These weapons therefore tend to paint characters as sneaky or weak, and again are often used for groups of enemies, giving them a sense of uniformity.Tridents have particular associations with ruler deities (Poseidon and Satan, for example) and gladiatorial combat – they are an arrogant, overbearing weapon often indicating a character has gained undue control over others.The table above should give you some ideas about choosing the right weapon for your character, but once you have that as a basis it’s time to start fitting the weapon to your world.
Since they look good spinning, they’re often expected to be good for fending off long-ranged attacks, and can confer a sense of conceited showmanship.Animals as weapons really deserve their own article, but the way in which they inform the reader’s understanding of their owner tends to depend on how they’re dispatched. First of all, understand that the reader already has an idea of how a fight ‘should’ go.
Clubs, simple blunt instruments, are often used to communicate a lack of intelligence, whereas the mace’s spiky, grim appearance makes it the weapon of choice for sadistic warrior villains.Martial arts mastery takes study, and so tends to be treated the same way as a sword. This is particularly important when altering weapons to create something new – spells have far more impact as a weapon if they exhaust the caster through overuse or only work in certain conditions. I reckon the chances of a man with soot on his face, his tongue sticking out, standing on one leg and singing “A million to one, I reckon,” said Carrot virtuously.If you don’t want to abide by this rule then you’ll have to work against it – if a character is under pressure and their skill is flagging, be sure that the reader understands that it’s getting harder for them to fight. Below, you’ll find a reference table of common fantasy weapons and what your reader will probably think of them. If, however, the author stresses the accuracy with which they’re used, or they’re given to a particularly compelling character, they can be changed to a ‘skill’ weapon that usually denotes spirituality and studiousness.Since these weapons appear innocent, they often indicate a hidden or rarely used degree of skill.
I’ve also included the skill/strength/stealth classification they tend to receive. A full list of weapons in Final Fantasy XII - part of the walkthrough and strategy guide for Final Fantasy XII by Jegged.com
For the same reason I can pick up this pencil, tell you its name is Steve, and go like this…
Remember that these weapons rely on leverage and strength, meaning they’re more effective with longer handles. As mentioned earlier, they give the combatant reach, something which readers tend to see as a form of cheating unless the author directs them otherwise. Base your weapon around a specific purpose and it can excel, leaving it down to you as the reader to think up situations where it can shine.One of the most famous fantasy weapons is ‘Sting’, the short sword used by Bilbo Baggins in On the other hand, a weapon which is too complex in nature can create plot holes or make it impossible for readers to appreciate what the weapon can do in a given setting. It’s fine to base the warfare of your world around the weapons you want to see, so long as you do so believably. Action scenes are really, really difficult, so don’t worry, you’re not alone. Crossbows, arrows and guns fire material projectiles, while swinging a sword or axe takes energy. Focus on the training involved and your character will appear smart, with a rugged attachment to nature, whereas focus on the animal entering combat Action writing has always been something I find tricky, but I think having a weapon that is believable and suits my character is a great starting point! “We might be nearly there. Likewise, seeing the glint of a sniper’s scope is almost a guarantee that the hero will leap out of the way in time.
Again, you don’t have to stick to these rules, but your reader will expect you to do so – if you want to break away from them, I suggest an early passage in which they’re shown that the rules don’t apply; a signal that things will work differently in your story. In Final Fantasy VII, each character has its own set of weapons they can use.