The scimitar was a one-handed, martial melee weapon of the sword family.[1]
Description
Edit
The scimitar was similar to the falchion in that it was a "backsword", sharpened on one edge and the other edge was thicker to give it strength. Scimitar blades were 2 to 3 ft (60 to 90 cm) long and almost always curved but a few were angled like a khopesh.[3] Starting at the hilt, the blade might taper gradually to a point or might increase in width and then rapidly come to a point. The hilt was one-handed and had quillons. An average scimitar cost 15 gp and weighed 4 lb (1.8 kg).[4]
WeaponologyEdit
A ceremonial scimitar with scabbard.
Scimitars did not have the damaging power of longswords or other heavier swords, but with skill they could hit vital areas better than most. Using the one-sided, curved scimitar required special training and was therefore classified as a martial weapon.[1][2]
HistoryEdit
First appearing on Toril around the year -2059 DR (1880 NY), scimitars developed from the khopesh, which were created a thousand years prior.[5] These blades were commonly favored by Calishites[6] and some druids.[7][8]
Notable scimitarsEdit
- Icingdeath
- Right handed weapon of Drizzt Do'Urden the ranger.[9]
- Twinkle
- Left handed weapon of the drow, Drizzt.[9]
- Hornblade
- The weapon of the nature god Mielikki.[10]
- Starzad
- A strongly enchanted scimitar forged by a genie in Qudra.[11]
AppendixEdit
NotesEdit
1st edition, 2nd edition and 3.0/3.5 edition Dungeons & Dragons rules allow druids to wield scimitars.[12][7][8]
GalleryEdit
External linksEdit
ReferencesEdit
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook 3.5 edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 116. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (1978). Players Handbook 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 38. ISBN 0-9356-9601-6.
- ↑ Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook 3.5 edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 116, 120. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
- ↑ slade, James Butler (November 1996). Netheril: Empire of Magic (The Winds of Netheril). (TSR, Inc.), p. 31. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
- ↑ Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). Races of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 84. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 David "Zeb" Cook (August 1989). Player's Handbook (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 35. ISBN 0-88038-716-5.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook 3.5 edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 34. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 177. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 49. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (July 1996). “Nemesis”. In Anthony J. Bryant ed. Dungeon #60 (TSR, Inc.), p. 57.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (1978). Players Handbook 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 19. ISBN 0-9356-9601-6.
