Therefore, to this day, sword enthusiasts still debate the age-old question which one is the better weapon, the katana or the longsword? It's also logical, if you assume a renaissance period view of swords, where the rapier and two handed sword would be considered long, and in comparison, an arming sword would be short. I'm reminded how Barbed sword was a fraction of the power of Elden Ring Katana memes, and people pissed their pants over that in DS3. Shortsword. Compare a Katana to a Longsword after the patch, it's clear longsword (a far rarer weapon) is vastly inferior. Swordecyclopedia 2022 - All Rights Reserved, Anthony J. Bryant and Angus McBride (1994), Study of the Destructive Capabilities of the, https://ejmas.com/jwma/articles/2002/jwmaart_cvet_0102.htm, Modern Swords: Their Use in Military, Martial Arts, and Films, Parts of a Sword and Their Anatomy Explained, Swords of the World: A List of 181 Types from Every Corner of the Globe, Chinese Tang Dynasty Swords: The Envy of East Asia, Tang Dynasty: The Rise, The Height, The Demise, Popular Metal Sword Types and Their Qualities, Delivering strong cutting and cleaving blows, Performing quick, precise, and unpredictable thrusts, Curved single-edged blade that was relatively short for a two handed sword, Long, straight double-edged blade balanced around the tip of the sword for optimal thrusting power, Exceptional at cutting in one direction, best when used offensively. You must be over 18 years of age to use this website. These are extended forward with the sword, and if injured, could quickly signal the end of a battle. I am wondering what most people think what is better. The centuries-old techniques that are used to produce the katana made it resilient and able to withstand cracking and chipping when delivering powerful blows. The longsword is big and clunky, and is hard to use in close quarters. Everyone loves the Katana, very popular in mainstream culture, but the European longsword was the height of sword technology, cross guard, better steel etc etc. . in some more accurate and unique ways instead of subbing European weapons that don't quite have the same Nuances. It typically has a straight blade that is between 33-43 inches long and a handle that is around 10-15 inches long. :D06:45 - 07:22 Romanticization of European swords07:22 - 09:38 Longsword advantage: reach (? The term short sword is just a descriptive term, and includes everything from the various Roman Gladii, to the Spada da Latoand anything else that was shorter than a long sword. However, the longsword remained a prominent weapon for fencing and dueling. *Historically there have never been specific swords known as either a Shortsword or a Scimitar specifically. The katana especially as you need to really understand how to . So for swords, generally speaking anything with a blade up to 12 inches long is a dagger, anything that could be used with either one of two hands and has a blade 2 feet or longer is a longsword, anything in between is a shortsword or scimitar, anything with a blade around 2 ft long but strictly one-handed is a rapier, anything that requires two hands is a greatsword. I highly recommend the balms and oils from Beard Sorcery:https://beardsorcery.com/?ref=0UEFtHWvZEmtDBooks about history, martial arts, swords, knives, video/audio equipment, and other stuff I recommend:US - https://www.amazon.com/shop/skallagrimnilssonCanada - https://amzn.to/2HeOCMA*** Social media ***https://twitter.com/_Skallagrim_https://www.facebook.com/SkallagrimYThttps://www.instagram.com/skallagrim_yt/#skallagrim #katana #sword https://discord.gg/4TJ2QRPInstagram: cerberusarmzhttps://twitter.com/cerberusarms So, which is the better weapon: the katana or the longsword? Actually, Its a thousand layers, not folds. Katana swords are a type of Japanese longsword that was used by Samurai warriors during the Edo period. This means that the longsword is slightly longer and heavier than the katana. -fin- Ya? Definitely not. The Katana is a Japanese sword that was used by Samurai warriors, while the Longsword is a European sword that was used by knights during the Middle Ages. Swordsmiths were required to report to the government and abide by strict regulations regarding the quality and craftsmanship of their sword. Explore. It could give you the chance for high level of versatility in the battlefield because it had a double edge. The longsword was a versatile weapon that could be used for thrusting, cutting, and chopping. Holding the hilt with both hands, he let the blade continue its motion while rotating the blade around a point between his hands. Balance. The first longswords were used by knights and mounted warriors that needed a weapon that could be effectively used from horseback. The weapons list has a weapon representative of this: Longsword. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Today. However, it didnt always bear the design of the iconic sword we all know today. I think you might be viewing the idea of a D&D Scimitar a bit too narrowly as that weapon is also meant to encompass a falchion/messer which rely heavily on edge alignment and therefore would require a degree of hand-eye coordination which is why Dex is important (ergo finesse). They began using it in the 14th Century. Additionally, when these weapons are wielded correctly, both swords possess a specific core of gravity as well as inherent balance. Although these two iconic swords bear a few similarities in terms of their function, they also feature several differences, so its best to look at their characteristics individually when comparing them. There are different types of hardening. Seizing the opportunity, Gavin grasped his blade halfway down its length and quickly thrust into the mans armpit, instantly causing the mans arm to go limp and begin bleeding profusely. Wakazashis are Longer than daggers and Tantos as a short sword is pushing it a bit, but I know they can