Can a Light Weapon be a One Handed Weapon?

[Ring_of_Gyges]

Slashing Grace says it applies to "one kind of one-handed slashing weapon" and gives a longsword as an example.

Can it apply to a short sword? I had thought it obviously could, a short sword is wielded one-handed and a slashing weapon, therefore a one-handed slashing weapon.

"No no!" says my friend. Weapons are either "light" or "one-handed" (there are two lists with those labels in the Core Rules) and a short sword (being a light weapon) can't also be a "one-handed" weapon. Sure it's wielded in one hand, but that isn't enough to make it "one-handed".

Anyone run into this question before? Anyone got an authoritative answer?

[deusvult]

Pathfinder really ought to capitalize keywords.

One-Handed weapons != one-handed weapons.

Your friend is right.. in the context of the wording of the feat, it's more plausible to assume the rules-writers intended to be describing a formal category of weapons (One-handed) as opposed to any weapon that can be wielded in one hand. This is because, thanks to interactions of other rules, pretty much anything can be wielded one handed, if you try hard enough.

[TGMaxMaxer]

However, some blog posts and such have hinted that this may be errata'd in the new printing, along about a thousand other things that were poorly edited in the ACG.

[Samasboy1]

Short swords aren't slashing either, they are piercing.

The feat would have no use with a short sword.

[Ring_of_Gyges]

Well poo. Having had a closer look at the CRB and the answers here I appear to be definitely wrong. Le sigh.

[Gilfalas]

I think I read that slashing grace will be errata-ed to include light slashing weapons but I am not positive.

In any case if you want short swords try convincing your GM to let you use a Gladius with the feat. They are essentially short swords that pierce or slash.

[blackbloodtroll]

One-handed Weapons, are a Classification of weapon.

Weapons fall into four different categories: Light, One-handed, Two-handed, and Ranged.

Sometimes, a weapon will fall into multiple categories, like the Dagger, which is both a Light weapon, and Ranged weapon, because it has a listed range, because it can be thrown.

When you see a feat, or ability, that uses one of these terms, they are calling out the categorization of a weapon.

So, whilst a Dagger is wielded in one hand, it is not an One-handed weapon.

By the way, Shortswords are piercing weapons, not slashing.

[Imbicatus]

A gladius uses the same proficency and feats as a shortsword and is p/s. It still not legal for slashing grace as written now, because light is not one handed, even though it wielded in one hand.

[blackbloodtroll]

You could always just go with a Rapier, and Fencing Grace.

[Ring_of_Gyges]

The rub is I want Piranha strike, which only applies to light weapons.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/piranha-strike-combat

On a different character I'd like to use two weapon fighting which really wants a light weapon in each hand.

Unchained rogues seem not to have this problem, they can get dex to damage with "any one type of weapon that can be used with Weapon Finesse", but it is a bit frustrating that they work so differently.

[Imbicatus]

If you want to be a swashbuckler, the whirling dervish archetype gains dex to damage with all swashbucklers finesse weapons at 4th without needing slashing grace.