Two-Weapon Fighting / Should it Apply to Ranged?

[Brisk-sg]

Hello All,

Our group has been having a debate about an upcoming Farscape campaign we will be playing. I submit these questions to all you fine folks to see what you think.



Does Two-weapon fighting apply to ranged weapons and other one-handed non-melee weapons?

Should the feat apply to both ranged and melee in a D&D setting?

Should the feat apply to both ranged and melee in a swashbuckling setting?

Should the feat apply to both ranged and melee in a sci-fi setting?


And Specifically:

Should the feat apply to both ranged and melee in Farscape setting, or would it be better served to have two feats (one for Melee / one for ranged)?



Thanks,

-Josh

 

[reapersaurus]

This is easy.
The answer to all is NO.

For ranged weapons, you have Rapid Shot.

If you allow both Rapid Shot and 2-Weapon Fighting, you are even more unbalancing ranged weapons than they already are (some contend).

 

[kreynolds]

Does Two-weapon fighting apply to ranged weapons and other one-handed non-melee weapons?

It only applies to melee weapons.

Should the feat apply to both ranged and melee in a D&D setting?

As a house rule, I think it should, but I got outvoted by my group. They would rather there be two versions of the feat, one for melee and the other for ranged.

Oddly enough though, this is also the same group that use one feat for both melee and ranged in Dragonstar and Spycraft. Go figure. *shrug*

 

[Ranger REG]

Well, there aren't many ranged weapons that can effectively be used in both hands in this particular setting (medieval fantasy). One could rule that hand crossbows (the predecessor to the chemically-propelled ballistic handguns), could be used on both hands, but you will then need both hands to reload one of them.

One could also rule that with Quick Draw and TWF, you can throw daggers with both hands (like one of the street or circus performing acts).

 

[i3ullseye]

It is my plan to utilise it as such.....

Ambidexterity will lower the reductions for both melee and ranged is used 2 dual.

There shoudl be a feat for 2 weapon in melee, and in 2 weapon for ranged. and you can not mix and match... no sword/blaster combo. I might add Superior Two Weapon Fighting that has both of the previous, and improved, and ambidexterity as a pre-req... along with a +9 base attack. THEN you can mix and match melee and ranged, but it shoudl be near impossible to do so witout severe reductions.

I think rapid shot actually should be an exclusive feat. it takes up a whole full attack action just to use that feat in and of itsself. So with 2 pistols, you either get one extra from dual firing, or you take rapid shot, but no both.

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

I forget if it was in the core books or a "splat" book, but it had an example of using two crossbows at once. Aside from obviously not being able to relode, it stated that two weapon penalties aplied in full.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Hello All,
Does Two-weapon fighting apply to ranged weapons and other one-handed non-melee weapons?

Should the feat apply to both ranged and melee in a D&D setting?

Should the feat apply to both ranged and melee in a swashbuckling setting?

Should the feat apply to both ranged and melee in a sci-fi setting?

Should the feat apply to both ranged and melee in Farscape setting, or would it be better served to have two feats (one for Melee / one for ranged)?

-Josh

From the SRD:
"Two-Weapon Fighting [General]

Benefit: The character's penalties for fighting with two weapons are reduced by 2."

And that pretty much says it all.

Or so you'd think! Check this out, in the section on Crossbows (of all places!):

"A Medium-size or larger character can shoot, but not load, a heavy crossbow with one hand at a -4 penalty. A Medium-size or larger character can shoot a heavy crossbow with each hand at a -6 penalty, plus the usual -4 penalty for the off-hand attack (-6 primary hand/-10 off hand). The Two-Weapon Fighting feat does not reduce these penalties because it represents skill with melee weapons, not ranged weapons. The Ambidexterity feat lets someone avoid the -4 off-hand penalty (-6 primary hand/-6 off hand)."

Curses! So, you're stuck with -6/-10 if you want to go two-gun style. -6/-6 if you're ambidextrous.

The solution, of course, is a simple homebrew Feat: "Two-Gun Fighting". Make it exactly like Two-Weapon Fighting, except for ranged projectile weapons (not thrown weapons).

And while you're at it, rename "Two Weapon Fighting" to "Two Melee Weapon Fighting". ;p

-z

PS: you should allow Rapid Shot to stack with Two Gun Fighting. Both guns get 1 extra attack. But the penalties would be tremendous, even for two Light pistols:
-2 for two Light guns
-2 for Rapid Shot with one gun
-2 for Rapid Shot with the other gun
=
-6 to each gun. Ouch! But then again, you got 4 shots off. Good if you're using suppressive fire rules. Or if the guy's standing right in front of you. >

 

[Ranger REG]

Re: Re: Two-Weapon Fighting / Should it Apply to Ranged?

The solution, of course, is a simple homebrew Feat: "Two-Gun Fighting". Make it exactly like Two-Weapon Fighting, except for ranged projectile weapons (not thrown weapons).

Dragonstar Starfarer's Handbook (Fantasy Flight Games) have such a feat.

And while you're at it, rename "Two Weapon Fighting" to "Two Melee Weapon Fighting". ;p

-z

PS: you should allow Rapid Shot to stack with Two Gun Fighting. Both guns get 1 extra attack. But the penalties would be tremendous, even for two Light pistols:
-2 for two Light guns
-2 for Rapid Shot with one gun
-2 for Rapid Shot with the other gun
=
-6 to each gun. Ouch! But then again, you got 4 shots off. Good if you're using suppressive fire rules. Or if the guy's standing right in front of you. >

Well, like I said it could go either way. You can make a new feat, or simply expand the current feat (which is Open Game Content, for all you game publisher wannabes). I mean, let's face it, compare the weight of a pair of Tiny handguns to a pair of Medium-sized light crossbows, the handguns is easy to carry in one hand.

But since this is simply a D&D Rules forum, take the ruling as is and don't apply the TWF feat to any ranged weapons, not even throwing daggers.