D&D 3E/3.5 Ambidexterity in 3.5

[Ryltar]

Seeten has it right, in my opinion. As soon as you are playing in a setting where there aren't "+xdy" weapons being sold at every corner, TWF will suck. If low-magic is what you're going for, then I'd recommend using the rules from CONAN, Atlantean Edition. They make TWF worthwile by killing off the penalties with less feats than in the RAW.

As for allowing STR 1x on "offhand" weapons, I have incorporated a similar rule with no problems at all.

 

[iwatt]

Seeten has it right, in my opinion. As soon as you are playing in a setting where there aren't "+xdy" weapons being sold at every corner, TWF will suck. If low-magic is what you're going for, then I'd recommend using the rules from CONAN, Atlantean Edition. They make TWF worthwile by killing off the penalties with less feats than in the RAW.

As for allowing STR 1x on "offhand" weapons, I have incorporated a similar rule with no problems at all.

As i mentioned before, I give tyhis full strength on off hand for free with TWF. Simplifies the math for my lazy players .

Hasn't been unbalancing yet. Currently I'm running a FR Uthgardt Campiagn. The two main characters are a THS PA Barbarian and a TWF Ranger. Up until Level 8 no problem. Currently he ranger has aquired lycanthropy (werebear) and will finally end up with a monster sterngth. I'll tell you guys then if it's still unbalancing or not. But up until now the Barb is the main damage dealer (well, after the Bard, but that is another story )

 

[Ranger REG]

Whats your bottom line answer?

Does ambidexterity become unbalancing for a TWF?

If so why?

Since WoTC felt it appropriate to put out the Tempest PrC. The Tempest gets Ambidexterity and Improved Ambidextery as class features that reduce TWF penalties to 0?

That amounts to at least 5 feats and 4 Tempest levels to get no penalties to TWF. If a player wants to put that many feats and time into a PrC to be able to do that, I think he should be able to do so.

Should Ambidexterity and Improved Ambidexterity be offered as feats for other TWF's without requiring a PrC?

Well, I've yet to see the Tempest PrC in CV, especially when they get the two abovementioned class features, but there has to be a trade-off for trying to be a two-weapon fighting specialist, besides detouring from your base class(es).

But for now, it would be unbalancing to have so many attacks and not be penalized in all of them for such a very, VERY generous boon.

 

[Quasqueton]

At 5th level, monks have an extra attack with only a -1 penalty. At 9th level, they get an extra attack at no penalty. And they do 1d8 and 1d10 damage with those attacks. And they get full strength bonus with all those attacks.

Is that unbalanced/overpowered?

Quasqueton

 

[Khristos]

That is also a benefit of playing a monk... maybe monks should complain that they dont get wisdom bonuses when they wear armor or that they can never have vorpal fists (talk about sharp fingernails!) Of course they can take levels in Kensai and fix the lack of enhancements problem. Oddly in campaigns I play in most magical gear is made by players and also oddly is made to order .My high level fighter has a pair of adamantine +4 defending shortswords....our wizard gains 1 more level and I will have +4 defending vorpal shortswords in short order.... granted another evil campaign so I lost 2 lvls of BAB thanks to lvl 13 going to rogue and lvl 14 to assassin but the opening full attack sequence with 2 dragonbile coated blades usually means 3d6 strength damage if a creature isnt immune to poison as I am bound to hit somewhere in my 5 primary and 3 offhand attacks... blessed boots of haste
(Fighter 16 Rogue: 1 Assassin: 1) Oh and with the magic of quickdraw it usually also means 8 possible failed DC:14 saves vs fortitude which leads to the poor victim dying outright.

Now please note that my character is not using damage add modifiers on the blades which for a DAMAGE build would put it over the top nor have I taken a PRC that enhances TWF. Also a pair of +5 weapons probably isnt much if you had coin appropriate per the DMG for an 18th lvl character (once one of the wizards hit midway 18 the values will shoot up to +10)

 

[Ranger REG]

At 5th level, monks have an extra attack with only a -1 penalty. At 9th level, they get an extra attack at no penalty. And they do 1d8 and 1d10 damage with those attacks. And they get full strength bonus with all those attacks.

Is that unbalanced/overpowered?

The monk's trade-off is the armor and shield ban. If your Perfect Ambidexterity feat allow this tradeoff with TWF, ITWF & BAB +12 prerequisites (or something severe), you may eliminate all TWF penalties for both hands.

 

[Quasqueton]

If your Perfect Ambidexterity feat allow this tradeoff with TWF, ITWF & BAB +12 prerequisites (or something severe), you may eliminate all TWF penalties for both hands.

I may? Why thank you. ;-)

Quasqueton

 

[HeavyG]

My high level fighter has a pair of adamantine +4 defending shortswords....our wizard gains 1 more level and I will have +4 defending vorpal shortswords in short order....

I don't think you can put vorpal on piercing weapons. This might have been errata'ed, however.

granted another evil campaign so I lost 2 lvls of BAB thanks to lvl 13 going to rogue and lvl 14 to assassin but the opening full attack sequence with 2 dragonbile coated blades usually means 3d6 strength damage if a creature isnt immune to poison as I am bound to hit somewhere in my 5 primary and 3 offhand attacks... blessed boots of haste
(Fighter 16 Rogue: 1 Assassin: 1) Oh and with the magic of quickdraw it usually also means 8 possible failed DC:14 saves vs fortitude which leads to the poor victim dying outright.

Sure, in your case, the two weapons are very good as a delivery system for the poison and death attacks (though that save is not very hard to make at those levels since nearly every monster of CR 18 or so has ungodly fortitude saves (outright immunity to poison in many cases) and adventurer-types will always have immunity to poison through Heroes' Feast), but unless I'm missing something, that's not very good at damage dealing. But you already said that.

In fact, at first glance (I'm probably missing something), it seems quite underpowered, overall. The sneak attack is only 1d6. Also, I'm not 100% certain about this, but I think you need to study your target for 3 rounds before every death attack, so I think only the first one in each full attack could be a death attack. And the poison is very expensive and only good for one attack per dose, not to mention the unlikelihood of affecting anything (CR 18-20 monsters in the MM: Nightshade - immune, Dragons - immune, Balor - immune, Pit Fiend - immune, Tarrasque - Immune). Now, with the vorpal thing, you're on to something, but then we're back to two weapon style being only a vehicle for delivery of many special attacks.

But I'm probably missing something here... :\

Also a pair of +5 weapons probably isnt much if you had coin appropriate per the DMG for an 18th lvl character (once one of the wizards hit midway 18 the values will shoot up to +10)

A pair of +5 weapons is not. A pair of +10 weapons, however, is 400k out of the expected 440k gp a character of that level should have.

 

[Dareoon Dalandrove]

So am I correct in saying that adding in ambidexterity (a feat that would reduce the penalties when fighting with two weapons by -2/-2) wouldn't cause any TOWORDS that TWF? Some of you even think it's weakening them?

Should the feat then allow normal Str bonus AND -2/-2? or am I not reading something right?

Also where is this Tempest Prc?

 

[Darkness]

Also where is this Tempest Prc?

CAdv.

Also, this thread seems to be more about House Rules than Rules. Moved.