In a Fantasy World, What Would Make the Most Practical Sense?

If you had to fight goblins, trolls, ogres, and even just other humans, in a fantasy setting like DnD for instance, what would be some reasonable choices in weapons? And if there is a vast arsenal of options inspired by many real-life historical eras, why would anyone bother with design from an earlier stage in the evolution of arms and armor?
Is choosing between a Bronze Age or Viking Age sword and a Renaissance basket-hilt even really much of a choice, or more like a no-brainer?
I dicussed this with Matt Easton @scholagladiatoria while hanging out at his place, and it was quite a fun topic to nerd out about. Also a good excuse to show off a bunch of different swords and a nice pollaxe. :)
Whi knows, might be useful inspiration for your worldbuilding in tabletop roleplaying, fiction writing, character design in video games, etc.
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#skallagrim #scholagladiatoria #fantasy #fantasyweapon #swords #historicalfantasy #realism

[@scholagladiatoria]

I'd forgotten we shot this! I love this kind of theorizing, now to watch and see what we said!

[@Gabrong]

So when do you guys play some RPG with Lindy?

[@coffekihlberg]

You're a coward for how you acted towards Shad Trulydisgusting.

[@scholagladiatoria]

@@coffekihlberg I don't know how I will ever recover from this comment LOL

[@johannestetzelivonrosador7317]

​​@@scholagladiatoriaI hope you will still continue to be Matt Easton

[@Skallagrim]

@@coffekihlberg Do you even know the details of what happened, and Matt's reasons? Or did you only hear one side of the story?

[@seidmadr2024]

For old style weapons in a fantasy setting; enchanted weapons might last longer, even with active use, so there would be more holdovers from old times, since old weapons with powerful enchantments remain.

[@Hatsworthful]

An interesting example (although not exactly the kind of scenario you specified) would be the old swords Bilbo and the dwarves find in the hobbit, though the changes in weaponry from then and when they find the weapons aren't as grand. That notion also opens up some interesting setting-specific discussions, and i wonder how that would also translate to more modern/future settings as well with other weapons like: "hey you got the legendary rifle from the museum! the upside is: magical powers and all that, the downside is: its a goddamn musket in the age of assault rifles"

[@WhatIfBrigade]

@@Hatsworthful I can just see people complaining about Sting. "Why do you carry that tiny sword?" Me: "Oh, see it glows when enemies are nearby. I basically always have initiative. Also works as a torch in enemy territory."

[@Alpha.Phenix]

@@Hatsworthful Do your assault rifles fire homing rebars? Didn't think so.

[@texasbeast239]

I talked to an armorer at a recent Ren Fest, and asked him for his thoughts on the closest historical analogs to "enchanted weapons". Humorously, he told me about armorers substituting alternate metals or even accidentally dropping contaminants like a hammer or a goblet into the mix, and when people asked how the resulting kit ended up so lightweight or durable, the obvious answer would be: "magic" 😎.

[@SeattleJeffin]

That is an excellent point, but it got me to thinking. If you have a magic sword and you re-hilt it, is it still a magic sword. I know that would depend on the world builder but what does everyone else think would apply. On the one hand just the striking portion of the weapon being magical and the hilt/haft are not has a certain intuitive logic but saying the enchantment is cast on the completed item to give the hilt/haft, crossguards and other accessories the same durability has a certain intuitive logic as well.

[@SRSPRODS]

A great way to explain an outdated weapon in a fantasy setting? Family heirloom or enchanted relic. I always remember Sturm Brightblade from DragonLance and his family sword that he would never dream of replacing, and of course all the elven blades in the LotR setting.

[@windwalker5765]

The Dragon Age fanfic I'm writing has a sword like that. It was a very good and expensive weapon when it was made, because it was steel in a world of mostly bronze and iron. But it was then passed from one head of the family to the next for 400 years. It was sharpened so many times that what had begun life as a fairly long arming sword ended up with a narrow blade four inches shorter than it used to be. But that also made it good for fighting in close quarters like buildings and caves, and moved the point of balance back toward the hand, so it handles like a rapier but without the blade length.

[@yokai333]

Sounds like a fereldan dagger, like the one Duncan had in ostagar. I like the idea of continuous honing over the years

[@calebemotta8107]

@@windwalker5765what’s the fanfic?

[@windwalker5765]

@calebemotta8107 What We Do Matters on AO3

[@notsans9995]

I find it funny you mention Dark Souls. About a year after Elden Ring came out, the devs released a free DLC coliseum. Prior to the coliseum, the main way to fight other people was through Invasions, where you load into someone elses game and basically try to hunt them down on the map, often there would multiple players on otherside once people were in eyesight it easily just became a clusterfuck of large magic attacks being thrown all over the field. But the coliseum allowed for simple 1 on 1 duels in a enclosed space, no hiding or running, you load in right in front of each other so even if you wanted to spell spam youd just get stabbed. Very quickly with in the coliseum, a meta developed where basically everyone was using the same handful of Pole arms and large Rapiers, basically every weapon thats had a fast but strong thrusting attack that could be spammed from a distance lol. When spells were used, it was usually just to cause your opponent to mistep so you can go in for a fatal stab, much like feignts. I thought it was a hilarious how this big grand fantasy setting with wizards and eldritch monster began to mirror real life when it came down to just trying to kill a guy in the most efficient way possible lol.

