Mad Axe Wielding Dwarf!

[Eccles]

One of my players just did a horrible thing.

He's just talked to me about a possible new PC.

The problem being, he wants to use the 'Monkey Grip' feat from SnF to create a psychotic battlerager wielding two greataxes...!

Rules-wise I can't think of a marvellous way to stop him, and I've promised myself I was going to avoid blanket bans on PC ideas.

So I'd like to ask you all your point of view, please!

 

[hammymchamham]

he'll have a -6 -6 on his attacks, so whats the problem? and if he only gets his one attack in a round, he'll be at -2 to his attack and only get his strength bonus once. Its a great charecter concept roleplaying wise, but not over powerful.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

he's also vulnerable to attacks against weapons (sunder, etc.) since Monkey Grip only applies to one weapon

 

[Eccles]

Fair enough. I'd not done the maths on the weapon penalties, having never played a 2 weapon character I've not got the table down cold!

So you'd be perfectly comfortable with this? (As always, half of my reservation comes from the image of trying to fight effectively whilst wielding about 100lbs of metal).

Then again, I suppose -6 to hit would certainly reflect a degree of flailing about the place.

Cool. Cheers!

 

[Mr Fidgit]

So you'd be perfectly comfortable with this?

heck no! i'd throw spellcaster at him non-stop! Will saves, all day, every day!

 

[hammymchamham]

I'm comfortable with it. And I too would do as fidgit

Any whay, here are the numbers, lets assume he's level 6, has the following feats:

Weapon Focus: Great Axe
Two Weapon Fighting
Ambidexterity
Monkey Grip: Great Axe
Weapon Specialisation (why not?)
2 others from 6th level, doesn't matter

Lets say he has gone 6 levels of fighter and a strength of 18, so his BAB is +6 and with strength his melee attacks are 11/6 with a great axe (10/5 without)
Sine his off hand weapon isn't a light weapon, the penalties are -4,-4. With monkey grip it becomes -6,-6 for a total attacks of

5/0 and off hand at 5. He'll be good against low AC opponents, but horrible with higher ac opponents. Granted he can just drop his off hand axe for such encounters. But he may think twice if he drops it, and an enemy grabs it and runs

 

[Eccles]

Yeah. The will saves think had occurred to me. Especially as he's suggesting playing a Barbarian 2, Fighter 3, Rogue 3 character before taking levels in either Frenzied Beserker or Weapon Master...

So at level 10 he's going to have a +2 will save. Poor chap! (Especially since he's already rolled stats up and has a Wisdom of 10!)

 

[hammymchamham]

a frenized beserker with a will save of +2!? OM!!! If a fellow player did that, and he started attacking the party while frenzied, I'd attack until he was dead.

 

[Apok]

Um, yeah. Frenzied Berserker combined with only a +2 Will save means that this guy is either going to get booted from the party or killed by his own comerades.

Not that there's anything wrong with the FB per se, but it's a very hazardous class in close-quarters when all your opponents drop and the guy can't make his Will save to unfrenzy. My advice? Carry around a few wands of Hold Person.

 

[mmu1]

Outright bans on character concepts is one thing, outright ban on silly crap is another...

Just make sure he has to deal with the consequences of it - drinking potions, changing weapons, opening doors, climbing - all are going to be a major hassle.