Rope dart: Difference between revisions
imported>Sadelyrate No edit summary |
imported>Sol Pacificus I don't understand the points about the rope darts being reusable or not in dual-wielding :-/ & the way it's written sounds like gameplay, but feel free to re-add w/revised wording for clarity |
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[[File:AC4 Rope Dart.png|thumb|250px|A rope dart]] | [[File:AC4 Rope Dart.png|thumb|250px|A rope dart]] | ||
A '''rope dart''', or '''shéng biāo''' in {{wiki|Mandarin Chinese}},<ref name="AC3">''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''</ref> is a flexible weapon of [[China|Chinese]] origin that consists of a long rope | A '''rope dart''', or '''shéng biāo''' in {{wiki|Mandarin Chinese}},<ref name="AC3">''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''</ref> is a flexible weapon of [[China|Chinese]] origin that consists of a long rope with a metal dart attached at one end. | ||
This type of long-ranged weapon can be swung at enemies, and, once anchored into the target, can be used to pull them over distances. | This type of long-ranged weapon can be swung at enemies, and, once anchored into the target, can be used to pull them over distances. It was a signature tool and alleged invention of the [[Chinese Brotherhood of Assassins|Chinese Assassin]] [[Shao Jun]] who shared it and its associated techniques with branches of the [[Assassins|Assassin Brotherhood]] across the [[Earth|world]]. | ||
==Description== | ==Description== | ||
Aptly named, a rope dart is created by securing a sharp, metallic blade to a long rope approximately three to five metres in length.<ref name="Wikipedia">"{{wiki|Rope dart}}". ''{{wiki|Wikipedia}}''. Last updated 5 February 2020. Accessed 20 March 2020.</ref> In this regard, it is akin to a whip with a sharp end, and it can be employed in a variety of ways either as a weapon or as a tool.<ref name="AC3" /> | |||
==History== | ==History== | ||
[[File:ACCC DB Shao Jun's Rope Dart.jpg|thumb|250px|Shao Jun's rope dart]] | [[File:ACCC DB Shao Jun's Rope Dart.jpg|thumb|250px|Shao Jun's rope dart]] | ||
===16th century=== | ===16th century=== | ||
The rope dart was | The rope dart was allegedly the invention of the [[Chinese Brotherhood of Assassins|Chinese Assassin]] [[Shao Jun]].<ref name="Scroll 16">''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]'' – [[Database: Scroll 16 (China)|Scroll 16]]</ref> She carried a variant that bore an exceptionally broad blade with her when she journeyed to [[Italy]] in 1524 to locate the legendary Italian [[Mentor]], [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], in the hopes of learning from him the means of saving the [[Assassins]] in [[China]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Embers]]''</ref><ref name="AC3" /> | ||
Two years later | Two years later when Shao Jun returned to China, she utilized the rope dart prolifically in her quest to destroy the [[Shanghai Rite of the Templar Order|Templars in her homeland]] and resurrect her branch.<ref name="ACCC">''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]''</ref> It proved indispensable in many of her missions not just as an assassination weapon but also as a [[freerunning]] tool,<ref name="ACCC" /> by which she escaped the great fire of [[Macau]] in 1526,<ref name="Consequences">''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]'' – [[Consequences]]</ref> again in a similar scenario in the [[Forbidden City]],<ref name="Demon Fire">''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]''</ref> and finally to pursue [[Zhang Yong]] along the [[Great Wall of China]] in 1532.<ref name="Vengeance">''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]''</ref> Through her mastery of the weapon, she popularized its usage among the Assassins and was later credited by [[American Brotherhood of Assassins|Colonial Assassin]] Mentor [[Achilles Davenport]] with introducing it to Assassins of the Western hemisphere.<ref name="On Johnson's Trail">''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'' – [[On Johnson's Trail]]</ref> | ||
[[File:Everything is Permitted 4.png|thumb|left|250px|Edward Kenway holding a rope dart]] | [[File:Everything is Permitted 4.png|thumb|left|250px|Edward Kenway holding a rope dart]] | ||
===18th century=== | ===18th century=== | ||
In 1720, rope darts were given to the [[Piracy|pirate]] [[Edward Kenway]] by [[Ah Tabai]], Mentor of the [[Caribbean|West Indies]] [[West Indies Brotherhood of Assassins|Assassins]], after Edward proved himself worthy of having ties with the Assassins | In 1720, rope darts were given to the [[Piracy|pirate]] [[Edward Kenway]] by [[Ah Tabai]], Mentor of the [[Caribbean|West Indies]] [[West Indies Brotherhood of Assassins|Assassins]],<ref name="tEG">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide]]''</ref> after Edward proved himself worthy of having ties with the Assassins. He most notably used one such dart to slay the infamous pirate [[Bartholomew Roberts]] during a naval battle off the coast of [[Africa|West Africa]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''</ref> | ||
[[Shay Cormac]], a | [[Shay Cormac]], a [[Colonial Rite of the Templar Order|Colonial Templar]] who served under Edward's grandson, [[Haytham Kenway]], also utilized rope darts during the [[Seven Years' War]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''</ref> Haytham's Assassin son, [[Ratonhnhaké:ton]], was trained in the use of rope darts by Achilles Davenport beginning in late 1773 and applied it in his missions.<ref name="AC3"/><ref name="On Johnson's Trail" /> | ||
Haytham's son, [[Ratonhnhaké:ton]], | |||
===19th century=== | ===19th century=== | ||
In 1841, rope darts were used as [[grappling hook]]s by [[Indian Assassins|Indian Assassin]] [[Arbaaz Mir|Arbaaz Mir,]] during his quest to recover the [[Koh-i-Noor]] from Templars.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India]]''</ref> | In 1841, rope darts were used as [[grappling hook]]s by [[Indian Assassins|Indian Assassin]] [[Arbaaz Mir|Arbaaz Mir,]] during his quest to recover the [[Koh-i-Noor]] from Templars.<ref name="ACCI">''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India]]''</ref> | ||
===20th century=== | ===20th century=== | ||
In 1918, during and immediately following the [[Shooting of the Romanov family]], [[Russian Assassins|Russian Assassin]] [[Nikolai Orelov]] | In 1918, during and immediately following the [[Shooting of the Romanov family]], [[Russian Assassins|Russian Assassin]] [[Nikolai Orelov]] equipped himself with a rope dart, which he used when assassinating guards from ledges. During the same period, [[Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia|Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova]], infused with the [[Genetic memory|genetic memories]] of Shao Jun, used a [[Short blades|dagger]] given to her by Orelov and rope to fashion a makeshift rope dart.<ref name="ACCR">''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia]]''</ref> | ||
===21st century=== | ===21st century=== | ||
In the year 2016, a | In the year 2016, [[Lin]], a descendant of Shao Jun who had [[Bleeding Effect|absorbed her skills]], escaped the [[Abstergo Foundation Rehabilitation Center]] in [[Madrid]] with her fellow abductees by using a rope dart to fight off the guards.<ref name="ACfilm">''[[Assassin's Creed (film)|Assassin's Creed: The Movie]]''</ref> | ||
== | ==Techniques== | ||
[[File:ACIII-JohnsonTrail 1.png|thumb|250px|Achilles explaining the rope dart to Ratonhnhaké:ton]] | [[File:ACIII-JohnsonTrail 1.png|thumb|250px|Achilles explaining the rope dart to Ratonhnhaké:ton]] | ||
In open combat, rope darts are generally swung at enemies from afar to impale them, following which the user can drag them in for a close-ranged attack. Techniques in conjunction with this combo include wrenching the target to the ground for a swift assassination or simply following up with a [[sword]] slash. The Colonial Assassin [[Ratonhnhaké:ton]] was known to use this method to grapple enemies to be used as a [[human shield]] against hostile fire.<ref name="AC3" /> However, merely impaling an individual in a vital area like the chest or throat is normally fatal.<ref name="ACCC" /><ref name="AC3" /> | |||
In open combat, rope darts | |||
As an assassination weapon, the rope dart has commonly been used to impale unwitting enemies from higher ground, like rooftops or treetops. The target could then be used as a counterbalance for the user to drop down to ground level, secure the other end of the rope to the ground, and hang the victim in the process. This harrowing technique was a signature tactic of the Assassin Edward Kenway and his grandson Ratonhnhaké:ton, the former of whom killed the pirate Bartholomew Roberts in this manner. Apart from its lethality, it serves an additional purpose of psychological shock in the midst of ambushing a hostile group.<ref name="AC3" /> However, hanging enemies with the rope dart can be unnecessary at times; as aforementioned, a strike to the throat or chest is typically enough to be fatal, and this was more typical of Shao Jun.<ref name="ACCC" /> Alternatively, the reverse method of yanking enemies from their higher vantage points is also possible.<ref name="AC3" /> | |||
Outside of combat, rope darts can be employed as traversal tools in much a similar manner to [[grappling hook]]s. The darts are usually durable and sharp enough to be embedded into structures, allowing the user to anchor themselves and swing them across gaps and chasms.<ref name="ACCC" /> | |||
==Behind the scenes== | ==Behind the scenes== | ||
The | ===Name=== | ||
The Mandarin name ''shéngbiāo'' (繩鏢) literally translates to "rope dart". | |||
In [[Database: Scroll 16 (China)|Scroll 16]] of ''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]'', the name ''shéng biāo'' is introduced with its diacritics indicating the tone of each word in {{wiki|pinyin}}. While they help readers to pronounce the words correctly, these diacritics are conventionally omitted in romanization of Chinese names, a convention abided by the game itself with the sole, inconsistent exception of ''shéng biāo''. | In [[Database: Scroll 16 (China)|Scroll 16]] of ''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]'', the name ''shéng biāo'' is introduced with its diacritics indicating the tone of each word in {{wiki|pinyin}}. While they help readers to pronounce the words correctly, these diacritics are conventionally omitted in romanization of Chinese names, a convention abided by the game itself with the sole, inconsistent exception of ''shéng biāo''. | ||
In Scroll 16 of ''Chronicles: China'', it is | ===Historical inaccuracies=== | ||
In Scroll 16 of ''Chronicles: China'', it is stated that the rope dart is Shao Jun's original invention. This is historically incorrect as the first known written description of the weapon dates to the {{wiki|Tang dynasty}} (618–907). | |||
===Development=== | |||
The rope dart first makes an appearance in the 2011 short film ''[[Assassin's Creed: Embers]]'' in the possession of the Chinese Assassin Shao Jun. The following year, it debuted as a playable weapon in ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''. The long-ranged weapon of the player character, Connor, was originally meant to be a "chain blade" that extended extended from the [[Hidden Blade]] similar to the [[Hidden Gun]], but this was scrapped as it was considered too fantastical. Instead, the rope darts replaced this concept as they were deemed more realistic.<ref name= "Chain Blade">[http://www.xboxgamezone.co.uk/2012/03/26/preview-assassins-creed-iii-the-final-frontier/ Preview: ''Assassin's Creed III'' - The Final Frontier] on XboxGameZone. {{c|Site defunct; [https://web.archive.org/web/20140805103826/http://www.xboxgamezone.co.uk/2012/03/26/preview-assassins-creed-iii-the-final-frontier backup link] on [[wikipedia:Internet Archive|Archive.org]]}}</ref><ref name = "Combat Blade">[http://www.wwudesign.com/2012/11/connors-weaponry.html Connor's Weaponry] by William Wu</ref> Exploring the game's assets reveals a planned icon and code for the weapon, suggesting it was scrapped late in development. | |||
In '' | ===Gameplay=== | ||
In ''Assassin's Creed III'' and its sequels ''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]'', the rope dart is a supplementary combat tool. At its most basic, the rope dart can be used to grapple an enemy and pull them towards the player, following which the player may attack with their primary weapon or perform a Hidden Blade assassination. Either triggers a unique kill animation. With the [[human shield]] mechanic in ''Assassin's Creed III'', the player also has the option to turn a pulled enemy in reaching distance into a shield against enemy fire. | |||
In the | In all three games, the player can perform a unique assassination with the rope dart from tree branches, ship spars, or beams. Perched on the vantage point, the player throws the weapon at an enemy and in one motion, drags them into the air, using them as a counterbalance to drop down onto the ground and plant the other end of the rope, thereby hanging the target. Doing this expends the rope dart, and attempting to hang too many bodies from the same tree branch causes all of them to fall to the ground. | ||
True to lore, the rope dart returns in ''Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China'' as a fundamental element of Shao Jun's moveset. It functions differently in the 2.5D side-scroller, with Shao Jun using it automatically to extend her reach in air or ledge assassinations. Apart from this, it is also manually used by the player in freerunning; places where the rope dart can be used as a makeshift grappling hook are colour-coded in red. In certain areas, this can be required to advance further as it is needed to swing across gaps while in others, it is an option for stealth, allowing the player to rappel upward to the ceiling. This gameplay of rope dart is carried over in ''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia]]''. | |||
===Lore–gameplay inconsistencies=== | |||
In ''Assassin's Creed III'' rope darts can be looted from enemies, including [[United Kingdom|British]] soldiers, despite the fact that it is meant to be unique to the Assassins. Notwithstanding this, they can be looted even prior to "[[On Johnson's Trail|Sequence 6, Memory 1: On Johnson's Trail]]" where they are first introduced to the protagonist, Connor. | |||
==Gallery== | ==Gallery== | ||
| Line 66: | Line 73: | ||
==Appearances== | ==Appearances== | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Embers]]'' {{1st}} | *''[[Assassin's Creed: Embers]]'' {{1st}} | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia]]'' | ||
Revision as of 19:57, 20 March 2020
A rope dart, or shéng biāo in Mandarin Chinese,[1] is a flexible weapon of Chinese origin that consists of a long rope with a metal dart attached at one end.
This type of long-ranged weapon can be swung at enemies, and, once anchored into the target, can be used to pull them over distances. It was a signature tool and alleged invention of the Chinese Assassin Shao Jun who shared it and its associated techniques with branches of the Assassin Brotherhood across the world.
Description
Aptly named, a rope dart is created by securing a sharp, metallic blade to a long rope approximately three to five metres in length.[2] In this regard, it is akin to a whip with a sharp end, and it can be employed in a variety of ways either as a weapon or as a tool.[1]
History
16th century
The rope dart was allegedly the invention of the Chinese Assassin Shao Jun.[3] She carried a variant that bore an exceptionally broad blade with her when she journeyed to Italy in 1524 to locate the legendary Italian Mentor, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, in the hopes of learning from him the means of saving the Assassins in China.[4][1]
Two years later when Shao Jun returned to China, she utilized the rope dart prolifically in her quest to destroy the Templars in her homeland and resurrect her branch.[5] It proved indispensable in many of her missions not just as an assassination weapon but also as a freerunning tool,[5] by which she escaped the great fire of Macau in 1526,[6] again in a similar scenario in the Forbidden City,[7] and finally to pursue Zhang Yong along the Great Wall of China in 1532.[8] Through her mastery of the weapon, she popularized its usage among the Assassins and was later credited by Colonial Assassin Mentor Achilles Davenport with introducing it to Assassins of the Western hemisphere.[9]
18th century
In 1720, rope darts were given to the pirate Edward Kenway by Ah Tabai, Mentor of the West Indies Assassins,[10] after Edward proved himself worthy of having ties with the Assassins. He most notably used one such dart to slay the infamous pirate Bartholomew Roberts during a naval battle off the coast of West Africa.[11]
Shay Cormac, a Colonial Templar who served under Edward's grandson, Haytham Kenway, also utilized rope darts during the Seven Years' War.[12] Haytham's Assassin son, Ratonhnhaké:ton, was trained in the use of rope darts by Achilles Davenport beginning in late 1773 and applied it in his missions.[1][9]
19th century
In 1841, rope darts were used as grappling hooks by Indian Assassin Arbaaz Mir, during his quest to recover the Koh-i-Noor from Templars.[13]
20th century
In 1918, during and immediately following the Shooting of the Romanov family, Russian Assassin Nikolai Orelov equipped himself with a rope dart, which he used when assassinating guards from ledges. During the same period, Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova, infused with the genetic memories of Shao Jun, used a dagger given to her by Orelov and rope to fashion a makeshift rope dart.[14]
21st century
In the year 2016, Lin, a descendant of Shao Jun who had absorbed her skills, escaped the Abstergo Foundation Rehabilitation Center in Madrid with her fellow abductees by using a rope dart to fight off the guards.[15]
Techniques
In open combat, rope darts are generally swung at enemies from afar to impale them, following which the user can drag them in for a close-ranged attack. Techniques in conjunction with this combo include wrenching the target to the ground for a swift assassination or simply following up with a sword slash. The Colonial Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton was known to use this method to grapple enemies to be used as a human shield against hostile fire.[1] However, merely impaling an individual in a vital area like the chest or throat is normally fatal.[5][1]
As an assassination weapon, the rope dart has commonly been used to impale unwitting enemies from higher ground, like rooftops or treetops. The target could then be used as a counterbalance for the user to drop down to ground level, secure the other end of the rope to the ground, and hang the victim in the process. This harrowing technique was a signature tactic of the Assassin Edward Kenway and his grandson Ratonhnhaké:ton, the former of whom killed the pirate Bartholomew Roberts in this manner. Apart from its lethality, it serves an additional purpose of psychological shock in the midst of ambushing a hostile group.[1] However, hanging enemies with the rope dart can be unnecessary at times; as aforementioned, a strike to the throat or chest is typically enough to be fatal, and this was more typical of Shao Jun.[5] Alternatively, the reverse method of yanking enemies from their higher vantage points is also possible.[1]
Outside of combat, rope darts can be employed as traversal tools in much a similar manner to grappling hooks. The darts are usually durable and sharp enough to be embedded into structures, allowing the user to anchor themselves and swing them across gaps and chasms.[5]
Behind the scenes
Name
The Mandarin name shéngbiāo (繩鏢) literally translates to "rope dart".
