Why do current RPGs not have scythes?

[ZippyDSMlee]

Hmmmmmm gunblade+scythe......Gunscythe.....awesomeness!

...considering how gunblades are supposed to work (they're more like gunpowder-driven vibroblades), seems like that would be superfluous on a scythe. If you've already pierced someone, they're completely at your mercy already.

Super human strength when applied to a weaopn class is can make anything awesome in a fight.

Damn straight!

I always considered scythe's inverted swords,its NOT about stabity stabity but more about slicing things at odd angles in close quarters.

 

[Confidingtripod]

neverwinter nights is sortof aged at this point but had scythes and an entire weapon variant known as "exotic"

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

A scythe is a profoundly stupid weapon, that's why they abandoned them.

untrue! but they werent used as sweeping weapons like you see in some anime's or movies, the blade would have been turned 'upward' as in making the stick even longer, and it would end up being a sort of proto-polearm able to hook someone with. the problem with it was that it wasent verry controllable and you could just as well stab your friends as allies XD

So essentially it's not a scythe, it's closer to a glaive, a halberd or a naginata. And that's why they aren't in RPG's, because with a farming scythe with the blade locked in 'grim reaper position' you can maybe, MAYBE stab one person in the side or cut them by moving it behind them and pulling. That's one person dead, every other opponent inside your weapon's protective area (two handed, no shield) and a very good chance your falling opponent will wrest the scythe from you.

Also please note if you do 'hook' someone with a scythe and pull it's unlikely to cut them if they're wearing any kind of armour, the force on the blade is insufficient to generate enough pressure. What you end up with is an enraged soldier being pulled towards you and your weapon stuck behind him. You are dead.

A scythe has a very thick handle and makes no sense as a weapon of choice, it's very much in the same category as a board with a nail in it; improvised weaponry for a section of society just glad to have something sharp.

A normal human with a scythe sucks,a skilled superhuman can combine both the staff and blade parts and fully utilize every bit of the weaopn, calling it a board with a nail in it is a bit disingenuous.......

 

[Judgement101]

Spoiler: All your logic are belong to me

I win!

 

[kuyo]

scythes are technically improvised weaponry from farm equipment, so they only make sense to have in games with an agricultural presence. Also, they aren't very effective weapons as they leave massive openings and are slow, so realistically a warrior wouldn't chose a scythe. As games are getting more realistic, this impractical weapon has fallen out of favor.

 

[NeutralDrow]

I meant the gun barrel would be the pole of the scythe. You could shoot at someone and when the dodge you chage up and stab them. (bullet comes from the top of the pole near the blade)

There are no bullets. Gunblades don't shoot things.

 

[Einherion]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scythes

why would anyone use him as a weapon?

lol all jokes aside, im kinda appalled at all of the conjecture presented as fact here. no citation....BUT ANYWAY.

see this for some history;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scythe

check these guys out for some more info on origin;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scythians

check this out for war
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scythed_chariot

this guy made a book on how to fence with a scythe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulus_Hector_Mair

and here is the WAR SCYTHE.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_scythe


enjoy.

 

[Judgement101]

I meant the gun barrel would be the pole of the scythe. You could shoot at someone and when the dodge you chage up and stab them. (bullet comes from the top of the pole near the blade)

There are no bullets. Gunblades don't shoot things.

They don't?! WTF!

 

[Fiend Dragon]

In Neverwinter Nights 2 MOTB, not only could you use scythes, you could DUAL-WIELD them. You have to get the 'monkey-grip' feat first, but it's delightfully absurd. In fact, dual-wileding scythes was VERY effective. I can't remember the exact formula, but a few levels in fighter and weapon master would result in super power attacks that would literally hit for HUNDREDS of melee damage each turn, and crit on a 10 for 4 times damage. Ahhhhh..... scythemaster....

Too bad that most of the enemies has damage reduction in excess of 30/magic.

 

[Einherion]

and i guess i didnt give my 2 cents, but the reason they are not in games is not due to practicality, as if game weapons are ever practical..GOW had chainsaw guns for heavens sake. but due to some other reason. idk what it is seeing as it would be bad ass to have a rpg with a sythe. i mean soul caliber 3 has a scythe guy and NGII has a werewolf scythe. but something like tales or star ocean with a scythe or devil may cry style...that would be ballin.

 

[NeutralDrow]

scythes are technically improvised weaponry from farm equipment, so they only make sense to have in games with an agricultural presence. Also, they aren't very effective weapons as they leave massive openings and are slow, so realistically a warrior wouldn't chose a scythe. As games are getting more realistic, this impractical weapon has fallen out of favor.

And this is why realism is a scourge that must be fought.

And I know <url=http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/5909/zasalamel.jpg>just the guy to call!

 

[geldonyetich]

I, too, am miffed about a lack of polearms and axes as weapons in games. They're rather fun. But, why do axes often get categorized as blunt weapons? Can someone explain this to me?

