
![]() |

FlambardCost: 50 gp Weight: 6 lbs.
Damage: 1d8 (small), 1d10 (medium); Critical 19-20/x2; Range —; Type S; Special: Sunder
Description:
This two-handed sword has a wavy blade that is especially useful for cutting through wooden weapons. If you are proficient with this weapon, you gain a +4 bonus on any sunder attempts made against weapons with a wooden haft; otherwise you may use this sword as a bastard sword.
1) When you use it "as a Bastard Sword", can you do so, with one hand?
2) Can you use it "as a Bastard Sword" even if you are not proficient with Bastard Swords?
3) If the answer to #2 is yes, can you wield it in one hand, when doing so.
4) If the answer to #1 is yes, does it still count as a two handed weapon when doing so?

SlimGauge |

1) If you have EWP (Bastard Sword) then yes.
2) By taking the non-proficiency penalty, yes.
3) No, unless your GM has ruled that you can so use a bastard sword.
4) No. When you use the flambard as a flambard, you use it as a two-handed weapon because that's what a flambard is. When you use the flambard as a bastard sword, you use it as a one-handed exotic weapon because that's what a bastard sword is.

SlimGauge |

A Flambard wielded as a Bastard Sword, is still a Flambard, so things like Weapon Focus(Flambard) still apply.
True.
Unless, when you use a Flambard as Bastard Sword, it no longer counts as a Flambard, but things like Weapon Focus(Bastard Sword) would apply.
Either weapon focus would apply, but not both at the same time (they would not stack).
As for wielding, you can wield it as a two-handed weapon (a flambard) or as a one-handed exotic weapon (bastard sword with proficiency) or as a martial weapon with two hands (non-proficient bastard sword) but not at the same time. How you're wielding it determines how certain things such as strength bonus are determined for that attack.

Umbranus |

If you use it as a bastard sword you will not get the special +4 vs wooden weapons.
And if you use it one-handed via EWP bastard sword you will not get benefits from wielding a two-handed weapon except for things like hp etc. But no bonus damage from power attack, no shield of swings, only 1x strength bonus.

Umbranus |

Could I use it as a Bastard Sword, two handed, as a Martial Weapon?
Yes, but again without the speecial sunder bonus.
Would it function as a Lance, in regards to Power Attack, and other abilities, when wielded in One Hand.
No, it would not function like a lance but like a bastard sword. You are using it as aBS after all.

fretgod99 |

Thornborn wrote:A flambard is a bastard sword with a wavy blade that grants +4 to Sunder vs wood-hafted weapons.
A Bastard Sword, is an One Handed Exotic Weapon, with special caveats.
A Flambard, is a Two Handed Exotic Weapon, with special caveats.
So, not exactly the same.
For rules purposes, you treat it exactly like a Bastard Sword unless you have EWP (Flambard). If you do, then the only thing that changes is you get +4 on sunder attempts against weapons with wooden hafts.
So, if you don't have either EWP (Flambard) or EWP (Bastard Sword), then you must wield it in two-hands. If you have EWP (BS), you can wield it in one and, if you do, it's treated as a one-handed weapon, per the BS FAQ.
Just treat it like a BS and you shouldn't have any problems.

fretgod99 |

Could I use it as a Bastard Sword, two handed, as a Martial Weapon?
Would it function as a Lance, in regards to Power Attack, and other abilities, when wielded in One Hand.
Why would it function as a Lance in regards to Power Attack? The most recent BS FAQ makes it rather clear how to treat a BS and you know that.

