Bastard Sword, am I reading this correctly?

[Roland Delacroix]

If all you care about is damage. If however, you would like to also make it through the fight unscathed, then the 1.5 points + 1/2 strength of average damage you lose out switching from greatsword to bastard sword is worth the AC boost you can gain from a shield.

Especially if it's a +5 large shield of Fortification

 

[Li Shenron]

A Small character wielding a bastard sword needs Exotic Weapon Proficiency or he/she suffers -4 on his/her attack rolls. (I agree that a Small character must wield it with two hands, though.)

Exactly

 

[Thanee]

A medium-sized wizard (or any other non-fighting class actually) can even waste a feat on Martial Weapon Proficiency: Bastard Sword, to be able to use it two-handed only, instead of being able to use it one-handed or two-handed with the EWP: BS.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Numion]

If all you care about is damage. If however, you would like to also make it through the fight unscathed, then the 1.5 points + 1/2 strength of average damage you lose out switching from greatsword to bastard sword is worth the AC boost you can gain from a shield.

Nah, wield two-handed and get an Animated Shield. Then you can have your cake and eat it too!

Seriously speaking shield isn't worth it. Get a displacement cloak or something, Ring of Force Shield etc..

Offense is the best defence.

 

[Ranger REG]

A medium-sized wizard (or any other non-fighting class actually) can even waste a feat on Martial Weapon Proficiency: Bastard Sword, to be able to use it two-handed only, instead of being able to use it one-handed or two-handed with the EWP: BS.

Bye
Thanee

Personally, I'd rather meet the Str prerequisite (13+) and just get the EWP (bastard sword) feat for a wizard/sorcerer character.

 

[James McMurray]

Offense is the best defence.

Tell that to my party's Dwarven Defender. He is the only character so far not to have died. and given that the group is currently going through the Return to the Tomb of Horrors, that is quite a feat.

I stand by my saying that a shield is worthwhile. +7 to AC and an additional +9 worth of defensive enchantments can save your life. Sure, doing more damage means that you'll kill your foes faster, but there are always more foes, and only one you.

I guess its just a matter of play style.

 

[Crothian]

Offense is the best defence.

The Master shook his head. “The only use of Tae-Kwon-Leep is self defense. Do you know who said that?” The teacher questioned. “Ki-lo-knee, the great teacher.”

The youth spoke up. “Yeah, well the best defense is a good o-fense. Do you know who said that? Mel, some cook on Alice.”

 

[James McMurray]

Boot to the head.

 

[tburdett]

Re: Re: Re: Bastard Sword, am I reading this correctly?

No. It means your players can't minmax properly. Two-handed weapons are better. If one-handed weapon should be required, it should be a scimitar. Imp. critical + keen = damage.

Unless you're fighting lots of undead, constructs, oozes, plants, ethereal, or (maybe) elemental creatures.

 

[Li Shenron]

A medium-sized wizard (or any other non-fighting class actually) can even waste a feat on Martial Weapon Proficiency: Bastard Sword, to be able to use it two-handed only, instead of being able to use it one-handed or two-handed with the EWP: BS.

Mmmh... but if he's going to use it only 2-handed, isn't it better to get MWP on Greatsword? What's the advantage of the Bastard Sword over Greatsword if you can't sometimes use it with 1 hand?

I thought I remember Exotic WP had only BAB +1 as prerequisite (I may be wrong), so at 2nd level (3rd when he gets the feat) the Wiz can alreaday take EWP for full usage of the Bastard Sword, isn't it?