I'm looking to get a list of things that can be done with a free hand. I have a Shadow Assassin that uses a falcata one-handedly. After seeing what are barb can do, I've mostly given up on ever doing anything meaningful damage-wise, so I'm looking for other things to do.
I have a few of the Dirty Trick feats, and plan on using Poison as well. My current ideas involve setting up dirty tricks with the free hand, or using it to throw poison at enemies. Maybe inhaled poisons and holding my breath.
If it matters, I can create my own weapons from shadowstuffs, so if I need to, I can use both hands for something and get the weapon back as a swift.
There's an answer to every problem.
It's called 'Steal.'
I suppose stealing the barbarian's weapons would mean I could meaningfully help out with damage, but I'd prefer non-PvP stuff.
I think he meant to steal the opponent's weapon. Am I correct, Trinam?
Hold an item, such as a scroll or potion or other magical item that only needs to be used occasionally. If you disarm an opponent and you have a free hand, you can take their weapon from them.
You can hold onto ropes, ladders, walls, etc and still be able to fight. Can't swing with a rope and fight with a giant two-handed sword.
Yeah, I was talking about the Steal combat maneuver. Because Why Not?
But seriously, bookrat's ideas are better.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
**resists urge to include a dirty joke.**
Yeah, I was talking about the Steal combat maneuver. Because Why Not?
But seriously, bookrat's ideas are better.
*sheepish grin* Aw, thanks. :)
You can grab an opponent and still attack. Grab is a grapple action, and you can attack while grappled with an unarmed attack, or a light or one-handed weapon.
You can throw things at opponents, like dirt in their eyes or a flask of alchemists fire and still be able to attack. This might count as "two weapon fighting" with appropriate penalties to attack, but I'd allow it.
Having a free hand lets you throw shurikens if you plan on taking the shuriken weapon style. It also lets you switch between 1 handed and 2 handed fighting with your falcata, for example, if you know your going to full attack. Why not 2 hand that falcata, gain 1 1/2 str for the attack, then let your second hand go to go back to your open fighting stance.
Like was mentioned, open hand allows you to disarm and take an oppponents weapon. Or to use the actual STEAL ability to take their weapon before they draw it. Perhaps to steal that backup ranged weapon before you run away. Or hey, maybe you just need a potion and you notice BBEG has a potion belt.
Deflect arrows requires a free hand, and eventually snatch arrows does the same thing.
Glove of Storing filled with a wand, potion, scroll w/e you need makes it really handy to have an open hand.
Rude gestures - If its a homebrew campaign and you like to make intimidate checks to goad your enemies, your DM may give bonus' depending on how well you roleplay the situation. Sometimes flipping the bird can be worth that +1 you need to make that check.
Whistling - Signal whistles. You'll probably be the party scout, if you get into a hairy situation. Whistling is sometimes the better option to "HELP ME IM GETTING EATEN ALIVE BY GOBLIN CHILDREN!"
Torch - Holding that torch for the first few levels is often important, especially if you don't got access to a light spell in your group. Sometimes its important even if you do got a light spell and your in a large room.
Passing items to players in combat - IT REALLY SUCKS TO HAVE TO DROP YOUR WEAPON OR SHEATH IT AND DO THIS. Party member need a potion/scroll bad? Pull it this turn, drop it and let them come get it on their turn. No wasting that standard action for you (long as you have a haversack, but we all have a haversack right?)
Flavor Descriptions - You run your falcata through the Kobold to your left, sidestepping, you narrowly avoid a spear-head sent flying from off to your right. With a quick twist of your body and a shift of your weight you find yourself nose to nose with the culprit. A kobold looks you directly in the eyes, its mouth twisted and wrenched into a snarling smile. "Die puny human." It mouths the words just as you reach your free hand up, clenching, you here a sickly gasp and you watch as the kobolds smile turns into a look of fear. You begin to choke the life out of the kobold, watching as its tiny body flails beneath your finessed grasp. "Never talk when I've got a hand free, rodent."
|
On the topic of your poison idea...two suggestions:
Shuriken originally were used for this purpose actually. They were just coins sharpened around the edges and either poisoned or burried in a damp area so they rusted and got disease infested. Not really a "killer" solution because all it did was give small cuts but they infected and festered until the person died a slow death from the small cuts.
I'm pretty sure Pathfinder introduced the poison tube weapon. It was basically a tube that you fille with an inhaled poison and you blow in one end and it shoots a cloud of poison out at the enemy. Not sure how the rules would work but I assume it was designed so you wouldn't have to worry about poisoning yourself. I want to say reload time sucks though (full round if I remember).
Nice list, Sarf!
Swing from a vine, rope, or chandelier.
**resists urge to include a dirty joke.**Frankly I'm amazed the first half dozen replies weren't.
I made my will save, but just barely.
or Snapping Turtle style. Gives you a small shield bonus using that free hand.
This character won't be using the styles, but thanks.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Keep it in a glove full of lotion..... For the ladies.
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
WWBD? What would Batman do? Having just played Arkham city where special weapons (which would be off-handed) included smoke bombs, caltrops, bolas, shuriken, grappling hooks, and (not in the game) tanglefoot bags.
I find entangling enemies to be quite under-rated. It brings down anything with wings, knocks out 4 dex with no save, and reduces enemy to-hit. And that's before you start adding on effects that can be applied to the bag instead of the target, like the silence spell.
THIS. I kept trying to make TWF rogue work and was never happy. When I finally gave up on that and followed the path of Batman, I felt I had a much cooler character. Eventually, I gave up on dealing damage entirely and focused on dirty tricks, tripping, entangling, etc - anything that would massively inconvenience the enemy or take them out/down without using conventional attacks.