FAQ Contradictions: Two-Handed Weapons in One Hand and Power Attack


Rules Questions


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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

I noticed today that there are two seemingly contradictory answers given in the Paizo FAQ for the Pathfinder Core Rulebook, regarding how Power Attack interacts with weapons that are normally two-handed but wielded in one hand through a special ability or weapon property. Is it possible to get some clarification on this?

The two FAQs are as follows:

First FAQ from May 2013

First FAQ:
Power Attack: If I am using a two-handed weapon with one hand (such as a lance while mounted), do still I get the +50% damage for using a two-handed weapon?
Yes.

This is pretty direct and straightforward - even though you're wielding the weapon in one hand, you still get the extra damage for using a two-handed weapon with Power Attack.

The FAQ from June 2013 directly contradicts this answer however:

Second FAQ:
Weapons, Two-Handed in One Hand: When a feat or other special ability says to treat a weapon that is normally wielded in two hands as a one handed weapon, does it get treated as one or two handed weapon for the purposes of how to apply the Strength modifier or the Power Attack feat?
If you're wielding it in one hand (even if it is normally a two-handed weapon), treat it as a one-handed weapon for the purpose of how much Strength to apply, the Power Attack damage bonus, and so on.

This answer instead states that you treat the weapon as one-handed if you're wielding it in one hand for the purposes of the Power Attack damage bonus.

So, given, those two contradictory answers, which is the correct one and which is in error? It seems impossible at the moment, but is there a way to read both rulings without invalidating one of them?


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The official answer is that a lance, while you can wield it one handed, is still a two handed weapon. When you wield a two handed weapon as a one handed weapon using feats/abilities, it however stops being a two handed weapon.

It's silly, don't think too hard about it.

Scarab Sages

LoneKnave wrote:
The official answer is that a lance, while you can wield it one handed, is still a two handed weapon. When you wield a two handed weapon as a one handed weapon using feats/abilities, it however stops being a two handed weapon.

Except when it doesn't, like trying to use Slashing Grace with a polearm wielded in one hand.

It is a silly rule.


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Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

There is no contradiction here:

In the first case, your two-handed weapon is still being treated as a two-handed weapon with the SOLE exception of being wielded in one hand under very specific circumstances.

In the second case, your weapon that is normally wielded in two hands is being treated as a one-handed weapon IN ALL RESPECTS (wielded in one hand, only gets 1x str mod, only gets 1 handed power-attack).

They are difference cases.


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There is no contradiction. I think it is a silly ruling, but they do not contradict.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

That's not what the FAQ states though. The first one states "using a two-handed weapon with one hand (such as a lance while mounted)"; it's not exclusive to the lance, it's just giving an example of a two-handed weapon used with one hand (presumably, another example is that of an Earth Breaker w/ the Thunder and Fang feat chain). And according to that answer, you get the extra damage; except the second FAQ then contradicts that outright.

That is, if the first FAQ stated that "While using a lance, do I still get the +50% damage for using a two-handed weapon?", I'd concur with you; instead it just gives the lance as an example of a two-handed weapon used in one hand.


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Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

You're missing the distinction between a two-handed weapon wieldable in one hand due to a special rule (such as the lance) and a two handed weapon treated as a one-handed weapon. The first case changes ONLY the wieldability (retaining the 1.5x str mod, etc.) while the second case changes ALL attributes (wieldability, str mod, pwr attack, etc.)


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Wait. I think I understand this now.

What everyone is saying is that without a sentence stating "this weapon now wielded in one hand is treated as a one-handed weapon", then it's still considered a two-handed weapon for everything except for the number of hands?

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

Like others have said, there's no contradiction here. "Wielded in one hand" and "wielded as a one-handed weapon" are not the same thing.

EDIT: Ninja'd. Sounds like you get it now. :)


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Thanks for the help everyone. The increasing number of rules like this that I keep finding are making me regret ever switching my players over to the Pathfinder system... I didn't realize I'd have to make so many 'house rules' for simple clarity (I just figured they did a poor editing job during the transition from 3.5). I guess that's a discussion for another forum though.

Silver Crusade

This ruling really makes a lot of sense, when one considers the 'lance' exception. We know knights charged with lance in one hand and shield in the other. It's also pretty well established that nothing hit harder on a medieval battlefield than a knight & destrier charging with a lance. This is probably because a lance charge actually uses the combined strength and mass of the rider and the mount.

Pathfinder et al skips over it, because it's a nit-picky detail, but a knight-in-armor typically held a lance in a Lance Rest, which distributed inpact shock to the armor and, thence, to the mount. This 'lance rest' is actually what allows a lance to be used effectively in one hand. Rather than go into the detail of 'well, if you have a Lance Rest then a lance can be used to maximum effect in one hand, otherwise you must either hold it in two hands or do reduced damage', they wisely just ignore this detail and assume all lance-wielders have appropriate add-ons.

It would be silly if the Pathfinder devs ruled that a knight with a charging lance doesn't actually hit very hard, by neglecting the use of a Lance Rest. So they just ignore (simplify) the topic of Lance Rest and make an exception for lances.

If you want a more realistic system, in GURPS a properly-braced lance charge uses the strength of the mount for damage calculations. How much detail do you want in your RPG?

Sovereign Court

JimmySC wrote:
Thanks for the help everyone. The increasing number of rules like this that I keep finding are making me regret ever switching my players over to the Pathfinder system... I didn't realize I'd have to make so many 'house rules' for simple clarity (I just figured they did a poor editing job during the transition from 3.5). I guess that's a discussion for another forum though.

If you switched over from 3.5 - it had more than its own share of similar issues. Plus the balance is somewhat better in Pathfinder.

Any significantly crunchy system is going to have similar issues pop up from time to time. At least Pathfinder is avoids being arbitrary for the most part.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

Keep in mind as well that you could not benefit from Slashing Grace if you are wielding a weapon not appropriate to your size.

In essence if the weapon is 2 handed and designed to be used in one hand then the two handed weapon rules apply. If you are changing the weapon from 2 handed to 1 handed, for example a bastard sword, then you treat it as a 1 handed weapon.

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