# Shinai & Bokken
**URL:** https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/shinai-bokken/3472
**Category:** The Drawing Board
**Created:** [October 12, 2013, 3:57am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/shinai-bokken/3472 "2013-10-12T03:57:53Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Miloch](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Miloch)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2013, 3:57am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/shinai-bokken/3472/1 "2013-10-12T03:57:53Z")
There are enough anime nerds out there that I think you could find more then a few of these laying around in New England. Not super common but still… I know at least one of my high school buddies has one of these. 😛
Bokken: Solid wood katana shaped blade used in training.
> **[Bokken](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokken)**
>
> A bokken (木剣, bok(u), "wood", and ken, "sword") (or a bokutō 木刀, as they are instead called in Japan) is a Japanese wooden sword used for training. It is usually the size and shape of a katana, but is sometimes shaped like other swords, such as the wakizashi and tantō. Some ornamental bokken are decorated with mother-of-pearl work and elaborate carvings. Sometimes it is spelled "boken" in English. Bokken should not be confused with shinai, practice swords made of flexible bamboo. Bokken were de...
Shinai: Flexible bamboo blade used in training matches.
> **[Shinai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinai)**
>
> Shinai (竹刀) is a weapon used for practice and competition in kendo representing a Japanese sword. Shinai are also used in other martial arts, but may be styled differently from kendo shinai, and represented with different characters. Shinai should not be confused with bokken, or wooden swords.
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### Author:  [@wad67](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/wad67)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2013, 4:49am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/shinai-bokken/3472/2 "2013-10-12T04:49:35Z")
two by sword?
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### Author:  [@Miloch](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Miloch)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2013, 5:30am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/shinai-bokken/3472/3 "2013-10-12T05:30:28Z")
Weapons you could find. They’d be cutting skill weapons that do blunt damage.
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### Author:  [@vultures](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/vultures)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2013, 2:57pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/shinai-bokken/3472/4 "2013-10-13T14:57:25Z")
“Used to train your cutting and bashing skills to lvl. 1”, you mean?
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### Author:  [@KA101](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KA101)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/shinai-bokken/3472/5 "2013-10-13T19:16:24Z")
A bokken is quite capable of breaking bones, etc. It’s a credible weapon. (I’ve held one: solid and has some mass.) Bashing version of a katana.
Shinai was/were designed to to be safer than the bokken. It’d be the “training weapon”.
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### Author:  [@kevin.granade](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/kevin.granade)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/shinai-bokken/3472/6 "2013-10-14T19:18:06Z")
Shinai is also very noisy by design, and would do minimal damage. I can’t imagine anyone using one outside of as a challenge.
Similarly to the Quarterstaff, a Bokken would be a blunt weapon with significantly higher damage than say a heavy stick due to the design refinements.
I’m afraid we don’t have a way to have either of them use the cutting skill, they’d be melee and bashing OR unarmed(sword styles).
That reminds me, we’re starting to warp what “unarmed” means, I’m not sure I like the direction it’s going.
Bokken deshou deshou? _runs away laughing_
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### Author:  [@Endovior](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Endovior)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/shinai-bokken/3472/7 "2013-10-14T19:38:06Z")
> [@Kevin Granade](#):
>
> That reminds me, we’re starting to warp what “unarmed” means, I’m not sure I like the direction it’s going.
Agreed. Unarmed =/= uses a martial style. Technique-based combat shouldn’t necessarily be exclusive to unarmed attacks (re: sword styles), just the same as unarmed styles shouldn’t necessarily imply forgoing weaponry (re: brass knuckles), but neither is a reason to make ‘martial arts’ weapons use the unarmed skill (excepting weapons that functionally use the same motions as unarmed attacks, like the aforementioned brass knuckles, or perhaps a katar). Personally, I’d favor a system in which each style that exists has a number of associated weapons, that can be used in conjunction with the style’s techniques.