[@TomiTapio]

Two types of dragons: 1. Dies to 15 crossbow bolts. 2. Laughs at 200 crossbow bolts.

[@ArtyFartyBart]

Matt looks so proud when Skallagrim is talking about how a rapier handles

[@MrVvulf]

His approval that facts and appreciation for older technology are spreading. Firearms have Gun Jesus (Ian McCollum). Swords have Blade Buddha (Matt Easton).

[@kellymurphy1098]

When dealing with monsters, I think traps and fortifications are definitely key. It's like looking historically at how we dealt with "monsters" like lions and tigers. We just *didn't* fight them if we had any choice about it. We used fortifications to keep them out and traps to kill them because if there's one trait common to humans in general, it's that we never saw a fight we thought was slanted enough in our favor that we couldn't use a few more unfair advantages.

[@jamespuckett9753]

As a marine friend once said, “If you’re in a lot of fair fights, your tactics suck.”

[@sunbro-s6d]

and even now, peoples uses spears to kill a lion. keep them far !

[@JForrestFisher--76]

I've long thought fantasy combat against monsters should be more like the hunting scene from one of the Underworld movies.

[@irrelevantfish1978]

Ackshually ... even now, some Hawaiians hunt wild pigs with nothing but a knife (yes, some of them skip the dogs), and the elites in some parts of India were bonkers enough to think hunting tigers with just a talwar or katar was a valid way to show off. Still, your point is well-taken. However, I'm not sure traps would be a common means of dealing with large creatures, not unless magic was common or the tech level had reached the industrial stage. I think it would just be too expensive to do, requiring too much labor and/or steel to pull off. I think the most common method would be large combined-arms hunting parties. Outside of the most magical/titanic of creatures, I think 20-100 men armed with heavy lances, heavier pikes, and mobile artillery would be able to take down almost any of the usual fantasy creatures.

[@lukahumar1371]

@@irrelevantfish1978 Definitely depends on the scale of 'large', if we're talking horses, cattle, large cats, bears, possibly up to rhinos, then traps would still be used to hunt them. Anything larger (say, the size of an elephant or bigger), which in an especially fantastical setting would be a fairly common encounter, or if the monsters have some sort of magic or are especially intelligent...

[@HerraTohtori]

In fantasy settings, you could also have biological / thaumaturgic reasons for using certain weapons or materials. It's a very common thing even in our mythologies that the Faerie folk are vulnerable to iron; that could mean that elves would either not want to use weapons made out of iron (including steel) because it's either physically harmful to them, or causes them mental suffering, or their gods have forbidden it as an unnatural material or something. In this kind of setting, elves might rely on bronze weapons, or they might use obsidian, glass, or flint as arrowheads for example.

[@xxxlonewolf49]

Far was iron, steel didn't do anything special. The iron was, in lore, not changed in the way most iron was worked & changed. I forget the term just now.

[@HerraTohtori]

@@xxxlonewolf49Steel is probably a later invention than the folklore about Faerie, so I wouldn't be surprised if there simply weren't any mention of how steel supposedly affected these beings. Steel arrived to Europe at some point during Viking era, probably from India as crucible steel. Now, steel is still mostly iron with varying amount of carbon and possibly some other metals alloyed in there. The term in European myths was that Faerie were repelled by "cold iron". It's not really clear, chemically speaking, what that means. Traditionally, this would've been items crafted out of wrought iron, or iron with very low carbon content to make it ductile. Horseshoes, for example - that's where the myth about horseshoes being "lucky" comes from. So if we assume a fictional world where there actually are Faerie (or elves or trolls or whatever they're called), the question would be whether they're allergic to iron (the element) or if it's something else about wrought iron specifically that repels them. My point is, it would be quite easy to stretch the "rules" of the myth so that the elves or Faerie would be affected by iron (the chemical element) and thus they would not use weapons or other items made out of iron. For example, maybe iron is poisonous to elves in the same way lead is poisonous to us, so while they _can_ use iron and steel weapons, but it's become a cultural taboo to even touch items made out of iron. This could easily also be used as an explanation as to why trolls use clubs made out of wood and stone, or why elves prefer archery and hafted weapons like spears, since it allows them to effectively use the materials they can use.

[@jamesforgie6594]

I suppose that such fae would be more likely to use axes than swords, because if the metal is all the way over there at the end of the haft, it’s less of a problem.

