One Hand, Two Hand, Red Hand, Blue Hand

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Is there any mechanical difference between wielding a one-handed weapon with two hands and just wielding a two-handed weapon?

For instance, would I be able to get by with Martial Weapon Proficiency with a Bastard Sword if I plan on wielding it two-handed my entire career, or would I have a better advantage by getting Exotic Weapon Proficiency and then wielding it two-handed?

[Hendelbolaf]

There is no difference between wielding a one-handed weapon in two hands and wielding a two-handed weapon. You will get 1 1/2 times strength to damage on both of them.

"If a one-handed weapon is wielded with two hands during melee combat, add 1-1/2 times the character's Strength bonus to damage rolls."

If you only have Martial Weapon Proficiency, then. yes, you can wield a Bastard Sword with two hands but not one hand.

"A character can use a bastard sword two-handed as a martial weapon."

[Arlow]

Yup there is. Bastard sword is a martial weapon. U need spécial training to weild it one handed. You do apply half again your strenght to dammage also. And to booth: the icing on the cake is large version of it, -2 hit whit increased dammage 2d8 if my memory is right.
Hack and slashes. Slices and dices. It does it all.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

So you'll get the 1.5 strength bonus with just martial?

And in the case of pure 2-handed weapons, do you get the 1.5 bonus as well, or is that exclusively with 1-handed weapons wielded with 2 hands?

[Umbranus]

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:

So you'll get the 1.5 strength bonus with just martial?

And in the case of pure 2-handed weapons, do you get the 1.5 bonus as well, or is that exclusively with 1-handed weapons wielded with 2 hands?

It is the same. When you wield a melee weapon with two hands you get the higher bonus.

The exception is that you can't do this with light weapons and at least one one-handed namely the rapier.

[Nefreet]

If the Bastard Sword is what you intend on wielding, and you plan on wielding it in two hands always, then there is no mechanical benefit to taking the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat.

But, if you're only ever planning on wielding a two-handed weapon, why wouldn't you just go with a Greatsword instead?

[Raymond Lambert]

I agree about picking greatsword or another martial 2-hander instead but if you are temporarily using this bastard sword maybe because it was found treasure and your GM is terrible about getting optimal gear. I could understand keeping it in that case. Or maybe you have a back story with a bastard sword that for some odd reason cannot fit with another weapon.

If you are grappled, you cannot use a 2-hAnder. That means you cannot swing that martial employed bastard sword. With the exotic weapon proficiency, you can keep hacking away with the weaPon you spent so much money upgrading.

Even with the intention to always wield it two handed, with the exotic proficiency, you always have the choice to pick up a:
shield,
wield a wand(you considered multi classing right),
carry a potion,
hold a rope,
ready an alchemical fire or tangle foot bag,
More I cannot think.of right now.

Look at the 3.5 exotic weapon master prestige class. You can get double strength to damage that way.

[Bacon666]

As long as you go 2handed there's no dif...

However, you cannot use a 2handed weapon in 1 hand (bastard sword with EWP being special).

[DarkPhoenixx]

Some feats may require use of two-handed weapon, like Pushing Assault.

[Archaeik]

For the record, a Bastard Sword is never a 2h weapon, it is a 1h weapon with a special rule about proficiency if used in 2 hands.

As was mentioned, there are a handful of feats that require an actual 2h weapon RAW.

See also

Furious Focus (Combat) wrote:

Even in the midst of fierce and furious blows, you can find focus in the carnage and your seemingly wild blows strike home.

Prerequisites: Str 13, Power Attack, base attack bonus +1.

Benefit: When you are wielding a two-handed weapon or a one-handed weapon with two hands, and using the Power Attack feat, you do not suffer Power Attack's penalty on melee attack rolls on the first attack you make each turn. You still suffer the penalty on any additional attacks, including attacks of opportunity.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Nefreet wrote:

If the Bastard Sword is what you intend on wielding, and you plan on wielding it in two hands always, then there is no mechanical benefit to taking the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat.

But, if you're only ever planning on wielding a two-handed weapon, why wouldn't you just go with a Greatsword instead?

Because Serithtial and Briar are bastard swords, and Inquisitors have a +0 BAB at first level.

[Nefreet]

Inquisitors are proficient in the Favored Weapon of their deity.

Just find one that grants said proficiency and you can start out wielding a Bastard Sword in one or two hands.

[GeneticDrift]

Having the option to one hand is great if you get grappled.

[Raymond Lambert]

Are you suggesting Serithtial and Briar are some sort of patron of Devine spells? And you want the weapon because it is part of the package to get access to thier granted domain or something else special.

Proficiency granted by something like a cleric or Inquisitor can be interpreted in different ways. So discuss with your GM to make sure you are on the same page rather than risk being called a cheater later.

[Nefreet]

Who are Serithtial and Briar?

[blackbloodtroll]

Nefreet wrote:

Who are Serithtial and Briar?

Artifacts from Curse of the Crimson Throne.

