Dex to attack with more melee weapons

[blargney the second]

Weapon Finesse only works with a few specific weapons. Are there any other ways to add Dex to attack with different weapons?
-blarg

 

[jasin]

You mean non-light weapons? Like a longsword or a spear?

There's a feat in Dungeon #128 called Graceful Edge that lets you apply it to a one-handed weapon for which you have Weapon Focus. You also get a +1 shield bonus to AC.

The fact that I have never heard any about problems with the elven court blade (exotic two-handed, 1d10 18-20/x2, finessable) makes me think that it'd be absolutely no problem to just make Improved Weapon Finesse that would apply to all weapons.

Look at it this way: compared to a falchion, EWP (court blade) gets you finessability and +0.5 damage for one feat. So why not just finessability for all one feat, for any weapon?

People would still probably just go for the greatsword and Str instead.

 

[blargney the second]

I've got a player running a swordsage with Weapon Finesse and a glaive. She'd like a feat that lets her apply Dex to attacks with the polearm (in addition to her unarmed strikes).

 

[hong]

Just make one up: apply Dex bonus on attack rolls in place of Str, prereqs Weapon Finesse, Str 13 for use with a 2-handed weapon. Improved Weapon Finesse, as Jasin suggested, is as good a name as any.

 

[nittanytbone]

I'd say that one of the limitations of being DEX based is that you can't use reach weapons with the same efficacy as you might stab someone in the kidneys with a short sword. The advantages are that you can dual-wield (can be potent, sometimes), get superior initiative, can more easily get a high AC, apply your DEX mod to many skills, and are eligible for a different line of feats.

There are some options out there (like the weapon style feats in Complete Warrior), but I'd be leery of inventing a rule. What happens when the wizard wants to apply INT to hit with his ranged touch attacks? Or a cleric wants to apply WIS to hit with their mace (there's actually a feat in BoED that lets you use WIS to hit, but only with some limitations...)?

The real solution here is for her to (A) retrain her character via PHB2 to be STR based or (B) find some ways to exploit her DEX -- Combat Reflexes combined with some tripping, TWF, missile attacks, etc.

 

[DarkJester]

I also see no problem with introducing a feat to allow this.

 

[Elethiomel]

I'd say that one of the limitations of being DEX based is that you can't use reach weapons with the same efficacy as you might stab someone in the kidneys with a short sword. The advantages are that you can dual-wield (can be potent, sometimes), get superior initiative, can more easily get a high AC, apply your DEX mod to many skills, and are eligible for a different line of feats.

Sorry, but the Spiked Chain - in my opinion the most broken weapon in the PHB, but that's a different discussion - is already finesseable and has reach. I think finessing all weapons with the use of an extra, precious feat on top of Weapon Finesse isn't a bad idea at all. It might even be a bit weak.

 

[jasin]

I've got a player running a swordsage with Weapon Finesse and a glaive. She'd like a feat that lets her apply Dex to attacks with the polearm (in addition to her unarmed strikes).

AFAIK, there's no WotC feat that will let her do that.

But just let her do it for another feat, and I don't think there'll be a problem.

As I've said, compare it to the court blade: that's two feats (Weapon Finesse and Exotic Weapon Proficiency [court blade]) to wield a two-handed 1d10 18-20/x2 finessed weapon. Your swordsage would spend two feats (Weapon Finesse and Bending Reed Strike or whatever you decide to call your finesse-the-glaive feat) to wield a two-handed 1d10 20/x3 finessed weapon. She trades the big crit range for reach. Sounds OK to me, assuming the court blade is OK. And I think it is, judging from lack of complaints, and lack of mention in minmaxing contexts.