Kusarigama and others: Reach and Adjacent?

[N. Jolly]

From the description and basic logic of the Kusarigama, it should be a reach and adjacent weapon, but I'm not sure if such a weapon even exist in the rules anymore. Is it a R/A weapon?

Is there even still one in the rules? The closest thing I can find to it would be the meteor hammer, which wouldn't be a bad substitute for what I'm doing, but I'd rather have one that always worked like that instead of needing to swap between the two.

If there is a R/A weapon, please let me know since I can't seem to find one or something that qualifies as one.

[graystone]

Instead of a R/A weapon, I'd say it's a R or A weapon. Used as a double weapon it'd be A, used as a reach it'd lose A but gain R.

For a R/A weapon, look at whip.

[ErrantPursuit]

Some eastern themed exotic weapons with reach:
Double Chained Kama
Kusarigama
Kyoketsu Shoge

[blackbloodtroll]

The description suggests one end is reach, whilst one is not.

It is really not clear though.

By the way, this weapon is in Ultimate Equipment, and Ultimate Combat.

[Shifty]

Kusarigama wrote:

This weapon has a single sickle held in the off-hand attached by 10 feet of fine chain to a weighted metal ball.

Benefit: The sickle is used to make trips, jabs, and blocks while the ball is whipped around at high speeds and then smashed into the opponent.

LOLWUT? I don't think the author gets how the weapon works.

[blackbloodtroll]

Having one end adjacent, and the other reach, fits with Kusarigamajutsu style of fighting.

[ErrantPursuit]

@Shifty Jackie Chan in that western with smashed-nose-blonde guy. He uses a horseshoe on the end of a rope in this style of combat. The weighted ball becomes dangerous because you use centrifugal force and a fulcrum (usually your hand, arm, etc) to achieve acceleration and swift direction changes. While the wording may seem awkward that is exactly how the weapon operates.

Also note, that if you have trained or seen demos with this weapon, most of the ways in which the weight is used are for the various combat maneuvers(trip, disarm, etc...) not a straightforward attack.

[Shifty]

Meh, the weighted chain is generally used as a distraction or entrapping tool, with the Kama being employed for doing the actual damage. The weighted ends don't really do all that much actual hurting.

I'm going to take Masaaki Hatsumi over Shanghai Noon :)

[Dabbler]

Actually both tactics can be used. The ball can be used like a weighted chain to strike or ensnare. However, the weapon was intended to use against a charging armoured or mounted foe: ensnare the legs (or the mount's legs) as they rush forward and trip them, then move in and finish them off with the sickle.