A way to balance the greataxe with the greatsword

[Nifft]

It doesn't need balancing. IME the sheer pose value from a x3 crit with a greataxe makes up for everything else.

That's a good point. The Greataxe threatens a massive damage save earlier & oftener in my experience, too. And often obviates it.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Plane Sailing]

The easiest way is to move them both to the same dice type - either 1d12 for both or 2d6 for both.

That mirrors the battleaxe/longsword, and dwarven waraxe/bastard sword.

I can't see any point in having them different at the greatsword/greataxe level, to be honest. We don't use 2d4 for longsword and 2d5 for bastard sword, do we?

 

[JA_Reave]

The 1d12 has a 1 in 12 chance of dealing 12 damage. The 2d6 has a 1 in 36 chance of dealing 12 damage. The ods of scoring a hard hit w/ a d12 are three times greater. They're pretty balanced IMO.

JAR

 

[Kaodi]

The greataxe also has a much better chance of doing worse damage, and has a lower minimum. Assuming succesful critical confirmation rolls, the average critical damage of a greatsword is 7.7, and the greataxe 7.15.

Assuming confirmation, you have a 1 in 360 chance of doing 24 damage with a greatsword, but unfortunately I have forgotten how to (quickly) calculate the probability of doing 24 or greater damage with 3d12 and a 5% critical chance.

 

[charlesatan]

You could always simply increase their size and they'd all get converted to 3d6 either way.

 

[hong]

2d6 averages 7, 1d12 averages as 6.5 -- overall an almost negligible difference.

Add in Str bonus, enhancement, Weapon Spec, item enchantments, and sundry other buffs, and it quickly becomes even more negligible. A non-issue, really.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Add in Str bonus, enhancement, Weapon Spec, item enchantments, and sundry other buffs, and it quickly becomes even more negligible. A non-issue, really.

Which again begs the question - why have a difference at this point anyway, when there has been no attempt to distinguish axe and sword damage at any earlier point.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

I just lower great sword damage to d12 in my game.

 

[Sigurd]

I like the variation.

I also like giving the heavier axe slashing _and_ bludgeoning damage. Face it a dull axe and dull sword the axe puts the weight where it does the most damage.

S

 

[JRR_Talking]

the difference is that small, it dont matter.

for flavour my heavy armoured knightly types use a greatsword and my barbarian types use a great-axe.

There is no need to balance

J.