Change Weapon focus or Specialization

[Sqwonk]

Just encourage him to take a level in Warblade (ToB). I know it's got it's own problems, but it does allow you to change out the specialization of the various Weapon Focus tree feats. Plus, it'll allow him to use some fairly cool maneuvers.

It is funny you brought that up - that was where my question stemmed from. I am pretty sure I am going to house-rule the Warblades do not have Weapon Aptitude.
1. Specialization should only be for Fighters.
2. Everyone must folllow the same Wpn Focus / Specialization SOL ruling - (or whatever that ends up being).

 

[mvincent]

Aside from the PHB2 retraining rules, this can be done with Psychic Reformation.

 

[Twowolves]

Or just Polymorph any Object the glaive into a sword.

 

[Meeki]

Well asides from all the rules that are out there an easy way to solve this issue is to let him switch for some sorta price or tweak your weapons by "grouping" them.

IE.
Weapon Focus (2 and 1.5 handed swords)
This would include weapons such as a great sword, bastard sword, katana or w/e. This would give him some flexibility without going over board

Alternatively, to expand the categories, you could use
Weapon Focus (Swords)
All swords obviously.

or Weapon Focus (2h bladed weapons with a tang (meaning, in this case, the metal blade extends into the hilt to hold it together))
Mainly swords or very large two handed daggers (haha)

Something like this could help out your warr.

 

[Legildur]

Or (from PHBII again), wait until he has a BAB +8 or greater and take the Melee Weapon Mastery (slashing) feat to gain +2 atk and +2 damage with any slashing weapon. Given that WF and WS (any slashing weapon) are the prerequisites, then the feats aren't comepletely wasted, and if he finds a greatsword down the track, then he's laughing (+3 atk, +4 damage).

I think the Polymorph Any Object was my favourite response, though.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Personally, I'd go with the PHB II option. He'll be penalized until he levels, anyway. Retraining is a beautiful piece of writing, and it adds so much realism to a game that it isn't funny. To honsetly think that a fighter isn't going to change his style over the course of years of adventuring is a bit silly.

Seriously. In another thread about something totally different, a point was brought up that some DMs out there hate when their players plan out their character to level 20 - as if the adventure to get to level 20 would have no impact upon the character. While I do enjoy looking at the possibilities, I don't plan anything concretely because I expect the adventure to change who the character truly is. To expect the same out of a fghter and their weapon is just a bit to stringent for me personally. That's why I love the PHB II retraining rules. A fighter can change the feats, but only at level-up.

I would say that changing WF (pick a weapon) would automatically change the rest of the following choices because WF is a prerequisite for WS, GWF, and GWS. Changing the root feat therefore should change the rest of that chain.

But then again, ultimately I'm out to have a good time with my players. If they want to spend their 1 change per level on switching out their weapons, great! Their having fun, and game balance is certainly not being compromised!

I do like the polymorph any object rule, though. That was a cool one. Personally, though, Psychic Reformation is my favorite solution. That would change the feat just like is suggested by the PHB II ruling.

Then again, if the player is frustrated, use the PHB II to send him on a rebuilding quest and turn that fighter into a wizard with a whole new selection of feats! That would also solve the problem ... because then neither weapon would look attractive.

 

[MarkB]

Using the PHB II Retraining option is actually very tricky for both stages of a 2-stage feat chain.

He can only retrain one thing each time he levels.

He can't retrain Weapon Focus (Greatsword) to Weapon Focus (Glaive) because he's currently using it as the prerequisite for Weapon Specialisation (Greatsword). Nor can he retrain Weapon Specialisation (Greatsword) to Weapon Specialisation (Glaive), because he doesn't have the prerequisite Weapon Focus (Glaive) feat.

Even if he takes Weapon Focus (Glaive) as a new feat when he levels up, he still can't retrain Weapon Specialisation because he can't show that he would have qualified for Weapon Specialisation (Glaive) at the time he took Weapon Specialisation (Greatsword).

In fact, if you go strictly by the book, the only way you can do it is across three levels:

• First, Retrain Weapon Specialisation (Greatsword) to something - anything - else, a placeholder feat.
• Then, Retrain Weapon Focus (Greatsword) to Weapon Focus (Glaive).
• Finally, Retrain the placeholder feat to Weapon Specialisation (Glaive).

This is why I don't think the PHB II retraining rules are as overpowered as some people suggest - they're so carefully limited that it really takes quite an effort to use them to make major changes.

 

[starwed]

In fact, if you go strictly by the book, the only way you can do it is across three levels.

Nah, 2 steps is easy:

• Retrain WS(Greatsword) to WF(Glaive)
• Then, retrain WF(Greatsword) to WS(Glaive)

I agree with Indypendant: context matters. The D&D rules are balanced using certain assumptions, and one of them is that it's relatively easy to just go and buy/make any item you need. If you're playing in a world where you're stuck with such items as you find, then feats like Weapon Focus become less powerful. In such a case, I'd just let a character switch out at the next level up, providing that they actually use the Glaive as their primary weapon.

 

[kerbarian]

It is funny you brought that up - that was where my question stemmed from. I am pretty sure I am going to house-rule the Warblades do not have Weapon Aptitude.
1. Specialization should only be for Fighters.
2. Everyone must folllow the same Wpn Focus / Specialization SOL ruling - (or whatever that ends up being).

If you generally allow non-core sources, but in this case you're going to house-rule away a good mechanism for retraining, that's changing the rules to make sure the character is SOL. If that's what you want, that's your prerogative as DM. However, if you're neutral on the issue (which it sounds like you are, since you're asking the question), I'd balance that out and allow some alternative retraining option. The PHBII feat retraining is a decent option. I think it would also be reasonable to expand it a little and allow any weapon-specific feat chain to be completely swapped out for the same feat chain with a different weapon choice.

 

[Question]

In such an event? Yes.....im not in the habit of screwing players over.