Important takeaways
- Scythes feature prominently in video games, transforming from tools into formidable weapons using the rule of cool.
- Mastery of movement is necessary; wielders can effortlessly take down multiple enemies with the right finesse.
- Scythes in games like The Outer Worlds, Final Fantasy 14, and Dante's Inferno offer unique abilities in battle.
In real life, “scythe” technology has not advanced enough to warrant its continuation on the farm, never mind the battlefield. But in video games, via the rule of cool, the scythe has been a staple of murderous activities forever, and there are plenty of examples of the humble harvesting tool being turned into a formidable weapon.
From RPGs to action games, its ominous design evokes an air of mortality, making its wielder a taker of souls (and, in many cases, literally). A certain mastery of movement is required to wield a scythe, but those with the right amount of finesse can effortlessly take down multiple enemies at once. With a scythe as a viable weapon, the harvest becomes its own reward.
The outer worlds
Cut right through the red tape of bureaucracy
While a medieval-style weapon might seem out of place in a game about spaceships and a sterile, system-wide super-capitalism that ravages all hope for the future, a touch of feudalism fused with searing plasma technology is completely in keeping with the times The outer worlds.
Most of these two-handed scythes go by the name Inferno Scythes (a manufactured product and trademark of Aramid Ballistics) and are perfect for ripping through meaty enemies but not as effective against auto-mechanics or heavy armor. Premium “Inferno Scythe Gold” is also available for purchase (or find) by higher level players.
Final Fantasy 14
Exclusive to The Soul-Shrouded Reaper
The harvest class was introduced with Final Fantasy 14s “Endwalker” expansion. These Void Channeling Avengers use what was once their humble farming tool to harvest the souls of their enemies in the most vicious way possible, becoming a living memento mori for every mortal's grim fate. But hints of their botanical roots are still sown throughout the harvester's skills.
Of course, reaper is expert at unleashing high level bursts of damage near any enemy within range, at least after Whirl of Death is unlocked. The only downside to this class is that there is a level-70 base requirement to play them, meaning players must sow their experience before reaping the rewards of channeling their inner grimdark edgelord.
Dante's Inferno
To win the sinners from the saints
After being threatened with eternal damnation and then somehow defeating death itself in one-on-one combat, Dante wrestles control of the reaper's scythe and shortly thereafter vows to redeem himself for his loved ones. But after returning home, the souls of his father and wife are snatched away. Naturally, Dante breaks into Hell to wage war on Lucifer and his armies.
Dante's Infernothe scythe cuts in wide arcs and shatters hard as it hits the poor, rotten souls of the underworld. Flawless strikes build up a combo meter that unlocks deadly finishing moves. As Dante continues to explore the circles of hell, he can gain new abilities to complement his scythe attacks.
Grim Dawn
A worthy weapon to eradicate the endless influx of trash mobs
For a game with the word “grim” in the title, it may come as no surprise that a two-handed sling is available as a melee weapon in Grim Dawn. Thanks to its mix-and-match class system (or “mastery system”), almost any build can benefit from using it. For example, the Necromancer is perfectly paired with the Soldier or Shaman.
Grim Dawn is a game about mowing down hundreds of thousands of squishy, blood-spewing enemies, and there's no greater feeling of smiting the undead hordes than with this weapon, which can be found as a random drop. The high-end scythe can be found late game, but thanks to the Illusionist NPC, any two-handed player can be transformed into a scythe skin.
Guild Wars: Nightfall
The whirling, wind-driven dervish
With the ability to hit three targets at close range simultaneously with high damage output, Guild Wars' scythe weapon should meet the garbage damage demand that any scythe enthusiast expects. Scythe Mastery is one of the dervish skills, but if taken as a secondary class, almost any profession in Guild Wars can make use of one as long as they have access to the Elona map.
This melee mystic is exclusive to Dusk campaign but can be ferried to the other games. Even if Guild Wars is a multiplayer game, playing solo is totally viable. Thanks in part to their broad suite of skills, the scythe is the most powerful ranged weapon in the game.
Darksiders 2
The only thing better than one scythe is two
Few scythe friendly games have a peasant as a class or protagonist and instead use the old grim reaper inspired archetype. Darksiders 2The main character is the bonafide bone rider himself, Death. In the first one Darksidershis brother-in-dark, War, occasionally borrowed his scythe in battle.
Not to be outdone, Death dual uses them. His most prized weapon is “The Harvester”, which he can summon with a thought. Harvester can transform into any form the master needs, including spiky blades of sinewy shadow or a broad arc of energy. Death also has the ability to transition into his “grim reaper” form to make faster work of his corpse crops.
