Scythes in Games

[Belated]

Why do SO MANY PEOPLE feel the need to clarify that the scythe "is a farming tool"? YES, I'm aware of that. Now quit saying it! You're all sounding like a broken record.

The fact that it is a farming tool should have no bearing whatsoever on whether or not it's used as a weapon in a game. Why do you all care so much about realism? I didn't realize I was in Squaresville!

 

[tombman888]

Well, i have always really loved Hidan's scythe.

Spoiler

Scythes are pretty cool... they're pretty cool.....

 

[kitolz]

I'm a history fanboy when it comes to weapons, so the impracticality of the scythe has removed any of its appeal to me. There are so many awesome weapons in history, some of them actually more absurd than the scythe but looks so much better.

And in the long anime tradition of gun + other stuff combos, I present to you:


The Gun Shield

Spoiler: click here

The Indian Gun Dagger (Katar)

Spoiler: click here

The Gun Axe

Spoiler: click here

 

[thirion1850]

Dervish of Guild Wars uses scythes.

 

[PureChaos]

one of my favourite looking weapons ever

 

[somonels]

Some retards also think that spiked chains are cool, scythe panderers are only a small improvement.
If you want to use a scythe, then cut some grass, that's the only thing it's good at.

 

[Jodah]

Well Mortarion, one of the Space Marine Primarchs in Warhammer 40K wields a scythe as his main weapon.

Spoiler

Having a 9+ foot tall giant bearing down on you with one of those wouldn't be something to laugh at

You know, hes the only Traitor Primarch I ever felt bad about being a traitor. I like the Death Guard Pre-Heresy. Too bad they started worshiping Nurgle...

 

[Aprilgold]

Scythes are a farming implement, its amazing that any are weapons in games.
I'de like to have a combine harvester in an FPS during a vehicle section, now THAT would be good use of farm equipment.

Yes, but so were many other ninja weapons, so why not more scythe?

To be honest, there needs to be a zombie game to where you play as Death, that would certainly be enough Scythe action for me.

 

[Drizzitdude]

Scythes are not weapons. THREAD OVER.

To go a bit more into detail, A scythe would be a poor choice of weapon, even in a game. The underside of the scythe blade is sharp, kind of like a reverse machete. Also, it's engineered to cut in a "scooping" motion, at or below the knees. The problem with using this as a weapon should be obvious. Even if you were to pick it up and hold the "blade" at the top like a polearm, there is still the problem of the curved staff which makes it less aerodynamic and makes it take longer to cut with. If you're not convinced, try it some time. Grab a scythe and try to cut something with it. Anything. I promise you'll have a very had time of it, unless that thing you're trying to cut happens to be some wheat.

As always, good reality-based info is only a wikipedia link away: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scythe

Basically, a scythe as a weapon is like a halberd or naginata, but not as good. So, if you'd like a weapon that is scythe-like, look there. All that being said, video games rarely if ever follow the rules of reality so a scythe would be a perfect weapon for any video game ever and will do umpty billion damage to whatever target you use them on, even if the attack animation makes no damn sense. Examples: The fire axe in L4D2. Have you ever used an axe on anything before? Has it ever passed through in one stroke? Does it always get stuck in whatever you chop at with it? Also, the male night elf in World of Warcraft shooting a bow. Do you know what would happen if you actually tried to shoot a bow that way? Most likely you'd hurt yourself more that whatever it is you're shooting at.

So, in video game logic, everything is an excellent weapon. Reality be damned!

No sir the thread is not over simply ebcause you state is oh master of the forums. This has been mentioned multiple times but I guess you didn't nread those statements that we are NOT referring to scythes usefullness in a real life sistuation but their implementation in videogames.

 

[kitolz]

To be honest, there needs to be a zombie game to where you play as Death, that would certainly be enough Scythe action for me.

My god, yes! You would play as Death, discovering one day that mortals have been dabbling with the supernatural and have interrupted the ancient cycle of life and death. And it's up to you to deal with this shit and restore the natural order of things. I'm not sure why this hasn't been made yet.

 

[XIII's Number XIV]

Well to my surprise there's only been 1 (and a half??) references to Kingdom Hearts's one-of-many final bosses. Yeah. They went ahead and coupled it with a guy that uses flower powers too, since, you know, it's been used as a farming tool.

I haven't played other Sqeenix games to know if any other people use them, but here's one I do know. He's been covered already, but here's a picture:

Spoiler: Marluxia

In my opinion that's a pretty nifty lookin' scythe. Heck, I'd use it.

 

[blankedboy]

Here you go sir, I doubled you're scythe and added fire:

Spoiler

HE DOUBLED HE IS SCYTHE

But yeah, scythes oughta pop up in games more often. I remember some surreal text-adventure game that revolved around a scythe. It was pretty sweet, if my memory hasn't 180-ed in the last 7 or 8 years.

 

[AngloDoom]

Some retards also think that spiked chains are cool, scythe panderers are only a small improvement.
If you want to use a scythe, then cut some grass, that's the only thing it's good at.

I'm sure nobody in this thread until this point has ever thought of that. Without you, we'd be lost in a wave of misconception and impracticality - but your wisdom shone through to use like a lighthouse in an infernal tempest and for that, I thank you.

This isn't a topic of practicality: half of all games feature some ridiculously exaggerated ability in things which just aren't practical. From dual-wielding uzis to people-sized swords, the people playing the games aren't going "Wow, this is so feasible!" No, we're going "wow, doesn't this look cool?" I'm sure you've played with a remarkably impractical weapon in a game and had fun with it - why were you so quick to run in here and try and insult people for doing the same thing?

