D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 Weapon question

[RedTonic]

I just noticed that the PHB and the revised Bastion arms and equipment guide list the longsword and scimitar at the same price and weight, yet the longsword deals 1d8 damage and the scimitar deals 1d6. The critical range for the scimitar is 1 point wider (18 - 20) than the longsword.

In a normal distribution, will the damage come out, over time, to be about equal between the two, or will it favor the longsword?

 

[Dandu]

I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[afluty]

It's easier to think about it like this: would you rather do 1 point of damage more on average (longsword), or potentially crit 5% more of the time (scimitar)?

 

[Dandu]

The crit becomes more valuable for a crit oriented build, whereas the longsword may be better for your average warrior.

 

[Jimlock]

100 successful hits with a scimitar give you an average of 350 HP of damage

+ 15%(18-20 crit) = 402,5 HP of damage



100 successful hits with a longsword give you an average of 450 HP of damage

+ 10%(19-20 crit) = 495 HP of damage


Longsword wins.

 

[kitcik]

AOTBE (all other things being equal)

Longsword 1d8 = 4.5 + 10% x 4.5 = 4.95

Scimitar 1d6 = 3.5 + 15% x 3.5 = 4.025

Longsword does more on average.

Now, that said, if you make a crit build as Dandu suggested, you won't be in an AOTBE situation and the scimitar could be better - because you would skew things by focussing on increasing the crit range and increasing the amount of damage that would get multiplied in a crit.

 

[Vespucci]

The scimitar deals more damage in the long run. (Well, it deals more damage from around 8th-9th level.)

 

[Jimlock]

Now let's see what happens with Improved Critical...

100 successful hits with a scimitar give you an average of 350 HP of damage

+ 30%(15-20 crit) = 455 HP of damage



100 successful hits with a longsword give you an average of 450 HP of damage

+ 20%(17-20 crit) = 540 HP of damage

Longsword still wins...

 

[Dandu]

A crit focused build will have more than Improved Crit, my friend.

 

[Jimlock]

A crit focused build will have more than Improved Crit, my friend.

ok... what more?