Large weapon


Rules Questions


Can i use a large scimitar as a 2 handed weapon without malus?


If you are a medium character yes. And if you use a large scimitar twohanded it's listed as the Falchion.


Snowleopard, that is not correct.

According to Table 6-5 on CRB p145 a weapon that does 1d6 damage upgrades to 1d8 daamge when large sized (as opposed to 2d4 which is the Falchion).

Additionally, due to the inappropriately sized weapon rule a large scimitar has a -2 penalty to attack.

CRB p144 wrote:
Inappropriately Sized Weapons: A creature can’t make optimum use of a weapon that isn’t properly sized for it. A cumulative –2 penalty applies on attack rolls for each size category of difference between the size of its intended wielder and the size of its actual wielder. If the creature isn’t proficient with the weapon, a –4 nonproficiency penalty also applies.

So, a Large Scimitar does 1d8 damage and when in the hands of a medium character is a two-handed weapon that has a -2 attack penalty.

- Gauss


You would take a -2 on attack rolls for it not being the correct size. I agree with Snowleopard and just go with the falchion.


Waiting for the "I don't want a falchion because I'm planning on taking dervish dance"


gourry187 wrote:

Waiting for the "I don't want a falchion because I'm planning on taking dervish dance"

Which would not work because of the "When wielding a scimitar with one hand" part. And the "Must be for a creature your size" part. And the "not carry weapon in your free hand" part. But I guess you knew that but were waiting for it despite this.


Gauss wrote:

Snowleopard, that is not correct.

According to Table 6-5 on CRB p145 a weapon that does 1d6 damage upgrades to 1d8 daamge when large sized (as opposed to 2d4 which is the Falchion).

Additionally, due to the inappropriately sized weapon rule a large scimitar has a -2 penalty to attack.

CRB p144 wrote:
Inappropriately Sized Weapons: A creature can’t make optimum use of a weapon that isn’t properly sized for it. A cumulative –2 penalty applies on attack rolls for each size category of difference between the size of its intended wielder and the size of its actual wielder. If the creature isn’t proficient with the weapon, a –4 nonproficiency penalty also applies.

So, a Large Scimitar does 1d8 damage and when in the hands of a medium character is a two-handed weapon that has a -2 attack penalty.

- Gauss

Hey, I didn't know about the Inappropriately sized weapon. I thought a small character could simply wield a medium sized weapon as a two handed weapon without penalty, so thanx for the heads up. It is reasonable as well as a medium sized handle of a weapon would not be suited for a two handed small characters hands, but might be adjusted relatively easy.

I do believe a weapon smith could adjust a standard medium sized scimitar into a Falchion for Small characters with relative ease (at least faster and easyer then constructing a new weapon from scratch). Almost like a repair skill check.
And I believe the falchion was described as a two handed scimitar, but I cannot find the entry in my PRD. The Paizo site tells me that the Falchion is indeed a scimitar like weapon.


A GM can rule in some other way especially if we talk about small characters who wants to use a medium weapon. On my table a halfing can wield a medium longshort as a small twohanded sword without penalties but this is a houserule.
This is the rules board, it was a RAW question and Gauss has the RAW answer.


Snowleopard, perhaps you are remembering 3.5 where a Large Scimitar might have been considered a Falchion using the optional Weapon Equivalency rules?

While the GM could houserule that a smith could adjust a Medium Scimitar into a Small Falchion that would still be a house rule and not part of the Rules Forum discussion. :)

- Gauss


Gauss wrote:

Snowleopard, perhaps you are remembering 3.5 where a Large Scimitar might have been considered a Falchion using the optional Weapon Equivalency rules?

While the GM could houserule that a smith could adjust a Medium Scimitar into a Small Falchion that would still be a house rule and not part of the Rules Forum discussion. :)

- Gauss

My first guess was 3.0, where using a "larger" weapon in two hands was simply how it worked. Halflings would just use longswords as their greatswords.

Other than the fact that their hands are different sizes though, this locked them out of most of the interesting two-handed weapons, like anything with Reach.


Bizbag wrote:
Gauss wrote:

Snowleopard, perhaps you are remembering 3.5 where a Large Scimitar might have been considered a Falchion using the optional Weapon Equivalency rules?

While the GM could houserule that a smith could adjust a Medium Scimitar into a Small Falchion that would still be a house rule and not part of the Rules Forum discussion. :)

- Gauss

My first guess was 3.0, where using a "larger" weapon in two hands was simply how it worked. Halflings would just use longswords as their greatswords.

Other than the fact that their hands are different sizes though, this locked them out of most of the interesting two-handed weapons, like anything with Reach.

In answer to both of you Bizbag and Gauss, yes it was probably the 3.0 rules I remembered.


Ahhh yes, 3.0 is too far back for me to reliably remember and I don't have as many of the 3.0 books to reference. I *might* have the 3.0 PHB and DMG around somewhere but I wasn't going to go dig them up. :)

- Gauss

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