|
Recently my game group has decided to start a new game, and i came across a particular style that interested me for a pure thematic point of view, but i am actually trying to make it work.
I wanted to do a Fighter - Weapon Master (from the advance players guide), and dual wielding weapons (the off hand weapon would be the heavy blade combat scabbard from the Adventurers Armory).
I saw the Combat Equipment Tricks in the Adventurers Armory, and that sold me on the style for Heavy Blade Scabbard Tricks, but i am facing that i am not sure how to make it work for a Human Fighter that wishes to dual wield as well.
Any suggestions on the feat progressions???
So far i only have Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Bastard Sword; Weapon Focus: Bastard Sword; Two Weapon FIghting.
Thanks.
Recently my game group has decided to start a new game, and i came across a particular style that interested me for a pure thematic point of view, but i am actually trying to make it work.
I wanted to do a Fighter - Weapon Master (from the advance players guide), and dual wielding weapons (the off hand weapon would be the heavy blade combat scabbard from the Adventurers Armory).
I saw the Combat Equipment Tricks in the Adventurers Armory, and that sold me on the style for Heavy Blade Scabbard Tricks, but i am facing that i am not sure how to make it work for a Human Fighter that wishes to dual wield as well.
Any suggestions on the feat progressions???
So far i only have Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Bastard Sword; Weapon Focus: Bastard Sword; Two Weapon FIghting.Thanks.
That combat scabbard is a one-handed weapon. So is a bastard sword.
So you're dual-wielding at a -4/-4 with a combat scabbard/bastard sword.
I would use a short sword and a combat scabbard. And then make your combat scabbard your primary weapon.
I really don't know how to not make your character a big melting pot of redundant feats as a fighter. You'd have a lagging and leading weapon training bonus, redundant weapon focuses, redundant improved criticals...
2WF Variant applies it`s version of `Weapon Focus` maximally to ALL 2WF attacks (i.e. both Scabbard and Main-Hand), besides eventually allowing to 2WF with a 1 Handed Weapon in off-hand as if it were Light. Mobile Fighter also applies maximal `pseudo-Weapon Training` to all attacks as long as you 5` step or more.
You probably DO want to start out with a Light Blade Scabbard so you don`t have to deal with -4/-4 2WF penalties at first. Both of the above Archetypes conveniently can instantly apply all of their benefits to heavier weapons whenever you want (since they´re not Weapon Group based), and any Weapon Focus / Spec Feats can be Retrained whenever you gain Bonus Feats.
I could also see you starting out NOT using 2WF if you go with the Mobile Fighter, using EITHER Bastard Sword/etc or it`s Scabbard as appropriate round-to-round, before eventually at mid-levels picking up 2WF and switching to lighter weapons when you can make multi-attack Standard Attacks. (earlier on you might as well have a bigger 1H/2H weapon, but eventually weapon base damage doesn`t matter as much). You can really do the same thing with 2WF variant... In fact 2WF variant doesn`t really `start` (diverge from vanilla) until 3rd level and you could even ignore the Class Benefits and continue fighting 1 Handed / 2 Handed / with Shield until when you start getting Standard Action 2WF (9th).
|
Yeah, I agree with Quandary. Weapon base damage doesn't really matter past the early levels. I'd take a crit weapon as my other armament, since you will be applying your training bonus to all attacks if you go Mobile Fighter/2W Warrior instead of the bastard sword. Hand-and-half-blades are interesting looking and fulfill the needed Rule of Cool requirements, but are sub-optimal for many reasons. Feat tax is one, other is the fact that you got so many better exotic weapons to choose from. Falcata, aldori dueling sword, rhoka, etc.
And it's only a large longsword, when it comes to it. A large longsword that is rare enough that you won't be finding too many magical ones lying around unless you hit a big settlement.
I'd probably go shortsword/kukri and scabbard and try not to rely too much on weapon-specific feats until you can either field two one-armed weapons or find a good weapon for your off-hand slot.
|
|
I was looking at the whole -4/-4 for dual wielding the Scabbard and Sword at the same time.
While i don't agree with that... seeing that from a mechanical point of view the Scabbard should not weigh as much as the sword, but the game designers have it stated out so. Probably something to do with the reinforcement it needs to resist the attacks and not shattering.
I am going to examine what Quandary mentioned closer... while i really wanted to do a Kensei, type fighter.. i.e. the Weapon Master... if i want to dual wield i may have to look at the 2WF variant closer and adept it till i get the necessary feats.
|
|
Suggestion.
Propose to your GM a feat that declares Bastard Sword and Sheath as a double-weapon so to speak. A feat seems like a reasonable price to pay to be a Kensei (weapon master) of the 'Sword and Sheath.' (Hell, I know I'd also let you have the weapon custom made in such a way that the sheath could attach to the hilt for use as a pole-arm double weapon as well, if desired.)
Actually... not sure about that.. we were thinking of trying to limit the house rules to maybe less then a handful, and if i ask for one specially for my class i feel i would be abusing it.
But if by chance they don't mind i would slightly alter your suggestion in treating the scabbard as a light weapon instead of a normal martial one handed weapon since the damage dice is only a 1d6.Main reason that this is all driving me nuts is for the combat tricks they have for Heavy Blade Scabbards in Adventurers Armory. All i could think about after that was a style of kung fu with a chinese bastard sword i saw in an Animated Series of Avatar: the Last Air-bender... *uber geek alert!!!* :)
|
|
Heh, it's a great show. Do you happen to remember what episode it was in? I'd like to track that down and watch what you're trying to imitate.