 

[Smertnik]

I always find it funny when someone's using an unmodified scythe in a game. It's right under gunblades on my list of silly weapons.

 

[Robert Ewing]

For some reason, scythes seem to hold a mystical symbolism. Probably owed to the grim reaper and all, but yeah... I'd like to see more scythes in games. There was a scythe in Oblivion... But you couldn't use it.

 

[beniki]

There was a thread on this not long ago.

Short summary: Scythes are terrible weapons and anyone who had held one in real life (note:me) can tell you its absolutely terribly unbalanced and a terrible thing to use in combat whereby you'll usually be better off using your fists.

I remember back in NWN I used to get really frustrated when I saw people weaponmastering Scythes for the x5 crit and actually being viable since I knew that scythes don't work in combat. At all.

I Monkey gripped two of them in NWN2

Still was hugely impractical next to, say, a two-handed beserker, but the character model just looked too hilarious for me to care! He holds them at the bottom of the pole... like a human preying mantis

And, well, pretty much everything in the 3rd act of NWN2 is immune to crits. Way to make the rogues feel special guys...

 

[ChocoFace]

I've been kinda thinking the same thing, except for fist/knuckle type weapons.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

The scythe.

Spoiler

So epic.

We don't talk about the scythe often enough on this forum site. Scythes are just awesome. Scythes are sharp, pointy, and come in all kinds of different designs depending on who's drawing them. Scythes are intimidating, harbingers of death. And whether you're death himself [http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2TVMxnrSCKY/TRDNyY212iI/AAAAAAAARMs/awPc2GYwBtQ/s1600/GrimReaper.jpg], or you just work for him, [http://gallery.fanserviceftw.com/_images/72ce1bfb8bb9e0e07d3863c3f3dfa0a5/741%20-%20maka_albarn%20soul_eater%20wallpaper.jpg] there's no denying the pure badassery of the scythe. They're just plain cool.

If you're into anime, there's plenty of scythes to be found. But what about video games? We had Dante [http://www.productwiki.com/upload/images/dante_s_inferno.jpg], and we had Ryu Hayabusa [http://gaygamer.net/images/ryustatue.jpg], and we had Zasalamel [http://www.fightersgeneration.com/characters4/zasa-sc3-big.jpg]. And we've had plenty of others. The scythe is to blades, what the desert eagle is to guns. It's an awesome, impractical weapon mostly chosen for aesthetic purposes. And though they sometimes seem childish, you secretly love them. I'm always disappointed when a fantasy game involving swordplay doesn't have scythes. Sure lots of games have had them, but I feel like it's not enough. I need more scythes! More more more!

Maybe I just play too many shooters, and simply don't know about enough games that have scythes. So, what are some good games that have awesome scythe usage? What are some upcoming titles you hope will have scythes?

For one, I'm really hoping Bethesda will think to include them in Skyrim.

EDIT: I didn't think I'd need to clarify this. I thought it was implied. But FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, YES! I know it's a damn farming tool! I'm AWARE. You don't need to tell me! How stupid do you think I am? Did you honestly think I believed it was originally designed to be a weapon? That's just silly! Anyway, what it was designed for should have no bearing whatsoever on what it's used for within a video game. Absolute video game realism at all times is for squares!

Thing is for a realistic see every swing game by bethesda they just cannot have a scythe because the animation would look really really dumb. I can pretty much promise in ALL games where someone has a scythe it is swung, the screen flashes, a red line appears and a cut is made, and this applies to animes as well. Its because a scythe (a regular one) cannot cut in a horizontal line. The most you can manage is a weak sort of side stab that looks FREAKING LAME. This is why skyrim cannot have scythes and in fact any realistic game cannot include them. The animation of the attack has to be dressed up and edited to make it not seem stupid but detracting from realism.

it is IMPOSSIBLE to cut with the inside blade in a way that isnt stupid looking as hell, also in realistic games like ninja gaiden i can promise the only reason it gets away with it is because there is so much going on all at once and the animation is made to almost look right so people dont notice.

EDIT: Just booted ninja giaden up to take a look. It makes purple line follow the scythes path and pretend that cuts instead. Also the blade is insanely thick (vertically, its a very tall blade) meaning it could just about look like its making horizontal cuts. Wouldnt work in oblivion though. Just look awkward.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

Fuck Scythes I want my god damn spears back in Elder Scrolls game and Medium Armour. Why can't I have that Bethesda is it too much choice to make the system unbalanced or to keep it simple for new people? I don't think anyone is stupid enough not be able to handle two more skill like that. Streamlining my arse.

 

[DoctorFrankenStein]

I LOVE scythes and sickles. As for their practicality I'll turn to the master scribe, Terry Pratchett-
"Although the scythe isn't pre-eminent among the weapons of war, anyone who has been on the wrong end of, say, a peasants' revolt will know that in skilled hands it is fearsome."

As for the video games. There's two in the Soul Eater Resonance game; Maka and Soul obviously pack a punch. But if you're playing as Stein and can build yourself up for a special move you can call on Spirit the Deathscythe and chop off at least half your opponents life bar with him.
Another of my favorite scythe users is a bit more obscure. I love playing as Testament from the Guilty Gear X and X2 fighters for the old Xbox. I'd do him as a cosplay if I was in better shape. [His costume exposes his midriff.]
And this isn't exactly a scythe, but I still like it- There is a sickle to be found in the Ascension zombie map for COD Black Ops. It's especially satisfying if I'm playing as Dr. Richstofen at the time. >:]