Which exotic weapons are worth the feat?


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Which exotic weapons are worth having to spend a feat on them?

I'm excluding those that you don't have to spend a feat for proficiency, because of race (elven curve blade) or class (monk weapons, bards and whips, etc) - that's a different question.

A bastard sword, for example, is possibly worth it if you want to wield an oversized weapon, and particularly if you have easy access to lead blades, so you can deal 3d8 base damage.

Getting proficiency in the falcata, as another example, is like getting the Improved Critical feat on a battle axe, which isn't too shabby.

What are your thoughts?


the Fauchard is a reach weapon, d10 with 18-20 crit range. It's one of the better options.


Anything that has two keywords like reach or trip is worth a thought. And a fair number of weapons that have 18-20 crit are great as well. My favorite is the wakizashi just because it's the only light 18-20 weapon I know of.


Battle poi. Fire damage, gives psuedo two weapon fighting. Spend a feat get a bit of it back.


Lucerne Hammer might be worth it.

Scarab Sages

wraithstrike wrote:
Lucerne Hammer might be worth it.

It's martial.

To answer the OP, no exotic weapon is worth the feat. If you can get one for "free" from a class or racial option fine, but with the possible exception of the elven branch spear none of them are worth a feat for the minor increase in stats.
And the elven branch spear is only worth it for finesse builds.


Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

That cool +10 equivalent magic weapon that is exotic, which you could never find a buyer willing to pay half price for it.

Otherwise, not really. Maybe firearms if they are on the table in your game world and still considered exotic.

Dark Archive

Technological Weapons(if allowed), and if your GM is cool then I'm pretty sure there is a weapon building thing in weapon master's handbook which would make the feat worth it.


Helcack wrote:
I'm pretty sure there is a weapon building thing in weapon master's handbook which would make the feat worth it.

Not really. The book overcosts crit increases and multiple special properties significantly. The current optimal weapons (martial or exotic) are better than anything you can custom design with that system.


As stated above, the fauchard is a good one. Reach, trip, and a 18-20 crit range. That's usually my go-to for a battlefield-control fighter (a strix fighter is disgusting with it).


Firearms are worth it if you want to use firearms.
Dueling Sword is worth it if you want to be an Aldori Swordlord (either kind).
Whip is be worth it if you build for it.
Elven Branched Spear is worth it for a finesse and/or attack of opportunity build.
Fauchard is worth it if you want to make use of its reach and threat range.
Minotaur Double Crossbow is worth it if you're going to be using a crossbow.


Katana can be good for switching 1 & 2 handed. Probably not worth a feat though.

Grand Lodge

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Cracked Opalescent White Pyramid Ioun Stone is cheap enough that exotic weapon proficiency is hard to justify as a feat. If you don't have martial weapon proficiency, then upgrading from a simple weapon to a similar exotic is probably worth a feat.


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If the tech guide is allowed and your GM is cool I like the Chainsaw .

Not something for everyday use, but when you absolutely need to rock a boss fight or deal with a horde of zombies...


Meteor Hammer


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Nobody mentioned Falcata? What the heck is wrong with people?


Darksol the Painbringer wrote:
Nobody mentioned Falcata? What the heck is wrong with people?

It's in the OP. ;)


Darksol the Painbringer wrote:
Nobody mentioned Falcata? What the heck is wrong with people?

I wouldn't mention Falcata for the same reason I would mention Dwarven War Axe. If I wanted to use a Falcata, I'd just be a Tengu and get it for free. So, I'd never take the Feat Exotic Weapon Proficiency Falcata, or any sword.

Personally, though, I don't think I would anyway. The reason I'd take Falcata is if I wanted to make a Crit build, which I pretty much never want to do.

But if I did want to make a Crit build, I'd use 2 Kukris, and I'd be a Warpriest, doing Sacred Weapon Damage instead of the Kukri's 1d4, enjoying the 18-20 Threat Range. Then I'd take a whole bunch of Crit Feats like Crit Mastery, Improved Crit, Seize the Moment, and Bleeding Crit. I'd take that Warpriest archetype that gives you Tactician, maybe. Divine Commander: it also gives me a Mount, which would become my AoO buddy.


You know what deserves a mention and hasn't gotten one? Whip! Reach, close, and tripping.

Another one that is cool is Bladed Scarf. Take that Magus Archetype and then maybe Maneuver Master or Rogue so you go around Tripping and stealing as you dance around looking all exotic and cool.


The Bladed Scarf Dancer archetype gets proficiency for free. It would be sort of weird if it didn't.

Scarab Sages

For any build that would use an exotic weapon, there is a way to get proficiency without spending the feat. Monk weapons, be an unchained monk or unarmed fighter. Whip, take a level in bard, cleric, or the zorro swashbuckler. Elven Branch spear or curve blade, be an elf or half-elf. Falcata, Tengu or rondelero swashbuckler. Katana, Samurai or Cleric.