[@JustClaude13]

@@HerraTohtori Elves have magic. In my current story iron pyrite is a basic component of magic cancelling amulets because it randomizes magical fields so they can't be shaped into operating spells.

[@shryggur]

I'm pretty sure the fairy folk is extremely vulnerable to microplastics

[@CDKohmy]

One thing I think fantasy neglects is the cart. They all have big inventories, but there is the silent magic of items shrinking (like LoZ cartoon) or some pocket dimension, BUT not all classes have access to this magic. If I was a wandering knight, I'd wear the minimum, and keep my heavier gear on my cart (not to mention horses).

[@anderporascu5026]

Same case with horses but yes, unless the lore shows it as uncommon then it is only sensible.

[@interdimensionalcommunicat9750]

Daggerfall made owning a cart and horse pretty important if you wanted to be able to take away all the loot you got from dungeons. Especially because gold had weight in that game (which also incentivized using banks).

[@allandill2033]

One time, my party raided a dungeon and brought a cart with mules with us. We took literally everything that could be carried and sold it. The DM said that he felt like he was being SA'd

[@PalleRasmussen]

Good luck going off-"road"

[@JustGrowingUp84]

And servants! Wealthy adventurers who regularly gain lots of loot should be able to hire a few servants to help with menial things, including looting a dungeon after it has been cleared of enemies. I remember how in The Three Musketeers, each of the four friends had a valet! Some of which played rather important roles at certain points in the stories.

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

I think anti-cavalry swords like the Zhanmadao, Nagamaki and Grand Falchion would be more commonplace in a world of monsters than they were historically. I could see something like a good choppy type XVIIIc sword with much longer grips akin to Zhanmadao and Nagamaki swords being popular with people who fight four legged intelligent monsters.

[@TomiTapio]

Thanks adding anti cavalry swords to #TimelineOfMankind project

[@scholagladiatoria]

I agree! Bigger weapons in general would just be necessary.

[@MaaZeus]

Yup. And here they talked a lot of DnD, Forgotten Realms. There are giants but unlike what most people might think they are not THAT huge. They are not Titans, those are different. They are big but at most about 2 to 3 times, depending on giant race, bigger than normal human. They are still very strong with excellent throwing arms for tossing big rocks or small boulders so keeping a distance is actually very dangerous when fighting against them. But despite their enormous strength giants are also bit slow, physically and mentally, so the most common tactic against a giant is to attack their legs first, cut the tendons to make him fall over before going for the vital parts. A big cutter like Nagamaki could work really well for that initial strike.

[@silverjohn6037]

If memory serves North Africans used to hunt elephants with two handed swords from horse back. They'd confuse and harass the elephant with multiple attackers until the swordsman could ride in from behind and hamstring the rear legs.

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

@@scholagladiatoria I would love a vid on what weapons you would take against monsters. Say if you had to fight something like a Unicorn, Sphinx or Drake that had higher intelligence than animals like Lions and Wolves. All the power and danger of a beast, combined with human level guile, strategy, caution and skill. What you'd pick for 1 on 1 and what you'd pick for a monster hunting party. Even better if you explore the "bigger weapons in general" concept.

[@TheDjester13]

Really enjoy these collaborative videos. Watching 2 of my Yootoob Heroes chat about semi silly suppositions and scenarios is pure chef's kiss. ❤

[@nowayjosedaniel]

Now we need to see a Shadiversity + Metatron alt-right combo video so we can puke extra hard and realize these two (Schola & Skalla) are in a hero league of their own compared to the others, and those two (Shad & Meta) are in a villain league of their own compared to the others. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@nowayjosedaniel]

Oh crap now I want to see Scholagladoria + Skallagrim in a HEMA match vs Shadiversity + Metatron. You KNOW the latter would be humiliated.

[@redundantfridge9764]

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura says a lot of angry peasants with guns can work miracles.

[@leighrate]

Yes, because unlike their "better's" they understand the concept of team work. Angry = Motivated = Trainable = Soldier(s).

[@ОлегКозлов-ю9т]

Ehm... Kinda like our world as well, innit?

[@caseco4979]

Great game, timeless message 😊

[@silverjohn6037]

Magicians would be the equivalent of cannon. Still a lot of infantry in most eras to supplement the artillery.

[@Drejzer]

​@@silverjohn6037I vaguely recall tech and magic not mixing well there... Though it might be me mixing up different thing I picked up by cultural osmosis

[@the_senate8050]

11:20 to be fair "monsters" do exist in our world. They're called cavalry and entire developmental arcs of weapons have focused on fighting them, all the way up to bayonets.

[@allandill2033]

Hannibal likes this

[@Choujeen]

And there are also wild animals, with weapons dedicated to hunting them as well.

[@iivin4233]

​@@Choujeen There used to be a lot of truly monsterous animals, until we killed them with rocks on sticks. I don't know how folks carried their massive balls around back then. Must have had some ancient alien sack--haversack technology.

