Kensai -> Thief: No Katanas?
shylaman
Member Posts: 173
I just created a Kensai for BGT with ** Katanas and ** Single Weapon. The plan was 5 pips Katanas or 4 depending on dual) and then daggers, duel, etc. as a thief. Anyhow, I started the game and went into to buy some gear from Winthrop . . . no Katanas. Grrrr. I have exotic items installed from BGT Tweaks. Am I SOL? No Katanas until Baldur's Gate city?
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Comments
Lore-wise you could chalk it up to what it says in the item description about the katana being quasi-magical due to the level of craftmenship. In reality it's probably just a balance/convenience thing, similar to why armour and helmets don't break either.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katana#Forging_and_construction
More information available there, but I believe they're also made with special types of steel which is made in layers (and also isn't [pure] iron).
Listen to the point where he talks about European smiting techniques. The folded steel technique is not unique to Japan, and in many ways, European smiting techniques became superior to Japan's techniques.
At any given time period the strength and quality of the steel of the widely carried katanas were higher than the average weapon swordsmiths in Europe were making at the time. While Japanese craftsmen were very secretive about their techniques, this required them to be clever and smart in a market that was constantly searching for quality. In the mean time, in Europe, people bought whatever their local blacksmith made which was typically fairly poor quality.
So yes, some exceptions may exist, but the quality of steel in the average katana in the correct time period is unmatched.
I actually have this video bookmarked because of how often it comes up in video game discussions. I was one of the admin's for Mount & Blade: Warband's QA testing and there was a big push by some very vocal katana-Fanboys to make the katana the best weapon in the game. Lendy Beige's video helped stop the push, and his arguments about the katana are backed up by books on metallurgical analysis of old swords.
I still think you're confusing the usefulness of the weapon and the quality of the craftsmanship. Your video is very informative, and there are FAR too many katana fanboys out there, but the fact that katanas are some of the most exquisitely crafted blades in history just isn't opinion. There are plenty of reference sources that back this up. I've studied medieval warfare since I was a child; if you'd like some reference materials I'd be glad to cite some from my collection. To me it just seems like you're one of those people who feels the need to set themselves against something just because lots of people are for it.
During the warring states period, Katana were mass-produced, and were of generally lower quality. While after the Unification, the samurai class developed nobles who didn't do a whole lot due to the relative peace and were free to splurge on having ridiculously exquisite weapons made. That is the period which most of the "uber" katana hail from and were rarely, if ever, actually used in battle outside duels of honor. Their creation became ritualized and that is the point where they became "uber" weapons, since you would use only the finest materials and most refined techniques.
Highly expensive European swords in contrast were generally the opposite. Extremely ornate and well adorned, and nearly worthless as weapons of war, since they were intended basically as mantle pieces from the start, while Japanese blades were simple due to tradition, and made for battle, specifically for dueling.
As far as weapons design goes, the katana (and it's cousins) is a pretty balanced weapon. It's slight curve makes it ideal for slashing. It's still relatively straight, and the slight arc allows it to handle more direct pressure when used in a stab, along with it's solid spine. The weight distribution also aides in downward strokes. The layering technique gives it resilience and strength without increased weight.
Is it uber? Debatable. Is it a very versatile weapon suited for many situations? Yes.