Hell just be a human and trade your bonus feat for proficiency in any two martial or exotic weapons.

No Exotic weapon is so much better than the equivalent martial weapon to be worth the feat.


I think it's worth it when you're a human character with an extra feat to spend whom intends to get the best out of the exotic weapon in question. Now obviously a lot of races get access to nice exotic weapons, so always check if you can do it via that route first.

I think the Exotic weapon proficiency is worth it when it's a good weapon (either gives you access to a tactic you otherwise couldn't do, has a high crit or special maneuver bonus) and it's one you can't get via race.

I like the idea of using a throwing shield or bola to trip enemies at range, especially if the weapon is Returning and you have feats like Distance Thrower and/or Far Shot.


The answer is none because you can gain weapon familiarity with a 1,500gp cracked ioun stone (Opalescent White Pyramid). Which is an absolute steal.


Even a non-elf may want to grab an elven branched spear. I finesse reach weapon has its perks.


Darksol the Painbringer wrote:
Nobody mentioned Falcata? What the heck is wrong with people?

Decent reading comprehension, apparently. :)

On topic, I think there are several exotic weapons that are worth consideration, but there are frequently better ways to obtain proficiency than spending a feat on it. Racial proficiency, Ancestral Arms and the opalescent white pyramid have already been mentioned.


I find barbarians have more feats to spend than other classes. I do not mind my barbarian getting a fauchard for low levels. Than if need be retrain it.

Plus I find a reach weapon is often more defensive than a shield as your teammates create that gap and absorb the first hit so moving to you spreads the damage, and allows battlefield tactics with easy flanking.


Nets and various grappling weapons may be worth it. An alchemist might use a flask thrower.

I haven't created a character which does so in PF, but I can imagine someone finding the feat worthwhile for those reasons or the others named above.

Silver Crusade

I'd say there's a few:

Fauchard's basically the best reach weapon in the game.

Launching Crossbow can be very cool for alchemist.

Falcata's an old fave.

Whip's got some neat tricks.

Minotaur Double Crossbow is what jerks use.

Firear...no. No they are not.


None of them.

There are good exotic weapons... But I don't think any of them is good enough to be worth a feat. A falcata simply isn't all that better than a scimitar or longsword.

Fauchard is great, but it isn't all that better than a Bardiche.

Nets are good, but they are also a touch attack, so the -4 penalty for non-proficiency doesn't really matter...

Firearms are the worst weapons in the game unless you're a Gunslinger, in which case you get proficiency with them anyway... And even then, they aren't as good as people say.

Basically, we have a bunch of good exotic weapons, but 99% of the time, you're still better off using that feat for something else.


Chainsaw.


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Bastard sword, katana, rhoka sword, or urumi if you want to use a Large version and have ready access to enlarge person and/or lead blades: bastard sword goes from 1d10/19-20 to 2d8/19-20 to 3d8/19-20 to 4d8/19-20; katana, rhoka sword, or urumi goes from 1d8/18-20 to 2d6/18-20 to 3d6/18-20 to 4d6/18-20.

Double-chained kama, kusarigama, or kyoketsu shoge if you want a monk that can flurry with a reach weapon (outside of Crusader's Flurry or a sohei).

Meteor hammer if you want to use the same weapon trip at either reach (two-handed, +1 shield bonus to AC) or adjacent (as a double weapon).

Sawtooth sabre is a decent option for Two-Weapon Fighting; especially with Slashing Grace.

Tekko-kagi basically gives you the benefit of Improved Disarm without requiring 13+ Int and the Combat Reflexes feat, as well; plus, you can use it for a +1 shield bonus to AC when not using it to disarm.

Whip is probably one of the better options for a reach disarm/trip character, as it has the longest reach of any melee weapon; damage is poor, however, unless a warpriest (with whip as the deity's favored weapon or using the free Weapon Focus on it).

Other than that, and the falcata, it's only "worth the feat" if it's central to the character concept.


Lemmy wrote:


Fauchard is great, but it isn't all that better than a Bardiche.

When keen is applied a fauchard does 10% more damage. If you are a barbarian with high damage that 10% gets pretty big. There are no feats that give you 10% more damage because that is easily abused.


Finlanderboy wrote:
Lemmy wrote:


Fauchard is great, but it isn't all that better than a Bardiche.

When keen is applied a fauchard does 10% more damage. If you are a barbarian with high damage that 10% gets pretty big. There are no feats that give you 10% more damage because that is easily abused.

*cough* power attack


Lemmy wrote:
Nets are good, but they are also a touch attack, so the -4 penalty for non-proficiency doesn't really matter...

Even if you're trying to hit a touch AC of just 10 that -4 does make a difference for a while. Say you've got an attack of +8; with proficiency you hit on a 2, without you hit on a 6. Against some annoying little sprite with a touch AC of 17 the required rolls would be 9 & 13 respectively.

