Andor
First Post
Some topics appear and reappear quite often. Maybe we should do up a FAQ and sticky it at the top of the board?
If anyone likes the idea I'll contribute this Two-weapon fighting faq. [sblock=Two-weapon FAQ]Two Weapon Fighting FAQ
Question: How does Two Weapon Fighting work in 4e?
Answer: This is actually not a simple question. The short answer is that any character can hold any one handed weapon in each hand.
You can then attack with either weapon as you please, exactly as if you were wielding only that one weapon.
Question: Wait that's it? Don't I get some advantage for wielding two weapons?
Answer: No, you don't, unless something about your character grants that advantage.
Two things can grant you an advantage when wielding two weapons. A power or a feat.
Right now there are three feats that give you an advantage for fighting with more than one weapon. These are:
Two Weapon Fighting - PHB pg 201
Two Weapon Defense - PHB pg 201
Two Weapon Flurry - PHB pg 207
All powers that give an advantage for wielding two weapons are currently Ranger powers. However some other classes may have a use for a second weapon, for example a fighter who gains different power effects from different classes of weapons may want to wield one of each type for tactical flexibility.
Question: Wait you said 'Any one handed weapon,' doesn't one have to be an off hand weapon?
Answer: No. In fact due to the improvised weapon listing, and the unarmed attack listing on page 219 of the PHB almost* anything you hold or even an empty hand may count as a second weapon.
However if the feat or power you are using specifies an off-hand weapon then you must be wielding an off-hand weapon for the feat or power to function properly.
Most Ranger powers specify an off-hand weapon, and the Two Weapon Flurry feat also does as well.
Question: Wait, so what does the Ranger Two-Weapon fighting style do?
Answer: The Ranger Two-Weapon fighting style allows any one handed weapon wielded in your off hand to count as having the off-hand property for your feats and powers. So you can wield a bastard sword in each hand and still make your Two-weapon flurry attack.
Question: What was that asterisk about? What isn't an improvised weapon?
Answer: At the moment only two things don't count for being improvised weapons.
1) Anything your GM rules will not cause damage. Few will allow you to decapitate an orc with a soggy kleenex for example.
2) Holy Symbols, Wands, Rods, and Orbs are all specifically forbidden from dealing damage in melee. Why a two-foot iron rod is explicitly useless in combat when a plastic spork is not is unclear to me, but thems the rules.
Question: So wait. If my wizard takes the two-weapon defense feat he gets a +1 to AC if his off-hand is empty, but loses that if he draws a wand?
Answer: Yes.
Question: What about magic items? Can a rogue wield a dagger of frost in his off hand and attack with a rapier to take advantage of the Lasting Frost/Wintertouched combo?
Answer: No. Page 225 makes it clear that a weapon or implements properties only operate when that weapon is used directly by a power.[/sblock]
If anyone likes the idea I'll contribute this Two-weapon fighting faq. [sblock=Two-weapon FAQ]Two Weapon Fighting FAQ
Question: How does Two Weapon Fighting work in 4e?
Answer: This is actually not a simple question. The short answer is that any character can hold any one handed weapon in each hand.
You can then attack with either weapon as you please, exactly as if you were wielding only that one weapon.
Question: Wait that's it? Don't I get some advantage for wielding two weapons?
Answer: No, you don't, unless something about your character grants that advantage.
Two things can grant you an advantage when wielding two weapons. A power or a feat.
Right now there are three feats that give you an advantage for fighting with more than one weapon. These are:
Two Weapon Fighting - PHB pg 201
Two Weapon Defense - PHB pg 201
Two Weapon Flurry - PHB pg 207
All powers that give an advantage for wielding two weapons are currently Ranger powers. However some other classes may have a use for a second weapon, for example a fighter who gains different power effects from different classes of weapons may want to wield one of each type for tactical flexibility.
Question: Wait you said 'Any one handed weapon,' doesn't one have to be an off hand weapon?
Answer: No. In fact due to the improvised weapon listing, and the unarmed attack listing on page 219 of the PHB almost* anything you hold or even an empty hand may count as a second weapon.
However if the feat or power you are using specifies an off-hand weapon then you must be wielding an off-hand weapon for the feat or power to function properly.
Most Ranger powers specify an off-hand weapon, and the Two Weapon Flurry feat also does as well.
Question: Wait, so what does the Ranger Two-Weapon fighting style do?
Answer: The Ranger Two-Weapon fighting style allows any one handed weapon wielded in your off hand to count as having the off-hand property for your feats and powers. So you can wield a bastard sword in each hand and still make your Two-weapon flurry attack.
Question: What was that asterisk about? What isn't an improvised weapon?
Answer: At the moment only two things don't count for being improvised weapons.
1) Anything your GM rules will not cause damage. Few will allow you to decapitate an orc with a soggy kleenex for example.
2) Holy Symbols, Wands, Rods, and Orbs are all specifically forbidden from dealing damage in melee. Why a two-foot iron rod is explicitly useless in combat when a plastic spork is not is unclear to me, but thems the rules.
Question: So wait. If my wizard takes the two-weapon defense feat he gets a +1 to AC if his off-hand is empty, but loses that if he draws a wand?
Answer: Yes.
Question: What about magic items? Can a rogue wield a dagger of frost in his off hand and attack with a rapier to take advantage of the Lasting Frost/Wintertouched combo?
Answer: No. Page 225 makes it clear that a weapon or implements properties only operate when that weapon is used directly by a power.[/sblock]
