RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Me and my friends started playing pathfinder and I made a character with a greatsword. It seems a little powerful. At this point I can roll 2d6 and have a modifier to that. We just wanted to know: Is there any penalty? I know the greatsword needs martial weapon proficiency does it need anything else? Does it take a full round action? Thanks for a response.
Well, there's a "penalty" in the sense that both your hands are full. That means no shields, for one thing. But yeah, the greatsword is powerful. That's kind of what it's for, you know?
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You could instead use a huge sized aklys. Wield it in two hands. It does 3d6 damage, has a 20 foot throwing range and is returning in the first range increment. And it has the trip quality, even thrown. Weighs 8 lbs. -4 to attacks though, since its a huge weapon, and it needs exotic weapon prof.
On a more serious note, you could do it the Paizo style. Use a large sized bastard sword. Since you'll use it in two hands, its a martial weapon. 2d8 damage, 19-20 crit range with only a -2 attack. Its not quite as efficient as Power Attack, but its probably your best bet on getting maximum damage without too much a penalty. A large dwarven waraxe will yield a larger critical hit than anything else, if you go with a dwarf.
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On a more serious note, you could do it the Paizo style. Use a large sized bastard sword. Since you'll use it in two hands, its a martial weapon. 2d8 damage, 19-20 crit range with only a -2 attack. Its not quite as efficient as Power Attack, but its probably your best bet on getting maximum damage without too much a penalty. A large dwarven waraxe will yield a larger critical hit than anything else, if you go with a dwarf.
Trading -2 to attack for +2 to damage will not increase your damage, especially if you have to spend a feat to do it.
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Two-Handed Melee Weapons -lets compare
Falchion 2d4 18–20/×2
Greataxe 1d12 ×3
Greatsword 2d6 19–20/×2
Scythe 2d4 ×4; can be used to trip
So great sword is 2-12 Hp on a swing and double on a crit maxing out at 24
while greataxe will do 1-12 and crit less but maxs out at 36
Falchion crits a lot better but really will max at a 16
Scythe will max at 32 but not nearly so often.
I will let you do the math but really to me it is up to you which one fits the character best. not just which one might give you the edge in combat.
Also all this stuff about not getting a shield bonus is a bit bogus. let me point you to the Buckler:
Buckler: This small metal shield is worn strapped to your forearm. You can use a bow or crossbow without penalty while carrying it. You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so. This penalty stacks with those that may apply for fighting with your off hand and for fighting with two weapons. In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn. You can cast a spell with somatic components using your shield arm, but you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn. You can't make a shield bash with a buckler.
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First, don't listen to Nightskies. You can't wield a huge sized anything as a medium character without special rules.
It's not a good idea (I practically admitted it already), but what rule says we can't? The inappropriately sized weapons rule seem to indicate that one can go two size categories off. Such a huge light weapon would be worthwhile in the hands of a titan mauler barbarian archetype.
Trading -2 to attack for +2 to damage will not increase your damage, especially if you have to spend a feat to do it.
Bastard sword is a martial weapon when wielded 2-handed. Dwarven Waraxe is martial for dwarves. No feat required. In the early levels, it is worth it for high strength characters.
The greatsword is an excellent two-handed weapon. I tend to like reach weapons better than greatswords (anything to make it easier to reach people who don't like to run into your face), but I've played both with great success.
Things with high crit ranges tend to be better later in life (when you have one of the many ways of boosting an 18-20 crit range to 15-20, meaning you crit about a third of the time, meaning probably every round you full attack, and at high levels when you have the X-ing Critical feats on top of that), but extra dice do well at low levels.
Disadvantages: not having a shield (until you can afford an animated one), weight issues (not a problem if you're a fighter, might be if you're not a STR-high class.)
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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.The Alkys is a light weapon. A large Alkys is a one-handed weapon. A huge Alkys is a two-handed weapon. For medium creatures, that is.
You need Exotic Weapon Proficiency with bastard swords to use them one-handed, which allows you to wield them two-handed if they are one size category larger.
Assuming a medium wielder :- Medium Bast. Sword : 1d10, Two-handed martial weapon/One-handed exotic weapon
- Large bastard sword : 2d8, -2 to attack, Unwieldable martial weapon/Two-handed exotic weapon.
You inflict less damage per round with 2d8 damage and -2 to attack, than you do with a 2d6 weapon.
