Talk:Nodachi (3.5e Equipment)

Hooray

I love how taking a falchion, increasing the dice size and the multiplier, and then raising the price exorbitantly and making it exotic, is somehow not enough just because the new weapon has a Japanese name. Thank you Internet, for filling my life with such a high class of people. Yeesh. -- Cronocke 02:42, 10 October 2008 (MDT)

Critiques

This is completely unbalanced. Weighing only a few pounds, with 2d6 damage, the highest critical threat range in the official 3.5 rules and a x3 multiplier, this obsoletes the staple melee weapon, the greatsword, in every single dimension. The only limiting factor is cost, and the difference of a few hundred is nothing once you're at third level. This needs to be severely toned down. Just because everyone thinks that Samurai are cool does not mean that game balance should be thrown out the window. There is a reason high threat ranges are rarely combined with two-handed weapons with high damage. And there's a reason that high multipliers do not accompany high threat ranges. Please tone this down for the sake of balance. Oh, and it's martial. Yeah, on top of all this, you don't even need to take Exotic Weapon Proficiency for it. I hate to say it, but this weapon is completely absurd. --Nox_Noctis

The difference of a few hundred gp should also, realistically, mean that it's harder to find, as it becomes cost-prohibitive to make one such weapon as opposed to a handful of lesser ones given to a number of lesser soldiers. But, if you find the weapon so very, very broken that it can actually match a Wizard as-is (har, har), I'll make it exotic, and increase the price hugely. Honestly, yes, it's powerful, but that's the whole damn point - it's MEANT to be powerful, to be something rare and fearsome. The fact that I named it nodachi was only because I wanted something swordlike and two-handed, and that fit the bill. So don't claim it's because I like samurai too much or some such nonsense. -- Cronocke 17:39, 26 August 2008 (MDT)

Underpowered

Oh God, two word, Improved Critical the critical threat double: 12-20. Seriously you need to tone down that weapon. Big cost do nothing at higher level since a +10 Nodachi would be a little more expensive than a +10 Greatsword while clearly superior. Okay my personal Nodachi stats are: 500gp, 1d10 18-20x2. Hope I helped.--Lord Dhazriel 23:12, 4 September 2008 (MDT)

Ah, where have I seen this trope before? Oh right...

That's it. I'm sick of all this "Masterwork Bastard Sword" bullshit that's going on in the d20 system right now. Katanas deserve much better than that. Much, much better than that.

I should know what I'm talking about. I myself commissioned a genuine katana in Japan for 2,400,000 Yen (that's about $20,000) and have been practicing with it for almost 2 years now. I can even cut slabs of solid steel with my katana.

Japanese smiths spend years working on a single katana and fold it up to a million times to produce the finest blades known to mankind. Katanas are thrice as sharp as European swords and thrice as hard for that matter too. Anything a longsword can cut through, a katana can cut through better. I'm pretty sure a katana could easily bisect a knight wearing full plate with a simple vertical slash.

Ever wonder why medieval Europe never bothered conquering Japan? That's right, they were too scared to fight the disciplined Samurai and their katanas of destruction. Even in World War II, American soldiers targeted the men with the katanas first because their killing power was feared and respected.

So what am I saying? Katanas are simply the best sword that the world has ever seen, and thus, require better stats in the d20 system. Here is the stat block I propose for Katanas

(One-Handed Exotic Weapon) 1d12 Damage 19-20 x4 Crit +2 to hit and damage Counts as Masterwork

(Two-Handed Exotic Weapon) 2d10 Damage 17-20 x4 Crit +5 to hit and damage Counts as Masterwork

Now that seems a lot more representative of the cutting power of Katanas in real life, don't you think?"

But in all seriousness... the 2d6, the 18-20... ok, we can accept such a thing. There is in fact an exotic 2d6, 18-20/x2 weapon (the Joviar, a cross between Greatsword, Falchion, and Awesome)...

But neeeever mix high crit range with high crit multiplier. The amount of brokenation makes even Wizards pee their pants. Yes, even wizards. Any barbarian with his muscle would KILL for the chance to do 3 x INSANE DAMAGE.... and OFTEN. Those one-hit awesome kills where the barbarian cuts through the enemy in a single slice from a good critical? Imagine them happening one out of every four swings. If you want a guide, a weapon which does 18-20 or 19-20 should always be x2, and a weapon which is 20 only can do x3 or x4.

So. Who wants to cut the cheese? :D -- Eiji 23:48, 4 September 2008 (MDT)

No, they wouldn't. Forcecage. --TK-Squared 07:19, 5 September 2008 (MDT)

Whee, my turn to be acerbic! Look. I do NOT FREAKING CARE what you call this weapon! I can change it's name to "Giant Sharpened Horse Penis" if you want. As I said before, I made the weapon TO be powerful - to be something very rare for high-level use with stellar stats. Nodachi was just a convenient, unused name, like how there's a "greatsword" but no "claymore" weapon. That's it. Shut up about it being broken, or about me being a Japanophile, damn it. If you really absolutely must change it, I dunno, lower the damage dice. Or, here's an idea, pit it against enemies immune to critical hits! I'll add some insane rule about how you can only make the weapon with some ludicrous Craft check, while the planets are aligned, on Tuesdays, before 5 PM, when it's raining in Belgium, and how they can only be purchased at stores if you make some silly Appraise check, and even then only on alternate Wednesdays, in major metropolises, if there's a gypsy outside the store doing the Macarena. Jesus. -- Cronocke 14:36, 30 September 2008 (MDT)

Hum that a rude post, rage won't help the problem it will simply make it worst. Ouch with that new price there no way someone can get it, unless they have a lot of resource and a lot of time. Hum well balance is restored but the fact is that once you have it all weapon become obsolete. Which make, my spear-user sad.--Lord Dhazriel 15:15, 30 September 2008 (MDT)

