i was going to say that’s insane and then i remembered it’s the circus and then i remembered it’s the circus so that’s insane!
now i see where the fantasy trope of jugglers fighting with thrown weapons come from- crazy that you can just dodge or catch that easily! but i guess with that much hand-eye coordination and reflexes…
(which one’s a juggling ring?)
random Pic off the internet of juggling Rings
Yeah, Pretty sure about half of the jugglery tools could be used as half decent improvised weappns even without modifications, and if It was modifies some? Probably everything.
Welp, now I'm going to make a list of weaponizability of jugglery tools!
Juggling rings: Very throwable, Light and Easy to carry but if you have aim and intent to hurt you can do real damage, especially if they are old and the edges have become jagged from impacts. Just some force and extra spinning motion and you've got a potentially frisbee like projectile that EVERYONE Will underestimate. And also, can be used to effectively Deflect most thrown objects (mainly clubs and others Rings)
Clubs probably: both short and ranged weapon, lighter than you'd think, but the balance Is a thing of beauty so even biger (and heavier) ones are Easy to swing. And they also teach you to throw correctly basically any enlingated object with a decent balance. No Sharp edges, but moving them around can also help Speed up and balance movements so i think that makes up for It.
Bolas: they were actually Born as a hunting weapon and only later adapted for jugglery, so¯\_(ツ)_/¯. The jugglery variety Is Very Light tho; It can distract and tangle, but not much damage
Juggling balls: Pretty Light and soft, they normally are Just fabric filled with Bird seeds (only know cuz a few broke and started spilling seeds at the seams. Tbf those were OLD). Good projectiles if you have enough strength, but One purpuse and one use only
Diablo: again, One single ranged hit available, but can act as and improvised bolas with a much heavier weight, and That single throw impact Will be up there in terms of Power. And also, once you've Lost the Diablo itself, the rods and string are basically a short whip and you can use the rods-string combo as a sort of ungraceful combination between nunchucks and bolas or something
Spinning plates: surprising, yes, but while the plates are plastic (to be lighter), the uhhh Rod/Stick or whatever its English name Is (T_T) that you used to spinn them? It's sturdy enough wood, less than a cm in diameter, long and with a slight point. Stabbity stab stab anyone? :3
Devil's Stick: (probably). Haven't used that One since my first year of circus, so can't Remember exactly how heavy/light sturdy/weak wieldy/unwieldy the control rods are for that One, but, Sticks. Three whole Sticks about the size of your forearm+hand and a bit? Not too bad i think?
Sigar box: they are about 20cmx10cmx6cm (roughly rounding down) solid wood bricks (guesstimate 8inch x 4 inch x 2 inch). Only three, yes, but, owch. And also oddly Easy to use to block Flying objects.
Hats: kida useless but sure, you could throw them to distract and they are light and Easy to carry around
Hula hoops: unwieldy af, but sure, why not
Juggling scarf: if you find a way to weaponise this One on its own do let me know. Thin, Light, small, next to no tensile strength and short. Can't even throw them cuz they'll Just catch the Wind and float down gently. The traditional ones are all but useless as weappns. Might make a bad improvised weighted bolas if combined with juggling balls, but only if the scarf Is big enough and/or you know how to tie a knot.
(escrima sticks... Well, Just looked It up and they're basically the devil's Stick control rods but altered for fighting, not basic tool, so not in the First list)
Now, if we could modify? No ranking cuz too many variables, but Imma try and grade them.
Juggling rings: weighted (or not), sturdier material, sharpened edges (if used in combo with gloves that are cut-proof on the Palm). That's a chakram, that's It you're juggling. With a Chakram. Which Is a weapon. Enough said. 10/10 weapon potential. The sharp edges mean can't really juggle normally so 3/10 for original function, but with cut proof gloves it's back to 10/10 OF.
