A More Sensible Reskinning of the Starknife

[baggageboy]

So Piazo loves their starknife and and by the rule of cool it's great. Unfortunately to me it's less than spectacular to be running around with a weapon that is actively pointing sharp bits towards yourself when you go to stab someone.

So I was trying to think of other weapons that are more reasonable to fill the niche that piazo has with the starknife, mainly a 1 handed thrown or melee weapon with e reasonably short ranged increment. I plan on working with me GM to buy a "starknife" that is skinned as something else that doesn't offend my personal sensibilities. Here are he ideas that I have had so far:

Throwing knives:
Actually not the most realistic either, but definitely a troupe and more reasonable than a starknife. (I love throwing knifes as an idea but they actually aren't a very good idea generally).

Throwing axes/tomahawks:
More reasonable than the starknife, but would tend towards doing slashing instead of piercing.

Short spear/ilkwa:
Actually probably the most reasonable and would maintain the piercing damage.

Chakram:
this is probably closest to the starknife in the way it is described being used, but using one in melee would also be difficult.

Are there any other ideas I missed?

[Babe: Pig on the Internet]

The Glaive from Krull?

[Malk_Content]

Battle/Throwing Pick. Keeps piercing.

[avr]

Hunga mungas are real and spiky weapons.

[Lemartes]

Please call it a Stark nife...

[HWalsh]

Well... To point out...

Quote:

So Piazo loves their starknife and and by the rule of cool it's great. Unfortunately to me it's less than spectacular to be running around with a weapon that is actively pointing sharp bits towards yourself when you go to stab someone.

Based on how the knife is constructed, namely with a bar in the center, surrounded by a ring, with an X of blades...

Image of Star Knife

It doesn't actually aim the blade toward you in order to stab.

In melee combat the center grip puts the blade in an X... Meaning if you were to punch with it, which would point the blade toward you... You would be doing (very light) slashing damage.

The weapon is a piercing weapon.

So, in theory, if you were going to use it, you'd grip the center shaft of the weapon in a traditional style.

At which point you wouldn't be punching, because that would require you to make a forward thrust with your wrist bent (which is a quick way to break your wrist) and would reduce your force...

Instead, you'd hold the shaft vertically, like you would a sword, and be making primarily backhand/backfist like attacks, and horizontal/diagonal up/down strikes similar to the "traditional" depiction of the classic Psycho knife-stab.

It would be an awkward fighting style, to be sure, but not unreasonable. If the weapon's handle aligned between two of the blades to create a + rather than diagonally to make an X it would be a much more effective weapon...

[HWalsh]

Though, to get what you want, I'd look to the Shaolin "Wind and Fire Wheel" as inspiration.

Wikipedia is your friend!

It is a round ring, potentially suitable for throwing, with a myriad of designs, which could easily be used for throwing, was an actual weapon, and has an already existing fighting style with which to adequately simulate.

[the David]

avr wrote:

Hunga mungas are real and spiky weapons.

I just read the Ultimate Equipment entry for the Hunga Munga and now I'm left wondering if you're supposed to use it as a light, one-handed or two-handed melee weapon.

''Also called a mambele, danisco, goleyo, njiga, or any of many lesser-known names, this three-bladed dagger is intended for throwing but can be used as a melee weapon. Though the basic three-blade design is most common, hunga mungas can take a wide variety of forms.''

[avr]

the David wrote:

avr wrote:

Hunga mungas are real and spiky weapons.

I just read the Ultimate Equipment entry for the Hunga Munga and now I'm left wondering if you're supposed to use it as a light, one-handed or two-handed melee weapon.

''Also called a mambele, danisco, goleyo, njiga, or any of many lesser-known names, this three-bladed dagger is intended for throwing but can be used as a melee weapon. Though the basic three-blade design is most common, hunga mungas can take a wide variety of forms.''

I think they're wielded in pairs which strongly suggests light. Also the description calls it a dagger.

[The Sideromancer]

My mind just replaces the normal starknife design with these