Halfspear and small characters

[smetzger]

Ok, the entry in the PH says

The halfspear is small enough for a Small character to use it.

The size of the Halfspear is Medium. A Small character can use a Medium size weapon, albeit with two hands.

I looked in the Errata and FAQ but didn't find anything.

Does anyone have it on good authority that this is a mistake and that it should read "The halfspear is small enough for a Small character to use in one hand."

That makes the most sense, especially in light that the Flamebrother Salamander appears (by analyzing STR modifiers) to wield a Halfspear in one hand. Although, we all know how complete the MM Errata is (Hill Giant Charisma and all).

What about the Shortspear, can a Medium sized character use it one handed, or is it thrown with two hands?

Thanks,
*:> Scott

 

[Christian]

Thrown weapons can only be thrown one-handed. A character can throw a thrown weapon with one hand even if it would be two-handed for you due to the character's size, but doing so counts as a full-round action because the weapon is bulkier and harder to handle than most thrown weapons. Add the character's Strength bonus to damage.

Per the SRD. Halfspears are two-handed weapons for Small characters; they can be thrown one-handed, but it is a full-round action. Ditto for Shortspears and Medium characters.

[hijack]I use a house rule that these two weapons are considered one size smaller when used with a Martial Weapon Proficiency. So the above is true for, say, a Sorcerer or Cleric; but a human fighter could use a Shortspear one-handed and throw it as a standard action.[/hijack]

 

[dcollins]

It's pretty clear that it requires two hands to wield a Halfspear (for Small characters) or Shortspear (for Medium characters). As Christian points out, PH p. 97 has a rule which makes any throwing a one-handed, full-action operation. I'm not aware of any errata that would change this rule.

I also don't see anything inconsistent about the Flamebrother using a halfspear two-handed... my book shows the monster with Str 12, bonus (+1 x 1.5 rounded down = +1).

 

[hong]

The size of the Halfspear is Medium. A Small character can use a Medium size weapon, albeit with two hands.

I believe that quote in the PHB is just to contrast the halfspear with the short- and longspear, which are both Large weapons, and thus too big for Small characters to use.

 

[smetzger]

I also don't see anything inconsistent about the Flamebrother using a halfspear two-handed... my book shows the monster with Str 12, bonus (+1 x 1.5 rounded down = +1).

I stand corrected. But, why did they feel the needed to include that part about small characters can use HalfSpears?

 

[dcollins]

Well, they had to come up with something to say about it.
(You'll note it's so vanilla there's just the one sentence description.)

 

[Hejdun]

I stand corrected. But, why did they feel the needed to include that part about small characters can use HalfSpears?

Because they are the only spears a small character can use?

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

Because they are the only spears a small character can use?

Thus giving small Warriors something to set vs. charge and use in tight formation.