You've Reincarnated Mega OP Into a Fantasy World And You Want To Abolish Injustice

Assurbanipal_II

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Doesn’t change bad design. Fantasy worlds do even worse with swords. They’re weighty, they’re unwieldy, they require too much training.... and if your world has combat-capable magic in it: close combat itself is the dumbest thing you could do.

If you feel you *must* attempt close combat in such a setting: at that point you need speed above all. Spears win. Reach is greater, they’re lighter, they penetrate better, and they’ll stop a mage in his tracks.

If you’re doing some weird sneaky thing, better to do dagger. All you need against most mages is to skewer them through the neck, and if there’s healing magic in it: the spear easily stays inside them, while you retreat, or you can even throw it in the first place!

Until you’re getting freebie sword skills in a litRPG: you would do better in your fantasy world to use a spear for your close combat needs. Spears. Our first real weapons after ‘rocks’ and ‘big sticks’, still our best at doing what they’re supposed to: disincentivizing the enemy’s aggression, and killing them really well! :D

You have to differentiate between spears and spear formations. A single spear has drawbacks a sword doesn't due to its long reach. After all, there is a reason swords were preferred in duels. :blob_evil_two:
 

ForestDweller

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Doesn’t change bad design. Fantasy worlds do even worse with swords. They’re weighty, they’re unwieldy, they require too much training.... and if your world has combat-capable magic in it: close combat itself is the dumbest thing you could do.

If you feel you *must* attempt close combat in such a setting: at that point you need speed above all. Spears win. Reach is greater, they’re lighter, they penetrate better, and they’ll stop a mage in his tracks.

If you’re doing some weird sneaky thing, better to do dagger. All you need against most mages is to skewer them through the neck, and if there’s healing magic in it: the spear easily stays inside them, while you retreat, or you can even throw it in the first place!

Until you’re getting freebie sword skills in a litRPG: you would do better in your fantasy world to use a spear for your close combat needs. Spears. Our first real weapons after ‘rocks’ and ‘big sticks’, still our best at doing what they’re supposed to: disincentivizing the enemy’s aggression, and killing them really well! :D

Well, in Mushoku Tensei, swords tend to win over magic because casting magic requires a long chant where the swordsman can just close in and kill the mage beforehand. And only swords have fancy superhuman techniques like cutting with the speed of light, while spears are dumped as "weapon of the demons". Only one character uses spears there; a demon where his own tail is the spear.

My planned sword character would use a sword that can shapeshift to all sorts of melee weapons though. Because it's not a sword at all. It's her hair. 😛
 

Moctemma

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My contribution to the spear vs sword
A bonus of staff vs sword
 

YuriDoggo

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You're wrong about spears being bad in duels. Spears with shields crushes swords in basically any format thanks to the combination of protection and reach.
 

Assurbanipal_II

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My contribution to the spear vs sword
A bonus of staff vs sword

Lack of statistical samples. Too small sample number to determine anything with certainty. :blob_reach: Otherwise, how do you explain the sword victories?
 

Assurbanipal_II

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You're wrong about spears being bad in duels. Spears with shields crushes swords in basically any format thanks to the combination of protection and reach.

Doubt so very much as it is mostly academic. After all, when was the last time when we had some real melee fighting going on? On the eastern front, German spades reigned supreme and not spears. :blob_reach:
 

Moctemma

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Btw, Lindybeige. Hehehehe, the Spandau guy who can't distinguish between a MG34 and M42? :blob_evil_two:
What's this? Are you discrediting the video because he lacks knowledge on firearms? Even if I were to agree that he lacks what's needed, he didn't do the video and tests alone, so...
A single spear has drawbacks a sword doesn't due to its long reach. After all, there is a reason swords were preferred in duels. :blob_evil_two:
Yes swords are better in duels due to everyone having one. They're made to fight other humans. With swords.
Remember this fantasy world has monsters, so I recommend seeing the whole video.