[@HenrikJansson78]

Or their successors. Tanks. So. RPG:s. :)

[@windwalker5765]

This is simple but brilliant

[@alafosca5724]

I already said it in the latest of Matt Easton's videos, but we're having such a good treatment lately in the sword community that I feel like we'll never get anything like this 😭 I hope I'm wrong. Whatever happens, this is definitely a great moment to be a sword fan. I'm taking so many notes for my fantasy universe that I will mever run out of ideas :)

[@HumbleRedneck]

This is one of my absolute favorite videos that either you or Matt has put together so far.

[@Skallagrim]

Happy to know!

[@HumbleRedneck]

@Skallagrim yes sir, been watching you for 7 years or so, love pretty much everything you put together. But I've got to say I love the idea of fantasy meets realism and I'm finally starting to put together my own KZbin channel so after seeing everything that goes into putting together even something small I can now appreciate everything that you do from A New perspective. Cheers to the both of you.

[@the_senate8050]

20:50 Dungeon Meshi OH Dungeon Meshi!

[@zenebean]

Such a great show, and it's full of creative monster slaying!

[@CreepyMF]

Perfect comment :D

[@RCZM64]

Haven`t watched the show yet, but finished reading the (translated) manga two months ago. Many unexplored concepts taken very logical extremes. 😀

[@etepeteseat7424]

I can't say for sure that Matt would enjoy the show, but based on that comment, I think we need to campaign for him to at least check it out. Literally the most Laios statement possible.

[@rasmusn.e.m1064]

The entire time they were talking about fighting an ogre, all my eyes could see was that giant spearhead behind Matt's head. Javelins with big heads would make a lot of sense against monsters, I think. Also, this video was a lot of fun.

[@julietfischer5056]

Spears were the most common weapon back in the day. A long stick with a pointy bit attached is easy to make in bulk, whether the head is stone, bone, or metal (or the tooth/horn of a magic animal). In ancient Greece, swords shrank in size in favor of spears.

[@Wakkander]

Another thing to consider is that a great deal of, especially classic 70s and 80s, adventures takes place in dungeons. A zweihander in a confined space isn't likely to be as useful. Also contrary to traditional fantasy I always thought dwarves would be more likely to use polearms to make up for their lack of reach. A phalanx like formation in a dwarven tunnel where they can't be flanked seems like it would be effective.

[@angryman2406]

I would love for you guys to look at the weapons and armor in Mount and Blade Bannerlord and let us know how those stack up in relation to each other. That game, while not being a tabletop rpg, did teach me the importance of both the shield and the spear; even when using a two-hander, having the shield strapped on your back can let you 'turtle' a bit while using a two-handed weapon. Awesome video guys!

[@Forgottencarss]

With two of my favourite youtubers, these rants are twice as fun

[@polishFantasyEN]

Skall in that legendary setting so strongly associated with Matt's channel first looked as if photoshopped for me. Only later I realized that hey, he actually did visit them a few weeks ago...

[@Skallagrim]

It's two months ago by now. :) Time flies, and it took me a hot minute to catch up on all the editing.

[@kinguin7]

Funny, looked shopped to me too 😂

[@ok9nja741]

Just tossing a comment to help you fight the algorithm, keep up the great work.

[@TarpShooter]

love the nerd-chemistry between these two. Best crossover yet

[@wingman4564]

Cutlass/sabers. Explorers were BASICALLY traveling to fantasy realms, and the all-purpose functionality served them well.

[@WhatIfBrigade]

19:58 Pit traps with bamboo spikes would really keep giants away. Especially since you can build them so 200kg/400lbs doesn't trigger the trap, but if anything heavier steps on it they fall onto 10ft long spikes.

[@SymbioteMullet]

*scribbles notes for next d&d game...*

[@DatBrasss]

Fantastic to see more content like this

[@weavelcow9596]

I do enjoy discussions like this. Makes for some interesting thought experiments involving different creatures, environments, and cultures. Also as a writing promp, you can think of weapons or equipment that you want to have in the fantasy setting and backwards engineer a way to make it work diegetically.

[@Oruta指揮官]

Longsword will always be versatile whether it's fantasy or sci-fi or real life

[@HiopX]

one way I fit designs from different periods is through magic weapons. they don't deteriorate and have additional advantages. So if you need a magic sword to fight a certain monster, you can commission to enchant your up to date rapier, or chose the 2000 year old magic Xiphos since DnD 5e is very ambiguous in their weapon categories (sword for one handed use, polearm that smashes) and their names are mostly wrong anyway, most players tend to chose based on mechanics and not "I want them to use this specific bill hook design" And for the latter then they start with the up to date design and the find their weapon of desire

[@rikospostmodernlife]

