comrade raoul
Explorer
I'm one of the many people who thinks two-weapon combat is too weak. As developed in the PH, it requires a great deal of feats for little-to-no benefit. The changes below should make two-weapon combat a specialized but potentially powerful style: fighting with two weapons well should still be very expensive, but more damaging than other styles (though not so much more damaging as to be overpowered): here, a good two-weapon fighter should be able to cause more damage than a greatsword fighter or the equivalent -- but not all that much more, and he's really going to pay for it with feats.
- Virtual Two-Weapon Fighting: Any character with at least two total levels in the fighter or ranger classes may wield two melee weapons (or a double weapon) as though he had the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, as long as he is not wearing medium or heavy armor, and as long as he is proficient in both weapons he uses. This is ability is treated as a virtual feat. You may use this ability to qualify for other feats (such as Improved Two-Weapon Fighting), but you may only use these feats when you meet the requirements for virtual two-weapon fighting. (Note that this rule presumes the use of some version of ubiquitous alt.rangers who do not get Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting feats)
- The following new and modified feats are available:
Expert Ambidexterity [General]
You know how to take advantage of your full strength when using your off-hand.
Prerequisite: Dex 15+, Ambidexterity, Int 13+, Expertise
Benefit: You are always considered to be wielding a light weapon in your off-hand for purpose of assessing attack penalties while fighting with two weapons. Further, you can apply your full Strength bonus to your damage rolls with your off-hand.
Note: Very close to any number of published third-party feats and as many homebrewed ones. This one is worth noting because it requires Expertise and thus a decent Intelligence: the nice thing here is that, combined with the Dex requirement and especially with point-buy characters, it prevents brutishly strong characters from making use of twice their Strength bonus: a nice balancing factor.
Two-Weapon Defense [General]
You can expertly use a pair of weapons to frustrate an opponent.
Prerequisite: Two-Weapon Fighting, Expertise, Int 13+, Base attack bonus +3 or higher
Benefit: You may designate a single opponent at the beginning of each round. For the next round, you gain a +2 dodge bonus to your AC against all melee attacks by that opponent. You may only use this feat when you are fighting with a weapon in each hand and you are proficient in each of them.
Note: This is almost exactly the same as the Twin Sword Style feat in the FRCS, except that it's not a regional feat and applies to all weapons, not just swords.
Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting [General]
You are a master in fighting two-handed.
Prerequisite: Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Ambidexterity, Dex 15+, Combat Reflexes, Twin Attack, Base attack bonus +14 or higher
Benefit: Whenever you perform a full attack action with your primary weapon, you may make an additional attack with your off-hand weapon at the same bonus as an attack you make with your primary hand. For example, a character with a base attack bonus of +16 makes eight attacks (before considering other modifiers) at +16/+16/+11/+11/+6/+6/+1/+1. Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting supercedes the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat. Note that you still suffer the standard penalties for fighting with a weapon in each hand when using this feat.
Note: This is very close to the feat of the same name in the ELH. It differs in that it is a non-epic feat with lower prerequisites. Note that it takes the place of the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat in MotW. There are a number of reasons for this. First, fighting effectively with two-weapons is already very expensive (even for characters who taking advantage of Two-Weapon Fighting as a virtual feat); and I do not believe that there ought to be a continually increasing feat cost just to "keep up." Second, the marginal utility of additional attacks decreases at they are made at greater penalties: a feat that provides an extra attack at -5 is better that provides an attack at -10, and that feat is in turn better than one that provides an attack at -15. I figured that one feat -- especially one at the end of a huge chain that it largely supercedes -- is enough.
Twin Attack [General]
You can follow up a successful attack with a quick strike with an off-hand weapon.
Prerequisite: Ambidexterity, Dex 15+, Two-Weapon Fighting, Combat Reflexes, base attack bonus +12 or higher
Benefit: When wielding two weapons and making a melee attack for which you wouldn’t normally be able to also attack with your secondary weapon (that is, one that is not part of a full attack action), you may announce that you’re using this feat. Making an attack roll as normal, but apply your normal two-weapon fighting penalties with your primary weapon. If you hit, you may make a second attack, against the same foe, with your secondary weapon (again, at the normal penalties).
Special: This benefit does not apply when making additional attacks due to the speed magical weapon ability, or for any attacks made because of some trait of a weapon you're using (rather than your own abilities).
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