Two handed weapon in one hand

[Markn]

Here is a silly question, but until now we never really considered it.

Say you are using a bow (or any other two handed weapon). Are you allowed to hold the bow in one hand, draw a one handed weapon and attack with it. Is there any penalties? Or are you forced to drop the bow/or sheathe it so to speak?

Up till now, we have always played that the bow wielder just drops it as a free action, then draws his melee weapon then attacks.

Thanks.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Say you are using a bow (or any other two handed weapon). Are you allowed to hold the bow in one hand, draw a one handed weapon and attack with it. Is there any penalties? Or are you forced to drop the bow/or sheathe it so to speak?

A bow isn't actually a two-handed weapon; it's a weapon that requires two hands to use.

But no, there are no penalties - just as you can hold a shield, a torch, or a wand in one hand while attacking with the longsword in your other, you can hold the bow in one hand while attacking with the longsword in your other.

You won't be able to shoot the bow while you're holding your sword, but I suspect you weren't planning on it

Penalties result if you are wielding a second weapon in your off-hand, but the advantage is that you can make an extra attack (or, with the right feats, attacks) with it.

-Hyp.

 

[Phasics]

Here is a silly question, but until now we never really considered it.

Say you are using a bow (or any other two handed weapon). Are you allowed to hold the bow in one hand, draw a one handed weapon and attack with it. Is there any penalties? Or are you forced to drop the bow/or sheathe it so to speak?

Up till now, we have always played that the bow wielder just drops it as a free action, then draws his melee weapon then attacks.

Thanks.

if you are simply holding the bow I believe you can make normal singlehanded attacks in your other hand, should you use the bow in any way e.g. to bludegon some critter , then it becomes two weapon fighting, penalties apply. keep in mind that the bow need to be in your offhand if your holding the bow in your prefered hand then any attacks made would be with the offhand penalty. also you wont get the potential of using 1-1/2 STR dmg with a singlehanded weapon if your other hand is full.
Also if it is a longbow your DM has the right to give you a penalty if he feels that holding a longass stick of wood which you are not using in combat is going to affect how well you can use your sword. but RAW it shoudlnt cause a penalty.


its the same principal as a mage holding a sword and a wand in each hand. he does not get penalised for TWF when he uses the sword. however a wand is alot smaller than a bow