Platinum
I wonder if it's possible to pinpoint when, exactly, fantasy swords started getting so... overdesigned.
Platinum
like not just being swords anymore, but huge swords with technicolor blades and multiple layers of plating and wild hilts and runes and just, like, looking like they ought to weigh twenty pounds or so
andalite!
it’s funny with need
mercedes lackey always describes her as being a very plain sword and no one looking at her would think she’s magic
andalite!
but the canonical image of need that is on book covers and book interiors and drawn by lackey's husband is
https://imgs.plurk.com/QzP/hRX/r0S3IDu6euLTfZUzlZEPs2DySPU_lg.jpg
andalite!
lyre-shaped pommel with a blue purple gemstone
white hilt with silver hilt rings
black lacquer crescent quillions
runes
Platinum
"Plain"
andalite!
𝔰𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔰 says the definition of “plain” must be different in that setting
Platinum
I'm not opposed to magic swords having a bit of pizzazz
Platinum
But c'mon
andalite!
literally pre-sword need complains about people upcycling her swords with gems and fancy metalwork
andalite!
she thinks it makes them look ridiculous
𝔰𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔰
tbh take out the gemstone and it could probably pass for (slightly fancy, not magical)
𝔰𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔰
black lacquer is stylish without being overdesigned
Platinum
Honestly, any one of them being swapped might do it
andalite!
yeah
I commissioned a redesign that kept the elements and is similarish but a bit less fancy and I really like it lol
andalite!
https://imgs.plurk.com/QCX/8aW/Kaw3XcKhq0iAG20hZIHuSp6a1vN_lg.png
this is still not plain but I can’t lie
andalite!
I like some glam
Platinum
It's plainer
andalite!
anyway she’s from the 90s so
this isn’t a new trend
Spookitty
Jack L. Chalker actually makes fun of all kinds of fantasy tropes in his River of the Dancing Gods series.
Spookitty
You're making me want to go to my local used book store and take pictures of old Conan covers and the like to gather intel...
𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖕𝖗𝖔𝖕𝖊𝖗!
I just gotta bring up the movie The Sword and the Sorcerer -- it's from 1982 and has this complete nonsense sword with three parallel blades, which can also be projectiles. https://images.plurk.com/7DKKk7t4ERHNFkXzHjDDsL.jpg
𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖕𝖗𝖔𝖕𝖊𝖗!
I'd love to blame SquareEnix but alas, not enough evidence.
𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖕𝖗𝖔𝖕𝖊𝖗!
And this sword from the movie predates Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts by so long that it absolves SE.
Shard
I blame the 80s.
Platinum
That is one unwieldy sword
Platinum
I'm definitely also thinking along the lines of
https://images.plurk.com/425prLDKoymuKU5F9dSWEs.png https://images.plurk.com/3r37c5i00qPGTUDvb9NuSt.png or https://images.plurk.com/4kCl8VCVGCcQ80T68kjC5A.png
𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅱𓏭𓄖𓎡𓏭
some of those ain't swords
𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅱𓏭𓄖𓎡𓏭
they're magic wands you can hit with
𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅱𓏭𓄖𓎡𓏭
why does the second from the last one have hinges
Platinum
"Magic slicey sticks" as the most recent thundercats cartoon called them
𝔰𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔰
The fan shaped/square swords do remind me of some ones I've seen historically
Platinum
Some of them aren't totally ahistorical, no! But v. highly exaggerated.
𝔰𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔰
Tbh the first batch doesn't bug me that much ( I could see someone looking at like an Aztec sword or Polynesian weapons and going from there )
𝔰𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔰
the other two are hot messes
𝔰𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔰
Though the rapier with the fancy basker hilt swings back into okay
𝔰𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔰
basket* even
Platinum
The rapier's not bad, it's just an ornate rapier.
Platinum
Like I said, some pizzazz and fanciness isn't entirely unwelcome.
andalite!
the middle set look like they'd be impossible to clean
even of dust
𝔰𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔰
The middle set looks like it hurts to hold
6LilacMimeLions
they're overdesigned in video games especially because their function is aesthetic
Platinum
That kinda goes for just about any visual medium, tbh
𝔰𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔰
frantically hiding my monster hunter games
Platinum
At least the point of monster hunter weapons is that they're supposed to be absurd and overcomplicated because they're at least half trophy
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