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A Greatsword is an ordinary 2 handed weapon. Bear in mind you are giving up the chance to have a shield.
If you look at the other 2 handed martial weapons you will see they all do similar damage.
buckler FTW?
yeah i just reread it to be sure as the rules state as long as you are not wielding a weapon in your off hand ( 2 handed weapons require 2 hands not to be wielded in 2 hands) you retain your ac.
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Maxximilius is right. I would have interpreted otherwise, until seeing that Amiri uses a large bastard sword and has the exotic proficiency, noted in a thread discussing this. The average damage of a large bastard sword is a tad less, yes, but it gets bigger hits. Usually not worth doing even if it didn't cost a feat.
It is quite a tangent, but using the spell Telekinesis @ lvl 9, one could manipulate 5 colossal alkys (32 lbs each) and 4 gargantuan alkys (16 lbs each), totaling 224 lbs, just under the limit for Telekinesis @ 9th. A large alkys does 2d6. A huge alkys does 3d6. So then a gargantuan should do 4d6, and a colossal ought to be 6d6. See where this is going?
If all 9 of them hit, it does 46d6 damage. 9 attacks with somewhere between +6 to +10 to hit. Against AC 23, its only an average of 64.4 DPR with +9 to hit, but not bad for a 5th level spell especially considering spell resist is ineffective and there is no save.
Edited for Kyrt's list. Looking for something even more... brutal.
Found: Chakram. d8 damage, 1 lb. 5 (size larger than colossal?) and 4 colossal, or just 9 colossal. If there is a size larger than colossal... that would be an average of 113.68 damage if the wizard had 20 intelligence. If being enchanted counts for his attack, with them having +1 would make it 164.43 damage.
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Maxximilius is right. I would have interpreted otherwise, until seeing that Amiri uses a large bastard sword and has the exotic proficiency, noted in a thread discussing this. The average damage of a large bastard sword is a tad less, yes, but it gets bigger hits. Usually not worth doing even if it didn't cost a feat.
Well it is worth it, if you are a barbarian Titan Mauler. But this version should be way more playable than the official, wasted one. ;)
I think the thread has gotten bogged down by a lot of extra ...stuff.
To the original poster:
The greatsword requires nothing other than Martial Weapon Proficiency. Although 2d6 damage seems like a lot at level 1, the power goes down as you progress throughout the game so the damage output evens out pretty well with other weapons or attack forms.
Something else you have to be aware of is that a greatsword costs 50gp, which is quite a lot of money for a starting character, and will impede your cash for other items like armor.
Finally, enemies also have access to greatswords - so watch out!
Scythe 2d4 ×4; can be used to trip
Actually all weapons can be used to trip, check the FAQ updates for the Core Rulebook. The scythe gives you certain bonuses to tripping, however, as it is a weapon with the Trip feature.
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I think the thread has gotten bogged down by a lot of extra ...stuff.
To the original poster:
The greatsword requires nothing other than Martial Weapon Proficiency. Although 2d6 damage seems like a lot at level 1, the power goes down as you progress throughout the game so the damage output evens out pretty well with other weapons or attack forms.
And this is an understatement.
Once you're like level 3 or 4, the difference doesn't mean a lot, really. At higher levels, you're even better off with a falchion thanks to critical range.
Actually all weapons can be used to trip, check the FAQ updates for the Core Rulebook. The scythe gives you certain bonuses to tripping, however, as it is a weapon with the Trip feature.
Actually, all weapons can be used to trip and grant their bonuses to the trip attempt but only a trip weapon can be dropped to avoid being tripped for failing badly.
Actually, all weapons can be used to trip and grant their bonuses to the trip attempt but only a trip weapon can be dropped to avoid being tripped for failing badly.
Excellent to know, I had not seen Sean's latest note. Thanks for pointing that out.
The damage you can add with power attack and your strength modifier is more important than the base damage. 2d6 is not broken at all.
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Two-Handed Melee Weapons -lets compareFalchion 2d4 18–20/×2
Greataxe 1d12 ×3
Greatsword 2d6 19–20/×2
Scythe 2d4 ×4; can be used to trip
So great sword is 2-12 Hp on a swing and double on a crit maxing out at 24
while greataxe will do 1-12 and crit less but maxs out at 36
Falchion crits a lot better but really will max at a 16
Scythe will max at 32 but not nearly so often.
