Double Weapons- are they light?

[Scott_UAT]

So if a weapon is a double weapon- what do each end count as? Are they light? What penalties to they take? (The full amount?) If it's on a case by case basis, would a two-bladed sword's blades count as light? What do they count as when wielding it one handed?

[BillyGoat]

One head is treated as "One-Handed", the other is treated as "Light" for rules effects.

See page 22 of Ultimate Equipment or page 141 of the Core Rulebook.

Since the rules allow you to wield a double weapon with a single hand, but only attack with one end of it, it would be treated as a "one handed" weapon for these purposes, since the rules only ever tell you to treat it as light when using both ends of the weapon.

[Michael Sayre]

A double weapon is whatever it is wielded as. If you TWF with a double weapon it counts as using a one-handed and a light for calculating penalties.

"Double Weapons: Dire flails, dwarven urgroshes, gnome hooked hammers, orc double axes, quarterstaves, and two-bladed swords are double weapons. A character can fight with both ends of a double weapon as if fighting with two weapons, but he incurs all the normal attack penalties associated with two-weapon combat, just as though the character were wielding a one-handed weapon and a light weapon."

[Michael Sayre]

BillyGoat wrote:

One head is treated as "One-Handed", the other is treated as "Light" for rules effects.

I'm not certain that that is accurate. The rules say you determine your penalties as though you were fighting with a one-handed weapon and a light, they don't say you treat one end of the weapon as a light and one as a one-handed.

Little things like this make it a little fuzzy.

James Jacobs wrote:

As quarterstaff is listed as a 2H weapon on the list, you'd treat it the same as a greatsword. Even if you're not using it as a double weapon.

[SuperUberGeek]

They are treated as a one handd weapon and a light weapon when they are being used to as a double weapon or they can be used as a two handed weapon. This is mostly done when the wielder is only able to make one attack, such as after a move or a charge.

Edit Ninjaed. Took to long

[Scott_UAT]

Ahh ok. I missed that line somehow. That's pretty cool.

I'm still not convinced that it is the BEST option for a two weapon fighter but I guess it at least makes you playable if you have the right build.

[Drakkiel]

if you are planning on taking exotic proficiency for a double sword, but actually want 2 weapons without having one be light, see if your GM will let you use Sawtooth Sabres...they are both one-handed but if used to TWF then the off-hand one counts as light...you still need EWP for that too work that way though

Quote:

Description: A sawtoothed sabre may be used as a Martial Weapon (in which case it functions as a longsword), but if you have the feat Exotic Weapon Proficiency (sawtoothed sabre), you treat the weapon as if it were a light weapon for the purpose of two-weapon fighting—the sabre remains classified as a one-handed melee weapon for all other purposes.

[blackbloodtroll]

Yeah. Sawtooth Sabres are the shiznit.