character changes in 3.5
- Thread starter mr.brown
- Start date
johnsemlak
First Post
There will be some changes in how "Race-specific' exotic weapons (e.g. Dwarven Waraxe, Gnome Hook Hammer) work; I imagine, for example, dwarves will not have to use an exotic weapon feat to fully implement the dwarven waraxe. Don't know exactly though.
Keep checking the news site ( www.enworld.org ) Known changes are regulary posted there.
EDIT: also check here . Morrus is compiling all known changes.
Keep checking the news site ( www.enworld.org ) Known changes are regulary posted there.
EDIT: also check here . Morrus is compiling all known changes.
Last edited:
johnsemlak
First Post
Oh, and may I say welcome to the boards Mr Brown. 
Mercule
Adventurer
johnsemlak said:
That's how I understand it. This is about the only change of which I've heard so far that I think is really lame. That is to say, crack-induced stupor lame.
The association of certain weapons with certain races is a flavor thing only. Statistically, the dwarven waraxe is the same as the bastard sword (crits are different, but equivelent). Likewise for the orcish double axe and the double sword.
The races are supposed to be balanced against each other already. Unless the bastard sword and double sword are made martial for humans, WotC has thrown balance out. It means that dwarven, gnomish, and orcish fighters, paladins, rangers, and barbarians get at least one free feat. That's supposed to be the human advantage to offset things like darkvision and stonecunning.
Sure, a human has more options with his feat, but if he wanted to use one of the exotic weapons, that's where his feat is going to go anyway. Now a dwarf can do it for free.
I'm not even a fan of this change if they give bastard sword and double sword to humans as martial weapons (which is the least they can do for balance).
Is it a huge deal? Not really. It just makes absolutely no sense. And irrational game design bugs me.
buzz
Adventurer
Mercule said:
I take it you're not a big fan of the extra weapon proficiencies that elves start out with then?
Based on what has been revealed so far, this seems like a perfectly logical change. A race shuld have the option to be proficient in weapons their race is reknowned for.
Nonetheless, let's reserve judgement until the rules are actually released.
(A phrase I'm sure will be repeated ad nauseam between now and July.)
Ravellion
serves Gnome Master
Also what has been confirmed is that the Dwarven Urgrosh is subject to Weapon Familiarity. The Dwarven waraxe specifically has not been mentioned. I doubt whether the waraxe will be given the same treatment as the Urgrosh. Half Orcs are a bit weak anyway, and giving them access to a double weapon will not harm matters much. Double weapons aren't all that powerful really.
Rav
Rav
Mercule said:
I've never seen the Dwarven Waraxe mentioned in relation to a racial weapon familiarity ability. Only the double weapons.
That's fine by me: dwarves, gnomes and half-orcs are lame with their racial double-weapons under 3e because they have to spend 3 feats to use them effectively (Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Ambidexterity, Two Weapon Fighting).
Even a Dwarven Fighter would be attacking at -4/-4 with the Urgrosh until 2nd level. A half-orc barbarian (their favored class) would be 6th level before he could use the Double Axe at -2/-2. For 3 levels he's attacking at -4/-8. That's harsh.
A human could be at the optimal -2/-2 with the dwarven weapon (or any other double weapon of their choosing) at 1st level. Weapon familiarity doesn't really give that much power (and no choice), but it does make the racial double-weapons a viable option for the race that developed that weapon. (I mean, why develop a weapon that hardly anyone can use effectively. That just doesn't make sense.)
If they extend this concept to the Dwarven Waraxe, or Elven Thinblade then I'll probably just houserule it down to the double weapons.
Cheers.
There's the possibility that TWF/Ambi will be combined, IMO, ala D20M..That would make a Dwarven Fighter wielding an Urgosh or even a Half-Orc Barbarian with a Double-Axe could be done starting out...I kind of like it and it makes sense. I also see TWF/Ambi as the equivalent of Rapid Shot, but I guess less feat intensive..Who knows, let's just wait and see..but so far I'm plunking down $90..grr. I might just curb my D&D/D20 intake for May and June.
Gariig
Gariig
Well, a 1/2 Orc Barbarian only gets one feat at first level, so he couldn't get both (new) TWF and Exotic Weapon Proficiency at first level without the Weapon Familiarity. That would leave him with a choice between -6/-6 (with new TWF) or -6/-8 (with EWP) until 3rd level. The weapon familarity ability is still necessary, IMO.
A non-human fighter could have both feats at 1st level, though.
Cheers.
A non-human fighter could have both feats at 1st level, though.
Cheers.
