Brain-farting... Dual weapons & Full Attack options...

[magnusmalkus]

I've been playing D&D 3.x from the start and I have no idea why this is stumping me NOW.

Consider a 6th level fighther with a +6/+1 BAB. Does s/he have to take the Full Attack option to get both swings?

In a similar vein (I think), if we have a 2nd level Ranger with the Two-weapon combat style... does s/he have to take the Full Attack option to swing with both?

Now, knowing both of those answers... How many swings does a dual-wielding Ranger with a BAB of +6/+1 get on a standard attack? And then, on a full attack?

Thanks folks. I'll probably /facepalm when I read the responses.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I've been playing D&D 3.x from the start and I have no idea why this is stumping me NOW.

Consider a 6th level fighther with a +6/+1 BAB. Does s/he have to take the Full Attack option to get both swings?

Yes.

In a similar vein (I think), if we have a 2nd level Ranger with the Two-weapon combat style... does s/he have to take the Full Attack option to swing with both?

Yes.

Now, knowing both of those answers... How many swings does a dual-wielding Ranger with a BAB of +6/+1 get on a standard attack? And then, on a full attack?

Assuming Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, one on a standard, and four on a full attack.

This is one reason why the game becomes less mobile over levels, unless you find some way to pounce. (I don't know if pouncing is at all common in 3.x, but it's certainly beloved in Pathfinder.)

 

[Umbran]

Answered above, but if you want reference...

From the d20 SRD:
Full Attack:

If you get more than one attack per round because your base attack bonus is high enough, because you fight with two weapons or a double weapon or for some special reason you must use a full-round action to get your additional attacks.

 

[Alzrius]

I've been playing D&D 3.x from the start and I have no idea why this is stumping me NOW.

Consider a 6th level fighther with a +6/+1 BAB. Does s/he have to take the Full Attack option to get both swings?

Yes. Iterative attacks always require a full attack action, which is a full-round action.

In a similar vein (I think), if we have a 2nd level Ranger with the Two-weapon combat style... does s/he have to take the Full Attack option to swing with both?

The SRD says:

If you wield a second weapon in your off hand, you can get one extra attack per round with that weapon.

I interpret that to mean that you can make an off-hand attack with a second weapon in addition to the attack made with your primary weapon as a single attack, taken as a standard action. So it's not a full attack action to use the second weapon, and so doesn't take a full-round action.

Now, knowing both of those answers... How many swings does a dual-wielding Ranger with a BAB of +6/+1 get on a standard attack? And then, on a full attack?

On a standard attack action, he'll get two attacks as a standard action (presuming no other bonuses, and a light off-hand weapon, these will be at +4/+4). On a full attack, he'll get four swings as a full-round action (presuming no other bonuses, and a light off-hand weapon, these will be at +4/+4/-1/-1).

Thanks folks. I'll probably /facepalm when I read the responses.

No worries. I hope that helps!

EDIT: Whoops; as Umbran correctly pointed out, I was wrong regarding using a standard action for primary and off-hand attacks!

 

[magnusmalkus]

/facepalm

There it is.
[h=5]Multiple Attacks[/h]A character who can make more than one attack per round must use the full attack action in order to get more than one attack.

Yah. An answer so simple and concise, it slips like sand thru a sieve.

Thanks folks!

 

[Jackinthegreen]

There is a feat called Dual Strike to allow using two weapons as a standard action, but it's a bit sucky since there are better ways to be able to move and attack, and even to get a full attack on a charge (lion spirit totem barbarian comes to mind).

 

[billd91]

There is a feat called Dual Strike to allow using two weapons as a standard action, but it's a bit sucky since there are better ways to be able to move and attack, and even to get a full attack on a charge (lion spirit totem barbarian comes to mind).

Unless, of course, you don't really want to be a lion spirit totem barbarian, in which case dual strike does fine.

 

[Jackinthegreen]

Unless, of course, you don't really want to be a lion spirit totem barbarian, in which case dual strike does fine.

It's iffy on whether I'd call it "fine." The feat sadly gimps TWF even more since precision damage is only applied once (so rogues and such won't really go for it) plus it applies an even larger attack penalty than the usual for fighting with two weapons. I know it's supposed to behave like the Manyshot feat, but it definitely falls short. The mechanics don't really support the fluff.

And I didn't mean to imply that barb was the only option, but it's certainly one of the best and can mesh with ranger quite well thanks to ACFs such as the crafty hunter.

 

[Cyclone_Joker]

If we're talking about ways to attack with multiple weapons, I must point out that that's pretty much what Tiger Claw does between its awesome boosts and the, what, second level maneuver that does exactly that.

Tome of Battle is awesome.

 

[Greenfield]

When I read that feat, I see it saying that you get one attack per round with that off hand weapon. So, by my reading the 6th level Ranger with a BAB of +6 gets a total of three attacks per round: Full BAB (adjusted for two weapon fighting) with both primary and secondary weapons, and a single iterative attack with the primary.

If you want extra attacks with that second weapon you need Greater Two Weapon Fighting.

At least that's the way I read it. I've been wrong before.