And the drawback isn't that much of a problem, as mentioned here. See also 3:05

That's why I highly agree with this.
Specifically, I recommend you make a bunch of spears. Perfect against horses, still useful against knights. No stupid pitchforks and scythes: that's how you get dead. Axes and maces are your next best bets, both in materials used and speed at which you can make them AND their effect on armored knights. DO NOT MAKE SWORDS. THEY ARE USELESS.
And very expensive to make.
 

Assurbanipal_II

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What's this? Are you discrediting the video because he lacks knowledge on firearms? Even if I were to agree that he lacks what's needed, he didn't do the video and tests alone, so...

Yes swords are better in duels due to everyone having one. They're made to fight other humans. With swords.
Remember this fantasy world has monsters, so I recommend seeing the whole video.

And the drawback isn't that much of a problem, as mentioned here.

That's why I highly agree with this.

And very expensive to make.

So when was this the last time field tested? This is all very much hypothetical since the advent of fire arms rendered melee combat pretty much obsolescent.

You can argue that bayonets were some kind of spear substitute and used commonly, but so were sabers by dragoons, lancers and cuirassiers together with lances.

The Spanish Tercio used pikemen , but also swordsmen to supplement the formation the same the Macedonian phalanx was supported by swordsmen.

And furthermore, we can cite the Roman legions that massacred with their gladius the notoriously spear heavy Greeks.

Or to summarize, the advantage of spears in 1 vs 1 is not considerable enough to dismiss swords as an option right away. A sword has a fair chance in fight.

And, yes, I am discrediting Lindybeige heavily. His WWII content is a useful as the news from the Prawda.
 

Moctemma

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Or to summarize, the advantage of spears in 1 vs 1 is not considerable enough to dismiss swords as an option right away. A sword has a fair chance in fight.

And, yes, I am discrediting Lindybeige heavily. His WWII content is a useful as the news from the Prawda.
I haven't seen his videos on WWII so I have nothing to say about that.

I agree that if you can make a sword, or use them why not? I would even say is a natural conclusion to reach considering almost everyone made them (like katanas for the japanese, etc.) But that's only when your country is stable enough to invest in them and the years of training. In this scenario is a disadvantage in time and resources to make them. Adding to the fact that the best for a sword user is to be heavily armored to survive long enough so the training and money spend on them is worth it. Is not a good strategy to use for "world domination". If the inhabitants have them and use them, it would be foolish to force them to use a spear instead, but if they don't, then the effort isn't worth it.

So treat your soldiers as cannon fodder, sent lots of them lightly armored and with spears, that's more than enough. You're OP, the only reason to have an army is to save time.

Now if you're seeing this as our medieval world, getting rid of the magic and monsters. Of course swords are a great weapon.
 

Moctemma

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Swords would be great for your patrol soldiers, they're easy to carry and they'll mostly fight unarmed civilians or criminals without much skill.
 

Assurbanipal_II

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I haven't seen his videos on WWII so I have nothing to say about that.

I agree that if you can make a sword, or use them why not? I would even say is a natural conclusion to reach considering almost everyone made them (like katanas for the japanese, etc.) But that's only when your country is stable enough to invest in them and the years of training. In this scenario is a disadvantage in time and resources to make them. Adding to the fact that the best for a sword user is to be heavily armored to survive long enough so the training and money spend on them is worth it. Is not a good strategy to use for "world domination". If the inhabitants have them and use them, it would be foolish to force them to use a spear instead, but if they don't, then the effort isn't worth it.

So treat your soldiers as cannon fodder, sent lots of them lightly armored and with spears, that's more than enough. You're OP, the only reason to have an army is to save time.

Now if you're seeing this as our medieval world, getting rid of the magic and monsters. Of course swords are a great weapon.

