Why do current RPGs not have scythes?

[blarghblarghhhhh]

Because scythes aren't weapons. They're farming tools. Only an idiot would fight with a scythe.

Exactly, why go into a fight with scythe, a FARMING tool, when you could use... oh lets say a halberd, you know something thats actually made to be used as a weapon?

It's sharp and can cut stuff. Sound like a perfect weapon. Also, knives were cooking tools and are considered weapons.

also axes are used to cut wood. Im assuming that was there first use.

Some people just cant respect ninjas, thats why you dont see scythes or sais(sp?) in modern games.

 

[Mr.PlanetEater]

Well to be fair, Scythes (Not War scythes but just regular old harvesting Scythes) have been used as weapons in real life (see the Peasants' War of the mid 1500's) it's just that you had to go through a lot of training to be able to fence with them (See Fencing with scythes techniques from 1541). So in real life they are pretty damn unwieldy and impractical, but you guys do realize he's talking about your typical Fantasy RPG right? The kinds where you can shoot Fire from your eyes, and you poo lightning so why not use a Scythe? :/

 

[SsilverR]

Because scythes aren't weapons. They're farming tools. Only an idiot would fight with a scythe.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.70517-Scythes#694172
The real question is why do RPGs neglect polearms and axes? Historically they were the most commonly used melee weapons. Swords were the equivalent of an officers pistol.

most of the eastern martial arts weapons to date are farmers tools people developed techniques to use during combat for

i did kung fu for a majority of my life and i know you can be deadly if you used a sythe for cane or beggars cane techniques

 

[Arisato-kun]

Record of Agarest War does.

 

[Estolcles]

People forget the grandfather of 3d MMORPGs, EVERQUEST, had Scythes. And various versions of them too.

Granted, they weren't the greatest weapons, but if you had a decent 2hs skill level, they were dandy in a pinch.

Go EverCrack!

 

[sketch_zeppelin]

...lazyness?

scythes do work a bit differently then most weapons. they have great reach but if your enemy is closer then the effective killing range then your kind of fucked, un like a spear a scythe isn't really designed to be used as a quater staff in case of emergencies. I guess you could just make it so that it hits enemies no matter where they be in the swing but then what the hell is point of using a sword?...ok i guess you could use a shield with it but what about two handed swords?

Really i think scythes would work just as well as any other weapon (especially in a turnbased rpg)so again the explanation i can think of is lazyness.

 

[crabdog62482]

A scythe is a tool, not a weapon. and unlike a knife, it's a tool that doesn't even make a good improvised weapon. Plus, the rule of cool says: Chainsaws and swords > scythes and spears.

 

[Trivun]

Because scythes aren't weapons. They're farming tools. Only an idiot would fight with a scythe.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.70517-Scythes#694172
The real question is why do RPGs neglect polearms and axes? Historically they were the most commonly used melee weapons. Swords were the equivalent of an officers pistol.

According to the History Channel, swords were the elite weapon used by officers and those of noble birth until about the Middle Ages, when suddenly they became a more common weapon due to the development of new methods of making swords, that were quicker and cheaper. So swords could be produced in larger quantities, and quicker, so they started to become the weapon of choice around then for most armies, foregoing the more traditional spears and halberds as used by older armies. By the end of the Middle Ages, swords were a common weapon, and by the time of the Renaissance, they were used by almost everyone as a weapon of personal safety and protection, right up until the end of the 1800s and early 1900s, when they were all but replaced by guns as firearms became more common in manufacturing and usage.

So really, using swords as a common weapon in RPGs fits, historically speaking. And there are plenty of RPGs anyway where you can still use things like axes, though not so much halberds or polearms. That said, most RPGs take place in different fictional worlds anyway, so the development of weapons technology could easily be vastly different to the way it went on Earth, in real life. Thus explaining why non-sword weapons are excluded so much...

 

[Canid117]

Has anyone noticed that most rpgs don't have scythes as a weapon choice? (None modded games) It sort of annoys me because almost everyone loves a scythe as a weapon. So I was wondering what do you think the reasons for the lack of scythes is?

Because they actually make terrible weapons?

