over sized weapons 3.5

[Shard O'Glase]

particle_man aksked in the roy-shadow thread"112) Can a medium character of sufficient strength use a Huge-sized nonmagical mighty (+8) composite bow? (Or more generally, what are the limitations on size and "mightiness" when is comes to composite bows?)"

Now I'm fairly sure I saw some srta repsonse on using off sized weapons. Something that yeah but at a penalty.

Don't know the rules, not sure I care too much since I'm not in the rules forum. But at what point would you as a playe ror DM jsut say sorry that's just dumb, impossible etc.

With Bows I can see that point happening quickly without some form of big set up. You may be strong enough you just wont have the arm span to draw the string.

But with mellee weapons and magically empowered str I can see some really freakin big weapons getting swung around. Huge penalties sure, but when you got a 30+ str you can lift a whole heck of a lot.


I'm just not sure when it gets impossible to believe.

 

[Zappo]

Rulewise, a Medium character can't use a Huge weapon, ever. Strength doesn't matter.

Personally, I agree with the rules here. A Huge weapon is larger than the character and has an incredible inertia; even if you can easily lift it, it is impossible to use it effectively in combat because of the unwieldy balance and leverage.

I *might* allow a feat to use a single Huge weapon two-handed, with a to-hit penalty, requiring a lot of Strenght.

 

[Sejs]

We have a house rule for things like this: It takes 2 feats to do IMC:


Oversize Weapon Training
-Reqs: Ba +1, Base Str 21+. Lets you wield weapons that are 2 sizes larger than you with two hands at -2 to hit. It's basically Monkey Grip with a slight twist. Replaced the Weapon Focus requirement.. because if you're not proficient with the weapon, you can't WF with it. Without the Oversize Weapon Training feat, you can carry an oversized weapon, but you cannot wield it in combat effectivly at all. Also...

Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Huge [weapon name]
-Reqs: Oversize Weapon Training. Every single huge weapon is considdered exotic for proficiency purposes, even if the normal version of the weapon is not. We house rule that a Huge sized weapon is considdered to have both 5' and 10' reach. Additionally, a Huge weapon cannot be made Heavy - doing so would just make the weapon far too unwieldy to use.

*edit/clarification*

 

[Chun-tzu]

There's an epic feat to allow it.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/ei/ei20030215a

Wield Oversized Weapon

You can use larger than normal weapons with ease.

Prerequisites: Str 25, Epic Prowess, base attack bonus +21.

Benefit: You can treat any weapon as if it were one size category smaller than normal for the purpose of wielding it in combat. For instance, a halfling with this feat could wield a longsword as a one-handed weapon, or a human could wield an ogre's Huge greatclub as a two-handed weapon.

Normal: You can wield weapons of your size or smaller only.

Special: You can't use this feat in conjunction with Weapon Finesse. For instance, a halfling with this feat couldn't apply the effects of Weapon Finesse while wielding a short sword, even though this feat enables him to otherwise treat it as a light weapon.

But Shard wasn't asking about the rules.

If I were DM and a player wanted to do this, I'd allow it (at non-epic levels). But I'd make sure he knew all the disadvantages of wielding a Huge weapon.

It's a big, clumsy thing, so it would carry the appropriate penalties. It's too big to use in close quarters (like some indoors battles). It's good for intimidation value, primarily. It clearly marks the adventurer as trouble (in my book), so people would react accordingly. No one forgets or doesn't notice that guy ("Did you see a guy with a giant sword on his back?" Everyone: "Yup.").

But if the player really wants it, why not? It's not that much more incredible than many other parts of the game.

 

[Storminator]

Rulewise, a Medium character can't use a Huge weapon, ever. Strength doesn't matter.

Personally, I agree with the rules here. A Huge weapon is larger than the character and has an incredible inertia; even if you can easily lift it, it is impossible to use it effectively in combat because of the unwieldy balance and leverage.

I *might* allow a feat to use a single Huge weapon two-handed, with a to-hit penalty, requiring a lot of Strenght.

That's not the rule in 3.5, which is what Shard's talking about. In the revised rules you can wield oversized weapons, but at a penalty. I'm not sure the exact ruling has been revealed, but I'm (once again...) behind on my scoops.

So the question remains open.

PS

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Yes one of the scoops gave a vague answer on this at sure but at a penalty. The rules very well may take a max size into account, if they do or don't I'm not too concerned with though, since I'll do what I feel is best for my game.

The thing I'm much more interested in though is what is the point where wielding a oversized weapon breaks your ability to imerse yourself in the campaign world, it stops being the fantasy gaming style you like and more like a comic, or DBZ episode.(neither of which are bad just maybe not the fantasy gaming style your going for)

 

[paulewaug]

the concept brings Final Fantasy (VII?) to mind for me-
Cloud and his super sized blade
and of course Sephiroth!

 

[JoeGKushner]

Ever since seeing Berserk anime and playing Exalted, I can't see the real issue with such a stance of not using some weapons like that. We pretty much do it the two feat method too, one of 'ems from the Ultimate Feat book.

 

[IanB]

Ever since seeing Berserk anime and playing Exalted, I can't see the real issue with such a stance of not using some weapons like that. We pretty much do it the two feat method too, one of 'ems from the Ultimate Feat book.

For me it is precisely BECAUSE I don't want my game to look like a Final Fantasy game.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Use the d20 Modern rules: You can wield a huge weapon as a medium-sized character, but you need a mount for that weapon, or a bipod and something to place the weapon on. Imagine a fighter using a huge heavy repeating crossbow from atop a carriage or a huge greatsword on wheels