I am trying to understand the weapon sizing rules. A wielder gets a -2 penalty to attack roles when using an inappropriately sized weapon per category difference. But it also says that a small sized version of a weapon is considered one category smaller than a normal sized weapon. When does the inappropriate size penalty kick in? Is a small sized longsword considered a light melee weapon, an inappropriately sized weapon, or both light and inappropriate when wielded by a medium sized creature?
I interpret it to be both, but I think in some instances this is silly. For a longsword, you can argue that the ballance point is all wrong so while it is light, it can't be wielded with the swinging motion it was designed for (or something similar). Other weapons, like a small short sword, I think should just count as annother weapon, like dagger. But, by the rules, weapons go down a size category and are inappropriate.
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"Both" is correct.
A medium character wields a small two-handed weapon as a one-handed weapon with a -2 penalty, and a small one-handed weapon as a light weapon with a -2 penalty. A medium character can't wield a small light weapon.
A small character wields a medium light weapon as a one-handed weapon with a -2 penalty, and a medium one-handed weapon as a two-handed weapon with a -2 penalty. A small character can't wield a medium two-handed weapon.
Other weapons, like a small short sword, I think should just count as another weapon, like dagger.
It may be dagger sized, but the handle's all wrong (too small for the hand wielding it) so the -2 is because it can't be gripped properly.
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Just to be exhaustive, a Medium character can wield the following weapons, with the listed penalties...
Light: tiny two-handed (-4), small one-handed (-2), medium light (0)
One-handed: small two-handed (-2), medium one-handed (0), large light (-2)
Two-handed: medium two-handed (0), large one-handed (-2), huge light (-4)
If it's not on the list, then you can't wield it RAW without other abilities.
For other sizes, use the same chart with all the size categories altered in the same direction.
Thanks everyone. That is what I was thinking it would be as well. I was just hoping I might be mistaken since I had an idea of a TWFing aldori swordsman using a normal sized one in his main hand, and a small sized one in his off hand (like a daisho).
Well, that might still be a viable strategy. It's true you'd be taking the -2 penalty for your off-hand attack for the mis-sized weapon, but if you're focusing on weapon feats it might still be worth it.
Since the smaller weapon is light, it's effectively going to be -2/-4 on the attack, as opposed to -4/-4 if both weapons were full-sized -- trading +1 damage from having the larger off-hand weapon for a +2 to hit with the main-hand weapon.
Thanks everyone. That is what I was thinking it would be as well. I was just hoping I might be mistaken since I had an idea of a TWFing aldori swordsman using a normal sized one in his main hand, and a small sized one in his off hand (like a daisho).
Well, if it was a common practice, I imagine such blades already exist as medium-sized light weapons. (After all, the wakizashi is [effectively] a smaller katana, but it's handle is still made for a normal adult.)
However, the other thing I'd say is that because (for bladed weapons) the problem is most likely just the handle and grip, that a skilled craftsman could probably re-hilt the weapon in question, effectively making the one-handed small weapon into a light medium one (of course, any halfling or gnome you hand it to will now get the -2 and hate you).
Well, that might still be a viable strategy. It's true you'd be taking the -2 penalty for your off-hand attack for the mis-sized weapon, but if you're focusing on weapon feats it might still be worth it.
Since the smaller weapon is light, it's effectively going to be -2/-4 on the attack, as opposed to -4/-4 if both weapons were full-sized -- trading +1 damage from having the larger off-hand weapon for a +2 to hit with the main-hand weapon.
And it would come out as the same To Hit as a short sword, assuming Weapon Focus: aldori dueling sword, and the Sword Scion trait. But, damage would be better with Weapon Specialization.
Tilnar: I imagine that re-hilting the weapon would effectively, in game mechanics anyways, make it a short sword instead of a small sized aldori dueling sword. Who knows though.
There doesn't seem to be any good reason not to shrink your off-hand weapon. Between wielding, say, two medium longswords and a medium and small longsword, and take the latter. It doesn't even have any effect on Power Attack damage.