China had shield guard swords for a time, those things were 1 step removed from a schiavona but were ultimately abandoned, aparently because they didn't go well with the tecnology or play stile of chinese swordsmanship ( jian construction seems to favor a high POB and it's sword play seems to emphasize moving the hand around the POB/ricasso rather than the opposite, which is basically the oposite of a rapier's modus operandi)

[@WhatIfBrigade]

6:43 I think rapier and buckler AND left hand dagger makes a lot of sense for an adventurer. Lots of combinations, but there aren't many sidearms that can deal with a big shield. Or an armoured fighter with a polearm. Even if adventurers carry a winged spear as their "walking stick" that still isn't enough to overcome battlefield armour and shields. That is why I think establishing the tone of an RPG campaign is so important. Are these civilians in a town who are expected to adhere to societal norms (rapier, buckler, left hand dagger) or are these warriors going into enemy territory (armour, shield, spear/lance, bastard sword, rondel dagger)? Both of these weapon sets would be ridiculous in the opposite context.

[@ockhamsraptor4702]

On the assassin debate: Even with stealth magic I would rather use a heavy hammer or axe then a dagger. Maximize the damage on that surprise attack. The main advantage of a dagger is that its hard to catch and defend against. Makes it great for shanking unarmed ppl up-front. A wasted advantage against someone caught unawares.

[@Glimmlampe1982]

Didn't forget that blunt damage is way less lethal than piercing and cutting, but cutting is more easily countered by armor. Just think about baseball bats and knives. If someone would force you to choose between letting someone give you one undefended stab with a knife and one undefended swing with a baseball bat. Which would you choose? Similar with a hammer or axe vs dagger.

[@NevisYsbryd]

The advantage of daggers is that they are concealable, worn, and used in more confined spaces. In all other regards, other weapons are more advantageous.

[@ockhamsraptor4702]

@@Glimmlampe1982 Can't agree with you on that. A hammer isn't blunt. Certainly neither is an axe. A baseball bat is missing all the features that make a battle hammer: a sharp, heavy, angled head, which concentrates the force of a blow and sticks to the target for effective transfer of energy.

[@ockhamsraptor4702]

@@NevisYsbryd Generally yes, thou in a grappling scenario, which armoured duels often devolve to, a dagger is perhaps the most dangerous weapon. All tools are situational.

[@dicep6530]

amazing video, love to see more. Also feel you and matt have great synergy. I know that some of the hard-core audience might find these types of videos lacking, but I feel if there can be historical and weapon/armor knowledge dropped in, it could still be a very informative.

[@silverbladeTE]

*Terminus Est* from "The Book of the New Sun" series is possibly a sort of "odd fantasy tech", an executioner's sword with mercury running down inside it, so when swung it got greater force for beheadings. Not much use in a duel, but against a big slow enemy...?

[@JForrestFisher--76]

A weapon with low inertia at the start of a swing and more momentum at the end isn't a bad option in a fight. Though, that depends on the structural complexity of the weapon not excessively reducing the strength or increasing the weight.

[@derkrischa3720]

That sounds great! I think I will steal the idea for a new campaign!

[@meatballdivino8955]

Love hearin you two talking about nerdy stuff!

[@50043211]

Polearms and pikes on mass, simply everywhere. In the fields, on the beaches, in the air.

[@tidepoolclipper8657]

Hence Halberd

[@WhatIfBrigade]

17:23 Cuirasse and a helmet would give you great mobility with your legs and arms while still providing the maximum amount of protection against glancing blows from a giant.

[@JForrestFisher--76]

Or alternately, armor that optimizes at creating large shields akin to samurai armor instead of closing evey gap, and is built from multiple thin layers of spring steel that flex to provide non-ablative crush zones against massive blows.

[@Brennon-x5y]

Awesome vid bro, I’ve been a fan since 2017 and counting, thank you for making my day better every time you post - God bless 🙏🙏🙏

[@leonpeters-malone3054]

Matt Easton a fan of the Forgotten Realms? Sounds like another reason to like the man. Been my home for many, many a year. Icewind Dale, the Frozen North, Sword Coast and even more between. There's days I feel I've spent centuries there, from Candlekeep, to Baldur's Gate, Athkalta and Neverwinter. Targos and Easthaven too. The Severed Hand would have been amazing to see. Oh, right weapons, yes. I think this is a product as much of world building as it is anything else. Many fantasy settings go the kitchen sink route because they're expected to. Since the first editions, it's long been a conflict, combat focused game. To which you need weapons and lots of them to really show it off.

[@werftv4580]

once upon a time, humans took down wooly mammoths and Rhinoceros, possibly even Moa birds and kind... they did much of this with Atlatl spear throwers.. not that hard to imagine...

[@WhatIfBrigade]

5:16 A smallsword could make sense for an assassin, still I'd pair it with a crossbow. A smallsword is okay as a sneaky sidearm, but rubbish if opponents have shields.

