Hypersmurf
Moderatarrrrh...
Someone just posted a Q&A from the latest Sage Advice in Dragon.
You can get a host of benefits from wielding a two-handed weapon, such as 1-1/2 times your Strength bonus to damage (and twice your damage bonuns from the Power Attack feat) and a +4 bonus to your opposed attack roll if someone tries to disarm you. So when is a weapon "two-handed?" For example, a lance is a two-handed weapon, right? But you can wield it in one hand when you're mounted. Since the weapons table shows that a lance is a two-handed weapon, I get all the benefits no matter how I wield the lance, right?
Wrong, table 7-5 in the Player's Handbook lists weapons as light, one-handed or two-handed strictly as a matter of convenience. These categories are always relative to the wielder's size as explained in some detail in the section on weapon sized on page 113 in the Player's Handbook (also see next question). When the combat rules speak of "two-handed" weapons, they're referring to how the weapon is bein used. A Medium character using a Medium longsword in two hands is using a "two-handed" weapon. The same character using a Medium lance in one hand while mounted is using a one-handed weapon.
Light weapons are an exception. If you wield a light weapon in two hands you get no advantage on damage (see page 113 in the Player's Handbook). Likewise, you always take a -4 penalty on your opposed roll when you're wielding a light weapon in a disarm attempt (when someone tries to disarm you or you try to disarm somone) regardless of whether you wield it one- or two-handed.
A Medium character wielding a Medium longsword is wielding a two-handed weapon!? Despite several references in the book to "a one-handed weapon wielded in two hands"?
The 3.5 Weapon Sizing system is bad enough without the Sage making it worse by making up rules that don't follow the text!
-Hyp.
You can get a host of benefits from wielding a two-handed weapon, such as 1-1/2 times your Strength bonus to damage (and twice your damage bonuns from the Power Attack feat) and a +4 bonus to your opposed attack roll if someone tries to disarm you. So when is a weapon "two-handed?" For example, a lance is a two-handed weapon, right? But you can wield it in one hand when you're mounted. Since the weapons table shows that a lance is a two-handed weapon, I get all the benefits no matter how I wield the lance, right?
Wrong, table 7-5 in the Player's Handbook lists weapons as light, one-handed or two-handed strictly as a matter of convenience. These categories are always relative to the wielder's size as explained in some detail in the section on weapon sized on page 113 in the Player's Handbook (also see next question). When the combat rules speak of "two-handed" weapons, they're referring to how the weapon is bein used. A Medium character using a Medium longsword in two hands is using a "two-handed" weapon. The same character using a Medium lance in one hand while mounted is using a one-handed weapon.
Light weapons are an exception. If you wield a light weapon in two hands you get no advantage on damage (see page 113 in the Player's Handbook). Likewise, you always take a -4 penalty on your opposed roll when you're wielding a light weapon in a disarm attempt (when someone tries to disarm you or you try to disarm somone) regardless of whether you wield it one- or two-handed.
A Medium character wielding a Medium longsword is wielding a two-handed weapon!? Despite several references in the book to "a one-handed weapon wielded in two hands"?
The 3.5 Weapon Sizing system is bad enough without the Sage making it worse by making up rules that don't follow the text!
-Hyp.
