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| 1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
So as I browsed my shiny new pdf for Ultimate Combat I came across the Titan Mauler Archetype. The Massive Weapons ability in the archetype reduces the attack penalty for oversize weapons by 1 for every 3 levels of barbarian. For those who don't remember off the bat:
Inappropriately Sized Weapons: A creature can't make optimum use of a weapon that isn't properly sized for it. A cumulative –2 penalty applies on attack rolls for each size category of difference between the size of its intended wielder and the size of its actual wielder. If the creature isn't proficient with the weapon, a –4 nonproficiency penalty also applies.
The measure of how much effort it takes to use a weapon (whether the weapon is designated as a light, one-handed, or two-handed weapon for a particular wielder) is altered by one step for each size category of difference between the wielder's size and the size of the creature for which the weapon was designed. For example, a Small creature would wield a Medium one-handed weapon as a two-handed weapon. If a weapon's designation would be changed to something other than light, one-handed, or two-handed by this alteration, the creature can't wield the weapon at all.
So the biggest size difference you can have is that you can wield a light weapon two size categories larger than you as a two-handed weapon. The Massive Weapons ability will remove the attack roll penalty by level 12. So if you're medium you can wield a Huge Shortsword as a Two-handed weapon. I believe that would translate to 2D6, 19-20x2 - or - exactly the same as a medium greatsword.
So other than flavor, which is definitely cool, is there any advantage to this ability?
is there any advantage to this ability?
If you're in a low-wealth game, or a game without item shops or magic item creation in the party, it might be quite valuable to use your enemies weapons against them. If you're fighting nothing but giants, a large +3 Flaming Longsword might be a heck of an upgrade to the medium masterwork broadsword you've been carrying around the whole time.
is there any advantage to this ability?If you're in a low-wealth game, or a game without item shops or magic item creation in the party, it might be quite valuable to use your enemies weapons against them. If you're fighting nothing but giants, a large +3 Flaming Longsword might be a heck of an upgrade to the medium masterwork broadsword you've been carrying around the whole time.
So, yes. If your DM doesn't let you buy appropriately sized gear to begin with and forces you to loot corpses for ALL of your gear. AND throws things into the hands of those enemies. But how much sense does it make for huge giant to be wielding a dagger when they can smash small settlements flat with a huge greatclub?
Honestly, this carries very little benefit beyond fluff as far as I can tell. You can take a feat to use bastard swords one-handed, allowing you to use a large one two-handed for 2d8 damage. An average of 2 damage over a greatsword. [shrug] The 14th level ability to enlarge yourself is probably the best part of it, and that's not even so great. I don't know why they couldn't just restrict it to large weapons (rather than allowing huge weapons of smaller categories) and scale it appropriately, like Powerful Build. At higher levels, weapon damage means far less than it did at low levels.
If someone comes along and proves me wrong, awesome, but I don't see it happening.
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The exact same question posed by the OP about this barbarian archetype was asked by one of my players too. At first I was inclined to say: "well, yeah, tough luck", but then he pointed out to me the exact wording of the ability, so now I'm not so sure. The ability description goes like this:
Massive Weapons (Ex): ... The attack roll penalty for using weapons too large for her size is reduced by 1...
He argues that the wording "too large for her size" actually means that this archetype can use weapons that are literally too large for him, so for example as a Medium character, he could even use a two-handed weapon sized for a Large creature, even though this might not be possible by the core rulebook. I'm kind of on the fence about this, as I think he might easily be right, at least the wording could be interpreted this way.
What do you think?
The exact same question posed by the OP about this barbarian archetype was asked by one of my players too. At first I was inclined to say: "well, yeah, tough luck", but then he pointed out to me the exact wording of the ability, so now I'm not so sure. The ability description goes like this:
Massive Weapons (Ex): ... The attack roll penalty for using weapons too large for her size is reduced by 1...
He argues that the wording "too large for her size" actually means that this archetype can use weapons that are literally too large for him, so for example as a Medium character, he could even use a two-handed weapon sized for a Large creature, even though this might not be possible by the core rulebook. I'm kind of on the fence about this, as I think he might easily be right, at least the wording could be interpreted this way.
What do you think?
The problem with that logic is that the attack roll penalty goes:
One size: -2Two sizes: -4
Three sizes: -infinity
You just can't do it, and reducing the penalty by itself isn't enough to let you.
RAW it's a useless ability. I wonder if they didn't intend to put a line in Jutongrip or Massive Weapons saying that if you suffer no size penalty for wielding a weapon it's considered appropriately sized for you, thus allowing you to eventually two hand a large greatsword, or even one hand it.
RAW it's a useless ability. I wonder if they didn't intend to put a line in Jutongrip or Massive Weapons saying that if you suffer no size penalty for wielding a weapon it's considered appropriately sized for you, thus allowing you to eventually two hand a large greatsword, or even one hand it.
RAW, the only useage is huge firearms because you can always wield a firearm no matter the size (hands aen't increased).
What's with the endless obsession with super-giant swords? Is it just an Anime thing? Or is it overcompensation for anatomical issues? ("Mine is over 40 feet long and three feet wide!")
I don't understand it.
this ability is basically for using a large sized bastard sword. if you want to play that type of character it removes the inherent weapon is too large Pena
Ty.
What's with the endless obsession with super-giant swords? Is it just an Anime thing? Or is it overcompensation for anatomical issues? ("Mine is over 40 feet long and three feet wide!")
I don't understand it.
When you increase a weapon's size, it's damage goes up a step. Damaging things is generally useful for a barbarian. Otherwise you have to resort to harsh language.
What's with the endless obsession with super-giant swords? Is it just an Anime thing? Or is it overcompensation for anatomical issues? ("Mine is over 40 feet long and three feet wide!")
I don't understand it.
for me its that i dont like the idea that i am strong enough to pick something up but cant swing it at someone. i dont like the fact that they dont allow you to weild a weapon that you can pick up.
plus i just love the imagery of walking around with an enormaus weapon, where other people would look and be scared just from the sight of my sword. if i have a high enough strength to pick it up i should be able to swing it.