Actually, when you said my weapon was unbalanced, I considered that a compliment. :D It's the other two I was talking to. This weapon was NOT broken before, and it is NOT balanced now. The weapon is USELESS now, and it was powerful before... but it cost 6000 gp before, which meant you'd only get it if you were a high level character with cash to burn. Plus, it was exotic. What level 5 character is going to spend 6000 gp and a feat to get a mundane exotic weapon, I ask you? And an exotic weapon that's no better than a greatsword agaisnt undead, constructs, and other things immune to critical hits... in other words, the favorite playthings of many, many DMs. Before, it was powerful, but limited. Now, it's a joke. But if the only way people will stop complaining and nagging is if I make it a joke, then a joke it shall be. -- Cronocke 16:19, 30 September 2008 (MDT)

The ultra-hard way to get it only make it more legendary. The appraise thing is useless actually, no town have a gp limit of 6 million. I made an ultra powerful weapon before. It was a Steampunk sword, the mechanism was so complicated no one without the proper knowledge could use it. I also made a weapon so giant (3d8 19-20 x4 critical hit) it needed a feat for each attack made with it (1 feat you can make 1 attack, another feat to be granted your second attack etc.). And no player had the gut to get the "Frigging Giant Sword". Simply give it no market price and make it hard to craft and thing should be alright. Like my Dalmacus Steel, a mineral whose mine are exhausted since long ago. --Lord Dhazriel 18:50, 30 September 2008 (MDT)

Because then I may as well say "this weapon only exists in the player's imagination. It cannot be used, ever, by anyone, for any reason." Everyone I've asked outside of this Wiki has agreed: the weapon is balanced when it costs 6,000 gp. In fact, it's underpowered. Why? Because you're spending 2/3rds of a level 5 character's net worth on it, and giving up a feat. You're spending 3/4ths of a +2 bonus to a magic weapon, on a weapon that is strictly mundane. And if we keep the bit about "the weapon is treated as masterwork but gains no attack bonus" then it's even LESS desirable. Yes, if you ignore the price tag, the weapon is substantially stronger than anything else of its type. But the price tag is just THAT big - no character under level 5 can afford it, no character under level 10 should WANT it, and you need to spend a feat to even use it without penalty. Also, I don't want to hear about your sword that only works in December in the snow between the hours of 10 AM and 5 PM and requires a different feat to hold, sheath, unsheath, and swing. That's a topic for another page. -- Cronocke 06:41, 1 October 2008 (MDT)

I was an example, the fact low-level player can't get it is a balancer. Since it exotic and expensive balance also, still the weapon is very strong. I wouldn't say broken, myself. It need revision of course, as all articles. Are you sure you don't want to make an artifact. Non-magical artifact may exist. Of course that part is only up to you.--Lord Dhazriel 12:39, 1 October 2008 (MDT)

Okay, pay attention. When you have a choice between this weapon and a +1 adamantine two-bladed sword, this weapon comes out as underpowered. They cost about the same - in fact, the +1 adamantine two-bladed sword costs less. It gains no bonus for being masterwork, its critical hits are negated on many, many monsters, and it's not made out of any special materials. It is not a good weapon until you reach the high levels where you have money to throw away on things like this. And even then, I'd still prefer to get it as treasure in a dungeon and take it to get enchanted in town. -- Cronocke 15:25, 1 October 2008 (MDT)

The Katana is one thing, the NoDachi is already a published D&D weapon in the Oriental Adventures. Also, it would be considered an improved greatsword with a 18-20/x2 Critical rating, which is wonderful that the rating was used in this revision. Nodachi did not receive the same attention for folding and improvement that the "samurai sword" or "katana" as everyone calls it even though the word just means Sword. The Nodachi in all essence is a single edged Greatsword with a sweeping blade. The sheer use of this weapon is widespread by Cavalry in Historical Japan, not by foot soldiers. As such its cost would be less than listed to match that of a Greatsword. As for the +1 Adamantine two bladed sword "costing less" that would not be true as a +1 Adamantine two bladed sword would cost 10,700gp. (100 pg base weapon, +600 for masterwork double weapon, +3,000 per side for Adamantine, +2,000 per side for +1 enchantment) the Nodachi, also known as the Dai-katana, is fine the way it stands currently, though it still pales in comparison to the Naginata or the Nagamaki, which saw more use in history. ShadowLordArteis 15:25, 1 October 2008 (MDT)

A note.

A greatsword is a level appropriate weapon at level 1. This is not, but it is level appropriate at a later level (hence the price). I don't really see the problem. Surgo 14:40, 30 September 2008 (MDT)

Quick question...

Why are we trying to utilize 'real world' statistics for a D&D game?

'Real World' stats go out the window when you consider that, in the 'Real World' laws of physics dictate that matter and energy cannot be created, nor can they be destroyed, but they can be converted from one to another. Considering that Magic causes things to simply 'spring into being', or creates energy from nothing, why are we trying to overpower what should be a game-balanceing mechanic...by using 'Real World' justification? I'm sorry, whilst I will admit that virtually all of the Japaneese mythos (and the real-world equipment that comes from that country) is badass, I don't think that is should be so overpowered. If you are a DM, run the game however you wish. If you are a player, why cheezeball the game you play in so horribly?--JayKay 09:56, 5 September 2008 (MDT)

Uh

Nodachi are SMALLER then katana. Their a 2 handed short/long sword. So damage should be d6 or d8.- unsigned

Um dude your thinking of a Kodachi not a Nodachi check wikipedia--Stryker-Fyre 20:10, 20 September 2009 (MDT)