His video is quite famous in fact as it produced some considerable backlash for him. :blob_reach:


 

Vaerama

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You have to differentiate between spears and spear formations. A single spear has drawbacks a sword doesn't due to its long reach. After all, there is a reason swords were preferred in duels. :blob_evil_two:
That’s fair. A sword can split a spear and is still dangerous along its length. I would contest that the reach of the spear in an unarmored duel might score you the first strike, but once you’ve thrusted your danger is over for a moment.

If you’re in a bash against someone else in full plate, you’re basically using a sword as a great big metal stick until you’re grappling and can skewer your opponent through their visor, so it’s value in those cases might as well represent a big all-metal stick with a pointy end, aka an all-metal spear.

Either way, spears remain deadly in almost all circumstances, and we almost never get to choose our circumstances. Swords are for cavalry, carving through unarmed/barely armed peasants while clad in full plate, and duels.

If you’re going to try to duel away injustices, you’re probably not going to find much success. If you bring the phalanx into a world that’s never seen it’s like: you will have victory after victory, which will draw you supporters.
 

Assurbanipal_II

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That’s fair. A sword can split a spear and is still dangerous along its length. I would contest that the reach of the spear in an unarmored duel might score you the first strike, but once you’ve thrusted your danger is over for a moment.

If you’re in a bash against someone else in full plate, you’re basically using a sword as a great big metal stick until you’re grappling and can skewer your opponent through their visor, so it’s value in those cases might as well represent a big all-metal stick with a pointy end, aka an all-metal spear.

Either way, spears remain deadly in almost all circumstances, and we almost never get to choose our circumstances. Swords are for cavalry, carving through unarmed/barely armed peasants while clad in full plate, and duels.

If you’re going to try to duel away injustices, you’re probably not going to find much success. If you bring the phalanx into a world that’s never seen it’s like: you will have victory after victory, which will draw you supporters.

It is more about the point that if the spear misses and the words misses as well, the fight turns automatically into grappling - if they know something and close up - and then it doesn't matter much if you have spear or sword. The use of both weapons is limited. So advice, never forget your spade. :blob_evil_two:
 

Vaerama

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Well, in Mushoku Tensei, swords tend to win over magic because casting magic requires a long chant where the swordsman can just close in and kill the mage beforehand. And only swords have fancy superhuman techniques like cutting with the speed of light, while spears are dumped as "weapon of the demons". Only one character uses spears there; a demon where his own tail is the spear.

My planned sword character would use a sword that can shapeshift to all sorts of melee weapons though. Because it's not a sword at all. It's her hair. 😛
That’s just a lack of creativity on the makers of that world. I’ve always found the whole ‘they cut bullets faster than you can fire them’ to be super weak as a storytelling device. Sure it is their fantasy, so they can pretend however makes them happy. 🙂

Bayonetta minus her guns? That’s just... depressing 😭

It is excellent imagery though :) If you didn’t name her Delilah for her cutting hair, you should consider it 😍
 
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Vaerama

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It is more about the point that if the spear misses and the words misses as well, the fight turns automatically into grappling - if they know something and close up - and then it doesn't matter much if you have spear or sword. The use of both weapons is limited. So advice, never forget your spade. :blob_evil_two:

XD or your nifty hat with a spike on top?
 

Assurbanipal_II

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That’s fair. A sword can split a spear and is still dangerous along its length. I would contest that the reach of the spear in an unarmored duel might score you the first strike, but once you’ve thrusted your danger is over for a moment.

If you’re in a bash against someone else in full plate, you’re basically using a sword as a great big metal stick until you’re grappling and can skewer your opponent through their visor, so it’s value in those cases might as well represent a big all-metal stick with a pointy end, aka an all-metal spear.

Either way, spears remain deadly in almost all circumstances, and we almost never get to choose our circumstances. Swords are for cavalry, carving through unarmed/barely armed peasants while clad in full plate, and duels.

If you’re going to try to duel away injustices, you’re probably not going to find much success. If you bring the phalanx into a world that’s never seen it’s like: you will have victory after victory, which will draw you supporters.

XD or your nifty hat with a spike on top?

Something like this.

1587662532407.png
 
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