Bang goes one of my nastier builds

[Vyvyan Basterd]

OK, I'll admit that there was mild hyperbole in my comment... but only mild. Every non-rogue in all our campaigns use 2H weapon as their main weapon and have sword and board available as backup if they want to try to buff their AC a bit. And this is with 3.0 style power attack, no less! The bigger damage die and 1.5xStr make it so much more likely that you'll take a foe down quickly, plus gives much better chance of getting through DR too.

The only problem there is that when they switch to their backup S&B they not only give up the larger die, they lose WF, WS, etc. If the S&B weapon is your main, you still gain the 1.5xStr and 2:1 PA and keep your feat bonuses, you just deal with the smaller die. As you level the die becomes less and less important than what you are adding to it.

Then again, we have the Paladin/Rogue who carries a heavy mace and shield and refuses to carry a missile weapon of any kind. I can only guess that these choices are based on style reasons.

 

[Darklone]

Solution: Bastard sword and buckler. Switch between twohanded and sword and board.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

Solution: Bastard sword and buckler. Switch between twohanded and sword and board.

Not a bad choice, but it has its trade-offs. You don't have to loose your shield and you are one die step up from longsword, but you do suffer a -1 to attack and when using the buckler lose 1 point of AC compared to a heavy shield. And it costs a feat to use one-handed. I'd change that from "Solution:" to "Another Option:"

 

[Darklone]

Not a bad choice, but it has its trade-offs. You don't have to loose your shield and you are one die step up from longsword, but you do suffer a -1 to attack and when using the buckler lose 1 point of AC compared to a heavy shield. And it costs a feat to use one-handed. I'd change that from "Solution:" to "Another Option:"

Include one level of Exotic Weapon Master. Then it's your solution

 

[Grog]

The problem is that, with the changes to DR in 3.5, fighters need the 2:1 PA in order to be able to do significant damage to monsters with DR they can't beat. The only other alternative is the golf bag of weaponry, which I personally find silly and immersion-breaking.