Double Sword OR Implement?

[vhailor]

I'm thinking about multiclassing in the future my Tempest Fighter into Wizard.
I have equiped him with chainmail and Double Sword.
My question is this: Can the fighter hold the Double Sword with his one hand,
so he can draw from his backpack an orb(implement) to attack with it?
Will it be accepted if I don't count the +1 from the weapon and the+1 given from the class?

 

[Fede]

I'd say that he can hold it, but not wield it. In other words, he can hold the doublesword in one hand and cast using the orb in his other hand, but he won't be able to use the double sword until he puts away the orb and grips the double sword with 2 hands.

 

[themilkman]

A possibility that you might want to consider...

Take the Staff Fighting feat from Dragon 368 (requires WIS of 13). This makes the staff a 1d8/1d8 double weapon with off-hand and defensive properties. You should still get your Tempest Technique bonuses as well as being able to use the staff as an implement and get enhancement bonuses to your arcane powers.

Since I don't think the staff can be enchanted as both an implement and a weapon, you're going to miss out on either implement powers or weapon powers, but I believe that the enhancement bonus should apply to attacks as a weapon and an implement. (Also, remember that you don't get to use any Arcane Implement Mastery bonuses because you've only multiclassed into Wizard and get none of that class's features.)

I don't play a wizard, though, so I could be wrong. If anyone has reason to believe otherwise, please set me straight.

 

[deleteme123456]

themilkman's probably on to something, but you do lose access to all the cool light / heavy blade feats that exist. In my game, my TWF ranger frequently relaxes his grip on his double sword to one hand so he can draw a javelin and hit the cowards that are running away from him.

 

[Starglim]

I agree with Fede. This means that since he is no longer wielding the double sword, he doesn't get the benefit of the Defensive property.

 

[Starglim]

Since I don't think the staff can be enchanted as both an implement and a weapon, you're going to miss out on either implement powers or weapon powers, but I believe that the enhancement bonus should apply to attacks as a weapon and an implement. (Also, remember that you don't get to use any Arcane Implement Mastery bonuses because you've only multiclassed into Wizard and get none of that class's features.)

I don't play a wizard, though, so I could be wrong. If anyone has reason to believe otherwise, please set me straight.

You're right. This is explicitly allowed for magic staffs (PHB p. 240, two sentences starting from "Unlike other implements..") The pact blade has similar text.

 

[vhailor]

That feat with the staff looks promising. Thanks for your replies.

 

[turk128]

Quick Draw feat should handle the problem (if the PC has the stats for it).

 

[deleteme123456]

Multiclass swordmage instead. Problem solved.

 

[webrunner]

Being that the character already exists, this is just a mental exercise, but a warforged would be able to put the orb in it's chest and still use a double weapon.