Weaponry: The Falchion for Shadowdark
Slash, bash, and chop your way through Shadowdark melee battles
Recently, I created a video series about weaponry in Shadowdark, highlighting some additional selections from European history to add more tactical options and flavor for players and the GM. The free pdf below is yours to download, and there are links to the related videos on my EruditeDM YouTube channel. If you enjoy ttrpg and OSR content, I would appreciate your subscription to the channel.
The Falcion was popular among soldiers and mercenaries for its low cost and versatility in battles and sieges while some knights and nobility favored its heft as a chopping cleaver-style sword, not exactly graceful but brutal and efficient. The Falchion was used from the 14th to the 16th centuries in many variant forms. In wartime, they posed a cost-effective option for troops, especially in France and Italy where commanders and liege lords were expected to arm their soldiers and knights.
Keep this in mind in your own Shadowdark game. The Falchion costs less than a longsword, and it might break on a crit fail attack as it is generally lower quality craftsmanship, but it delivers the same relative damage. It will require frequent sharpening to perform at its best, so the GM should educate players about the pros and cons of the Falchion before they choose this weapon. And, players should think about buying a whetstone as part of the regular gear. The GM will determine how often sharpening is warranted.
I encourage you to playtest the Falchion, as I will, and together, we can decide whether adjustments are necessary. Add your comments below and let me know what you think. Thanks!
DOWNLOAD PDF (FREE): Falchion-for-Shadowdark_EDM
FALCHION VIDEOS
You can follow me on YouTube: @EruditeDM, or on X: @EruditeDM. Feel free to email me at EruditeDM@gmail.com.
And please make sure that you sign up to our mailing lists for free articles and cool content ideas for games like Shadowdark RPG and other OSR games!
