I figure it'd help if I am ever in a place where weapons are frowned upon, but nobody is actually SEARCHING people for weapons at the door, or when talking to somebody who is worried about someone trying to kill them, and would thus be nervous around people with weapons.
Also, can we argue that the sharpened scabbard of a katana, when used as a weapon, is a light weapon? The rules describe a sharpened combat scabbard as a one handed weapon, but it would more-or-less be the length of the katana's blade, which is a perfectly acceptable length for an ENTIRE gladius, which is considered a light weapon. It's also 1/3 of the weight
Alternatively, in the same way that Exotic Weapons Proficiency - Katana reduces a katana from 2h to 1h, could it then reduce a sheath designed for a katana from 1h to light?
personally I would allow you to take an exotic weapon proficiency - sharpened combat scabbard to reduce it to a light weapon. but I think it would be wrong to reduce it from a one handed weapon to a light weapon just for your own personal flavour.
the way I would rule it is this, you can either have a light sharpened combat scabbard that deals a d4 instead of a d6. or you can take a separate exotic weapon prof in it. I think thats more than reasonable.
Also I vote no on letting you conceal your katana under your cloak. unless its a magic cloak or katana that is. people are going to notice a big swinging sword tied to your belt even if you wear a big coat. you will walk differently when you wear it and the coat would catch. also if you ever need to sit down or crouch you'll give it away instantly.
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There's also the option of gloves of storing.
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1) Concealing. Why bother with math. Consider this: Your Katana does not drag on the ground but several inches above, no matter where on the blade it is attacked. If your cloak is floor length, it hangs lower than the end of the Katana. Thus, it will never be seen below the cloak. Now you have to deal with accidental reveal due to sitting down, cloak opening due to winds, or if your "tattered cloak" has holes in it.
2) Sharpened Sheath for a Katana. The point of a sheath is to keep the edge safely contained. Adding an edge to the sheath defeats this purpose. I think the sheaths were used either as a blunt weapon, or as a shield if used to block another weapon.
3) The Gloves of Storing solve the issue nicely. So does the Called weapon enchant.
/cevah
One option would be to buy the Shrinking special ability for your Katana. (It will need to have at least a +1 enhancement bonus before you can add this.) Shrink it down to dagger size and then use Sleight of Hand to conceal it.
Weapon Tattoo from Dirty Tactics Toolbox is another great option, but it costs 10,000 g.p. Store your Katana in your tattoo and call it to your hand with a swift action.
No, no, no. . .we can do better than this. What you *need* is a larger cloak. You can modify a hoop skirt frame so that it is worn around the neck (attached to a gorget, possibly supported by pauldrons---we'll leave the details to your tailor). One billowy cloak, made to order.
Or, like on Highlander, you can have someone off-camera hand your PC their sword when you roll initiative.
If you're low level this could be a problem because of cost, but what about a Glamered katana? You could make it look like a walking stick or something else innocuous, and no one would know any better (minus True Seeing or similar magic).
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If you're low level this could be a problem because of cost, but what about a Glamered katana? You could make it look like a walking stick or something else innocuous, and no one would know any better (minus True Seeing or similar magic).
An oldie but a goodie. But Shrinking is a fourth of the cost of Glamered. I'm pretty sure it is the cheapest option.
If you're low level this could be a problem because of cost, but what about a Glamered katana? You could make it look like a walking stick or something else innocuous, and no one would know any better (minus True Seeing or similar magic).
Shame katanas are too small for it to work as a transformative weapon. I still like the idea behind that enchantment anyway, for those times when all you have is a katana and you're surrounded by skeletons. Suddenly, your carefully constructed sword is a one-pound rod with four pounds of STEEL SMASHY on the end!
Then there are sword canes and such, although again a katana would make a crappy cane. You are not Tachibana Ukyo, anyway.
Also didn't notice the whole 'sharpened scabbard' bit. I think that's trying a little too hard. I can imagine the very tip of a scabbard set up as a trick point to stab someone with like a lousy spear, but using it to slice is a little outside of what a scabbard does. (And then what do you do to store your sharpened scabbard safely, another scabbard?)
As others have said, technically you can't hide it. It seems reasonable to allow it with a stiff penalty, though. Generally, GMs should be enabling players and finding mechanics to make something work, rather than saying "no." At least in minor/relatively reasonable issues such as this.
I second the suggestion about a "walking stick" to disguise your blade, which is historically accurate. There's even a "sword cane" weapon in Pathfinder that you could refluff as a katana, potentially asking your GM for different stats for a bigger sword/staff.
I think the reason scabbards are "one-handed" is because of the added weight if they are reinforced enough to be used in combat. Maybe if you paid to have it done in mithral, though, you GM would allow it to be "light."
People have posted a number of magical items that would help. There's one I learned about in a PFS scenario a few months ago that you might like: Sheath of Bladestealth. It turns the blade + sheath invisible while stored. Neat!
Long blades are not what you call stealth weapons. You want sneak attack, learn to flank and feint.
Ooooh, oooooh!
Is this a good time for the "Historically, ninjas didn't use Katanas anwyay" discussion?
For that matter, historically speaking, neither did Kitsune...
Long blades are not what you call stealth weapons. You want sneak attack, learn to flank and feint.Ooooh, oooooh!
Is this a good time for the "Historically, ninjas didn't use Katanas anwyay" discussion?
For that matter, historically speaking, neither did Kitsune...
Not really. A real ninja would use any weapon he or she could get a hold of, I think. Even a spiked shield. (Mwahahaha!) Of course, nonproficiency is no concern when making a coup de grace, so nothing is wrong conceptually with a ninja carrying a warhammer around for those cases. (Or, as I and someone else mentioned, as a decoy to surrender while keeping the real stuff hidden. But you try to resist the urge to declare you're doing a sneak attack coup de grace with a warhammer. It can't be done.)