Fixing the Falcata


Homebrew and House Rules

Liberty's Edge

1 person marked this as FAQ candidate.

I recommend the following be applied in the next APG errata:

"Falcata: This heavy blade has a single sharp, concave edge and a hook-shaped hilt which restricts usage to one hand. Its shape distributes the weight to give it the momentum of an axe with the cutting edge of a sword."

Dark Archive

Mike Schneider wrote:

I recommend the following be applied in the next APG errata:

"Falcata: This heavy blade has a single sharp, concave edge and a hook-shaped hilt which restricts usage to one hand. Its shape distributes the weight to give it the momentum of an axe with the cutting edge of a sword."

Meh.

Its not bad. Its a fairly common house rule.

I just don't think the falcata is as bad as its reputation

Its one of te handful of exotic weapons that arent exotic just for fluff reasons (re:monk's profs)

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Good grief, why nerf the only weapon worth blowing EWP on?


Gorbacz wrote:
Good grief, why nerf the only weapon worth blowing EWP on?

Because it's starting to reach the point where it is not just a good choice, but they ONLY choice worth making. The falcata, and all comparable high damage die 19-20 x3 crit weapons need a drawback to bring them back to reality.

Dark Archive

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Robb Smith wrote:
Gorbacz wrote:
Good grief, why nerf the only weapon worth blowing EWP on?
Because it's starting to reach the point where it is not just a good choice, but they ONLY choice worth making. The falcata, and all comparable high damage die 19-20 x3 crit weapons need a drawback to bring them back to reality.

its comparable to the d8 18-20 katana. worth it, but no "need to have".

unless you play games from a pure DPR standpoint, its generally better to have a more common weapon, since you'll probably find a better one along the way


Gorbacz wrote:
Good grief, why nerf the only weapon worth blowing EWP on?

Is not a nerf. Still is awesome 1H, and still makes even more awesome (in comparison) the TW Warrior Fighter archetype. It is simply a way to avoid a no-brainer.

Grand Lodge

1 person marked this as a favorite.

the real world would back this up - all of the falcatas I see on images.google.com are one-handed.


I totally agree with this initiative.

The Falcata, as it stands up now, is comparable to a (20, x5) weapon... simply a step above to all other weapons (I don't know if UC has other weapons which are in the same league).

Allowing for THF with it is simply too much IMHO (and various DPR calculations have proven that the THF Falcata blows out all other weapons).

Just my 2c.

Liberty's Edge

Quote:
its comparable to the d8 18-20 katana.

The katana is x2 crit (like every other 18-20 threat-range weapon). The falcata is the only x3 weapon in the entire game system with a threat range beyond 20 -- and you haven't seen hideous until you've watched an Enlarged + Lead Blades ranger/barbarian go to town with a large-size Keen/Furious falcata swung in two hands with a 20% of doing high side of 75dmg every chop at 5th level.


Robb Smith wrote:
Gorbacz wrote:
Good grief, why nerf the only weapon worth blowing EWP on?
Because it's starting to reach the point where it is not just a good choice, but they ONLY choice worth making. The falcata, and all comparable high damage die 19-20 x3 crit weapons need a drawback to bring them back to reality.

Not if you have to burn a feat to use one.


Mike Schneider wrote:
Quote:
its comparable to the d8 18-20 katana.
The katana is x2 crit (like every other 18-20 threat-range weapon). The falcata is the only x3 weapon in the entire game system with a threat range beyond 20 -- and you haven't seen hideous until you've watched an Enlarged + Lead Blades ranger/barbarian go to town with a large-size Keen/Furious falcata swung in two hands with a 20% of doing high side of 75dmg every chop at 5th level.

your characters have enough money to buy + 3 weapons at level 5?

Sovereign Court

Heirloom weapon was nerfed so you couldn't take a Falcata with it so that sword/axe thing is just fine now in my opinion.

Sure half-elves can but they're giving up they're effective 'bonus feat' for it, so a human could do the same thing for proficiency.


