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I have a player that posed these questions to me today. I was hoping that the vast wealth of knowledge here on these boards would help me answer:
Dear DM,
I have a dilemma during character generation. I have a Sorcerer Gnome who needs some sort of protection during Melee combat. The spells are ok but his strength for fighting is limited. (of course, hence, the sorcerer!) However, the combination of spells & fighting prowess would seem to help.
The Gnome Hooked Hammer (a martial weapon) weapon proficiency was given to him as a racial trait, and as you know, it is a Double Weapon which can be used in Two Weapon Style if I burn one of my feats into it.
However, with no strength bonus to hit I would have to take the Weapon Finesse feat in order to use my Dex modifier to hit in order to have any chance in succeeding enough times to survive. The reason this is not possible though, is because the Gnome Hooked Hammer is not a Finesse weapon. Since I am able to treat this as a martial weapon can I use this feat for this weapon? Or do you want me to find two light melee weapons from the Sandpoint guide or Player's Handbook?
The reason I am even considering two weapon style was because of this weapon and the fact that I took the Draconic kit from the Pathfinder series. This kit gives me the SU ability and option of using two claw attacks in one round as a full round attack action eliminating the need for two weapon style. (or any weapon for that matter) Would I really need to take two weapon style at all if I can fight this way without penalty already?
I did find in the skills chapter you can use a gauntlet, spikes, or punching dagger as a second off-hand hit, however, the penalties will apply. I am assuming this to be true because it is "unarmed" combat not "armed." (Is this the case?) However, with unarmed combat you suffer attacks of opportunity fighting someone armed. With this being a supernatural ability, does it eliminate attacks of opportunity by fighting unarmed, because monsters do not take negative penalties to hit with claws? (or do they…. I don't know)
Could or should I take weapon finesse for my claws? (I have noticed the monsters manual using this for cats and various creatures - would or could this apply to me?)
Another one. The Varisian Tattoo is a good thing to have, however, me being a sorcerer I don't believe it should be used, because it requires you to specialize in that school of magic. Sorcerer's have a wild innate magic or ability and it wouldn't make sense to specialize in a school of magic when their magic varies to such a degree. If I were able to specialize though, I would gain some pretty powerful bonuses as a spell caster and I think that is a bit much.
-Gnome Sorcerer
Claws (Ex): Starting at 1st level, you can make two claw
attacks as a full-attack action. These claws are treated as
natural weapons, meaning that you are always considered
armed and you do not gain additional attacks for a high
base attack bonus.
You should read up on natural weapons if you have any issues with this. The sorcerer is considered armed. Weapon finesse works fine. It doesn't make any sense at all for a sorcerer to use a melee weapon when he has claw attacks.
Varisian Tatoo is a little odd for a gnome but I don't see why not. If the character is going to focus in one school of magic it makes sense. In particular it's probably a good idea for a blaster to get SF(evocation) and Varissian Tattoo(evocation). Which gets you +1DC and +1 Caster Level with evocation.
I actually think the tattoos make a lot of sense for sorcerers... Seoni has them so that's a great selling point right there.
I have a dilemma during character generation. I have a Sorcerer Gnome who needs some sort of protection during Melee combat. The spells are ok but his strength for fighting is limited. (of course, hence, the sorcerer!) However, the combination of spells & fighting prowess would seem to help.
Two words: mage armor. One more word: shield. I know its two spells for a character who knows a limited number of spells (but if he or she is Draconic bloodline, mage armor is eventually free) but you're looking at a +8 bonus to AC right there.
The Gnome Hooked Hammer (a martial weapon) weapon proficiency was given to him as a racial trait, and as you know, it is a Double Weapon which can be used in Two Weapon Style if I burn one of my feats into it.
However, with no strength bonus to hit I would have to take the Weapon Finesse feat in order to use my Dex modifier to hit in order to have any chance in succeeding enough times to survive. The reason this is not possible though, is because the Gnome Hooked Hammer is not a Finesse weapon.
For the off-hand attack it is.