souls. It has connotations to harvesting, that's why they associate Death, I.E The harvester of souls,with it. It all makes perfect sense when you think about it. Also, a sharpened Scythe will cut you in half with one swing. They are fairly suited for battle.

No. No they won't. They'll cut hay in half with a single swing. The shape of a scythe means swinging it 'at' someone is impossible, you'd need to move it past them then pull it towards you, no where near enough momentum to go through bone.

Technically couldn't you grip it high on the shaft with one hand, low with the other, and pull it past you, cutting an enemy to your side? You would have to be slightly past them.

Sure it's inefficient, but it should work, right?

 

[Reaperman Wompa]

If you have an extra long blade wich curves around a lot like a right angle becoming a quarter of a circle then they are a cool weapon.


Other than that I do get the point that they are pretty crap.

 

[Altorin]

Lots of real weapons started as farming implements

look at the Kama.

Trust me, it's a real weapon, even though it's basically a tiny scythe (or a straighter sickle)

If you bring a scythe to a shotgun fight, you deserve your buckshot in the chest, but I'm pretty sure a scythe would have a half decent match against a pitchfork.

 

[Jumpman]

Very dramatic, lots of swooshes. not very practical.

then again, since when does practicality have anything to do with videogame weapons?
Cloud's sword from ff7 would be impossible to lift unless it was made out of spray painted balsa wood. Same goes for Azeroth's hammer form soul caliber and prettymuch any of the higher level weapons in WoW. And don't even get me started on the unfathomable inadiquacies of pretty much any female characters armor in any Japanese game ever made. sheesh.

compared to most of the stuff out there, a scyth wouldn't be half bad. especially if you had a black robe to go with it.

 

[Altorin]

psst

it's Asteroth

Azeroth is warcraft's primary world

but ya.

 

[Larenxis]

Scythes are just a coward's sickle.

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

Anyone who says you cannot be badass while wielding a scythe clearly never played Soul Calibur III.

 

[Copter400]

You could make a war scythe. Twist the blade up by 90 degrees and hey presto, you have a simple halberd.

 

[Souplex]

Actually it would be more of a glaive. A halberd is a poleaxe and a longspear hybrid.

 

[The Iron Ninja]

Anyone arguing that a sythe couldn't be used as a weapon should stand in a line infront of angry farmers weilding said sythes. Any object can kill you given enough time. If You can smother someone to death with a pillow, I imagine it's fair to assume being hit in the head with a peice of metal wont be that healthy either.

 

[Souplex]

Anyone arguing that a sythe couldn't be used as a weapon should stand in a line infront of angry farmers weilding said sythes. Any object can kill you given enough time. If You can smother someone to death with a pillow, I imagine it's fair to assume being hit in the head with a peice of metal wont be that healthy either.

I think we were reffering to effective weapons.

 

[The Iron Ninja]

I think you might not be arguing as to it's effectiveness as a weapon if someone was hitting you in the head with it.

 

[Dealin Burgers]

Reaping is the appeal. Verbs make weapons badass.