Longsword vs. Greatsword

[DMauricio]

...So drop the pussy shield and use a real sword!

-Hyp.

Wouldn't that mean spending a feat and getting a bastard sword?

Then you can still use the shield and your damage output when used two handed stacks up fairly reasonably to using a 2-h sword. (though you don't really need the ewp for that)

D.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Then you can still use the shield and your damage output when used two handed stacks up fairly reasonably to using a 2-h sword. (though you don't really need the ewp for that)

As it happens, I'm playing a character at the moment who uses a bastard sword without the EWP. (The sword's intelligent, y'see.)

But normally, it's a suboptimal choice Either you're going to be wussy-fighting most of the time, in which case a paladin should save the feat and use a longsword, or you'll be fighting like a man, in which case you go for the greatsword.

-Hyp.

 

[Endur]

Enh. Game-mechanically, a longsword and a greatsword need the same amount of space - 'not grappled'.

Role-playing trumps mechanics every time. Greatswords are for Northmen, longswords are for knights.

With the paladin we had in our party, we found the longsword-and-shield combination to be symptomatic of the character's personality - namely 'wussy coward'. Hiding behind his shield because he was afraid of getting hurt. Feh. Some paladin

Stop blaming his cowardice on the shield. The shield had nothing to do with it.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

You're killin' me Hyp! And here I was nearly settled on sword-and-buckler. Now I have to rethink this again. I like to think my paladin is courageous. He's the one who takes on three foes at once while the ranger climbs up a tree. At the same time, Divine Shield could make a shield or buckler very nice to have....

 

[Hypersmurf]

Stop blaming his cowardice on the shield. The shield had nothing to do with it.

Could've fooled us. As soon as we wrested control of the character from the player and threw the shield away, the cowardice went away. There's obviously a connection

-Hyp.

 

[Darklone]

I have a sword & shield Ftr/Rog/Pal in the group right now... He's using a polearm (Combat Reflexes and Hold the Line) as well till there are too many enemies closing in.

His unbuffed AC is closing the 30s, +9 if necessary with defense and expertise. But he's the typical case of many good stats (high strength, dex, con 14 and high charisma). Shield is for him not cowardice, but his standard ... he's still missing the feats for shield bash, or he'll annoy me to hell with armor spikes, shield bash and longsword ... all buffed with Divine Might.

 

[Oscar carramiñana]

I have a 2nd-level paladin, with a 17 strength and a 17 charisma. He plans on bumping charisma to 18 at 4th-level, and taking Divine Might asap. He'll probably bump strength at 8th-level, though that's a ways off. He currently has Power Attack and Mounted Combat as feats.

Here's my query: I'm currently using a longsword and large shield, but I'm strongly considering switching to a greatsword. I'd lose the -2 AC from the shield, but gain +1 damage (from 1/2 again strength) and 2d6 instead of 1d8 damage. Plus I'd be able to trade -1 to hit for +2 to damage via Power Attack.

Is this a good tradeoff? Are there factors I'm not considering? What would you choose?

At lvl 4 bumps ST you gain a +1 attack and a +1 damage with longsword, you don't need now your CHA, your saves are good and no one spell at lvl 1 to 8 can do several damage or effect. When you achieves lvl 6 take divine shield. this feat allows you to achieve the lvl 8 more easily, then bump your Cha and at lvl 9 take divine might
I think is better give a +1 attack and damage always, what a +1 damage and AC sometimes
dont choose only one of two weapon take the both, sometimes you can need the extra damage of a greatsword at expenses of armor
but is better weapon and shield IHMO