Do you require Dwarves to spend an Exotic Weapon feat to use the Dwarven Waraxe?

[med stud]

I think giving dwarves automatic proficiency in dwarven war axe is like giving Russians automatic proficiency in AK 47. Just because a culture has invented weapon doesnt mean that everyone is trained in that weapon. That's from a in game perspective, and from the game balance POV I dont like the thought of giving something to a race without taking something away.

 

[mmu1]

I think giving dwarves automatic proficiency in dwarven war axe is like giving Russians automatic proficiency in AK 47. Just because a culture has invented weapon doesnt mean that everyone is trained in that weapon. That's from a in game perspective, and from the game balance POV I dont like the thought of giving something to a race without taking something away.

Well, at some point, all healthy Russian males should have been proficient in the AK-47, what with mandatory conscription in most Eastern Block countries...

But as far as the Dwarven War-Axe is concerned, I think that the game should have been designed in such a way that different races got certain "exotic" proficiencies for free (because no exotic weapon besides the spiked chain is worth the feat), but unfortunately, it wasn't, and the races are badly enough balanced as it is.

Since I allow my players to describe their weapons any way they like the only reason anyone in my game would want to be able to use a waraxe for free is to get a feat and an extra point of damage, and I don't hand out freebies because someone wants a benefit in terms of game mechanics.

 

[Fenes 2]

Here's a fair reason dwarves don't get a free EWP: they don't have a racial Str bonus. That means the average dwarf can't use the dwarven waraxe one-handed (requires Str 13)!

Now that is an argument that is hard to counter. One could, I suppose, state that any dwarf able to handle it will be trained, but that is grasping for straws imho...

 

[LoneWolf23]

I don't think that using a Feat to allow a Dwarf to use the Dwarven waraxe makes sense. It's not like they all learn to use it, do they? Same with the Orc Doubleaxe or the Halfling Skiprock and their respective races.

But Green Ronin's Wrath and Rage does have an interesting new Feat that provides an option: Orcborn (General), (Prerequisite: Orc or 1/2 Orc, BAB+1 or higher) which makes a character proficient with his race's traditional weapons: Giving a character the Martial Weapon Proficiency (Greataxe) and Exotic Weapon proficiency (Orc Double Axe) feats. I, personally, would also add the following Exotic Proficiencies: Orcish Shotput (Sword and Fist) and Orc Crusher (Dragon #275)

Why not give Dwarves a similar Feat: Dwarfborn (General), Prerequisites: Dwarf, BAB+1 or higher, allowing a Dwarf character to be proficient in the Dwarven Waraxe, the Dwarven Buckler-Axe (Dragon #275) and the Dwarven Ugrosh.

Perhaps a similar Feat could be made for Elves, Halflings and Gnomes...

 

[Zhure]

Here's a fair reason dwarves don't get a free EWP: they don't have a racial Str bonus. That means the average dwarf can't use the dwarven waraxe one-handed (requires Str 13)!

from the SRD:
"Waraxe, Dwarven: A dwarven waraxe is too large to use in one hand without special training; thus, it is an exotic weapon. A Medium-size character can use a dwarven waraxe two-handed as a martial weapon, or a Large creature can use it one-handed in the same way."

No mention of STR 13. Is this some sort of house rule ?

Greg

 

[Fenes 2]

Ah yes, why bother with the exotic weapon proficiency feat for one weapon when you can just get 5 with one feat... doesn't anyone see a problem here?

 

[Number47]

The best reason for Dwarves not to get the free EWP Dwarven Waraxe is because, if they did, that would be the only weapon you would find a Dwarf using. If something is too good to pass up, it is probably broken. Really, the Dwarven Waraxe one-handed is too good to pass up if you get it free, isn't it? What else would you use? Even Dwarf wizards would use it.

 

[Iku Rex]

from the SRD:
"Waraxe, Dwarven: A dwarven waraxe is too large to use in one hand without special training; thus, it is an exotic weapon. A Medium-size character can use a dwarven waraxe two-handed as a martial weapon, or a Large creature can use it one-handed in the same way."

No mention of STR 13. Is this some sort of house rule ?

From the SRD:

Exotic Weapon Proficiency [General]

Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1 or higher.

Benefit: The character makes attack rolls with the weapon normally.

Normal: A character who uses a weapon without being proficient with it suffers a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Special: The character can gain this feat multiple times. Each time The character takes the feat, it applies to a new weapon. Proficiency with the bastard sword or the dwarven waraxe has a prerequisite of Str 13+.

 

[Taluron]

Our group went this way - dwarfs got free EWP in Waraxe and Urgosh and elves got Thinblades. Problem was every dwarf and elf were using just those weapons. We ended it. We have characters that use a Bastard swords two-handed and others one-handed. Depends on the player and the character.

 

[Gromm]

They way I understand the rules, a Dwarf must take an exotic weapon feat to use the dwarven waraxe. This is what the 'standard dwarf fighter package' indicates in the PHB.

Isn't that like saying a Kantana would be exotic to a Japanese Samurai?

It is exotic to a samurai (using CoreRules), so he spends a feat to get EWP:Katana (BastardSword). Or are you saying that Japanese peasents get a free EWP:Katana cause they come from Japan?
Its not exotic to the samurai, because he was trained to use it (ie spent a feat), and he can use it without the feat, it just takes two hands instead of one. Most Samurai used two hands anyway, so they probably DIDNT have the EWP.


I swear they should have just called the damn thing a "War axe" and a "Double Axe".
I guess adding flavor to things only makes it confusing.