SwordTember 3: Gears

 Alright, here's a weird one. What kind of sword would utilize gears? As near as I can figure, we're looking at a clockwork construct.

Imagine a frame with three inch cogs locked into each other going down the back. They're fixed, but also lock in with the handle, itself a clockwork mechanism. The frame extends to around thirty inches to the end of the blade, but there's no tip to speak of. Stepped up in speed and in a locked train with the main cogs we would have a series of three inch wide cogs, but hammered flat to act as an edge and still toothed to engage with each other. (Or the sword weilder's target. This is a weapon, after all.) 

Now, without spinning the gears, you can still have a decent bashing weapon if hitting with the sword back. This is a sword, however, and not a club. Swords typically exhibit a cutting action, but notice I said the handle was also clockwork. A clockwork golem with a hand to operate the sword would spin the pommel and also cause the gears in the sword to also spin. I could probably do the same if I hooked a power drill up to the pommel and get it spinning. 

Now all those spinning razor-thin teeth can act as a vicious saw, ripping and tearing into a given target. Last I checked, brass was very unforgiving of flesh impeding its motion if weaponized. I cite the Greek xiphos as my example, the sword featured in the movie 300, as those were replica xiphoi used in cinema to mimic their actual battlefield use at the Battle of Thermopylae. 

With the description laid out, here's the rules on using such a nasty tool. When unused, the clockwork user can still initiate for 1d8 bashing damage any time, or rev the blade as a free action on its turn. On attacking an unarmored target, an average human commoner, a grapple is automatically initiated by the blade as it bites into its target, dealing 2d6 slashing damage as the gears bite and lacerate the target. If the victim survives the initial encounter, he needs to make a DC 10 Strength check to break free (and likely run like hell) before he can do anything short of jam a dagger into the teeth to stop them from rotating. 

After the blade has been used (gummed up) the user needs to maintain either a DC 15 Strength to keep the gears turning (with advantage if it's a golem, straight roll if it's me and my drill) as blood tends to foul up gears, but proficiency bonus can be added if applicable. Such a tool of war would be used in shock tactics and likely discarded after shock value has been achieved. 

For the record, I use myself as the modern man to relate here. In a typical fantasy setting, I would be stuck to using the weapon as a bludgeon, as most drills that could get that fast are either fixed tools i.e. drill press, or just wouldn't exist.