Jester, all of that is great, but the things your calculations haven't figured in are the other sources of damage in the attacks. Let's say the fighter has a STR 18 (+6 damage for 2H weapons). That is also multiplied in a crit. Additionally, his Power Attack damage (which increases with levels) will be multiplied by crits, as will the weapon's enhancement bonus. Oh, and don't forget Weapon Training for fighters!
This is not saying that the Greatsword isn't a good weapon... it is probably more common than the Falchion or Scythe, but probably slightly less so than the Greataxe.
There is something to be said about focusing your feats on weapons that you might actually be able to find! My current Fighter, a Two Handed Fighter, is pretty specialized in Falchion... and does amazing damage! However, we have never found a falchion as loot... but have found MANY enchanted greatswords, incuding a legacy weapon that has a history with our family.
So, when doing the calculations, even at 1st level, you have to take into consideration the other affects coming into play.
buckler FTW?yeah i just reread it to be sure as the rules state as long as you are not wielding a weapon in your off hand ( 2 handed weapons require 2 hands not to be wielded in 2 hands) you retain your ac.
Using your shield arm to help wield a two-handed weapon still counts as wielding it, and that case is specifically called out as having the penalty: "You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so."
And then after that: "In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn."
So your buckler and greatsword combo will apply a -1 penalty to attacks with the greatsword, and any time you attack with the greatsword, you will lose your buckler's AC bonus until your next turn.
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buckler FTW?yeah i just reread it to be sure as the rules state as long as you are not wielding a weapon in your off hand ( 2 handed weapons require 2 hands not to be wielded in 2 hands) you retain your ac.
Using your shield arm to help wield a two-handed weapon still counts as wielding it, and that case is specifically called out as having the penalty: "You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so."
And then after that: "In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn."
So your buckler and greatsword combo will apply a -1 penalty to attacks with the greatsword, and any time you attack with the greatsword, you will lose your buckler's AC bonus until your next turn.
I do not agree... As per RaW, you lose your shield bonus if you wield a weapon in your off-hand. When you use the greatsword you wield the weapon with both hands NOT with your offhand... It's the same as using a range weapon. You use your off hand to HELP the blows not wieald a weapon... There's nothing as an off-hand when using a two-handed weapon...
Hey look, a necromancer! Thread was from 2011.
I do not agree... As per RaW, you lose your shield bonus if you wield a weapon in your off-hand. When you use the greatsword you wield the weapon with both hands NOT with your offhand... It's the same as using a range weapon. You use your off hand to HELP the blows not wieald a weapon... There's nothing as an off-hand when using a two-handed weapon...
When you use a two handed a weapon you are using that hand and you do take a penalty for it if you have a buckler and lose the benefit of the buckler. Ranged weapons have a note in their description that states you don't take the -1 attack but you do lose the benefit of wearing the buckler with them. Both hands does include the off hand, though you could have a 3rd hand I guess to use the shield...
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I do not agree... As per RaW, you lose your shield bonus if you wield a weapon in your off-hand. When you use the greatsword you wield the weapon with both hands NOT with your offhand... It's the same as using a range weapon. You use your off hand to HELP the blows not wieald a weapon... There's nothing as an off-hand when using a two-handed weapon...
buckler FTW?yeah i just reread it to be sure as the rules state as long as you are not wielding a weapon in your off hand ( 2 handed weapons require 2 hands not to be wielded in 2 hands) you retain your ac.
Using your shield arm to help wield a two-handed weapon still counts as wielding it, and that case is specifically called out as having the penalty: "You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so."
And then after that: "In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn."
So your buckler and greatsword combo will apply a -1 penalty to attacks with the greatsword, and any time you attack with the greatsword, you will lose your buckler's AC bonus until your next turn.
Necro!
"You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so."
It calls it our right there in your post. You lose the shield bonus from the buckler if you use the weapon in your off-hand.
Grick may not be around much anymore, but arguing with him used to be pretty futile. He was nearly always right.
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I do not agree... As per RaW, you lose your shield bonus if you wield a weapon in your off-hand. When you use the greatsword you wield the weapon with both hands NOT with your offhand... It's the same as using a range weapon. You use your off hand to HELP the blows not wieald a weapon... There's nothing as an off-hand when using a two-handed weapon...
If you use your hand for ANYTHING other than wielding the shield strapped on that arm, you lose the shield's AC bonus. That includes being one of those hands on your great sword, wielding a wand, flagging a taxi, ANY activity at all beyond shieldbearing.