QWould dropping it to a D6 base damage help? The few texts I've access to are of Roman origin and their concept of a 'sword' is the Gladius, a short sword. I haven't found anything equating a Flacat as bigger than that, not like the comments on Gaulic 'longswords'.


For me the problem is not the base dice damage, but rather the critical multiplier (19-20 x3 is, as far as I know, the highest base critical range + multiplier combination).
Add the increased bonuses for handling the weapon with two hands (increased STR bonus and increased Power Attack ratio) and the damage goes sky high.

After all, in D&D 3.x/ Pathfinder, it's not the base dice which really matters (one of the reasons why the Vital Strike chain is not really popular, among other things... but I'm digressing), but rather the static bonuses; this is one of the reasons why Monk's unarmed damage is usually sub-par to that of a Fighter... 2d10+10 (Str+5 and Amulet+5) is not even remotely comparable to 1d8+21 (Str+8, Weapon Training+4, Weapon Spec+Greater Weapon Spec +4, Weapon +5), ESPECIALLY when there is a higher chance to make a crit OR a higher crit damage. And the Falcata has both.

I would personally take a d4 weapon with such a huge ratio multiplier without a second thought (this is one of the reasons dual-wielding kukris are so popular, and they are 'only' 18-20 x2 weapons...)

Just my 2c.


I remeber Pirate doing some calculations on how the Flacata fairs compared to other weapons in terms of DPR, and a 2HF Falcata doesn't deal much more damage than a 2HF Elven Curved Blade. It's still within 5% of damage.

I don't know, I find it funny that folks want the weapon to be nerfed, which implies that the over all power of weapons should remain as it is, not increase overtime.

Hell, I'd love to see a x5 Exotic melee weapon. Could be fun.


Yar.

Jeranimus Rex wrote:
I remeber Pirate doing some calculations on how the Flacata fairs compared to other weapons in terms of DPR

...you mean:

BOINK!?!

and

DOINK!?!?

^_^

(note: that was done before the clarification on the sawtooth sabre being light for twf only)

~P


Gorbacz wrote:
Good grief, why nerf the only weapon worth blowing EWP on?

+1

The rest of the EWPs are barely worth a trait little alone an entire feat. Spike Chain used to be worth it too, even with the trip rules change, but that weapon got so beat with the Nerf bat it isn't even the weight it is made out of.

P.S. Just looked at the new weapons in UC, and some are worth it, however some make no sense that they don't allow the use of weapon finesse.

Dark Archive

Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:
Gorbacz wrote:
Good grief, why nerf the only weapon worth blowing EWP on?

+1

+2

Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:

The rest of the EWPs are barely worth a trait little alone an entire feat. Spike Chain used to be worth it too, even with the trip rules change, but that weapon got so beat with the Nerf bat it isn't even the weight it is made out of.

P.S. Just looked at the new weapons in UC, and some are worth it, however some make no sense that they don't allow the use of weapon finesse.

+1

i'm amazed there are no weapons with the finesse quality, despite several chain weapons


Name Violation wrote:
Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:
Gorbacz wrote:
Good grief, why nerf the only weapon worth blowing EWP on?

+1

+2

Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:

The rest of the EWPs are barely worth a trait little alone an entire feat. Spike Chain used to be worth it too, even with the trip rules change, but that weapon got so beat with the Nerf bat it isn't even the weight it is made out of.

P.S. Just looked at the new weapons in UC, and some are worth it, however some make no sense that they don't allow the use of weapon finesse.

+1

i'm amazed there are no weapons with the finesse quality, despite several chain weapons

Not to mention they are oriental weapons. After spending a weekend at a national Chinese Tournament watching Wushu and Kungfu weapons form. Most of the weapons shown in use were very finesse-fully used. Only thing I can think is that this is some sort of typo.

Liberty's Edge

More suggested fixes in another thread.

- - - - -

Think your longsword is crap? Finished your very first adventure and can't wait to get rid of it for a better weapon?
Watch these, and realize that there's nothing wrong with your longsword -- it's just been getting the shaft from your game system.


