looking to use throwing knives for a socerer but the DM says no such thing. Must be daggers. Now i've played for 25 + years and this seems a lil too bookish. wouldm't knives be lower die damage? like a dart just call them knives?
A dagger is a type of knife. That is to say, there shouldn't really be a difference. If anything a DM might choose slashing damage instead of piercing, especially if using it in melee, but almost all knives/daggers can both slash and stab to some extent.
In reality, the main difference between a knife and a dagger, apparently, is that a knife is designed to be a cutting tool and not a weapon. In d&d, technically a knife is a improvised weaponry that use dagger stats. So, practically speaking, there is no difference.
On the other hand, there are knives out there designed specifically for combat. I don't think a knife specially made as a throwing weapon should need to be 'improvised'.
In a way, the DM is correct. This would technically be homebrew/homeruling things, rather than go by the book, but it's extremely minor. However, I think most DMs would allow it. After all, it's a 'reskin', merely changing the look of something, whilst remaining statistically identical. You're not gaining any more power by doing this.
P.S. Welcome to the D&D Beyond forums, shdwkat2099!
According to the History Channel (take or leave the following point based on that) the term dagger or knife swap definitions depending on the era but remain mutually exclusive. In the middle ages, a dagger was a long, double edged blade that was shorter than a short sword, but longer than a knife. Contemporarily a dagger is a small double edged blade that is shorter than a knife.
According to BladeForums.com knives and daggers are largely interchangeable terms, but daggers tend to be double edged.
The one common thread is that daggers are double edged.
In other words, this is like a hair's breadth away from being a simple semantics argument, and your DM is being a little picky with the terms. Find a throwing weapon that deals the damage you like and refluff it as a throwing knife. DM can rule out daggers as knives from a mechanical perspective if (s)he wishes, but (s)he can't tell you how to describe your weapon.
looking to use throwing knives for a socerer but the DM says no such thing. Must be daggers. Now i've played for 25 + years and this seems a lil too bookish. wouldm't knives be lower die damage? like a dart just call them knives?
Knife = dagger, apparently. They can't do less damage, because even improvised weapons do 1d4.
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A dagger is a type of knife. That is to say, there shouldn't really be a difference. If anything a DM might choose slashing damage instead of piercing, especially if using it in melee, but almost all knives/daggers can both slash and stab to some extent.
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My homebrew: [Subclasses] [Races] [Feats] [Discussion Thread]
As a DM, I let my players "flavor" their darts as small throwing knives. Darts don't do less damage than daggers, they just lack the light property.
A surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one.
In reality, the main difference between a knife and a dagger, apparently, is that a knife is designed to be a cutting tool and not a weapon. In d&d, technically a knife is a improvised weaponry that use dagger stats. So, practically speaking, there is no difference.
On the other hand, there are knives out there designed specifically for combat. I don't think a knife specially made as a throwing weapon should need to be 'improvised'.
In a way, the DM is correct. This would technically be homebrew/homeruling things, rather than go by the book, but it's extremely minor. However, I think most DMs would allow it. After all, it's a 'reskin', merely changing the look of something, whilst remaining statistically identical. You're not gaining any more power by doing this.
P.S. Welcome to the D&D Beyond forums, shdwkat2099!
Site Rules & Guidelines - Please feel free to message a moderator if you have any concerns.
My homebrew: [Subclasses] [Races] [Feats] [Discussion Thread]
According to the History Channel (take or leave the following point based on that) the term dagger or knife swap definitions depending on the era but remain mutually exclusive. In the middle ages, a dagger was a long, double edged blade that was shorter than a short sword, but longer than a knife. Contemporarily a dagger is a small double edged blade that is shorter than a knife.
According to BladeForums.com knives and daggers are largely interchangeable terms, but daggers tend to be double edged.
The one common thread is that daggers are double edged.
In other words, this is like a hair's breadth away from being a simple semantics argument, and your DM is being a little picky with the terms. Find a throwing weapon that deals the damage you like and refluff it as a throwing knife. DM can rule out daggers as knives from a mechanical perspective if (s)he wishes, but (s)he can't tell you how to describe your weapon.
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Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
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Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin