(A tall, wiry cat-like creature with blue skin, long braided black hair, and bright golden eyes stands clad in patchwork leather and bronze armor with a spiked shoulder pad, hissing as it swings a crude war axe at the screen.)
Na'vi Warrior: The natives of Pandora who drove out technologically advanced invaders armed with only weapons crafted from nature...
(A Na'vi warrior is shown cutting down an RDA merc with his war axe.)
vs.
(A reptilian humanoid with dark green scales and razor sharp claws and teeth roars as it raises a long sword and turtle shield into the air.)
Lizardfolk: The fiercely territorial swamp-dwelling tribals of Toril who fight for food and the defense of their homelands.
(A Lizardfolk warrior is shown slicing a bullywug open with his glaive.)
WHO IS DEADLIEST?!
To find out, we've assembled a team of world class fighters to test history's most lethal weapons. Using 21st century science, we'll see what happens when two warriors go toe to toe.
No rules. No safety. No mercy. It's a duel to the death to decide who is...THE FICTIONAL DEADLIEST WARRIOR!
Here in our elite fight club we have gathered doctors, scientists and weapons experts to test out the lethal arsenals wielded by each of our combatants to determine who would win a fight between two warriors who never met in a face to face duel:
Na'vi Warrior
Appearing from: James Cameron's Avatar
Height: 10'
Weight: 300 lbs.
Homeworld: Pandora
Armor: Nawma Taronyu
Lizardfolk
Appearing from: Forgotten Realms (Dungeons & Dragons)
Height: 7'
Weight: 250 lbs.
Homeworld: Toril
Armor: Scales, Turtle Shield
"Today we have a battle between two tribal warriors who are universes apart, yet very much alike in many ways," biomedical scientist Bradley Foster started.
"These warriors rely upon very different strategic approaches, yet they are able to get the job done and terrorize their enemies with weapons that are primitive by our standards, yet effective enough to take down enemies of all shapes and sizes," computer expert Eddie Cortez replied.
"When you take into consideration the physicality and the environments of these two warriors. The Na'vi are gigantic, yet very wiry and very fast and agile, which helps them greatly as they are often found dwelling in the trees. The Lizardfolk on the other hand are powerfully built and covered in scales that make them far more hardy compared to other species of their universe. They dwell in the swamps and spend a great deal of time underwater, which gives them a natural advantage over most outsiders," trauma doctor Joseph Kaiser explained.
"Either way, it should be an interesting battle to watch, one of complete opposites," Bradley concluded.
The camera cuts to two tall, blue cat-like people, one male and one female, who are in the process of inspecting the native weapons wielded on Pandora. The male lifts a knife that appears to be carved from bone to inspect it.
Up first to represent the Na'vi will be Jake Sully.
A former Marine, Jake was selected by the RDA to serve as an operator of a Na'vi-human hybrid called an "avatar." Charged with gathering information on the natives, Jake would be initiated into their society and later come to sympathize with their plight. Turning on his employers, he would lead the united clans into battle against the invading forces and permanently become bonded to his avatar so he could continue living among them.
"The Lizardfolk are all about brute force. They lack the strategy, the precision and the determination to win a battle against the Na'vi," Jake spoke.
The camera then shifts over to the female, who is in the middle of crafting some arrows for the bow.
Also representing the Na'vi will be Neytiri.
The princess of the Omaticaya tribe, Neytiri would become one of the first Na'vi Jake would become acquainted with and teach him the ways of her people before eventually becoming his mate. When the RDA launched a full-scale invasion upon Pandora, she was instrumental in gathering the clans together for a major defense of her sacred land.
"The Na'vi are a proud people. It was our determination that allowed us to triumph over more technologically superior invaders. What makes the Lizardfolk think he would stand a chance?" Neytiri asked with a smirk.
Natives of the habitable jungle moon Pandora, the Na'vi were an isolated people living in harmony with nature until a valuable mineral called Unobtanium was discovered. Seeking to combat a severe energy crisis on planet Earth, the Resources Development Administration began using Na'vi-human hybrids called "avatars" to explore the moon's biosphere. One of these avatars was former Marine, Jake Sully.
"I was tasked with gathering information about the Na'vi and their gathering place, the Hometree. I trained alongside them, fought alongside them, survived alongside them. I began to see who the real bad guys were, and it wasn't them," Jake spoke.
It wasn't long after Sully's defection the RDA ordered the destruction of the Hometree, resulting in a battle of gathered clans against the invading forces. Following heavy losses, the tide would turn in the Na'vi's favor as Pandoran wildlife unexpectedly joined the attack and overwhelmed their technologically superior foes, resulting in the expulsion of the humans back to Earth.
"The will of the Na'vi to prevail is greater than anything these Lizardfolk could come up with. Once they feel our righteous fury, they will never come back," Neytiri concluded.
The Na'vi relied upon weapons crafted from nature to fight all threats to their habitat:
Short Range: Bone Knife
Mid-Range: Na'vi War Axe
Long Range: Na'vi Bow
Special Weapons: Nawm Club
But how will the Pandoran warriors fare when they are pitted against a completely new threat from the swamps?
The camera cuts to a reptilian humanoid with dark green scales and a prominent fin along the back of his head and clad in nothing more than a loin cloth. He is carrying a long sword in one hand and a turtle shield in the other.
Up first representing the Lizardfolk will be Griss'tok.
Ruler of the city called Surkh, Griss'tok brings knowledge of the Lizardfolk's training and battle tactics to today's battle.
"Lizardfolk spend their entire lives training to defend our camps and to hunt for food. These Na'vi are just tasty morsels to us," Griss'tok spoke with the aid of a translator.
The camera then cuts over to another lizardfolk with scales that were a lighter shade of green and covered in dark spots. He had prominent frills and also wore a loin cloth and a utility belt that stretched across his chest. He was currently in the middle of practicing with a glaive before taking a swing at the camera.
Also representing the Lizardfolk today will be Gathan.
A ranger and chieftain of Sharptooth tribe, Gathan is an experienced warrior who specializes in the hunting of magical beasts with a number of different weapons that will be presented today.
"The lizardfolk are proud warriors with experience hunting all sorts of dangerous prey around Toril. We've fought creatures similar to the Na'vi before and if they think they can surprise us, they are sorely mistaken," Gathan replied.
As they possess no written history, the Lizardfolk believe themselves to be one of the first humanoid races of Toril. According to their self-told stories, they have dwelled in the swamps since the beginning of time and that all civilized races outside the swamps evolved from the weaker lizardfolk who could not endure the harsh life of the swamps.
"There were those among us who were weak and so they left us. Good riddance to them. They were weak compared to those who stayed. It allowed us to evolve into a stronger, fiercer warriors without carrying their dead weight around," Griss'tok explained.
The lizardfolk would evolve into a tribal society with them getting their food through fishing, hunting, scavenging, and stealing from others. While most have been content to live their lives in the swamps and marshes where they were born, there were Lizardfolk who would sometimes venture outside their homelands to hunt bigger and more dangerous prey.
"A true lizardfolk is a warrior from birth. We have no use for weakness. We literally fight for our survival in a world of large beasts and other dangers," Gathan concluded.
The deadly reptilian warrior swims into battle with plenty of deadly weapons for cutting down their foes:
Short Range: Long Sword
Mid-Range: Glaive
Long Range: Short Bow
Special Weapons: Barbed Dart & Tail
In our first series of tests we start with close range weapons. An important weapon the Na'vi never left home without was the Bone Knife, an all-use tool carved from the bones of a might beast.
(A Na'vi warrior is shown ambushing an RDA Spec Ops soldier and driving the blade into his neck.
Bone Knife
Length: 1 ft.
Weight: 2 lbs.
Material: Animal bone, wooden handle, plant sinew
"The bone knife is a very important part of the Na'vi culture. Every knife is individually crafted by its user, with the blades being crafted from the wing claw of an Ikran or a Mountain Banshee. This knife has numerous different uses, including killing," Neytiri explained showing off the knife for the panelists.
"That's quite the unique design you've got there, definitely looks sturdy for something crafted from bone," Eddie observed.
"I look forward to seeing it tested and we have just the ideal candidate for that," Brad said motioning towards a nearby pig carcass. "Here we have a charging Lizardfolk. You have 15 seconds to inflict as much damage possible. Stab it, slash it, do whatever you need to."
"You got it," Neytiri said taking her position with the knife raised.
"Alright Neytiri, on 3...2...1, cut 'em up!"
With a mighty roar, Neytiri leaped towards her target and thrust her knife into its chest, a crimson stream gushing out as she removed the knife. She then stabbed the knife into its gut and tore a deep, mighty gash that sent blood and bits of intestines spilling out before going higher and slashing the pig's throat open. A blur of activity followed as she stabbed and slashed away at the carcass wherever she could until Bradley called out "Time!"
With the bloodshed at its end, the pig carcass was left a lacerated, gruesome mess and Neytiri stood nearby catching her breath.
"Damn," was all Eddie could say and even Dr. Kaiser looked on in bewilderment, almost afraid to approach for his typical post-demonstration examination.
"That's what you requested, wasn't it?" Neytiri slyly asked upon noticing their reaction.
"But still...that was like a blur," Bradley added.
Dr. Kaiser finally made his way over and assessed the damage, staring with the deep gashes in the chest and stomach, "With your stab to the chest you managed to pierce this pig's aorta for a quick kill, and then you go for something more slow and gruesome with the disemboweling slash. Of course, there's also the multitude of smaller gashes all over this guy's body. This little piggy has gone to the market."
"But yet you bring a tiny knife to this fight. My long sword would cut you down before you could even get close to me," Griss'tok cut in.
To answer the Na'vi's challenge, the Lizardfolk reply with a deadly sword that cut down all who invaded their domain, the Long Sword.
(A Lizardfolk warrior is shown driving his sword through the chest of a bullywug.)
Long Sword
Length: 3 ft.
Weight: 1.68 lbs.
Material: Iron
"This is the sword we use to cut down our foes in battle and we often pair it up with our turtle shield," Griss'tok said showing off a spiked shield with a material similar to the scutes of a turtle shell, "Any Na'vi comes at me, I can slash and stab after I've halted their advance with my shield."
"Its design definitely reminds me of the swords made by the Celts," Eddie commented.
"Given what you've just mentioned, your test will involve a 'Na'vi' coming at you," Bradley said, looking towards a gel torso suspended from a zip line, "You've got 15 seconds to make your case."
Griss'tok growled and nodded, getting into position with his sword in one hand and shield in the other.
"On 3...2...1, release the Na'vi!"
Griss'tok stood ready as the gel torso zoomed towards him, only to be halted in its tracks as the shield was driven into its face. Griss'tok then drove his sword through its chest, the blade protruding from the back and narrowly missing its spinal cord. He pulled the sword out and then sliced into its neck, halted only by the steel rod holding the torso together. He then went higher and sliced into the dummy's face in a horizonal bisection before stabbing away until Bradley called out "Time!"
It was a gory spectacle and Griss'tok roared in pride at his handiwork, leaving the panelists standing in stunned silence.
"Well, aren't you gonna get to it, softskin?" the ruler of Surkh barked at them and Dr. Kaiser let out a loud yelp before running over to the mangled target and quickly examining its injuries.
"Your first strike just tore through this guy, narrowly missing his spinal cord, but cutting through his lung and aorta for a kill shot. Your second strike would have decapitated this guy had it not been for the steel rod, an instant kill either way. Your third strike though, bisects this guy's face," the doctor reported.
"Pac-Man anyone?" Eddie piped in.
"Anyways, all your strikes are kills," Dr. Kaiser concluded.
"That's what will happen when you bring a dinky knife to a swordfight," Gathan spoke to the Na'vi panelists.
"Boast all you want, but the Na'vi don't worry about the length of their weapons. It's the warrior BEHIND the weapon that counts," Neytiri rebutted, to which Gathan responded with raucous laughter.
Both weapons reduced their respective targets to shreds, but where do our panelists stand?
"Both these blades tore through their targets like they were nothing, but I'm with the long sword on this. It's got the length and the superior material," Bradley started.
"Iron is more durable than bone and thus likely to do more damage, edge long sword," Dr. Kaiser seconded.
"Both can hack and slash, but the length and the superior material are what matters most, edge Lizardfolk," Eddie concluded.
In short range weapons, the Lizardfolk takes the edge with the Long Sword.
Coming up, a hand-made war axe takes on a deadly Medieval-inspired pole arm.
XXXXXXX
The Na'vi Warrior versus the Lizardfolk, it's a battle between two fierce, proud native warriors who each show a supreme confidence in their abilities.
"The Lizardfolk come with superior material that would allow us to hack through these Na'vi like they were nothing! We should just call the match right now and get it over with!" Gathan proudly proclaimed.
"It was that overconfident attitude that the RDA brought with them to the battle of Pandora and they were ultimately humiliated because of that," Neytiri scoffed, "The Na'vi are quick learners. We will find the Lizardfolk's weakness and exploit it to our advantage."
When the battle went to mid-range, Lizardfolk relied upon a trusted polearm to cut down their enemies before they could get up close and personal, the Glaive.
(A Lizardfolk warrior is shown running a rival lizard man through with a mighty thrust from his glaive.)
Glaive
Length: 8 ft.
Weight: 5.5 lbs.
Material: Iron blade, wooden shaft
"This weapon can keep any foe of ours at a safe distance, be it man or beast. The sharpened edge on the end allows for slashing, as well as thrusting," Gathan explained showing off a weapon barely taller than he was.
"Given that these weapons are primarily used by infantry forces against mounted foes in our world, we've assembled a makeshift 'direhorse' the Na'vi are known to ride into battle," Bradley said motioning towards a few slabs of beef that were melded together to recreate the aforementioned animal, "We're sending it to you at full speed. Let's see what you can do."
The lizard man grunted and got into position with the glaive extended.
"Gathan, are you ready?"
Gathan roared back.
"Then on 3...2...1, release the direhorse!"
The "direhorse" zoomed towards Gathan on the zip line and when it came within range he shot the bladed polearm out, driving the end into its gut and tearing a large gash through until the slab came to a halt, leaving a bloody mess on the floor below.
"It's literally raining blood," Eddie commented as torrents of blood spilled all over the floor.
Dr. Kaiser carefully made his way over to assess the damage, "You drove the blade into this direhorse's side and tore through as it passed. If we go by the anatomy of a regular horse, your tip connected with what would be the stomach, just narrowly striking its heart dead on, and tearing all the through until you are ripping into the spleen, small intestines, kidney and ending at the base of its cecum. Your first strike alone would have been a mortal wound, yet as you progress it becomes a kill."
"And if you manage to kill the direhorse, you've effectively taken out the Na'vi as well. Most likely, he's going to tumble off and be left at your mercy afterward," Bradley added.
"Again you underestimate your opponents," Jake cut in, "With the longer limbs of a Na'vi warrior, they could strike you from an even farther away distance."
"With your primitive tools? Ha!" Griss'tok laughed.
"Again, overconfidence. You may believe superior material automatically guarantees your victory, yet you underestimate the kinds of deadly weapons that can be crafted from the land around you," Neytiri joined in.
"And what do you bring to counter?" Bradley asks.
"This," Jake replied holding up the Na'vi's mid-ranged weapon.
Undaunted, the Na'vi answers with their own hand made, multi-faceted killer. Six feet of wood topped with a razor sharp obsidian blade, the Na'vi War Axe!
(A Na'vi warrior is shown cleaving into the collarbone of a patrolling RDA soldier.)
Na'vi War Axe
Length: 6 ft.
Weight: 9 lbs.
Material: Obsidian blade, wooden shaft
"The war axe is another one of our most trusted weapons. Granted, it's not as long as the glaive, yet the Na'vi's superior height makes up for that. It's a lethal mix of blunt force and sharp trauma that can be excellent against thick armor," Jake explained showing the war axe off for the panelists.
"When I think about sharp rocks, obsidian almost always comes to mind right away," Bradley commented as he observed the obsidian blade, "It can be sharpened finer than a steel blade, yet because of its lesser density, it will break and dull much quicker."
"But damn, that does look like some seriously sharp stuff," Eddie added eying the blade close.
"Let's see if it's good enough against an attacking Lizardfolk," Bradley mentioned towards a 7 foot tall foam dummy, "Here we have an attacking lizard man and we are giving you three strikes to show off the killing potential of your war axe."
"We would only need one strike, but if you want three, then three it is," Jake replied getting into position.
"Alright Jake, attack!"
With a feral roar, Jake pulled back and slammed the war axe into the dummy's torso, tearing the foam surface open as the obsidian blade became enlodged. With a mighty yank he pulled the blade out and then delivered a brutal overhanded strike to the foam target's shoulder before pulling the blade out again, only to deliver yet another gruesome strike that split the dummy's skull open.
Dr. Kaiser made his way over to assess the damage done, starting with the first blow.
"Your first blow went deep, resulting in quite an interesting shot. This guy would have ruptured lungs, intestines, and maybe even his liver severely damaged. With the force which you struck, several ribs would be shattered upon impact," he said before moving over towards the deep gash in the shoulder.
"Your second shot would tear through this guy's shoulder muscles, which mind you have A LOT of important blood vessels coursing through them. You're also looking at a crushed ribcage and collarbone in one fell swoop," he said before moving up to the head.
"Your last strike hits this guy right on the crown of his skull for an instant lobotomy. It's lights out upon impact," the doctor concluded.
"Again, the brutality and from such a simple looking design," Eddie commented.
"Heh, you honestly think a lizard man is just going to let you cleave his skull in two? Not to mention, our bodies are covered in thick scales that can protect us from most sharp objects," Griss'tok rebutted.
"You run, we track you down. Thick scales? We find a weak spot. Simple enough for you?" Neytiri countered.
Both the Na'vi and the Lizardfolk showed off the primal fury behind their respective mid-ranged weapons, but where do our panelists stand?
"While both weapons are devastating in their own right, this is basically a battle between a stone age weapon and a spear that can both pierce and slash, which gives the glaive more options in a fight. Edge Lizardfolk," Bradley started.
"The war axe is basically a longer tomahawk and it can act as a blunt weapon if needed, but we are talking about iron versus obsidian here and in the end, iron is more reliable. Edge Lizardfolk," Dr. Kaiser seconded.
"I'm in full agreement, more options and a stronger material, edge Lizardfolk," Eddie concluded.
In mid-ranged weapons, the Lizardfolk takes the edge with the Glaive.
Coming up, the hunt goes to long range when both warriors unleash their trusted bows.
Na'vi versus Lizardfolk, who will emerge to become "The Fictional Deadliest Warrior?"
XXXXXX
The Na'vi Warrior taking on the Lizardfolk, a battle of two proud native warriors each supremely confident of an outcome in their favor.
"The Na'vi managed to kill a few softskins, so what? Lizardfolk take down enemies ten times tougher!" Gathan boasted.
"The Lizardfolk never fought an enemy with the kind of technology possessed by the RDA. They would be dead before they knew what hit them," Jake spoke.
When the both warriors stalked their prey from a distance, they each relied upon trusted bows to silently eliminate their foes.
Whether it was a hunt or a battle, the Na'vi relied upon a trusted bow made from simplistic elements and arrows drenched in deadly neurotoxin.
(A Na'vi warrior is shown up in a tree, taking aim with his bow and striking an RDA trooper in the chest with a long arrow that pierces his armor.)
Na'vi Bow
Length: 8 ft.
Weight: 7 lbs.
Material: Wood, vine string, and stone arrowheads
"This is another tried and proven weapon of the Na'vi and one of many different designs we use in battle," Neytiri explained showing off the bow and accompanying arrows.
Dr. Kaiser took one of the arrows and examined it for himself.
"This arrow is approximately seven feet long. These are basically mini javelins you've got here. I hate to imagine what it would be like to be on the receiving end of one of these," he said handing it back to Neytiri.
"Even for all their advanced technology, we still dropped a great number of RDA mercenaries with these 'simple' arrows," she replied.
"How do you even fit those into a quiver?" Eddie asked looking at the arrow.
"We don't," Neytiri answered, "We carry as much as we can with our free hand."
Both lizard men laughed harshly.
"Then all you are doing is opening yourself up to more attacks as you struggle to move around with those long arrows. Drop one and you are dead!" Gathan laughed.
"And what do you bring to counter?" Bradley asked Gathan.
"We bring our own bow to counter, one that allows for more freedom of movement and is twice as accurate," Gathan replied drawing his own weapon.
For long range weapons, the Lizardfolk answer with their own trusted killer, the Short Bow.
(A lizardfolk archer is shown taking aim and dropping a human warrior with an arrow to the throat.)
Short Bow
Length: 3 ft.
Weight: 2 lbs.
Material: Wood, bone and iron tipped arrowheads
"Our bow is more suited for the swamps in which we dwell and we can drop whatever comes our way," Gathan confidently proclaimed.
"Well, then let's see which bow is superior," Bradley spoke up before looking over to Neytiri and seeing 6 arrows in her hand, "Since you are holding 6 arrows, it will be 6 arrows per test."
He then turned his attention over to a range where 3 targets were set up, "We've got 3 charging enemies here and we want you to show off the accuracy and killing ability of your respective bows. Neytiri, you are up first."
Neytiri nodded and notched an arrow, waiting for Bradley's cue.
"On 3...2...1, take 'em down!"
Neytiri hit her first target square in the face. Wasting no time she grabbed her second arrow and fired it into the target's chest before repeating the motion on the second target, followed by a fourth that struck her target in its gut. Readying her last two arrows, with an amazing, practiced speed, she fired her first arrow through the last target's throat and then her last one through its face.
"Done!" she called back.
"Even from this distance, I was able to tell all of those shots were instant kills," Dr. Kaiser said making his way over and assessing the damage done before yanking out each of the arrows as he went along, "Just the length of these arrows alone is deadly. It's bad enough either way, but considering size, weight and momentum, we're talking about miniature javelins here."
"Also remember the toxins coating the arrowheads. If the arrow doesn't kill itself, the toxin will finish the job," Eddie added.
"It's OK to feel scared now," Jake nodded towards Gathan, who hissed in reply, but was held back by Griss'tok.
"Alright Gathan, it's your turn to show if the short bow can do any better. When you are ready," Bradley spoke up, hoping to avert a confrontation.
Gathan only grunted and got into position, notching an arrow on his bow.
"Alright Gathan, on 3...2...1, shoot 'em up!"
Gathan let loose with his first arrow, sending it flying into his first target's upper abdomen. He quickly nocked another arrow and sent it into the first target's face before shifting his sights to his second target and firing an arrow that went into its lower left side before firing another shot into its throat. With 2 arrows left, he focused on the last target and sent an arrow flying through its right shoulder before firing his last arrow through the target's throat.
"Done!" Gathan called back.
Dr. Kaiser made his way over to assess the damage done, pulling the arrow out of the first target's gut. "Your first arrow struck this guy's large intestine. It's not an instant kill, but it is a mortal wound and for a lack of a better term, a shitty way to go. Your second arrow though is right on the money, severing this guy's brain stem and going out the back of his head."
He then inspected the second target, "Your first target on this guy is striking him in the hip. It's not going to kill him, but it will be piercing important muscles that will inhibit his movement and maneuverability. Your second shot strikes his windpipe. We have one crippling strike and one death blow," he said before reaching the final target, "It's the same thing all over for this guy. He is first receiving a shot to his shoulder, which will sever important muscles. A crippling blow followed by a kill shot with this guy's throat being punctured. You are 3 for 3 on this one."
"For us, every shot was still an instant kill," Neytiri smirked.
"Don't get too confident. Whatever you throw at us, the Lizardfolk are still always one step behind...waiting for the perfect time to kill," Gathan hissed back.
Both bows had their strengths, yet where do our panelists stand on the final vote?
"These are both effective bows, no question at all. But from what I saw while watching both tests is that the Na'vi's bow appeared to generate more power behind its shots compared to the Lizardfolk's short bow. Edge Na'vi," Bradley started.
"I'm in agreement. The Na'vi bow's design enables the greater power. You also can't overlook how they basically have the mini javelins for arrows that have tips coated with a deadly neurotoxin for an added bang. Edge Na'vi," Dr. Kaiser seconded.
"Longer arrows and the added neurotoxin. There's no way you're walking away after taking a shot from a Na'vi bow. Edge Na'vi," Eddie concluded.
For long range weapons, the Na'vi Warrior takes the edge with the Na'vi Bow.
Coming up, special weapons are brought into play when a deadly war club is pitted against a one-two punch straight outta the swamps.
Then later on, the Na'vi and the Lizardfolk, two fierce tribal warriors clash for the first time ever!
XXXXXX
The end draws near and the time comes for both warriors to unleash their special weapons.
When the Lizardfolk fought their enemies, they relied upon a one-two punch to throw their enemies off, starting out with a javelin-like dart with a barbed head that could drop enemies from afar, the Barbed Dart.
(A Lizardfolk warrior is shown tossing his barbed dart at an oncoming drow elf.)
Barbed Dart
Length: 3 ft.
Weight: 5 lbs.
Material: Wood, iron
In addition to the dart, the Lizardfolk also made use of their own tails as flexible clubs on the battlefield.
(A Lizardfolk warrior trips up a half-orc rogue with his tail before striking another attacking rogue with it like a club and knocking him back against a tree before impaling him with his long sword.)
Tail
Length: Varies
Weight: Varies
"Alright Griss'tok, we've got two charging enemies for you to test both weapons out on, one stationary and the other a moving target," Bradley said motioning towards the targets.
"They are nothing to me," Griss'tok said getting into position with the barbed dart raised.
"Then let 'em have it!"
Griss'tok chucked the barbed dart and struck the stationary target in the abdomen. With the first target dealt with, the second target was sent rushing towards him, yet was halted when Griss'tok quickly spun and struck it with the side of his tail and knocking the target off its track much to the astonishment of the onlookers.
"Damn," Eddie gasped while Bradley and Dr. Kaiser also appeared visibly surprised.
Shrugging off the shock, Dr. Kaiser made his way over to assess the damage done to the first target, pulling out the barbed dart and examining the hole left behind.
"If my estimate is correct, you penetrated 3 inches into this torso, which would be deep enough to strike the pancreas. It's going to be a lot of pain and a mortal wound that will gradually become fatal," the doctor reported before turning his attention to the downed target.
Lifting it up he examined around the ribs area, "With this guy you generated enough force to shatter more than one rib, possibly enough to send fragments in to his lung and leave him coughing up blood. He's hurt, but not dead."
"More smoke than fire," Jake commented, "Sure, your weapons can hurt someone, but ours can kill someone."
Unimpressed by the Lizardfolk's showing, the Na'vi swings back with its own spiked, blunt force killer, the Nawm Club.
(A Na'vi warrior uses his war club to swat an RDA Spec Ops soldier's rifle away from him before swinging it backwards into the man's face.)
Nawm Club
Length: 6 ft.
Weight: 6 lbs.
Material: Wood, stone and obsidian spikes
"Although the Na'vi normally prefer skill over brute force, sometimes there is no other option. When it comes down to it, they have a number of war clubs with designs that vary among the tribes. Today, I've brought the Nawm Club, which has a number of obsidian spikes that can add trauma to the blunt force. If made correctly, some of these can be heavy enough to shatter solid rock," Jake explained showing off the war club.
"Damn, that looks vicious," Eddie said careful not to touch any of the protruding spikes.
"It's meant to be visually intimidating, a psychological tactic that can help defuse a possible confrontation, yet the Na'vi will never back down if it comes to that," Jake concluded.
"Looks big and cumbersome. Heh, good luck!" Griss'tok chuckled.
Bradley ignored Griss'tok's comment and turned his attention towards the set up targets nearby.
"We have 4 targets about to attack and we want to see how effective the club can be against bone, tissue and – as Jake put it – solid rock," he said showing off the targets, two of which were synthetic human skulls, one a ballistic gel human torso, and the last being a small bust made of stone and designed to look like a lizardfolk warrior, "You've got 15 seconds to make your point. Make them count."
"Yes, sir," Jake nodded and got into position.
"Alright Jake, on 3...2...1, crush 'em!"
Jake hefted the club and brought it down on top of the first synthetic skull, resulting in an explosion of dust and fragments. He then took some time before bringing it down on top of the second skull, a similar explosion following. With both skull targets obliterated, he swung the war club downward on top of the gel torso's skull, splitting the crown of the target's head open and leaving the skull inside reduced to large broken pieces. Focusing on the stone bust, Jake brought the war club down with a mighty holler and broke off a large chunk of it before hefting it down again and striking hard enough to leave a noticeable crack down the center, the bust left held together by a few small, precarious strands.
"Time!" Bradley called out.
"Damn, you've got yourself your own little wrecking ball there," Dr. Kaiser commented as he inspected the aftermath and then making his way over to assess the damage done to the gel bust, "This is just instant lights out for this guy. Instant skull fracture, his brain barely held in. You also can't overlook the added trauma caused by the spikes," he said noticing the holes before making his way over to the splintered stone bust.
"For a homemade weapon, it's just instant raw power when it can break through stone. You weren't kidding around," the good doctor concluded.
"I saw how winded you were afterward. You're only leaving yourself open to becoming our next meal when that happens," Griss'tok commented.
"I'm also troubled when I see most of your obsidian spikes broken off afterward," Eddie commented, "That cannot be good for a prolonged fight."
"If the Na'vi strikes right away, it's one and done. Besides, we still have plenty of other backup weapons ready," Jake replied.
Both special weapons showed off their respective abilities, but where do our panelists stand?
"To be quite honest, I'm torn on this one," Bradley started, "The war club has the reach, but that along with its weight slows it down, whereas the Lizardfolk brings two weapons at once, yet the tail isn't necessarily lethal and the barbed dart is pretty much a 'one and done' kind of weapon whose effectiveness depends upon where it strikes. Yet only because we know there would be concrete results, I am giving the edge to the Na'vi with their Nawm Club."
"I have to disagree and give it to the Lizardfolk. A club should in theory be better than a large dart, yet its size can be a hindrance as it would make the war club slower and be more draining on the user's stamina. While the tail isn't necessarily lethal, it can prompt the Lizardfolk to great leaps allowing them to match the Na'vi's superior height, in addition to delivering blunt force trauma or tripping up the Na'vi warrior. As for the dart, it's greater due to its simplicity and additional trauma to be inflicted from its barbed design, similar to a real-life Angon. Edge Lizardfolk," Dr. Kaiser countered.
The tiebreaker would fall down to Eddie.
"While you both present strong cases, the barbed dart is still a one-and-done weapon and must strike a good spot in order to land a fatal injury. While the tail can knock an enemy off their feet and keep them at a distance, its lethality for blunt force attacks was still lesser compared to the Nawm Club. I'm going with the Na'vi on this one," he concluded.
In special weapons, the Na'vi Warrior takes the edge with the Nawm Club.
As it is with all warriors, there is a critical X-factor that makes them who they are. For the Na'vi Warrior, its his unbreakable warrior spirit.
"Even from the beginning, the Na'vi knew they were up against a technologically superior enemy. The odds were grim, yet we knew we had to fight. We had to defend our home. It was that determination that led us to carry out a protracted guerrilla war against the RDA and even before the Battle of Pandora, we had slowly worn our enemies down, both physically and spiritually. It showed them our warrior spirit could not be broken," Neytiri explained.
For the Lizardfolk, it is their devious ingenuity.
"The Lizardfolk might not possess the kind of strategy or tactics of the outsiders, but we know our land well and will use it to our advantage. If our territory is in danger of being invaded, we have the hunting skills that allow us to set up traps, snares, and pitfalls to wear our enemies down. Many have chosen to avoid our swamps because of this," Griss'tok explained.
Coming up, it's a battle between two fierce tribal warriors to decide who will be "The Fictional Deadliest Warrior!"
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With our testing complete and our X-factors evaluated, we are now one step closer to determining who will be the "Fictional Deadliest Warrior."
Our teams tested 4 weapons used by the Na'v Warrior: the Bone Knife, Na'vi War Axe, Na'vi Bow, and the Nawm Club.
On the opposite side, 5 deadly weapons used by the Lizardfolk were tested for battle: the Long Sword, Glaive, Short Bow, Barbed Dart, and Lizardfolk's Tail.
In close range weapons, the greater length and superior material of the Long Sword sliced through the Bone Knife
EDGE: Lizardfolk
In mid-ranged weapons, the stronger material helped the Glaive hack through the Na'vi War Axe.
EDGE: Lizardfolk
In long ranged weapons, the superior power of the Na'vi's bow allowed their toxin covered arrows to outshoot the Lizardfolk's Short Bow.
EDGE: Na'vi Warrior
And lastly, the destructive power of the Nawm Club allowed it to fend off the double-pronged assault of the Barbed Dart and Tail.
EDGE: Na'vi Warrior
Our scientists and weapons experts are done testing. The results are in and the time has come to decide who will be the victor. To ensure the battle won't be decided by a single, lucky blow, the battle will be simulated one thousand times in a duel to the death.
Who will prevail in a battle between two tribal warriors?
Passive Solitude
(A group of Na'vi warriors gather around a tree as they mark the face of a warrior.)
vs. Killer Instinct
(A Lizardfolk slices through an elven archer with his glaive.)
Swamp-dwelling
(A bullywug stalks through a swamp, only for a Lizardfolk to emerge from the water behind it and run it through with his long sword.)
vs. Lurkers of the forest
(Various Na'vi are shown taking aim with their bows and then raining arrows down upon an RDA patrol.)
"Everything is locked, loaded, and ready for action," Eddie said before typing in a few commands and pressing 'ENTER.'
XXXXXXX
In the vast forest of an unknown planet, a lone Na'vi patrols the area from the treetops. He is armed to the teeth, still on heightened alert even following their victory over the RDA. There was no doubt there would be other threats lurking about following all the noise made.
Elsewhere, a lone reptilian humanoid has departed the nearby swamplands in search of food. He has his short bow drawn as he stalks through the brush, but is also equipped with a long sword, glaive and barbed darts, including a turtle shield strapped to his back in case the need for combat arises. He is one of the Lizardfolk and in addition, he and his people have been expanding beyond the confines of their native swamps to see what threats lie beyond.
As the reptile moves further along, he is brought to a halt upon spotting some unusual tracks in the dirt and looks over to find an unusual blue-skinned creature with a long neck, a small, sloped skull, and some strange fans on the side of its head. He stabs both his glaive and barbed dart into the ground before drawing an arrow from his quiver and nocking it. Taking aim, he fires the dart and strikes the exotic beast in its side.
The Na'vi hears the shriek of a dying beast and moves over to a different branch, looking down and seeing a strange reptilian creature unlike anything it had ever seen before. Furthermore, it had just killed a 'yerik,' one of animals responsible for the survival of his race.
It was clear this was a beast to be dealt with and the Na'vi drew his bow, readying a javelin-sized arrow as he took aim at the hunched over lizard man.
The lizard man had just finished tearing a large chunk out of the yerik's carcass when he looked up to see the Na'vi perched on the tree branch and ready to fire upon him. With a grunt, he quickly rolled out of the way and scooped up his turtle shield, holding it up just as another arrow struck head on. He dodged another arrow that became embedded in a splintered tree next to him and drew his own short bow, stringing an arrow and returning fire, yet his first shot missed.
The Na'vi barely dodged the first arrow fired upon him and thanks to his superior agility, was able to quickly reach another branch and went to fire a fourth arrow, yet the lizard warrior fired an arrow that struck his spiked pauldron and threw his shot off, also causing him to lose his balance. He fell from the branch he was standing on, but caught himself on a lower branch and was forced to the ground as the lizard warrior fired another arrow upon him.
With his opponent grounded, the Lizardfolk shouldered his bow and plucked both his glaive and barbed dart from the ground, quietly stalking his tall, blue-skinned opponent and waited for his foe to draw closer before drawing his arm back and throwing his barbed dart.
The barbed dart struck the Na'vi's spiked pauldron, the warrior crying out in a mixture of pain and surprise as the projectile pierced his shoulder, forcing him to drop his bow. Looking over to his right, he sees the reptile charging after him with his glaive and despite the pain coursing through his arm, the Na'vi reaches over and tears the dart out of his pauldron and draws his war axe, barely managing to sidestep a thrusting attack coming his way. He responded with a mighty swing of his axe, but the lizard man showed some surprising agility and leaped backwards to avoid the brunt of the attack.
Hoping to throw his opponent off, the Na'vi warrior acted like he was about to barrel roll to the left, only to catch himself and go for another mighty swing of his war axe, but the lizard man's scales absorbed the brunt of the attack and only stunned him, causing him to hiss in annoyance and attempt a slashing attack with his glaive, but the Na'vi caught him with the shaft of his axe and both combatants found themselves locked in a back and forth struggle.
Utilizing his longer legs, the Na'vi kicked the Lizardfolk backward, yet the reptilian fighter caught himself with the aid of his tail and launched himself forward, bringing his glaive down onto the war axe's shaft and splitting it in half. Disarmed by the attack, the Na'vi again made use of his superior reach and swung the broken shaft into the Lizardfolk's face to temporarily stun his opponent before drawing his nawm club and bringing it down to knock the glaive from the Lizardfolk's grasp.
Undaunted, the Lizardfolk draws his long sword and takes a slash at the Na'vi warrior, which only leaves a dent in his leather breastplate. The Na'vi goes for another swing with his club, yet the Lizardfolk again dodges the attack and the miss leaves the Na'vi winded and left wide open for the lizard warrior to drive his blade through the Pandora native's thigh.
The Lizardfolk did not let up and began driving the blade further into the feline-like warrior's leg, the murder apparent in his golden eyes. Out of desperation, the the Na'vi reached for the bone knife strapped to his side with his free hand and drove it into the reptilian warrior's stomach, forcing him to relinquish his grip on the sword. Badly wounded and losing a lot of blood, the Na'vi warrior limps his way through the foliage.
The Lizardfolk grunts in pain from his fresh wound, but then he smiles as he realizes where the Na'vi is headed and retrieving his turtle shield, resumes his hunt for his wounded adversary.
The determined reptilian warrior follows a trail of blood that leads him further away from the forest and towards the steamy air of familiar territory. Knowing his enemy could be lying in wait, the Lizardfolk halts himself and creeps into the nearby foliage.
Exhausted and bleeding, but not out of the fight, the Na'vi warrior stands at the water's edge of the steaming swamp with his nawm club and bone knife on his possession. The lizard warrior had to be nearby and he wanted to be ready, looking around for any suitable cover for an ambush.
And then there was a low rumble, followed by some strange bubbling noise.
The Na'vi looked around in confusion as he tried to pinpoint the source, only to freeze when he realized the noise was coming from behind him!
It was too late as the Lizardfolk emerged from the murky waters of the swamp with his long sword drawn and he delivered a slash to an exposed portion of the Na'vi warrior's back.
In pain and in rage, the Na'vi warrior whirls around and attempts to strike the lizard warrior with his spiked club, only for the Lizardfolk to intercept the blow with his shield. Unfortunately for the Lizardfolk, the force is enough to break one of the bones in his forearm and he barely dodges another swipe as he stumbles backward, but again catches himself aided by his tail and attempts to impale the Na'vi with the spikes on his shield.
Again taking advantage of his longer arms, the Na'vi delivers a thrust with the bone knife in his other hand and nails the reptile in his left shoulder. The blow catches the reptilian warrior by surprise, yet he is saved from serious harm thanks to his thick scales and he only feels a minor burning sensation, much to the Na'vi's surprise.
The Lizardfolk attempted to take advantage of this sudden surprise by trying to run the Na'vi through with his long sword, but the feline-like warrior barely dodged the attack and again tried swinging his club, but the Lizardfolk ducked low and then shot his tail outward, knocking his tall, wiry opponent from his feet. With the Na'vi grounded, the reptilian warrior raised his sword and attempted to run him through, yet only met the dirt as the Na'vi rolled out of the way.
Pushing himself back to his feet, the Na'vi leaped into the air and attempted to bring his bone knife down onto the Lizardfolk's head, yet the reptilian warrior got his shield up just in time and absorbed the blow. Using his tail for added power, the Lizardfolk jumped forward and punched the spikes of his shield into the Na'vi's armored torso, managing to pierce the leather portion and knock the wind out of him.
The Na'vi is unable to cry out in pain as the Lizardfolk grabs him and tosses him into the water. With his opponent stunned, the Lizardfolk grabs him by the back of his head and shoves his face into the water to weaken him. The horrified Na'vi thrashes away as he is quickly running out of air, yet his adversary's grip is unbreakable and there is nothing more he can do as the Lizardfolk drives his sword through his back.
His spinal cord pierced, the Na'vi collapses face first into the water and slowly drowns.
With another opponent defeated, the Lizardfolk raises his sword into the air and roars in victory.
XXXXXX
Winner: Lizardfolk
Lizardfolk:
Long Sword: 293
Glaive: 136
Short Bow: 142
Barbed Dart: 53
Tail: 0
Total: 624
Na'vi Warrior:
Bone Knife: 6
Na'vi War Axe: 87
Na'vi Bow: 172
Nawm Club: 111
Total: 376
"In what turned out to be another fairly lopsided battle, the Lizardfolk emerged victorious thanks in part to his superior close ranged combative abilities, his weapons possessing the superior materials that enabled him to easily slice through the Na'vi whenever he got within range. If it weren't for his weapons alone, the hardened scales covering most of his body also provided excellent defense against the Na'vi's arsenal.
"It was largely at long range where the Na'vi proved his superiority thanks in part to a stronger bow with arrows coated in neurotoxin, but in the end it wasn't enough and the Lizardfolk emerged victorious," Bradley concluded.
"The Lizardfolk may have triumphed in a one-and-one fight, but had this been a full-scale battle, things would have been different," Jake spoke.
"These Na'vi should just stick to hiding in the trees, unless they're that eager to end up as our next meal!" Griss'tok proudly proclaimed.
(The victorious Lizardfolk is shown walking away from the battlefield with the dead yerik slung over his shoulder. In addition, he has an additional treat in mind as he drags the defeated Na'vi's carcass behind him.)
XXXXXXX
Next time on "Fictional Deadliest Warrior," it's a battle of the madmen:
(A middle-aged man with thinning brown hair in a soiled white t-shirt and blue jeans screams as he fires an assault rifle into the air.)
Trevor Philips: The crazed gun and meth kingpin who rules his industry with an iron fist...
vs.
(A middle-aged man with brown hair and a patch over his right eye in a black trench coat, dark blue button up shirt and black pants stares coldly as he produces a Beretta handgun from his coat and points it at the screen.)
The Governor: The tyrannical leader of Woodbury who eliminates all threats to his power without mercy.
Who will be...THE FICTIONAL DEADLIEST WARRIOR?!
XXXXXX
Author's Note: And so concludes another installment that has been a long time in the making.
I went back and forth with some ideas on here and contemplated giving the Na'vi a set of bolas as an intended non-lethal special weapon to go up against the Lizardfolk's tail, yet ultimately they probably wouldn't have done much aside from serve as a distractionary tactic, whereas the tail can inflict some damage. Either way, the Lizardfolk still would have won in the end. It's something I might do in future battles though.
All references to the movie "Avatar" are owned by James Cameron and all references to the Lizardfolk and the "Forgotten Realms" series are owned by Ed Greenwood.
With apologies to Avatar fans!
As always, read and review! This is Metal Harbinger saying SPREAD THE SICKNESS, ONE MIND AT A TIME!