[@Alexplainshow]

So...this is a long form discussion of how weapons in Attack on Titans are developed

[@batteredwarrior]

I really enjoyed this video! I would love to see you and Matt collab more often!

[@ezrafaulk3076]

Personally, considering that they typically live in or near *mines* or fortresses carved into the face of *mountains* , I honestly think that it makes more sense for Dwarves to use *hammers* & *warpicks* than axes; & if they absolutely *had* to use axes, their heads should be narrower, thicker, taper *less* , & have a more *blunt* edge; basically, a head more resembling a *chisel* than a traditional axe head. Also, you should definitely consider the *environment* the culture exists in & how it's caused their martial traditions to develop; for example, if a culture developed on a *tropical* island, fighters would have to contend with not *just* extreme heat, but also extreme *humidity* , which *amplifies* the effects of the heat; & they'll also be sailing on the open ocean a lot. Those two factors *together* would lead fighters to, out of *necessity* , almost entirely, if not entirely *forgo* armor; leading to a *lack* of a need for anti-armor weapons; so *instead* , for more *material* means of defense in a one-on-one fight or a battle against other humanoid enemies, combatants would use *shields* , which're typically made of things like *wood* . & considering that so many different species of super dense *hardwoods* grow in the tropics, to *combat* a defense like that, you'd need a top heavy weapon with as much cutting blade on it as feasibly possible; so for a culture like that, the double-axes that people who love realism love to criticize would, *realistically* be the *more* practical type of battle-axe for this culture, & thus the one that'd be *favored* ; it'd be an anti *shield* & anti *barricade* weapon for this culture. Just goes to show how close minded it is to use realism as an excuse to *dismiss* something, when it can be used to *make* something that seems purely fantastical realistic.

[@michaelhuerta7469]

Dwarves use axes because Elves live in trees

[@ezrafaulk3076]

@michaelhuerta7469 I've never understood that trope of Elves & Dwarves hating each others guts; *nor* have I ever understood the trope of Elves being so *arrogant* & racist. With that outta the way, you can at least see the logic in my argument, right?

[@michaelhuerta7469]

@@ezrafaulk3076 yes I can, I just had to make the joke

[@texasbeast239]

I like a bearded axe on one side of the head, and small hammer face on the other. Throw a spike on top and call it a midsize pollaxe for the road.

[@ezrafaulk3076]

@@michaelhuerta7469 I see.

[@brotherandythesage]

"At the end of the day sharp and pointy things are sharp and pointy." Matt Easton 2024

[@NoForksGiven]

Whenever I fight an unreasonably large enemy in any video game with a normal size sword, I always think to myself "this is dumb. I should be using magic. It's basically fantasy artilerry". This is why spellswords are the most IMMSERSIVE way to play. Swords for normal enemies, Fireballs for giants

[@not-a-theist8251]

that was incredibly entertaining to watch. You two are an amazing team

[@Denasgurman]

This green screen with a Matt Easton effect is astonishingly realistic !

[@TrueYTenjoyer]

love these colab vids

[@przeciwskarpa]

Skallagrim & Matt collabs are one of the greatest crossovers in history of mankind. I hope you get to make some videos together in the future, preferably also including Tod.

[@thesteve580]

That was awesome! Love both y'alls channles.

[@arcanearcher13]

The prices are expensive as hell in d&d shops, that's why you have older designed weapons and armor.

[@WhatIfBrigade]

14:06 For smaller fantasy creatures like hobbits or goblins, we often see them hide underground. If there were dragons and giants, I think human castles would be more like bunkers and tunnel systems. There could be narrow passages that only permit a human/elf/dwarf sized creature or smaller to enter. Escape tunnels. Camouflage trenches. Etc.

[@kevincrady2831]

And great cities could be arcologies...

[@mizcs]

Matt being the real life Laois from Dungeon messhi/delicious in dungeon

[@procow2274]

Lets not forget the bare handed players wrecking people with full armor and 2 handed swords ☝️🤓

[@tigerbesteverything]

for the strenght problem, you already gave the answer: magic. Also how much would the concept of a party (from the classic 4 member to the full on compagny) modify the understanding of weapons and armor? It would be interesting to discuss.

[@BentArrowni]

This was pretty fun, in an RPG setting the HEMA equivalent would be translating manuscripts from elvish swordsmasters and trying to figure out if certain stances were meant to be backed up with magic

[@maxxcarver5502]

Goblin Slayer!! people made fun of his kit , without Thinking about his primary focus!! 😊

[@acethesupervillain348]

You know, either of you could probably do a great episode on weapons for fighting animals. Boar swords, bear spears, tiger forks, horse cleaver swords, etc.

[@Myzelfa]

Regarding "Dwarves only use axes" remember that Thorin in The Hobbit uses a sword without any complaint

[@dylanboczar999]

Isn't he kind of seen as a maverick in general? Trying to remember as I haven't read it in over a decade

[@Darth_Brew]

Great video. It's fun listening you two theorizing and discussing this stuff. I think there's also question of accessibility. Can adventurer get their hands on most "advanced" weapons, and even if they could how much would that cost. Are weapons mass producet to the level, you can just buy them of the shelf.

