Dwarf weapons: Great axe or Maul?

[Sauce74]

Why would a dwarf chose to use a maul when a great axe does more damage? d10 x3 vs d12 x3

The Forgotten Realms Campaign book states that the maul is a weapon favored by dwarves.

Purely for role playing flavor?

Blunt weapon damage alone just is not enough justification to chose it over a great axe.

Am I missing something?

 

[Pax]

I'd say, mostly RP flavor.

There is also the fact that a Maul is not disimilar form mining implements, meanign a Maul-proficient Dwarf who is attacked in the mines, while working, can use the very tool in his hands already as a fully-effective weapon, without having to carry around a battleaxe with him all the time, nor take time droppin the mining tool and readying his axe.

And living underground, I daresay dwarves might be more, not less, inclined to run into things where the bludgeoning damage is more of a benefit than you might think.

 

[molonel]

Why not use it?

Why not use it? Average damage isn't that much different: 1d10 versus 1d12, exact same crit range (20/x3). I have a Dwarven fighter/cleric/contemplative who wields a maul, and he does just fine.

 

[Eldorian]

Maul does a d10? Thats wierd, why not just use a great club? It's already in the PHB. In my game, I ruled mauls to be d12s, since warhammers and axes have the same damage/crit range, the large version of both followed a similiar patern. Ah well.


Eldorian Antar

 

[reichtfeld]

DR/blunt

 

[Destil]

The FRCS maul is useless. The half spear is a simple weapon that has the same stats, for instance (in my game I allow a sledge hammer as a bludegoning equivelent of the spear that can't be thrown).

The damage should be 1d12 or 2d6.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

The answer is simple: Because they like it. Characters in RPG's are only seldomly powergamers, that's only found with Players. Ther are also people who fight only with a longsword - no two-handed weapon, no second weapon, no shield. It's a matter of preference and style.

 

[Wormwood]

Wormwood's House Rules archive:

Battlehammer
Medium Exotic* Weapon, 1d10/x3, Bludgeoning
*without EWP, may wield as 2-handed Martial weapon.

Maul
Large Martial Weapon, 2d6/x3, Bludgeoning

ps. while we're at it, move Greatclub to Simple Weapon.

 

[Andion Isurand]

Try changing the maul.....

I have thumbed through the Arms and Equipment Guide (bought Races of Faerûn instead for setting information).......

Since the Maul is a bludgeoning weapon that steps on the Great Club's toes.......

You could make the maul work like the fulllblade...
( 2d8, large-sized version of the bastard sword )...

.........except that you need exotic profiency feat (if you are medium size) to even weild it in two hands at all.

That way you can create the bludegoning version of the Fullblade.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Try changing the maul.....

You could make the maul work like the fulllblade...
( 2d8, large-sized version of the bastard sword )...

.........except that you need exotic profiency feat (if you are medium size) to even weild it in two hands at all.

Check the Sword and Fist Errata. Fullblade is now a Huge weapon that can be wielded in two hands by a Large creature, or one-handed by a Large creature with an EWP. It cannot be used at all by a Medium character.

-Hyp.