Th eproblem here is not only te mere DPR calculation (which nevertheless shows how the more you go up in levels, the more falcata becomes powerful), but the fact that for a single attack there is a very, very high chance of a big damage burst.

Seriously people, I've seen it with a CaGM barbarian and was annoying.


Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:
...Most of the weapons shown in use were very finesse-fully used...

Yes, that is because edged weapons are usually used very "finesse-fully".

And this is because if you only do wild swings you could save yourself quite some money and use a club or an axe instead of a Sword/Dagger whatnot.

If D&D would be aimed at portraying medieval fighting somewhat accurately, Swords would all use Dex to hit and Dex+Str to damage while armor would be damage reduction.

Back to topic:
The Falcata is pure cheese and I simply forbid it. There is no need for such a weapon because it's not historically mandatory or systemically needed (except maybe as a Monk only weapon).

I guess we will see a "Falscythe" (19-20/x4) in one of the splatbooks soon enough and then everything starts anew.


MicMan wrote:

.

I guess we will see a "Falscythe" (19-20/x4) in one of the splatbooks soon enough and then everything starts anew.

Up until the "Scimifalcascythe, 18-20/x4. I will open another thread and people will say me once again:

1) "lol the only weapon worthy of EWP look at bastard" - as if something in the middle could not be viable

2) "lol consider those things is for min-maxers" - as if all players don't use numbers for combat or skill cheks or whatever

3) "lol you can houserule it" - as if the rules are not there to help people, otherwise why buy the book

I don't seriously think I can stand another thing like this. I'm really done with this game. Heavy houserule time, goodnight, Paizo.

The Exchange Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 6

I made it 19-20/x2.5, which puts it back to the x4 crit level. Roll an extra die, add half of it (minimum 1), and add half your bonuses. The extra die's doing average damage 2.125 instead of 2.25, but that's close enough for me.

Scarab Sages

Robb Smith wrote:
Gorbacz wrote:
Good grief, why nerf the only weapon worth blowing EWP on?
Because it's starting to reach the point where it is not just a good choice, but they ONLY choice worth making. The falcata, and all comparable high damage die 19-20 x3 crit weapons need a drawback to bring them back to reality.

This is why we cant have nice things! I recommend nerfing posters who want to nerf things. Their posts should be invisible to game devs so the rest of us can get on playing a game with some VARIETY. As it stands, nerfing the Falcata is ridiculous. I'd want other exotics upped in power. Right now, there is really NO reason to take EWP except for a paltry 1 or 2 good weapons. Nerfing them out of some misguided attempt to have people 'start taking other exotic weapons' (yeah right! why would you?) makes no sense from a design standpoint.

You want differentiation, not universal mediocrity.


Why not simplify and make the falcatta a 20/x4 weapon?


Yes. The Nerf-hammer must fall, because the weapon is actually worth spending a feat on. I mean, damn, magic missile, color spray, and burning hands are way to popular too. Let's nerf them into the mediocrity they so horribly deserve! While we're at it I'm sick of seeing fireball used all the time, and so help me god Time Stop is completely abused. you know what, maybe the issue is critical hits, we should just take out critical hits!!! Clearly THAT IS THE ANSWER! Maybe we should just make a new game and call it vanilla-finder, where no one has anything that gives them an edge over anything else, all the choices are bland, and the game is only playable by retentive social rejects!

<insert half researched crockpot theory to support my clearly superior point>

...

You guys are crazy. In a game that has wizards firing rays of green light that disintigrate their enemies, we're seriously concerned about the Falcata. Maybe we should be taking a step in the other direction, by trying to make weapon choice legitimately count for SOMETHING.


nathan blackmer wrote:
You guys are crazy. In a game that has wizards firing rays of green light that disintigrate their enemies, we're seriously concerned about the Falcata. Maybe we should be taking a step in the other direction, and trying to make weapon choice legitimately count for SOMETHING.

