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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Voadam" data-source="post: 9725786" data-attributes="member: 2209">The -2 matches up to the two weapon fighting penalty for the offhand weapon of someone with Lareth's 17 dex. 1e DMG page 70:"Attacks With Two Weapons:""Characters normally using a single weapon may choose to use one in each hand (possibly discarding the option of using a shield). The second weapon must be either a dagger or hand axe. Employment of a second weapon is always at a penalty. The use of a second weapon causes the character to attack with his or her primary weapon at –2 and the secondary weapon at –4. If the user’s dexterity is below 6, the Reaction/Attacking Adjustment penalties shown in the PLAYERS HANDBOOK are added to EACH weapon attack. If the user’s dexterity is above 15, there is a downward adjustment in the weapon penalties as shown, although this never gives a positive (bonus) rating to such attacks, so that at 16 dexterity the secondary/primary penalty is –3/–1, at 17 –2/0, and at 18 –1/0.""The secondary weapon does not act as a shield or parrying device in any event."The staff cannot be used to parry if the mace in the other hand is used to attack (see last line above).Anybody can parry but it gives up your attacks to do so and two weapon fighting does not alter that.1e PH pages 104-105:"Participants in a melee can opt to attack, parry, fall back, or flee. Attack can be by weapon, bare hands, or grappling. Parrying disallows any return attack that round, but the strength “to hit” bonus is then subtracted from the opponent’s “to hit” dice roll(s), so the character is less likely to be hit. Falling back is a retrograde move facing the opponent(s) and can be used in conjunction with a parry, and opponent creatures are able to follow if not otherwise engaged."If you have less than a 17 strength you have no strength to hit bonus and so no benefit to parrying. Even if you have a 17 or 18 it is a very niche situation where it is a good choice to give up all your attacks for a minor AC bonus. I can see doing so when you can't hurt the opponent (need a magic weapon you don't have) but you still want to tank and draw the attacks to away from the more vulnerable party members.</blockquote>

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