Double Weapons: Scrap or keep?

[Gloombunny]

Scrap everything but the quarterstaff. And most of the rest of the exotic weapons list, too (the monk weapons aren't needed if the monk's not in PH1, and everything else except the bastard sword, dwarven waraxe, whip, net and hand crossbow is silly).

I'd even go so far as to say get rid of the bastard sword and its axe analog too. The weapon rules in D&D already let you put two hands on a regular sword and hit harder. The longsword makes a perfectly good hand-and-a-half sword without having to waste a feat.

 

[Nifft]

How can the Quarterstaff be "double" but not "finesse"? The only times I've seen a staff used as a double weapon, it was also swung around pretty darn dexterously.

Anyway, yes. Sunder the lot of them. I'd much rather have a special "flurry" mechanic just for Quarterstaves than have any excuse to keep the Dire Flail.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Imp]

I am fine with double weapons and exotic weapons, though I hope the latter are overhauled so they get to distinguish themselves more. I mean, I remember being 12 and making up metal implements of death!

The dire flail and spiked chain went too far; a lot of the other ones, not nearly far enough. The chasm between absurd and lame!

 

[Branduil]

The quarterstaff makes more sense as a reach weapon than a double weapon.

 

[Exen Trik]

The quarterstaff makes more sense as a reach weapon than a double weapon.

I think you're confusing "fighting with a quaterstaff" and "poking with a stick"

 

[FadedC]

I don't have a real problem with them......except that they just weren't very useful by the game rules. They aren't really important enough to go to the effort of redesigning to be made useful.

 

[Thunderfoot]

Double axe, double sword, strange weapons...gone

The quarterstaff, touch it and you die!!!!

 

[Michael Morris]

The quarterstaff makes more sense as a reach weapon than a double weapon.

That's a very strong indicator you've never used one. Watch some pugil stick drills sometime - you cannot use a quarterstaff effectively by holding on to one end.

 

[Gloombunny]

Weapon reach in D&D is kind of weird because it's a binary toggle. A weapon is either reach or it isn't. Realistically, a dagger, a scimitar, and a quarterstaff have different reaches, and those differences are extremely significant in a fight. In D&D, they all have the same reach - one square.

In D&D only the very longest weapons get the reach property. Quarterstaves don't quite make the cut. (Though "longstaves" did exist, historically. If you wanted one in D&D it would probably look like a quarterstaff with 10' reach instead of the double-weapon thing.)

 

[HeinorNY]

I think a quarterstaff can be used as a two handed weapon and a polearm.
Of course, the distance they are from each other may be argued, but it looks like a 10ft attack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS0Mm56GLXA

Comparing to the guys fighting with poleaxes
http://www.aemma.org/training/pollaxe/pollaxe_brianMurph.wmv

That looks dangerous!!