+1

Liberty's Edge

Everybody and the horse their mother rode in on wrote:
Right now, there is really NO reason to take EWP

<shaking head> ...I don't get the logic of statements like these -- even if all you're doing is one-handing a normal-sized bastardsword, what's wrong with getting a extra 1pt of damage every time you smack? And it works every time you swing your weapon, unlike about 75% of the feats in the game which are highly situational and which you sometimes go a very long time without ever seeing them come into play.

Fighters slog through four levels to qualify for *gasp* Weapon Specialization which gives them two more points -- but I haven't seen anyone complain lately over how suboptimal stuffing four levels of fighter into a non-caster build is.

Guy with bastardsword, Enlarged, ...2d8 = 9
Fighter with d8 iron & WS, Enlarged, ...2d6+2 = 9

nathan blackmer wrote:
You guys are crazy. In a game that has wizards firing rays of green light that disintigrate their enemies, we're seriously concerned about the Falcata. Maybe we should be taking a step in the other direction, and trying to make weapon choice legitimately count for SOMETHING.

Sisintegrate is a 7th level spell which averages 91pts damage for a 13th-level caster, with half on a fort-save, and death if you go neg.

Any marginally optimized fighter with a Keen falcata has a 20% chance to do well in excess of 100pts damage at half that level, and kill you outright with no save. -- The 20% doesn't seem appreciably worse than the 10% chance you'd have with a Keen battleaxe, but the additional 5% with the axe doesn't by-the-numbers warrant the expense, whereas it does for the larger-range weapon; so, the comparison is more one of 20% vs. 5%.

Shadow Lodge

There have been numerous threads about the falcatta as it changes the rules for Exotic Weapons. However as the weapons in UC do not seem to follow the same change, it seems something of a one off.

Until either exotic weapons are improved, or the falcatta is nerfed, it will stand out as the best weapon in the game (not by a huge margin, but still the best as Pirates stats demonstrated).

This will lead to a split in oppinion, those who want a power boost, and those who want parity. Those camps will never see eye to eye.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
nathan blackmer wrote:

Yes. The Nerf-hammer must fall, because the weapon is actually worth spending a feat on. I mean, damn, magic missile, color spray, and burning hands are way to popular too. Let's nerf them into the mediocrity they so horribly deserve! While we're at it I'm sick of seeing fireball used all the time, and so help me god Time Stop is completely abused. you know what, maybe the issue is critical hits, we should just take out critical hits!!! Clearly THAT IS THE ANSWER! Maybe we should just make a new game and call it vanilla-finder, where no one has anything that gives them an edge over anything else, all the choices are bland, and the game is only playable by retentive social rejects!

<insert half researched crockpot theory to support my clearly superior point>

...

You guys are crazy. In a game that has wizards firing rays of green light that disintigrate their enemies, we're seriously concerned about the Falcata. Maybe we should be taking a step in the other direction, by trying to make weapon choice legitimately count for SOMETHING.

While I sort of agree with the sentiment--I still use the 3.5 version of the spiked chain, for example--restricting the falcata to one-handed usage is a very mild nerf to the weapon. It satisfies simulationism, and keeps it from being a complete no-brainer, while still being a very nice, highly effective weapon.


nathan blackmer wrote:

Yes. The Nerf-hammer must fall, because the weapon is actually worth spending a feat on. I mean, damn, magic missile, color spray, and burning hands are way to popular too. Let's nerf them into the mediocrity they so horribly deserve! While we're at it I'm sick of seeing fireball used all the time, and so help me god Time Stop is completely abused. you know what, maybe the issue is critical hits, we should just take out critical hits!!! Clearly THAT IS THE ANSWER! Maybe we should just make a new game and call it vanilla-finder, where no one has anything that gives them an edge over anything else, all the choices are bland, and the game is only playable by retentive social rejects!

<insert half researched crockpot theory to support my clearly superior point>

...

You guys are crazy. In a game that has wizards firing rays of green light that disintigrate their enemies, we're seriously concerned about the Falcata. Maybe we should be taking a step in the other direction, by trying to make weapon choice legitimately count for SOMETHING.

Yes, everyone using one weapon because it's clearly superior is much less "vanilla" than having choices of different weapons that are all competent and usable for different situations.

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