It was in Season 3 episode 4: Sokka's Master...
the Master was just funny, and his fighting style was impressive if all the elemental bending was not around; he would have been the badass.But moving back to the Topic at hand... i can either go Weapon Master in one bladed weapon, and just have the scabbard around to do the neat tricks, ooooooorrrr, i have to go the route of Two Weapon Warrior to use the Combat Scabbard, bladed as a weapon too.
this one is a tough one.
I missed this when I posted. Right on though.Suggestion.
Propose to your GM a feat that declares Bastard Sword and Sheath as a double-weapon so to speak. A feat seems like a reasonable price to pay to be a Kensei (weapon master) of the 'Sword and Sheath.' (Hell, I know I'd also let you have the weapon custom made in such a way that the sheath could attach to the hilt for use as a pole-arm double weapon as well, if desired.)
I know the OP is trying to avoid house rules, but for anyone else:
Weapons Synchronicity
Prerequisite: Dexterity 17, BAB 11
Choose 2 weapons. Whenever you choose a feat such as Weapon Focus that advances one weapon it also applies to the other weapons
Note:This feat qualifies as a Ranger combat style feat at level 10
I do realize the feat could be written more clearly, but it is left vague so the DM can decide what feats it applies to, and the BAB is high because such a thing should not be given away lightly IMHO.
|
|
I do realize the feat could be written more clearly, but it is left vague so the DM can decide what feats it applies to, and the BAB is high because such a thing should not be given away lightly IMHO.
No... i completely agree... cause i saw that the Two Weapon Warrior doesn't get that till level 17th .... so maybe i might have to bite the bullet and wait as Quandary suggested earlier.
"Perfect Balance (Ex): At 15th level, the penalties for
fighting with two weapons are reduced by an additional –1
for a two-weapon warrior. This benefit stacks with improved
balance. If he is using a one-handed weapon in his off hand,
treating it as a light weapon, he uses the normal light
weapon penalties. This ability replaces armor training 4. " 'Advance Player's Guide page 109'
You know, this could be a good optional rule for ultimate combat. Weapon "pairs", weapon supposed to be used together, and share weapon feats.
Remember you can HAVE your Combat Scabbard and use it when appropriate,
you might just not be able to use Weapon Training type bonuses with it, or 2WF effectively with it.
It could be something you use early in your career (not 2WF), but as you get into 2WF you find it doesn`t work so you don`t use AS MUCH (using another real off-hand weapon w/ 2WF) until you`re pretty high level and you`ve learned to combine your earlier Scabbard tricks with advanced 2WF. Something like that :-)
One thing you may want to consider is a Bluff check before you first deploy the scabbard in a battle, due to the fact that it is a rather unconventional tactic and may be unexpected. However you'd have to have this prepared (a scabbard that snaps right off of the belt) before the battle.
I would say a successful Bluff check used in this manner will give you a +2 bonus with your second attack. One time only. Assuming Two-weapon fighting and a light scabbard, this amounts to -4 with the sword and -2 with the scabbard. Personally I wouldn't think it would be worth it to sacrifice so much from the more powerful weapon to hit with the lighter one.
Do you really have your heart set on the bastard sword? Because this might be a better choice.
Requirements: Martial Proficiency Longsword, Martial Proficiency Warhammer, Weapon Focus Longsword
Benefit: A character who has this feat can treat a Longsword and accompanying scabbard as a double-weapon, the longsword dealing 1d8/1d6(19-20/x2)slashing, and the scabbard functioning as a Warhammer 1d8/1d6(20/x3)bludgeoning. For the purpose of dual-wielding, the longsword and scabbard are treated as a double-weapon (the scabbard deals 1/2 Strength and Power Attack bonuses, and the penalty is -2/-2). For purposes of weapon specific feats and class abilities (Such as Weapon Specialization and Weapon Mastery) the scabbard benefits as if it were a Longsword.
Great crap! 1d8 damage?!? Does the scabbard have a cinder block in it?
There's a little more going on there than a two-weapon fighting feat.
|
|
Compare to Double-Axe/Double-Sword, which are typically seen as underpowered for exotic weapons. (Also, having weapons that deal different damage dice while dual-wielding just really annoys me lol, the different crit ranges is annoying enough, but I figured I should stick to the Warhammer template.)Great crap! 1d8 damage?!? Does the scabbard have a cinder block in it?Do you really have your heart set on the bastard sword? Because this might be a better choice.
Requirements: Martial Proficiency Longsword, Martial Proficiency Warhammer, Weapon Focus Longsword
Benefit: A character who has this feat can treat a Longsword and accompanying scabbard as a double-weapon, the longsword dealing 1d8/1d6(19-20/x2)slashing, and the scabbard functioning as a Warhammer 1d8/1d6(20/x3)bludgeoning. For the purpose of dual-wielding, the longsword and scabbard are treated as a double-weapon (the scabbard deals 1/2 Strength and Power Attack bonuses, and the penalty is -2/-2). For purposes of weapon specific feats and class abilities (Such as Weapon Specialization and Weapon Mastery) the scabbard benefits as if it were a Longsword.
Actually... the scabbard does 1d6 with a crit range of 18-20/x2