Deft Doublestrike and the meaning of "trip weapons"

[Ravingdork]

APG Excerpt wrote:

Deft Doublestrike (Ex) When you hit an opponent with both weapons, you can make a disarm or sunder attempt (or trip, if one or both weapons can be used to trip) against that opponent as an immediate action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

The Deft Doublestrike ability of the Two Weapon Warrior fighter archetype says that if the weapon can be used to trip, you can trip them as part of your Deft Doublestrike.

But all weapons can be used to trip. There is absolutely no reason for it to be phrased the way it is.

Does it mean weapons with the trip property perhaps?

[Noir le Lotus]

Only weapons with the trip property can be used to trip an opponent.

[HaraldKlak]

Noir le Lotus wrote:

Only weapons with the trip property can be used to trip an opponent.

Actually no, every melee weapon can be used to trip. That has be faq'ed or errataed... somewhere.

@RD: You could rule either way. My guess is that it is an oversight following that the rules hasn't been that clear on the matter. Personally I lean toward requiring a weapon with the trip proporty.

[Quantum Steve]

Seeing as the APG predates the clarification on using weapons in combat maneuvers, I would say that the phasing is an artifact from the time when you couldn't trip with any weapon (or, at least, from the time when it was poorly understood that you could trip with any weapon.)

In any case, since you can, in fact, trip with any melee weapon, you can make a free trip attempt with Deft Doublestrike using any melee weapon.

[LazarX]

Noir le Lotus wrote:

Only weapons with the trip property can be used to trip an opponent.

Wrong. That's not what the trip property is about.

The trip property on a weapon essentially gives you the option to avoid a counter trip by dropping the weapon as an immediate reaction.

Trip: You can use a trip weapon to make trip attacks. If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you can drop the weapon to avoid being tripped (see FAQ/Errata at right.)

Also see this faq below.

"There is a special exception to the above rules. If you’re using a weapon with the trip special feature, and you’re attempting a drag or reposition combat maneuver (Advanced Player’s Guide 321–322), you may apply the weapon’s bonuses to the roll because trip weapons are also suitable for dragging and repositioning (this also means we don’t have to add “drag” and “reposition” weapon properties to existing weapons)."