Bit of an oddity now that I think about it. The lack of them.
Stuff like Cutlass, Boarding Axe and Pike, even Harpoons. And given that I'm running Skull and Shackles right now it's on my mind. Especially with the Pirate Archetype. So few things.
1) Should we wait to see if they make them later on? Or should we start homebrewing.
2) And if we homebrew, do we make them different or reskin existing weapons. As an example, would a Cutlass be closer to Shortsword or Longsword? Is a Boarding Axe basically a Hatchet or should we knock it down to Simple(Why is Hatchet Martial?)
I think the most paizo® consistent response I can give you is that for the purposes of the playtest and submitting surveys (if that's your jam) you ought just reskin things that do exist into the things you want that don't exist.
If you want to poll in other jurisdictions here pf1's cutlass was genuinely just a reskinned scimitar.
For my own reskinning thus far: since the NPC selection in the bestiary is direly lacking I've been subbing medium size dumb/punchy monsters when necessary for when my players punch a guard in the face or any such brilliance.
As a DM who has been really digging around in the RAW with the great assistance of people on the forums who are smarter than I am, if you want to play RAW you're going to be doing intuitively ridiculous things like treating prone creatures your size as counting for screening against/for enemies. So really I'd say follow your dreams and make a cutlass with reasonable properties that isn't a reskinned scimitar. never forget!
Look I don't want to homebrew to the point it might break the playtest but I don't think mixing 1 weapon trait or two will be that.
I've complained a LOT about PF2. But the weapon traits is something I like to the point I'm probably going to port it back to PF1.
Part of the reason I'm asking about this is a PF1 player needing a feat for Pierce damage. So much easier with a weapon trait.
There are already some OGL weapon generation rules for PF1, they work okay balance wise (so long as you don't want to write up firearms or technological weapons).
The PF2 Weapon Traits won't back-convert very well on their own (they rely on the Action and Skill systems PF2 uses).
For PF2 purposes, I haven't been shy about customizing or reskinning weapons. They're like backgrounds, so painfully generic that there's no benefit to be had from sticking strictly published lists.
I gave my party's Fighter a pair of "Court Swords" as a reward for a difficult adventure. They're just uncommon blades based on the Shortswords she already used, but which traded Versatile S and Finesse traits she didn't need for the Parry and Disarm traits her combat style demanded.
I also let my varisian bard purchase a "bladed scarf" as an uncommon type of whip.
I dunno Cantriped. They seem pretty easily transferred to me. Maybe not 1 to 1 but converting them back shouldn't be too hard.
But thanks for the example of Court Swords. That seems pretty cool.
I dunno Cantriped. They seem pretty easily transferred to me. Maybe not 1 to 1 but converting them back shouldn't be too hard.
But thanks for the example of Court Swords. That seems pretty cool.
I agree the basic system would work fine in PF1. The PF1 weapon design rules I mentioned above are (in my opinion) the basis for the playtest weapon system. Particularly the fact that traits are weighed against base damage, and that two-handed exotic weapons get the biggest pool of points to build from (with everything else getting less by degree). I specified the traits themselves. For example: Finesse obviates Weapon Finesse in PF1. Agile, Backswing, Sweep, and Twin all rely on the 3-action economy, Disarm and Trip rely on the pf2 skill system... etc.
The Court Sword is pretty ideal... if you're a str-based dual-wielding fighter. I described it as having a full basket-hilt like a rapier, but a short, broad thrusting blade. It is not entirely historically accurate, but was the closest real sword to what I had in mind. The goal was to provide a single pairable weapon with the appropriate traits to utilize the Playtest Fighter's duel-wielding feats (as opposed to being all but forced to use a Rapier and Main-Gouche). Because it is so niche, I made it uncommon.
I dunno Cantriped. They seem pretty easily transferred to me. Maybe not 1 to 1 but converting them back shouldn't be too hard.
But thanks for the example of Court Swords. That seems pretty cool.
I agree the basic system would work fine in PF1. The PF1 weapon design rules I mentioned above are (in my opinion) the basis for the playtest weapon system. Particularly the fact that traits are weighed against base damage, and that two-handed exotic weapons get the biggest pool of points to build from (with everything else getting less by degree). I specified the traits themselves. For example: Finesse obviates Weapon Finesse in PF1. Agile, Backswing, Sweep, and Twin all rely on the 3-action economy, Disarm and Trip rely on the pf2 skill system... etc.
The Court Sword is pretty ideal... if you're a str-based dual-wielding fighter. I described it as having a full basket-hilt like a rapier, but a short, broad thrusting blade. It is not entirely historically accurate, but was the closest real sword to what I had in mind. The goal was to provide a single pairable weapon with the appropriate traits to utilize the Playtest Fighter's duel-wielding feats (as opposed to being all but forced to use a Rapier and Main-Gouche). Because it is so niche, I made it uncommon.
To be fair, I use feat tax that dismisses Weapon Finesse a bit anyway. Agile I can see as a way to help Two Weapon Fighting, same with Twin(And TWF needs all the help anyway). Sweep works with Cleave or Flurry I would think. Disarm and Trip are in PF1 and can just use the new rules(Flat bonus, drop it if you end up failing). Really Backswing is the only thing I can see being an issue but I'd rule that carrying over to the next round. It's possible to transfer them is all I'm saying.
But this is getting to off topic about it. But speaking of giving traits to weapons, something like a Pirate
-Hook(Hand or just gutting one) might be deadly and with Trip/Disarm.
-Cutlass is reskined Longsword I would actually say. Scimitar might be closer to real world but I don't see it as having sweep or forceful as traits, but can totally see Versatile.
-Harpoon I'd say maybe Trident with Shove(PF1 gives it grapple). That's a guess.
-Boarding Ax is Hatchet maybe with Trip? PF1 gives it a bonus to climb checks so maybe that too?
-Boarding Pike is just longspear. Maybe with shove or grapple bonus.
Anyone else have ideas go ahead and share them.
I would give Cutlass parry (because of the hilt) and sweep.
Boarding Axes would be Hatchets that trade Thrown for Trip
A Hook Hand would be like a sickle, but deal Piercing damage, and be impossible to disarm.
I would give Cutlass parry (because of the hilt) and sweep.
Boarding Axes would be Hatchets that trade Thrown for Trip
A Hook Hand would be like a sickle, but deal Piercing damage, and be impossible to disarm.
I thought about Parry. Not sure about Sweep as well.
The axes change sounds good.
And I forgot about Sickle. I just went and yoinked "Meat hook" from the Ogres as a base line(And scaled back damage)