 

[klipton]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djQh-7b0Fn8
Sorry if someone else posted it, but looks like a pretty neat weapon to me.
OT: no idea, maybe because they are not really common weapons, especially in the western, and the jrpg`s seems to be more and more "westernized".

 

[tlozoot]

Final Fantasy XI Dark Knight was all about the scythe.

 

[open trap]

Because scythes aren't weapons. They're farming tools. Only an idiot would fight with a scythe.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.70517-Scythes#694172
The real question is why do RPGs neglect polearms and axes? Historically they were the most commonly used melee weapons. Swords were the equivalent of an officers pistol.

I am pretty sure swords (short swords to be exact) were a main weapon for cqc of the Greek and Roman armies, used after they had lost there spear after throwing it or it breaking, but please correct me if im wrong.

 

[Dexiro]

why do axes often get categorized as blunt weapons? Can someone explain this to me?

Probably just a bad habit for game developers. It started off that way for whatever reason and they stuck with it, people are used to the idea. Gives the "blunt weapons" catalog more variety i suppose.

Axes are probably sharper than most swords in reality, there's less blade to maintain at least. Though i wouldn't really know anything about that.

I'd like to see a funkier variety of weapons in games, some of the have scythes hidden around in the "sword" or "axe" categories, or purely as farming tools which i guess is their proper use. I'd like to see more of them as their own category of weapon though ^_^

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

Because scythes aren't weapons. They're farming tools. Only an idiot would fight with a scythe.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.70517-Scythes#694172
The real question is why do RPGs neglect polearms and axes? Historically they were the most commonly used melee weapons. Swords were the equivalent of an officers pistol.

Damn it. Stole the words right out of my mouth.
Honestly: How the hell do you fight with a scythe? It's impractical as hell!

 

[Arcanite Ripper]

How many RPG heroes are going to go grain-harvesting?

Record of Agarest War does.

Oh. One of THOSE scythes.

I don't know; It seems like an offbeat choice since it's not incredibly practical compared to your other choices (A spear has a point for keeping the baddies at bay; Some sort of gigantic axe has a bigger blade. I am such a weapon expert, guys!!). and while it does look bad-ass going into war with the Grim Reaper's Harvester, I imagine he'd be even more angry for each person that totally rips off his style.

Other then that, I have no idea.

 

[nothinghere]

Because scythes aren't weapons. They're farming tools. Only an idiot would fight with a scythe.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.70517-Scythes#694172
The real question is why do RPGs neglect polearms and axes? Historically they were the most commonly used melee weapons. Swords were the equivalent of an officers pistol.

The people wielding a scythe's would be incredibly strong, especially if their in a JRPG, you know when they swing weapons designed to take down horses and would require three people just to pick up and with the amount of moment if they changed the scythe to have a blade down the side then it would slice someone in half in one hit, you'd just need to plan your moves and attack them before they notice you.

 

[MMETEORAGA1994]

really the only game I've seen where a character used a Scythe was Chrono Trigger. It's not commonplace because it's not a normal weapon

 

[2xDouble]

Snippity. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naginata] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaive]. What about against armored opponents?

Those are polearms not scythes.

Aren't they?

ahem; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_scythe

Also... the Kusarigama is not even close to a polearm. It may be small, but it's still a sickle scythe.

 

[Signa]

Final Fantasy XI and .hack//G.U. both use scythes as weapons.
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?

That's Bethesda being lazy and not putting in an Axe skill in Oblivion. I guess maintaining a strict 3-skill-per-governing-attribute game design was more important than making the game right.

I was reading a book in Oblivion the other day and there was a reference to a spear of legendary power(I'm forgetting its name right now). Basically, the book was outlining all the best unique weapons and artifacts in the game, but given that there were no spears in the game, you could tell several of the artifacts got cut.

 

[Czargent Sane]

a scythe is not usually a weapon, so it would not exactly be something you pick up from the local blacksmith and take to the dragon's lair. not a scythe fit for battle anyway. if crafted correctly, it could certainly make a very feasible weapon, but it would need its own unique animations for its use, as it does not really fit into any other category in terms of how it would be wielded.