[@xxxlonewolf49]

Great blue screen work! It's like you're really there in person 😉

[@Savno138]

The Pathfinder 2e system has the “Syringe Spear” and injector attachments that can be added to a weapon. Something that often comes up in the discussion of them is having a poison on the blade/needle of the spear, and then a different poison in the injector reservoir for a nasty double attack

[@Kaiyanwang82]

There were also similar systems in 3e's books dedicated to rogue-ish characters.

[@BlackMasterRoshi]

If memory serves, Gimli was quizzed on weather dwarves cleave rocks in the mines with their axes at which he scoffed and implied that they were smart enough to use the right tools for the job.

[@derskalde4973]

Idea for dnd like Trolls: fire lances! This can go from a simple one, like a boar spear, that has a flame spewing Fireworks strapped close to the spear head, or some fancy ones, like a spearhead with a cage to contain a piece of ember or a flame, or a spear with a syringe system, that once engaged, pumps burning oil right into the wound, with the target being to hit vital Organs, like the Trolls Heart, and the fire keeping said vital Organs from regenerating the damage.

[@dadventuretv2538]

I like you two guys together. Play pff each other well. Also like these kind of topics. Fun to think about.

[@soozikins]

Nice to hear you guys bouncing off each other, the fantasy setting adding a fresh perspective on weapons, nice video

[@eureka5635]

An Army/militia would probably use harpoons and chains on Ballista to deal with huge monsters like whale hunters. They'd probably use heavy duty pikes as well, maybe tipped with poison. Or they could use alchemy gas or explosives. I also think if their were huge monsters most humans would be living in walled cities, and if they had magic they'd probably have huge wards to protect against arial and magical attacks. I don't think there would be many small settlements just because there's strength in numbers.

[@Kindrin]

This is a fun conversation. I like all the different paths it took.

[@jaega4247]

This is exactly the sort of discussion I've been looking forward to! As someone who'd love to make my own fantasy setting, story, game, rpg campaign etc as realistic as possible, this is invaluable information/inspiration to consider!

[@arcanearcher13]

Dagger, hand axe, spear, and a nice gambeson, a helm of some kind, and a buckler will get you pretty far. Keep you warm and you have what you need to do the basics of survival. All the weapons can be thrown and the buçkler can be used to bludgeon in addition to being easy to carry.

[@brianhowe201]

Add a helmet and shield and you've got the viking kit. They knew how to travel.

[@arcanearcher13]

Travel light and practical is the key to being an adventurer successfully. Assuming magic isn't a thing.

[@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145]

Funny Mansion Molotov cocktails. For decades of playing D&D I have almost always carried Greek fire (now called alchemist fire) with me. In a recent campaign it came in very handy against a Yeti

[@iDEATH]

One of my favourite "rogues" I ever played was, as I described him, "Hobgoblin Special Forces." Ranger/Rogue (3e), used a great axe for sneak attacks. Rogues have got to be one of the classes with the broadest range of possible backgrounds, so why do so many people default to "thief"? I loved Matt bringing up castle walls. That was a big thing for me with my homebrew, as well. Not a lot of open battlements, I figured. You might have an open courtyard behind the walls, there's not a lot you can do about that other than take it into your defensive plans (it could be prohibitively expensive to try and cover an area that you need to be relatively large and open), but you'd want to have some kind of roof/eaves over the walkways and battlements.

[@iapetusmccool]

It just occured to me that the existance of magic and of dragons and other flying creatures would likely make medieval-style castles obsolete, in the same way that artillery did in real life. And that instead you would likely have people building things like star-forts, bunkers, trench networks, air-raid shelters, etc.

[@brianhowe201]

The dwarves had the right idea!

[@Dalenthas]

I like the idea that dwarves use axes and hammers because they provide wide flat surfaces that they can adorn with art. I imagine a Dwarf who's not yet engraved his axe is viewed as young and inexperienced.

[@MagickPistacho]

Hhahahah, love the edit in this one, wonderful. This topic is really interesting too, I often find myself thinking about this and mostly arrive to the same conclusions. And it's also hella fun trying to work your brain into this kind of "puzzles".

[@NevisYsbryd]

For really large creatures, I think it would end up looking a lot like what was used against aurochs, elephants, and whales; harpoons to drive in and tie it down to immobilize it. Projectile weapons as much as possible.

[@wernermarais8493]

a point I would have brought up regarding different weapons being used. Rapiers and falchion / lang messer were used during roughly the same time period. Both in europe, one used by soldiers one by gentlemen for personal defense or dueling

[@TomiTapio]

20:00 maybe "I deploy the razor wire bundles from my back, at the goblins"

[@matthewschwoebel8247]

For large creatures, tripping and entangling weapons to get them prone. Longer bolas perhaps.