Nets are still useful with the -4, but it looks like they'd be noticeably better without.


How about the estoc? It is a somewhat oversized rapier with the damage of a falchion that you can use one-handed with the EWP.

Scarab Sages

The Shaman wrote:
How about the estoc? It is a somewhat oversized rapier with the damage of a falchion that you can use one-handed with the EWP.

Average damage on a rapier is 3.5, while the average damage on an Estoc is 5. You are spending a feat for 1.5 damage, which is worse than weapon specialization. Not to mention fencing grace is rapier only.


I guess a specific item may be worth the feat. A heavily enchanted, adamantine weapon may be worth sacrificing a feat to get your hands on. Or a weapon that's particularly strong for your level.

Dark Archive

Even from a pure optimization point of view there is quite a bit of misinformation in this thread that seems to stem from a lack of understanding of how crit ranges and multipliers affect damage output.

The fauchard and falcata are both mathematically worthwhile for high-STR two-handed melee builds, as they both give significant bonuses to damage that stack with Power Attack and either Keen or Improved Critical.

This is particularly true in PFS, where you can always pick the exact type of magical weapon that you arm your character with.

Fauchard is hands down the best reach weapon in the game.

Falcata makes an amazing two-handed weapon when you double that threat range to (17-20)x3, with the added (and rather important) benefit of being able to be wielded one-handed if you are grappled. It also makes for amazing builds with an animated shield, due to the 1H/2H flexibility.

Dark Archive

Chainsaw.

Nothing beats it, except maybe Death Rays, and a Nuclear Resonator.


Imbicatus wrote:
The Shaman wrote:
How about the estoc? It is a somewhat oversized rapier with the damage of a falchion that you can use one-handed with the EWP.
Average damage on a rapier is 3.5, while the average damage on an Estoc is 5. You are spending a feat for 1.5 damage, which is worse than weapon specialization. Not to mention fencing grace is rapier only.

Estoc does get 1.5x DEX-to-damage for UnRogues.


Of course, the UnRogue can't take the exotic weapon feat until 3rd level because of the BAB requirement, unless of course you multiclass.


Eh, my bladbound magus that's usually rolling with some sort of size increase (at first enlarge person, now monstrous physique II) gets good mileage out of his bastard sword.

Ready access to size increases can a make a decent difference in weapon values - lead blades or enlarge person is simply better with a bastard sword than it is with a longsword. (Though Katana v. scimitar is more severe.)

As to falcatas, falcatas are vicious. Especially if you have access to fortune-style effects in your party.

While EWP is usually less of a damage boost than weapon spec, it's still a boost that stacks with everything else.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Melkiador wrote:
Of course, the UnRogue can't take the exotic weapon feat until 3rd level because of the BAB requirement, unless of course you multiclass.

Notably, that is also the level that they get Dex-to-damage, so that more or less works out.


Melkiador wrote:
Of course, the UnRogue can't take the exotic weapon feat until 3rd level because of the BAB requirement, unless of course you multiclass.

Or are an Half-Elf or Human with the Exotic Weapon Racial Traits.


Hubaris wrote:
Melkiador wrote:
Of course, the UnRogue can't take the exotic weapon feat until 3rd level because of the BAB requirement, unless of course you multiclass.
Or are an Half-Elf or Human with the Exotic Weapon Racial Traits.

The point of the thread is "worth the feat". If you get the feat for "free" it doesn't count.


Opportunity cost is still a cost.
In the Humans case you trade your bonus feat.
In the Half Elfs you trade Skill Focus or the Iron Will equivalent.

The cost is less on Half Elfs but it's still a cost.


Hence why "free" was in quotes.


Finlanderboy wrote:
Lemmy wrote:


Fauchard is great, but it isn't all that better than a Bardiche.
When keen is applied a fauchard does 10% more damage. If you are a barbarian with high damage that 10% gets pretty big. There are no feats that give you 10% more damage because that is easily abused.

The problem is that EWP must be taken at early levels to be worth it (There isn't much point in taking EWP: Falcata at 13th level when you already ahve a bunch of weapon-based feats)), but at early level, we have much more useful feats to take.

It's not so much that exotic weapons are a bad choice... I just don't think they are worth a feat.


Argus The Slayer wrote:
Fauchard is hands down the best reach weapon in the game.

I love fauchards, but the elven branched spear is probably better.


Lemmy wrote:
The problem is that EWP must be taken at early levels to be worth it (There isn't much point in taking EWP: Falcata at 13th level when you already ahve a bunch of weapon-based feats)), but at early level, we have much more useful feats to take.

The thing about Falcata is that it scales the best with other increases to damage. By itself without any modifiers, the falcata actually does marginally less damage than a bastard sword. But start adding bonuses from all other sources, such as strength, feats and magic weapon; and it quickly becomes the most powerful weapon.

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