Clubs: weighted, sturdier/harder material. Also AN actual weapon, even if not exactly known for gracefulness. Tho, if one kept the pommel round and thinned out a bit the handle near there, It would be even easier to spinn like a bolas between two fingers, AND with additional impact Power due to the extra weight. 10/10 weapon potential. AND It keeps shape and balance intact so 10/10 original function. Just gotta get used to the new balance and weight¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Bolas: actually ridiculously Easy to accidentally weaponise. During covid they had us build homemade bolas. Accidentally made the weights too heavy, now those are more weapon than tool, owch. Anyway, heavier weight, heavier handle to balance for potential throw, sturdy string/Light chain. That's Also a weapon! Two actually, cuz It can also act as a sort of kusarifundo in addition to hunting bolas. And all that with minimal adaptations that change virtually nothing of its function. 10/10 weapon potential AND 10/10 original function. Tho, since it can be modded into acting as two Different weapons, It might be 20/10 weapon potential :3
Juggling balls: heavier or turned into mini bombs like in cartoons or anything else, yes, can be actually decent projectiles. But only and idiot would actually juggle Lit Bombs, and, while yes, you can juggle even rocks as of they were balls, if you keep them the same size as the normal juggling tool? Too unwieldy, wouldn't advise. You could; you can do anything if you're stubborn enough, but not really worth It for One use projectiles in my opinion. Weapon potential Is between 3 and 8 out of 10, but for original function, acvordingly, I'd put them between 7 and 2 out of 10. Different mod or Styles could chance this, and this Is only my opinion, but meh, they don't really convince me much on their own.¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Diablo: okay, can't change much about the Diablo itself if you want to keep the function, but I swear the rods and string are this🤏 close to being and actual weapon even as is. Give it a thinner string and you have a garrote. Might have to modify the diablo's neck to still be able to spinn it even with the different material, but i think It can be done. Put weights in the bottom/central part of the control rods and you have increase the improvised weapon's impact Power without impacting too much its maneuverability. And also, Different string= decent short whip. Not both whip and garrote at the same time probably, but still Good in my opinion. 10/10 weapon potential, tho 9/10 original function cuz the wire's texture Is very important for control so you'd have to modify the Diablo too to keep the same Level of precision.
Spinning plates: i mean, metal Stick with point?!? And potential projectiles if you can mod the plates like that¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Can't have the tip be too pointy, and It Needs to make some sort of friction with the plate, but I'm Pretty sure something can be arranged to make It have the same friction between wood and plastic. Rod IS long and it's Meant to be smooth, so not ideal, but still Good. 8-9/10 weapon potential, 7-10/10 original function depending on materials used.
Devil's Stick: hello Dick Grayson aka Nightwing! Control rods could be swapped with escrima Sticks and no One would be able to notice if they were colorful enough. Plus spare Stick! 10/10 weapon potential and 10/10 original function if you're wise.
Sigar box: meh, can't really think of a way to make this more weapon like. Maybe add weight? But you have to hold It with pincers hands to juggle and the One you throw can't be slowed down by the extra weight. It's literally Just a wooden block with Velvet on the small sides for friction and shiny stuff on the big faces for show. It's a brick. Dunno What One could do with It?¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 1/10 weapon potential, maybe 2 if you make It heavier, but then original function Is impaired so 7/10 there.
Hats: again, no clue What to do to make Anything like any traditional weapon. Maybe extra weight? Dunno how that would help tho. Mayhaps Sharp edges, but, uhh, i'll leave that for fantasy writers to Figure out cuz they might have more Ideas than me. It's not like "hat" Is a Very throwable/aerodinamic shape. 0/10 weapon potential, maybe 1/10 with weight? But then you'd get 9/10 original function¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Hula hoops: still unwieldy AF, but maybe make them hollow metal tubes and more rigid? Loose flexibility and tricks but would gain some impact potential. Tho, maybe not as a throwing weapon, carring two Is awkward enough. But if One was Experienced enough with them and threw in a Good deal of ground acrobatics It could work both for Light attacks and a decent parry, but not really a traditional weapon so can't give points for that. 3-4/10 weapon potential and 8-9/10 original function. Depending on the material.
Juggling scarf: possibly adapt It so you can pair It with a projectile and make a slingshot. Would Need to be somewhat sturdier than the veil It Is, but could be adapted with next to no impact on original function. So technically 10/10 weapon potential and 10/10 original function.
Hey, those numbers are about how much they resemble actual weapons or how Easy/effective i think it would be to use them as weapons. Not how good of a weapon they'd actually be. I love Bolas, but unless you know how not to hit yourself, you would be the First victim, and It doesn't really have a piercing/cutting potential and Needs space to gain Speed and make more powerful impacts, so not necessarily a Good weapon. Juggling scarves can be made to resemble a weapon technically, but, come on, it's a slingshot🤨. A sigarbox does not resemble a weapon in any way shape or form, but Hey, a brick Is a brick!
So, how obvious Is It that i spent way too much time thinking up ways to weaponise jugglery stuff during my Hyperfixations on Action/Adventure stories? 😅