[@danguillou713]

With magic and superpowers from fantasy words, the precise shape of metal in your hand makes less difference, as a fraction of all relevant factors. Second, swords are specialised for fighting people (with swords). In a fantasy world you should be prepared to fight a greater range of opponents. From hobbits to trolls. Magical animals, animated plants, orcs, dwarves, elves. But having said that, I'd guess that more people would carry a polearm, and double daggers still makes absolutely no sense.

[@paulpeterson4216]

The "Thief" or "Rogue" build is very much fantasy. But with suspension of disbelief you can hold that people with light armor and small weapons can dodge blows and get in-and-out with targeted attacks, even if that is unrealistic in HEMA. As to more modern versus older weapons, one thing I liked to do back in the day, was rule that weapons acquire magic with use over decades and centuries, so a very old/archaic weapon might be one of the most powerful. But it also works to have certain races being more or less technological. Orcs may be relegated to Viking Era blades, though successful ones may pick up more modern stuff. Elves were rapier all the way.

[@elio7610]

"I just want to know what an ogre tastes like" Matt Easton 2024

[@Skallagrim]

For the record: I don't.

[@lindor6393]

​@Skallagrim sooo meat of choice would be dragon?

[@lokuzt]

Gnome meat is the way to go, quite tender

[@kevincrady2831]

"Did ye hear tha' Donkey?! Humans are _monsters!_"

[@AugustaWeaver-f8r]

This video is so good! I'm hooked!

[@johnmiller2689]

Great video! 👍

[@M-elephant7777]

The carroballista is the number 1 thing I'd want against most fantasy monsters, especially dragons

[@brianhowe201]

I meet your carroballista and raise you one hwatcha.

[@Boars78]

Chainmail.. leather on the extremities Shield and spear.. always accompanied by a stiff short sidearm and a rondel in your pocket.. can’t go wrong in my opinion 👍

[@davidmoss9943]

What a collaboration!

[@NathanPeters-v8p]

Really, the whole Idea of a thief, a knight, an archer and a wizard working together as a squad doesn't make a lot of sense anyways. But, it's fun and that's probably good enough.

[@christianbutcher716]

The whole point of cloak and dagger is to avoid people realizing they're even in combat

[@luckybear20]

As an aspiring fantasy writer who has thought all kinds of these things to myself, that was really fun to watch. Cheers guys.

[@sesimie]

These collabs are so cool! You learn actual history and also that both Matt and Skal played D&D!

[@ragingangel7424]

Aww, this was great, weapon nerds talking nerd stuff, (very informed and eloquently by the way.) I've had a really rough day and this video has cheered me up no end, thank-you very much Skall and Matt.

[@ragingangel7424]

For context I write fantasy fiction as a hobby and channels like yours are brilliant references to try and get things feeling “right” if not necessarily “real”. It’s interesting (and heartening) to see this kind of video and know that I’m on the right track.

[@darthsepp]

if you are fighting big strong things like giants and such, i think one of the most simple (not easy) ways to bring them down, would be controlling the battlefield in some sense. Picture like the grease spell for instance, or maybe using nets like gladiators. Once the enemy is incapacitated you can use any weapon that simply works.

[@hoi-polloi1863]

If I've got to go up against a giant, I want a mounted knight!

[@eroktartonga4032]

Mobility, magic and ranged and avoiding close combat as much as possible.

[@texasbeast239]

Does your adventure allow you the time to keep memorizing spells and/or making new ammunition? Firing arrows inside a stony cave means broken arrows, and not a lot of trees to assemble new ones with.

[@danielmclellan1522]

​@@texasbeast239part of why my characters almost always have a sling and ammunition pouch, in addition to the bow. Worst case scenario, if I run out, I can fling stray rocks (at disadvantage, if they aren't the right shape).

[@GoldenKaos]

Ah, so it’s realistic that the Halberdiers are the most prominent troops of Warhammer Fantasy’s main human faction. Good, good.

[@LICENFIREFEAR]

Magnificent convo beetwen two gamers who are weapon experts, do more🤩😎

[@michaelshelton5488]

Matt Easton always bringing the context!

[@ninjaxenomorph]

I've wanted a video like this for a long time! The idea that weapons would be developed in response to others has always been a design point when worldbuilding for my campaign settings. Also, injection weapons are a thing in Pathfinder!

[@scottmacgregor3444]

In HEMA used to play the dice of fate game quite often. The biggest mismatch I had was dagger versus saber. Even worse, it was against a guy I couldn't bait into an over swing. The biggest mismatch I ever won was a Rapier versus a pole axe, and that might have been more a factor that Mr poleaxe had to do really controlled swings.

[@Skallagrim]

Those were always fun. I think the worst is dagger vs halberd. What are you even supposed to do there... throw it and run, I guess. :D