Game Developer #1: Okay, we've got our skill system set up for Swords, Two-Handed Weapons, and Blunt Weapons.
Game Developer #2: What about an axe? It's not a sword, it's not two handed, and it's not blunt.
Game Developer #1: Ah, screw it, roll it in with Blunt. The category is looking a little thin with all that useless cleric-fodder anyway.

 

[Lunar Shadow]

Hmmmmmm gunblade+scythe......Gunscythe.....awesomeness!

...considering how gunblades are supposed to work (they're more like gunpowder-driven vibroblades), seems like that would be superfluous on a scythe. If you've already pierced someone, they're completely at your mercy already.

Super human strength when applied to a weaopn class is can make anything awesome in a fight.

Damn straight!

I meant the gun barrel would be the pole of the scythe. You could shoot at someone and when the dodge you chage up and stab them. (bullet comes from the top of the pole near the blade)

They have those, it's called a long rifle with a bayonet on it. (Though it is more of a short spear)

 

[thahat]

A scythe is a profoundly stupid weapon, that's why they abandoned them.

untrue! but they werent used as sweeping weapons like you see in some anime's or movies, the blade would have been turned 'upward' as in making the stick even longer, and it would end up being a sort of proto-polearm able to hook someone with. the problem with it was that it wasent verry controllable and you could just as well stab your friends as allies XD

So essentially it's not a scythe, it's closer to a glaive, a halberd or a naginata. And that's why they aren't in RPG's, because with a farming scythe with the blade locked in 'grim reaper position' you can maybe, MAYBE stab one person in the side or cut them by moving it behind them and pulling. That's one person dead, every other opponent inside your weapon's protective area (two handed, no shield) and a very good chance your falling opponent will wrest the scythe from you.

Also please note if you do 'hook' someone with a scythe and pull it's unlikely to cut them if they're wearing any kind of armour, the force on the blade is insufficient to generate enough pressure. What you end up with is an enraged soldier being pulled towards you and your weapon stuck behind him. You are dead.

A scythe has a very thick handle and makes no sense as a weapon of choice, it's very much in the same category as a board with a nail in it; improvised weaponry for a section of society just glad to have something sharp.

EDIT:

Also it's important to actually look at a real scythe from fieldwork. Most scythes people picture are fantasy scythes, in the same way as a fantasy dagger is laughable, fantasy scythes are made to look gothic and not to function as farming implements.

THIS is a functional scythe, straight away I can pick out several glaring flaws with this as a weapon, four at least.

nicely put, and okey that IS a scyth, but a verry badly made and maintained one lol. yet it gets the point across. scythes then are the molotov coctails of today. a weapon for those without arms. ( arms as in weapons, not as in omg i have no arms! )

 

[NeutralDrow]

I meant the gun barrel would be the pole of the scythe. You could shoot at someone and when the dodge you chage up and stab them. (bullet comes from the top of the pole near the blade)

There are no bullets. Gunblades don't shoot things.

They don't?! WTF!

That's why I pointed out that they're more like gunpowder-driven vibroblades.

 

[Avayu]

I wish more RPGs did have scythes. Realism aside, they're awesome-looking as weapons.

Finally someone who understands why games should have them.

Ok, they may look awesome. I'd still feel silly for using them. Sure for your typical young-guy-whose-farming-village-has-been-burned-down-hero it might work, but even he could find a better weapon to enact his revenge. But having the hero in shining armour using a scythe would completely break my immersion.
Just my personal opinion, but the Rule of Cool does not go over everything else.

 

[masseyguy911]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scythes

why would anyone use him as a weapon?

lol all jokes aside, im kinda appalled at all of the conjecture presented as fact here. no citation....BUT ANYWAY.

see this for some history;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scythe

check these guys out for some more info on origin;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scythians

check this out for war
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scythed_chariot

this guy made a book on how to fence with a scythe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulus_Hector_Mair

and here is the WAR SCYTHE.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_scythe


enjoy.

Yea... read through all of that...
Still not seeing how scythe is a practical weapon, oh and war scythe is different from a scythe.

 

[Judgement101]

Hmmmmmm gunblade+scythe......Gunscythe.....awesomeness!

...considering how gunblades are supposed to work (they're more like gunpowder-driven vibroblades), seems like that would be superfluous on a scythe. If you've already pierced someone, they're completely at your mercy already.

Super human strength when applied to a weaopn class is can make anything awesome in a fight.

Damn straight!

I meant the gun barrel would be the pole of the scythe. You could shoot at someone and when the dodge you chage up and stab them. (bullet comes from the top of the pole near the blade)

They have those, it's called a long rifle with a bayonet on it. (Though it is more of a short spear)

But the bayonet would have to be curved and stick out

 

[NeutralDrow]

But having the hero in shining armour using a scythe would completely break my immersion.

...I know you're a troper, so I'll just point out that Your Mileage May Vary. Having a protagonist using a Sinister Scythe (and subsequently subverting the expectation by proving that Dark Is Not Evil) would be totally sweet.