double weapons vs. "matching" weapons

[paulewaug]

So ok the double weapons all* do the same thing as using two weapons of the same medium type basically.

The cost is roughly the same to get both ends enchanted as it does to get 2 comparable weapons enchanted.
(granted the base weapon cost of 2 'normal' weapons is cheaper than the base cost of a double weapon)

So my deal/question at this point is...why just not allow charcters to use two weapons (of the approriate matching size) instead?

I fail to see how this would change Anything except for the fact that it is not allowed without a bigger TWF penalty as the rules exist in print at this time.
(For the sake of topic I am refering to a Medium sized humanoid using 2 medium sized one-handed melee weapons to be specific and avoid things like.."Well they can with matched shortswords or handaxes, etc.")

I can appreciate that they may have "nerfed" the idea of using 2 medium sized weapons because it may have been unbalanced (may or may not be one person's opinion), but if so why did they come up with the double weapons to bypass this idea?

For the most part I think that doule weapons are kinda silly and have less trouble suspending belief of a half-dragon Hippopotamus doing a flyby breathweapon attack while a wizard shoots off a magic missle at it and a monk chases it down at like@50mph to strike it with flurry of blows, etc.
So anyhow all things in consideration double weapons are kinda silly- at least silly enough and pointless enough compared to the idea of using 2 weapons.)

From a cimamatic figting style I think 2 weapons is cooler than a double weapon.
If you aren't Really careful with that double lightsaber (IMO more like a laser quarterstaff) you would disembowel yourself realy quick.
Well anyhow I am sure I have stated my idea clearly enough by now.

All this is of course IMO-
And you? Opinions?!

oh the (*) above was just to referance that, yes there are basically 2 types of double weapon , the Med/small ended and the med/med ended.
ex.:
Double sword = 2 longswords.
Double axe = 2 battle axes
"dire" (why not "double flail" iw? ) flail = 2 flails

urgrosh = battle axe and shortspear
hooked hammer = warhammer and heavy pick

 

[DanMcS]

The weapon damages were designed so that there were tradeoffs among weapons. Longsword does better damage than shortsword, but it's medium and can't be used by everyone. Greatsword does more, but you can't use a shield. Bastard sword does more than longsword, but you either can't use a shield or have to spend an extra feat.

Longsword/shortsword or dual shortswords is sort of the base two-weapon combo. One does less damage but the feats stack better, the other requires more feats to tweak out (focus/specialization in one weapon or two). The double sword goes another step up in die damage, but requires an extra feat (exotic wpn), so it fits in well with the progression they tried to build.

You can do it with twin longswords, but the off-hand weapon isn't light, so you're at -4/-4 instead of -2/-2. This is fair enough, since you didn't have to spend the extra feat to get there. If you want to make twin longswords a -2/-2 split, make there be an extra feat to do it, and it fits in with the rest of the system correctly I think. Or don't bother and just allow it, but it will be a somewhat higher damage potential style, and cheaper featwise, and you'll probably see a lot of PCs dual-wielding longswords or bastard swords. If that's your goal, forge right ahead.

 

[ThirdWizard]

It's like that because you have to take EWP to be able to use it without penalty. I don't think a feat that let you use two of the same weapon in each hand would be overpowered, but I'd probably restrict it to one type of weapon and make Weapon Focus a prerequisite, since its easier to mix and match weapon abilities with two weapons than a double weapon.

 

[paulewaug]

yeah that is a good point.
The extra feat provides the overlap.
So you would need to require an extra feat to use the 2 medium weapons because otherwise it is true that dual wielding lonswords would wipe out dual weilding shortswords, etc.

I would just call the feat "matched weapons."
And restrict it to the list of weapon matchings I listed on my first post.
Thanks guys! That was a good point I overlooked-

 

[drnuncheon]

Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed has 'massive two-weapon fighting' that lets you treat any weapon you can weild one-handed as a light weapon for purposes of fighting with it in your off hand.

J