Sword Cane: Why bother?

[Mark Hoover 330]

I see on AoN that a sword cane is finesseable. If an unchained rogue took a feat they could use a sword cane with the Finesse Rogue class ability so they could SA with this weapon. Using the Underhanded rogue talent in the Surprise round, there's a good chance the foe doesn't know the cane is a sword until the rogue pulls it so they could deal max SA damage plus the d6 sword damage as well right?

[Heather 540]

I had a Rogue that I wanted to give a Sword Cane to just because it was fun and I had several characters that already used rapiers. Sadly, she didn't have proficiency and I didn't have room in her build to give it to her. Had to give her a rapier. I gave this character's brother a cutlass since he couldn't use the sword cane either.

[Andostre]

Heather 540 wrote:

I had a Rogue that I wanted to give a Sword Cane to just because it was fun and I had several characters that already used rapiers. Sadly, she didn't have proficiency and I didn't have room in her build to give it to her. Had to give her a rapier. I gave this character's brother a cutlass since he couldn't use the sword cane either.

One option in a similar scenario is to give the sword cane the Training weapon quality, and then choose Martial Weapon Proficiency (sword cane) for the associated combat feat.

I think I recall that a weapon has to at least be a +1 before adding a weapon quality to it, so this isn't necessarily an option for their first adventure (or maybe it is!), but I don't know that I would count Training (Martial Weapon Proficiency) as an additional +1 if calculating wealth by level. Mechanically, a sword cane gives you less than many Simple weapons.

[VoodistMonk]

Heather 540 wrote:

I had a Rogue that I wanted to give a Sword Cane to just because it was fun and I had several characters that already used rapiers. Sadly, she didn't have proficiency and I didn't have room in her build to give it to her. Had to give her a rapier. I gave this character's brother a cutlass since he couldn't use the sword cane either.

Was there anything about the Rogue that couldn't have been had as an Investigator? They [Investigators] are proficient with the Sword Cane. I guess Gun Smuggler Rogues are proficient with the Sword Cane Pistol... which is kind of the same thing. Either way, it's just a trait away for anyone with Heirloom Weapon. Or anyone with 1500gp can get a cracked Opalesecent White Pyramid ioun stone to gain proficiency.

I would hardly allow something as trivial to overcome as proficiency get in the way of a good character concept...

[Temperans]

Even just a 1 level dip work.

Also holy necromancy batman.

[Heather 540]

VoodistMonk wrote:

Heather 540 wrote:

I had a Rogue that I wanted to give a Sword Cane to just because it was fun and I had several characters that already used rapiers. Sadly, she didn't have proficiency and I didn't have room in her build to give it to her. Had to give her a rapier. I gave this character's brother a cutlass since he couldn't use the sword cane either.

Was there anything about the Rogue that couldn't have been had as an Investigator? They [Investigators] are proficient with the Sword Cane. I guess Gun Smuggler Rogues are proficient with the Sword Cane Pistol... which is kind of the same thing. Either way, it's just a trait away for anyone with Heirloom Weapon. Or anyone with 1500gp can get a cracked Opalesecent White Pyramid ioun stone to gain proficiency.

I would hardly allow something as trivial to overcome as proficiency get in the way of a good character concept...

She's a Phantom Thief Rogue. Her brother is a Dashing Thief Swashbuckler. (He had proficiency with the cane, but needed the expanded crit range more.) I guess I could have gone with the trait to get it.