Combat Reflexes and a double weapon

[catsclaw227]

Stupid question.

My character has Combat Reflexes, so I get +2 Attacks of Opportunity. He is also using a double weapon. So, I can see three options for those AOO:

* Single Two-Handed Attack at full bonus and x1.5 Strength Bonus for damage
* Single Two-Weapon Fighting attack (i.e., -2 to base attack due to the modifiers for using two weapons)
* Two attacks with the double weapon with modifiers due to two weapon fighting.

Can someone clarify this or point me to the answer in either the PHB or DMG.

Thanks.

 

[Infiniti2000]

An attack of opportunity is a single melee attack. You do not get 2 attacks on an AoO. How you use the weapon and the modifiers therein depend on how you used the weapon the previous round.

 

[Krelios]

An attack of opportunity is a single melee attack. You do not get 2 attacks on an AoO. How you use the weapon and the modifiers therein depend on how you used the weapon the previous round.

Exactly right.

 

[werk]

An attack of opportunity is a single melee attack. You do not get 2 attacks on an AoO. How you use the weapon and the modifiers therein depend on how you used the weapon the previous round.

Agreed.

Double Weapons
You can use a double weapon to make an extra attack with the off-hand end of the weapon as if you were fighting with two weapons.
Two-Weapon Fighting
If you wield a second weapon in your off hand, you can get one extra attack per round with that weapon.
Combat Reflexes and Additional Attacks of Opportunity
If you have the Combat Reflexes feat you can add your Dexterity modifier to the number of attacks of opportunity you can make in a round. This feat does not let you make more than one attack for a given opportunity, but if the same opponent provokes two attacks of opportunity from you, you could make two separate attacks of opportunity (since each one represents a different opportunity).

 

[catsclaw227]

Thanks guys! That cleared it up for me.

 

[thompgc]

There is a feat in one of the newer book (Complete Adventurer?) that allows you to make an AoO with 2 weapons. Dual Strike perhaps?

 

[Scharlata]

There is a feat in one of the newer book (Complete Adventurer?) that allows you to make an AoO with 2 weapons. Dual Strike perhaps?

Hi!

Perhaps you meant: Double Hit from the Miniatures Handbook, page 25.

Benefit: When AoOing you can attack with off hand against same target with standard penalties for TWFing.

Enjoy!

 

[Felon]

Right. Not to be confused with Dual Strike from CV, which allows you to make an attack with both weapons as a standard action.

 

[Bauglir]

I'm not 100% sure about this, but I've always considered the 2-weapon fighting penalties to work like the power attack penalties i.e. if you choose to fight with 2 weapons, any AoOs you make in that round are also at -2 (presuming you have the feat).

Secondly, I would consider adjusting your grip on your weapon to wield it as a 2-handed weapon to be a free action (it could also be interpreted as a move action, equivalent to drawing a weapon, depending on your pov)

As such you could make a single attack with 1.5x Str bonus, which would only be at -2 if you had been fighting with both weapons that round.

However this is pretty much personal interpretation. As far as I'm aware the RAW aren't too clear about this?

 

[Infiniti2000]

I'm not 100% sure about this, but I've always considered the 2-weapon fighting penalties to work like the power attack penalties i.e. if you choose to fight with 2 weapons, any AoOs you make in that round are also at -2 (presuming you have the feat).

That's correct and is what I said above.

Secondly, I would consider adjusting your grip on your weapon to wield it as a 2-handed weapon to be a free action (it could also be interpreted as a move action, equivalent to drawing a weapon, depending on your pov)

That's not defined anywhere, unfortunately. You could have just as much rules basis saying it's a move action as you would a free action (i.e. both being houserules). If you say it's a move action (like I believe the FAQ does), then you should just treat it like drawing a weapon (i.e. quick draw applies and you can do it while moving if you have a BAB of +1 or higher).

As such you could make a single attack with 1.5x Str bonus, which would only be at -2 if you had been fighting with both weapons that round.

This definitely cannot happen, regardless of whether you make adjusting your grip a free action. The point is that you cannot take actions on your AoO. Now, perhaps you could always 'shift' to a two-handed weapon stance after every action you take so you're always 'ready' for attacks of opportunity, but that just points out the cheese in the free action shift weapon houserule. You can curb this by saying that you can only shift hands prior to attacking, not afterwards. Then, it's reasonable.