![]() |

The Bastard Sword has it's own rules, and a Flambard, is still a Flambard, even if wielded as a Bastard Sword.
The Bastard Sword, at it's base, is an One-handed weapon, whilst a Flambard, at it's base, is a two handed weapon.
So, when does the rules of one, override the rules of the other?
When are you officially wielding it as a Bastard Sword, and officially wielding it as a Flambard, or could you do both, at the same time?
When does it discontinue to count as a two handed weapon?
Is it a two handed weapon, that can be wielded in one hand, or a two handed weapon, that can be wielded as an one-handed weapon?

fretgod99 |

It stops counting as a two-handed weapon when you wield it in one hand because you have the appropriate feat(s) to do so, just like the BS FAQ says.
It doesn't really matter if it's a two-handed weapon or a one-handed weapon as a base, since the FAQ tells you to determine its "type" (for purposes of abilities) by how many hands you are using to wield it.
The only real question is whether EWP (Flambard) encompasses everything EWP (BS) does for the purposes of wielding a Flambard, meaning does EWP (Flambard) allow you to also treat the Flambard as a BS for the ability to one-hand it, etc. I see no reason it should not. In fact it would seem quite silly to not. *shrug*
The FAQ is pretty straight forward on all of this. I know you don't like it, but it functions the exact same way.

SlimGauge |

When are you officially wielding it as a Bastard Sword, and officially wielding it as a Flambard, or could you do both, at the same time?
You cannot do both at the same time.
When does it discontinue to count as a two handed weapon?
When you wield it in one hand.
Is it a two handed weapon, that can be wielded in one hand, or a two handed weapon, that can be wielded as an one-handed weapon?
How many two-handed weapons are there (of an appropriate size) that can be wielded in one hand ? If you could wield them in one hand (without special dispensation from some other ability), then they'd be one handed weapons !
So it's a two-handed weapon that can be treated as a one-handed weapon in special circumstances (EWP(bastard sword)).

![]() |

A Lance is a two handed weapon that can be wielded in one hand whilst mounted.
It still gets the -1 to +3 ratio for Power Attack, and can be used with things like Overhand Chop.
There is also nothing noting that a Flambard gets treated as an One-handed weapon, when wielded in one hand.
Also, the base is important.
For example: a Flambard cannot be a Blackblade, unlike a Bastard Sword, no matter how you wield it.

fretgod99 |

It never changes classification, so it can't be a Blackblade. Other than that, nothing else really changes.
An unusual case of the handedness rule is an ability that allows you to treat a two-handed weapon as a one-handed weapon. For example, the titan mauler's jotungrip (which allows you to wield a two-handed weapon with one hand) allows you to wield a bastard sword in one hand even without the Exotic Weapon Proficiency, and (as the ability states) treats it as a one-handed weapon, therefore it is treated as a one-handed weapon for other effects.
If you're wielding the Flambard like a Bastard Sword (because you have a specific ability allowing you to do that - EWP (BS) or EWP (Flambard) in this case), you can wield it in one hand. When wielding it in one hand, you treat it like a one-handed weapon. That still does not change its classification from being a two-handed weapon, just like a Bastard Sword never changes from being a one-handed weapon.
The Lance is a specific case. Nothing about the Lance entry says it ever becomes or "is treated" like a one-handed weapon. It is simply an exception to the rule prohibiting two-handed weapons being wielded in one hand.

fretgod99 |

So, you could wield a Large Flambard, as one could wield Large Bastard Sword.
How would one treat a small Flambard? A Light weapon, or an One Handed weapon?
If I'm the GM, I'd treat it just like I would a Bastard Sword. But honestly, I'm not really worried about it because nobody every uses them, anyway.
And we're pretty much at the point where you appear to want to start arguing all the same stuff you keep wanting to argue about the BS. There's not much point in that. So, if that's your intent let me know and I'll kindly bow out now.

the first Magrim |
I would say pathfinder uses a semi colon like an and. So I think you get the +4 disarm and get to use it like a bastard sword. Otherwise, just use a bastard sword and delete this thing. Like a lot of things the wording is weird but I would say it's much more odd to think about using another weapons exotic weapon proficiency to wield it. Fortunately they have the same stats so I would just give it the one hand exotic proficiency and the two hand martial ability and move on.