Broad sword

The broad sword is a heavy military sword with a double-edged blade. Overall sword length is about three and one-half feet, and the sword is designed mostly for cutting. Most broad swords have a basket hilt or a shell guard. A favored cavalry weapon, the broad sword is known in different cultures by different names, usually dependant on the hilt configuration. The basket hilt broad swords offer a +1 bonus to Parry maneuvers. In addition, punching attacks done with the basket hilt are treated like a metal gauntlet (see the Player's Handbook, Chapter 9 ).

"The broad sword is as fast as a long sword and causes comparable damage to man-sized targets, but lacks the same ability against larger creatures. Its benefits in parrying and hand-to-hand combat are good, but if an adventurer is more of the `forget finesse, let's just hack them to bits' school, a long sword or a bastard sword may be a better choice. Someone who likes showing off, such as a swashbuckler, would favor a broad sword.''

-- Rushlight of Tethys, Ranger

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