In Scroll 16 of Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China, the name shéng biāo is introduced with its diacritics indicating the tone of each word in pinyin. While they help readers to pronounce the words correctly, these diacritics are conventionally omitted in romanization of Chinese names, a convention abided by the game itself with the sole, inconsistent exception of shéng biāo.
Historical inaccuracies
In Scroll 16 of Chronicles: China, it is stated that the rope dart is Shao Jun's original invention. This is historically incorrect as the first known written description of the weapon dates to the Tang dynasty (618–907).
Development
The rope dart first makes an appearance in the 2011 short film Assassin's Creed: Embers in the possession of the Chinese Assassin Shao Jun. The following year, it debuted as a playable weapon in Assassin's Creed III. The long-ranged weapon of the player character, Connor, was originally meant to be a "chain blade" that extended extended from the Hidden Blade similar to the Hidden Gun, but this was scrapped as it was considered too fantastical. Instead, the rope darts replaced this concept as they were deemed more realistic.[16][17] Exploring the game's assets reveals a planned icon and code for the weapon, suggesting it was scrapped late in development.
Gameplay
In Assassin's Creed III and its sequels Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Assassin's Creed: Rogue, the rope dart is a supplementary combat tool. At its most basic, the rope dart can be used to grapple an enemy and pull them towards the player, following which the player may attack with their primary weapon or perform a Hidden Blade assassination. Either triggers a unique kill animation. With the human shield mechanic in Assassin's Creed III, the player also has the option to turn a pulled enemy in reaching distance into a shield against enemy fire.
In all three games, the player can perform a unique assassination with the rope dart from tree branches, ship spars, or beams. Perched on the vantage point, the player throws the weapon at an enemy and in one motion, drags them into the air, using them as a counterbalance to drop down onto the ground and plant the other end of the rope, thereby hanging the target. Doing this expends the rope dart, and attempting to hang too many bodies from the same tree branch causes all of them to fall to the ground.
True to lore, the rope dart returns in Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China as a fundamental element of Shao Jun's moveset. It functions differently in the 2.5D side-scroller, with Shao Jun using it automatically to extend her reach in air or ledge assassinations. Apart from this, it is also manually used by the player in freerunning; places where the rope dart can be used as a makeshift grappling hook are colour-coded in red. In certain areas, this can be required to advance further as it is needed to swing across gaps while in others, it is an option for stealth, allowing the player to rappel upward to the ceiling. This gameplay of rope dart is carried over in Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India and Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia.
Lore–gameplay inconsistencies
In Assassin's Creed III rope darts can be looted from enemies, including British soldiers, despite the fact that it is meant to be unique to the Assassins. Notwithstanding this, they can be looted even prior to "Sequence 6, Memory 1: On Johnson's Trail" where they are first introduced to the protagonist, Connor.
Gallery
-
Concept art of the rope dart attached to the Hidden Blade, known as the Chain Blade, by William Wu -
Concept art of the Chain Blade
-
A group of British soldiers hanged by rope darts -
A rope dart used by Ratonhnhaké:ton
-
Ratonhnhaké:ton using a rope dart to suspend a soldier -
Shao Jun's rope dart
Appearances
- Assassin's Creed: Embers (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed III
- Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
- Assassin's Creed: Rogue
- Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China
- Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India
- Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia
- Assassin's Creed: The Movie
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Assassin's Creed III
- ↑ "Rope dart". Wikipedia. Last updated 5 February 2020. Accessed 20 March 2020.
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China – Scroll 16
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Embers
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China – Consequences
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Assassin's Creed III – On Johnson's Trail
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide
- ↑ Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Rogue
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India
- ↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: The Movie
- ↑ Preview: Assassin's Creed III - The Final Frontier on XboxGameZone. (Site defunct; backup link on Archive.org)
- ↑ Connor's Weaponry by William Wu
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