vary. Each one has its own characteristics. So reading through this the one problem I have is that everyone assumes Katanas are one thing. Free US Shipping | Handcrafted | 10% OFF Today with code TODAY10, Maintenance and rules of the Japanese Sword. With the sword in both hands before him, Gavin looked ahead and to his left and saw the horses rider starting to get to his feet. The samurai sword, or katana, was originally designed for use by mounted warriors, but it later evolved into a weapon that could be wielded on foot. But thats not what you want to hear. It's not finesse when you do so though. In order to be able to answer that question, we need to assess the discernable factors which are present in any blade. The Longsword is a European sword that was used by knights during the Middle Ages. As swords in Europe were more often used as primary weapons, their length could be longer without encumbering the bearer. The longsword eventually developed a fully swept hilt, making it superior to the tsuba. It was closely associated with the samurai class and the wearing of the katana became a highly ritualized practice, with strict rules governing how it was worn and used. Another key difference between the katana and longsword is the shape of their blades. Knowing he might have only seconds to live, Ryota pushed to his feet, wincing at the pain Gavin heard the arrows whizzing over his head from the archers in the rear and saw the line of horseman charging toward him. Also finesse should always be piercing as it's accuracy, the speed of a weapon strike is more about your strength - dex is more about accuracy (hence it's use in ranged weapons like crossbows) and accuracy-based attacks are about piercing. A Katana is a single bladed two handed curved sword originating from Japan. Therefore, its safe to say that both of these battle-ready swords were quite resilient in their own right. The second step of heating and cooling is done slowly to avoid cracking and other problems. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. This only means that one specifically emphasized swift and quick slicing moves that are considered decisive single strikes, while the other emphasized quick, long-reaching stabs in combination attacks. Ive been a swords enthusiast all my life and I consider it a serious hobby of mine. In order to maintain its high-quality standard, the katanas blade was traditionally made out of the purest steel which the Japanese refer to as tamahagane, also known as jewel steel. In this contest, the Longswords won 3-1. Here's a playlist! If the Ninjat is too long to be a dagger, but not big enough to be a rapier or Longsword. Jan 27, 2018 - Every video I have watched that tries to compare the Japanese Katana to Medieval European Longsword miss the most significant thing to consider. https://www.japanbyweb.com/ninja-museum-of-igaryu/. The longsword is big and clunky, and is hard to use in close quarters. Whether youre a long-time sword collector or someone whos just started to dip a foot into the waters, youd certainly know the type of steel used in crafting a katana. Comparing the katana to the longsword is like comparing apples to oranges. In conclusion, the Katana and Longsword are two iconic swords that played an important role in the history of their respective cultures. Why did Japanese swordsmiths choose to forge a sword with only one edge? The katana is typically around 40 inches long and weighs between 2.5 and 4 pounds. but this is DnD not a history lesson and the point is these things exist and there are reasonable categories for them and it would be fun to exist in DnD if you are going to have samurai builds and Shadow builds. I did a scimitar with versatility for a Ninja-to and find it is neither game breaking or un reasonable. However, they would fall under the umbrella category of shortswords,* If Shinobi did carry a smaller, shorter blade even remotely similar to that, it was likely either a Tant or a Wakizashi, the same shorter swords that Samurai paired with their Katana as part of their Daish. The samurai warriors relied on their tachi, the katanas predecessor which featured a much longer high-carbon steel blade designed to strike down opponents from horseback. It was used during the medieval and Renaissance periods and was typically wielded with two hands. It slowly increased in popularity among samurai and effectively replaced the tachi because the quicker draw of the katana was better suited for combat where victory depended on fast response times. I love learning everything I canabout the arms racefrom the Bronze Age through the Renaissance. Thus, theywere made to be easy to draw and strike with one fluid motion. During this time, civil wars and invasions took place on a constant basis. The longer reach of its blade creates a natural area of defense and even if that distance was to be closed, its extended quillons provide much better protection than the katanas tsuba. Swordscorner.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Regardless of their differences, both swords are highly regarded as symbols of craftsmanship and martial tradition, and continue to capture the imaginations of people around the world. A Longsword or Katana (or an actual historical Scimitar) has more weight behind the swing so power (Str) is more important. Some of his other interests also include traveling, hiking, fitness, and gaming. I actually developed the passion because of the very, very loooonnng lists of weapons back in 2e. The katana was designed to address the tachis limitations and with its shorter, curved, single-edged blade it allowed for more agile and versatile techniques. Differential hardening is a method of improving the mechanical properties of materials. Soldiers in Japan wore uniforms that were made mostly of cloth or leather, with not much metal, at least until the introduction of guns. 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