How he intends to get two intelligent Artifact weapons, I don't know.

[Kazaan]

Here's the long and short of it:

2-h weapons are mechanically different from 1-h weapons, but there is some overlap. Both get 1.5x Str bonus on damage rolls and +50% Power Attack bonus. However, if a feat or ability requires you to use a two-handed weapon, wielding a one-handed weapon in two hands doesn't count. However, the Bastard Sword (and, by extension, similar 1-1/2 hand weapons like Katana and others) is explicitly called out as a special case in that it counts as a 2-h weapon when you wield it in two hands (despite it being, at its base, a 1-h weapon which normally wouldn't). Note that there is no MWP(Bastard Sword) because it isn't a martial weapon; you simply treat it as one if you lack EWP(Bastard Sword). So if your class grants general proficiency in all martial weapons, you are proficient with the BS as a 2-h weapon. If you lack proficiency with all martial weapons, you can still wield it as a 2-h weapon, but you tank the -4 non-prof penalty. If you have EWP(BS), you can use it as a 1-h or 2-h weapon, even if you lack blanket MWP. Hence, EWP is only necessary if A) you lack blanket martial proficiency, or B) you have blanket martial proficiency but don't mind being limited to 2-h wielding.

[pocsaclypse]

Nefreet wrote:

Inquisitors are proficient in the Favored Weapon of their deity.

Just find one that grants said proficiency and you can start out wielding a Bastard Sword in one or two hands.

A while back I dug through the Pathfinder Wiki to answer that exact question. Let me spare you the trouble.

Feronia
Ragathiel
Malacoda
Nightripper

Feronia the one I usually choose from that list. Love me that liberation domain.

[blackbloodtroll]

I want to know he plans to obtain these Artifacts.

Really, how?

[Tabletop Prophet]

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:

Nefreet wrote:

If the Bastard Sword is what you intend on wielding, and you plan on wielding it in two hands always, then there is no mechanical benefit to taking the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat.

But, if you're only ever planning on wielding a two-handed weapon, why wouldn't you just go with a Greatsword instead?

Because Serithtial and Briar are bastard swords, and Inquisitors have a +0 BAB at first level.

Inquisitor of Ragathiel, GO.

EDIT: Also, two by two... hands of blue.

[Rikkan]

blackbloodtroll wrote:

I want to know he plans to obtain these Artifacts.

Really, how?

Artifacts don't have a gold piece value. So you just grab all of them during character creation, obviously.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

blackbloodtroll wrote:

I want to know he plans to obtain these Artifacts.

Really, how?

By playing in Curse of the Crimson Throne and Kingmaker and making characters best geared to wield such weapons. I read APs to see what rewards and magic items they grant players, and build my characters around what those are.

I'm not planning on obtaining BOTH with a single character. I'm trying to plan my characters so that if I'm in an AP, at least ONE character is best equipped to wield the treasures the AP deigns to give them.

And Ragathiel isn't worshipped prominently in either Korvosa, where Curse of the Crimson Throne takes place, or in Brevoy, where it's assumed Kingmaker players come from.

[blackbloodtroll]

Those really are not available, at any time, during the campaign.

They are statted, but unless the DM goes out of his way to give them to you, they won't be available, and even then, likely not for long.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

If I play in the AP they're integral to they will. I just have to find one to join.

[blackbloodtroll]

Just didn't want you to be disappointed.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

I like to plan characters ahead of time to best fit the campaign's narrative themes and plot. Since specific swords appear in said APs and are important to the story, I feel compelled to be a character capable of wielding them, as I can't be certain if other players that join will take that into consideration.

[Suthainn]

Having recently finished GMing the exact campaign path Briar is in and looking at the specific AP book it is in... I can assure you it is no way guaranteed a party will get to keep it, as written it depends on your actions and your GMs choice.

If your GM is intent on handing out the weapon regardless then they'll probably also follow the advice written with it that says, "If no player is proficient in this weapon, change it to one that someone can use." So, you're probably safe to not stress over it too much :)

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Well, yeah, I don't care whether or not I actually KEEP it. Just that someone in the party can USE it. I can't control other people's characters, but I CAN control my own!

[Tabletop Prophet]

Where a deity is commonly worshiped has no bearing on having a character who worships them. Your character may be in Korvosa/Stolen Lands, but unless it's integral to your character that they be from those places, all you need is a reason to be in those places when the campaign begins: A much easier prospect for Kingmaker, admittedly, but still not difficult by any stretch for CotCT.

[Mystic Lemur]

Raymond Lambert wrote:

Proficiency granted by something like a cleric or Inquisitor can be interpreted in different ways. So discuss with your GM to make sure you are on the same page rather than risk being called a cheater later.

Yes, they can be interpreted the right way and the wrong way. In this case, the right way is that it is a one-handed exotic weapon, so having proficiency grants you the ability to use a one-handed exotic weapon without penalty. Why some people claim this isn't clear is beyond me...