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Message: <blockquote data-quote="KarinsDad" data-source="post: 2213010" data-attributes="member: 2011">Hmmmm.I think Weapon and Shield is the strongest combination of them all. It needs no help at all.Granted, it does not do as much damage as a Two Handed Weapon per swing, but there are some hidden benefits here:1) The obvious benefit of +x to AC. At higher levels, this is huge. When your opponents have 3 or 4 attacks per round, a +5 Shield (or better yet, +5 Tower Shield) stops 35% * 3 or 4 or basically about one+ hit per round against you per opponent (and it also increases your odds of surviving poison, level drains, and other nasty things). Granted, a TWF or THF could have an Animated Shield, but guess what item is the first for my NPCs to Sunder, Grab (if allowed), or Dispel Magic on (and of course, the Sword and Shield user could also have an animated shield and use his weapon two handed when doing so as well)?2) Extra damage from Strength and the weapon type  is often overrated, especially at mid to high levels. For example:Greatsword: 2D6 + 3 (weapon) + 7 (Strength) + 2 (Specialization) + 6 (other bonus, e.g. spells, Greater Specialization, etc.) = 25.Longsword: D8 + 3 (weapon) + 5 (Strength) + 2 (Specialization) + 6 (other bonus, e.g. Power Attack, Greater Specialization, etc.) = 20.5.Against a creature with 60 hits, the Greatsword takes it out on average in 3 successful hits. The Longsword also takes it out on average in 3 successful hits. Even against a creature with 120 hits, the Greatsword takes it out on average in 5 successful hits. The Longsword also takes it out on average in 6 successful hits.So yes, there are situations where the Greatsword takes out a creature in one fewer average successful hits, but on the other hand, at those levels, the Longsword and Shield user (who has access to the same basic feats as the Greatsword usere) and not been getting hit about once per round per opponent where the Greatsword user has.There are also situations where the opponent has 10 or fewer hit points and the Greatsword user wastes more hits of damage than the Longsword user.Even against one opponent, the Longsword user will survive more often. Against multiple opponents, the Greatsword user is totally screwed because even though he is dishing out more damage, he is typically taking more damage than he is dishing out.Now, this is not true at first level, but somewhere around fourth to sixth level or so, weapon and shield starts taking over:Greatsword: 2D6 + 6 (Strength) = 13 and maybe 40% chance of getting hit.Longsword: D8 + 4 (Strength) = 8.5 and maybe 30% chance of getting hit.And for a single feat, the Longsword user can get a Bastard Sword and up his average damge by one point if he wants.And yes, Power Attack can turn the Two Weapon Fighter into a mega-damage dealer. If he hits. It is a delicate balancing act and not always reliable. It often prolongs a battle in the attempt to end it quicker. Plus, as DM, I silently enjoy when the opponent has 12 hits remaining and the Fighter Power Attacks his Two Handed Weapon to bump it up to 40 points of damage. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> The styles to me that are screwed are Two Weapon Fighting and Polearm Fighting (and no, a Scythe is not a polearm, it is a field tool).</blockquote>

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