Since the relative weight of the katana and longsword were almost equal, the differences all go down to both swords' geometry of how each of these can be utilized and moved: curved blades that are shorter can quickly slash a target whereas a longer, straighter, and narrow blade can instead, thrust faster. The Longsword, on the other hand, can be held with one or two hands, and the grip can be adjusted depending on the situation. The longsword has also become an emblem of heroism, skill, and adventure. a lot like pitbull for various bully breads. Therefore, it only featured fittings at the end of the tsuka that mostly served the purpose of keeping the handle and wrappings together. During this time, civil wars and invasions took place on a constant basis. Holding the hilt with both hands, he let the blade continue its motion while rotating the blade around a point between his hands. A swords ability to parry and block strikes from other weapons is a crucial feature in battle. To follow the best weight loss journeys, success stories and inspirational interviews with the industry's top coaches and specialists. There's nothing magical or mystical about 1000 times folded tamahagane steel. It is commonly used in metals, but it can be used in other materials as well. Everyone loves the Katana, very popular in mainstream culture, but the European longsword was the height of sword technology, cross guard, better steel etc etc. Page 41 of the DMG: An alternative name changes none of the weapons properties as they are described in the Players Handbook. In the Edo period, the katana played an important role in Japanese society, not only as a weapon but as a symbol of the social status of the swordsman. "-https://www.swordsofnorthshire.com/ninjato. Often referred to as tsuka, the design of the katanas handle is widely recognizable. So for swords, generally speaking anything with a blade up to 12 inches long is a dagger, anything that could be used with either one of two hands and has a blade 2 feet or longer is a longsword, anything in between is a shortsword or scimitar, anything with a blade around 2 ft long but strictly one-handed is a rapier, anything that requires two hands is a greatsword. Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, their respective logos, and all Wizards titles and characters are property of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. Long answer: Rapier guy goes down first due to his lack of reach against the katana and longsword guy, and his lack of ways to get past the shield guys defense. Although the katanas thrusts are just as dangerous and deadly if landed on an opponent, its curved edge and shorter blade lacks both the precision and the reach of the longsword. They are not. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Who would win between the two is really a 50/50 IMO. Pommels usually serve the purpose of providing a counterweight to the sword. Start changing your life today! The longsword evolved to be more lightweight and fencing masters started developing new techniques that focused on agility and accuracy, making the longsword an essential weapon in the art of fencing. The Tant would either count as a shortsword or a Dagger in D&D, depending on whether one considers its length or its use respectively. The katana is known for its sharpness and ability to cut through almost anything with ease. The katana and the longsword have been compared to one another in their design, but there are also a number of differences between the two. The katana is known to be one of the traditionally made blades that were greatly utilized by the samurai warriors of the ancient and the feudal period of Japan The katana can be described by its distinctly unique appearance that features a single-edged and curved blade with either a squared or circular guard; additionally, it also features a long grip to accommodate both of the wielders hands. The horses rider jumped off and drew his weapon. What Steel Is Best for Crafting a Katana Sword? It is /not/ a longsword as that both IRL and in 5e (not previous editions) allows for a 2h grip (versatile). Although the longsword is more powerful and has greater damage potential, it is also more difficult to hold, and thus maneuverability can be an issue. I highly recommend the balms and oils from Beard Sorcery:https://beardsorcery.com/?ref=0UEFtHWvZEmtDBooks about history, martial arts, swords, knives, video/audio equipment, and other stuff I recommend:US - https://www.amazon.com/shop/skallagrimnilssonCanada - https://amzn.to/2HeOCMA*** Social media ***https://twitter.com/_Skallagrim_https://www.facebook.com/SkallagrimYThttps://www.instagram.com/skallagrim_yt/#skallagrim #katana #sword The Longsword is a European sword that was used by knights during the Middle Ages. A battlefield Katana is huge: "The dachi () (large/great sword) or nodachi (, field sword) is a type of traditionally made Japanese sword (, nihont) used by the samurai class of feudal Japan. Many of the static stances used for the two weapons appear similar at least on a superficial level. Gokaden - The 5 main schools of Japanese sword smithing, Main Japanese blacksmith schools by region. In addition, their opponents were more likely to be heavily armored, making cutting less effective and thrusts more advantageous, as it was easier to aim for the weak points in an opponents armor. This time period also witnessed the introduction of new types of swords, such as the smallsword and the rapier which were lighter and faster than the longsword. One of the most noticeable differences is the way the swords are held. The longsword originated in the 13th century, evolving from