Double weapons

[werk]

So, I've been looking at double weapons.

A character can fight with both ends of a double weapon as if fighting with two weapons, but he or she incurs all the normal attack penalties associated with two-weapon combat, just as though the character were wielding a one-handed weapon and a light weapon.
The character can also choose to use a double weapon two handed, attacking with only one end of it. A creature wielding a double weapon in one hand can’t use it as a double weapon—only one end of the weapon can be used in any given round.

So at the expense of an exotic weapon feat, you get the benefit of regular weapon damage from two weapon fighting without the penalties. You can also weild it two-handed or one-handed (seemingly without penalties?).

This seems like a lot of versatility in exchange for one feat (assuming it's a fighter-type with a lot of combat feats). I wish you could get 1½ Str to damage and 2x PA when wielded as a double weapon. What is the down-side of double weapons?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

You can also weild it two-handed or one-handed (seemingly without penalties?).

Not quite.

A double weapon is a two-handed weapon with a choice to use it like you were dual wielding. You can only use it in one hand if you're big enough to do so (like a giant using a human's two-bladed sword), in which case he can't use it like he's dual wielding.

 

[radferth]

You still need to take two-weapon fighting to avoid the dual wielding penalty. Basically, for the price of a feat, you get to do damage with your off hand weapon comparable to a normal one-handed weapon, but it is treated as a light weapon for dual-wielding purposes. That is basically it. You can choose to use only one side of the weapon with two hands, but you could do that with a normal sword as well.

 

[glass]

This seems like a lot of versatility in exchange for one feat

Unlike, say, Quickdraw?


glass.

 

[werk]

Unlike, say, Quickdraw?

I think quickdraw is pretty versatile as well.

I'd really like to get the two-handed weapon bonuses when weilding as a double weapon tho. Can anyone figure out how to do that? "The character can also choose to use a double weapon two handed, attacking with only one end of it." seems to really restrict wiggle room.

 

[Infiniti2000]

I'd really like to get the two-handed weapon bonuses when weilding as a double weapon tho. Can anyone figure out how to do that?

There's no feat or class ability I know that allows it.

 

[Sil]

You want to TWF and have the bonus of THF?

If you find a way, please let us know.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Double weapons will allow you to have higher base damage for your off-hand, as well as needing only one set of feats (focus, specilization, improved crit) without being forced to use two light weapons.

The alternative is using oversized two-weapon fighting, which allows you to use, say, two longswords.

There is no way in all the hells to get 1 1/2 str and x2 power attack. The one-and-a-half str is there, after a fashion, since you get x1 for your main hand and 1/2 for your off-hand, but not double power benefit for power attack.

Using two one-handed weapons (like long swords) will give you the ability to use power attack in each hand, though (see oversized twf)

 

[griff_goodbeard]

Would a level of Exotic Weapon Master help? I don't have the book with me, but I seem to recall one of the abilities giving you x2 str on and attack. Or am I remembering wrong. Curse getting older!

 

[Wardo]

Would a level of Exotic Weapon Master help? I don't have the book with me, but I seem to recall one of the abilities giving you x2 str on and attack. Or am I remembering wrong. Curse getting older!

You're thinking of "Uncanny Blow" from Exotic Weapon master, often quoted for it's redundant statement about allowing you to do two-handed power attack when wielding a one-handed weapon in two hands. Unfortunately, all of its benefits (the other one being the x2 strength bonus) apply specifically to one-handed weapons in two hands, so I don't think we have a win there.

One option that might work would be the "Flurry of Strikes" ability from the same class. When you use an exotic double weapon in both hands, take -2 on all attacks and get an extra attack at your full attack bonus. If you did this while wielding the double-weapon as a two-handed weapon (I'm 80% sure that would be allowed), you would get an extra attack AND the x2 PA an x1.5 strength. However, it would cap out at one extra attack, and you wouldn't apply all the other nifty TWF feats - on the up side, it doesn't require you invest in TWF at all.