the war swords and great swords of that time period. The man croaked in surprise, too stunned to raise his own weapon. Both these swords are established cut-and-thrust weapons. Defensive capacity, however, is where the longsword gains its edge. The katana is a specific sword design. Wakazashis are Longer than daggers and Tantos as a short sword is pushing it a bit, but I know they can vary. Guards for Longswords differed in that even the simplest had a large crossguard that helped protect the hand from forward attacks. )09:38 - 11:53 Single-edged vs. double-edged: Pros \u0026 Cons11:53 - 12:58 Benefits of a shorter blade12:58 - 14:16 Katana advantage: speed (? It was a weapon that anyone could easily identify with during the period of about 1350 to 1550 because of its intimidating blade length. Therefore, its safe to say that both of these battle-ready swords were quite resilient in their own right. Well we will have to agree to disagree on a NInjato being a Short sword but the Wakazashi being a scimitar class. Kensai: Katana or Longsword jukaga Posts: 49 November 2013 After having a great Kensai run in BG1 with Scimitars I am regretting my choice as in BG2 there doesn't seem to be anything better than a +3 Scimitar. He anchored his pike in the ground, one of thirty men whose job it was to hold the line. Each of the weapons have been improved and tested throughout time under the unforgivingly strenuous and devastating trials of war and battles, adapting to the circumstances to provide warriors with extremely durable, efficient, and powerful tools that were utilized on the battlefield. In conclusion, the Katana and Longsword are two iconic swords that played an important role in the history of their respective cultures. It slowly increased in popularity among samurai and effectively replaced the tachi because the quicker draw of the katana was better suited for combat where victory depended on fast response times. Because of this, Katanaswere used mainly against lightly armored or unarmored opponents, and their design reflected that. :)The video I'm responding to:Katana VS Longsword - The Sad TRUTH!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBESIyEInW0Other relevant videos that may interest you:Japanese vs. European Swordsmanship You Got it All Wrong!https://youtu.be/dUNkSTwrBwwUnexpected Realism in a Movie Katana Fight from 1991https://youtu.be/Xi97d9yDs9AThe Sword of Uesugi Kenshin (Yomikuni Katana Review)https://youtu.be/AG4XMEATD88A Nodachi to Please This Cranky Old Gaijinhttps://youtu.be/o3WoFupYEc0*** Time stamps ***00:00 - 00:25 Edgelord intro00:25 - 01:15 Kriegsmesser katana01:15 - 02:52 Euro bias \u0026 weebs02:52 - 04:03 The katana's influence on pop culture04:03 - 05:30 Backlash against over-hype of katanas (\u0026 anime)05:30 - 06:45 Japanese swords: The most 'Murican thing! I hope this blog post was helpful! Part of me is a little sad that some kids today wont get just as interested in history because of D&D. For general use I'd have said that was true before the patch too, but you are comparing a 2 handed slot to a 1 handed slot. However, while the European Longsword may be a better weapon for extended combat on the battlefield, it is important to remember that the Katana was as much a work of art as a weapon, and was a source of pride and identity for the Samurai. But the katana (not even the Nodachi) is compared to 2 hand slot weapons and can stand it's ground. Wakazashis are the equivalent of short swords and tanto's are daggers. Being accurate with a slashing weapon will do jack if you lack the strength behind it. They had an advantage over their opponents because the katana allowed them to draw their swords faster than any other swords made from the previous generations of blades. When it comes to the katana vs longsword, both were considered as established thrust and cut weapons and are both efficient for slicing, slashing, as well as stabbing moves; also, these weapons make use of defensive and counter-striking displacements and each of the swords made use of a specific style of swordsmanship that was exhibited through proper control of timing and distance. However, the longsword remained a prominent weapon for fencing and dueling. Another difference between the two swords is their design. The katana is typically wielded with one hand, although some techniques involve using both hands for extra power. Here's a playlist! The longsword features a lot more variations and was less standardized than the katana, but it never strayed away from its primary purpose. On the other hand, the katana is a traditional, single-edged, curved Japanese sword with origins dating back to the Japanese feudal era. While they share some similarities, such as their decorated designs and sharpened blades, they are also quite different from one another. However, while the European Longsword may be a better weapon for extended combat on the battlefield, it is important to remember that the Katana was as much a work of art as a weapon, and was a source of pride and identity for the Samurai. "Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. Its hard to know for sure why the katana became so popular among Japanese warriors. I use a bog-standard Longsword as akatana, so dont snip at me. Although these two iconic swords bear a few similarities in terms of their function, they also feature several differences, so its best to look at their characteristics individually when comparing them. Katana swords are a type of Japanese longsword that was used by Samurai warriors during the Edo period. The katana is perfect, beautiful, and very effective. . 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