Two-handed weapons -- nerfed, or am I missing something?

[Gloombunny]

Also, greatswords are a little anemic in 4e. Greataxes are the damage-loving fighter's best friend this time around.

 

[Ander00]

Also keep in mind that even basic attacks will do 2[W] on epic levels, so you're looking at a minimum of 2d8+1 versus 2d10 then. And of course, critical hits will do more damage with a greatsword than a longsword.

Also, greatswords are a little anemic in 4e. Greataxes are the damage-loving fighter's best friend this time around.

I wouldn't discount the difference between prof 2 and 3 weapons. Hitting is quite important.

(All of this has been discussed at length in other threads already).


cheers

 

[Donovan Morningfire]

Also, greatswords are a little anemic in 4e. Greataxes are the damage-loving fighter's best friend this time around.

Agreed, as the other instances of 1h weapons being scaled up to 2h versions, namely greataxe (+1 damage step, gains high crit) and heavy flail (+2 damage steps), get a lot more bang for their buck than the greatsword. Going by the logic apparently used for those two weapons, the greatsword should either be doing 1d12 (reasonable) for damage or have the high crit value (too far).

Then there's the bastard sword, which although it costs a feat, outpaces the greatsword in terms of damage when used 2h, and still provides the option of using sword'n'board.

 

[AllisterH]

Then there's the bastard sword, which although it costs a feat, outpaces the greatsword in terms of damage when used 2h, and still provides the option of using sword'n'board.

I wouldn't discount this.

As a feat, it means you're always one step ahead in versatility/power than the guy who spends a feat on bastard sword.

When he spends a feat on Bastard Sword, the other personn gets Weapon Focus. He spends a feat now on WF and you now can spend a feat on Power Attack.

Sure, the feats are more plentiful and now as powerful as the latter era 3.5 feats, but neither are they like Toughness and you'll ALWAYS want to spend a feat on something.

 

[Donovan Morningfire]

I wouldn't discount this.

As a feat, it means you're always one step ahead in versatility/power than the guy who spends a feat on bastard sword.

Great for the guy that wants versatility, but what about the Fighter build that's focused on damage output? As is, they've got no reason to bother with a greatsword, especially as so many other 2h weapons either do more base damage or have high crit to enable even more damage on a nat 20.

If the scaling were consistent and/or didn't provide extras, I wouldn't be so miffed about the greatsword. But it isn't, so compared to the rest of the 2h weapon family, the greatsword begins to creep into worthless category.

 

[Doug McCrae]

More damage with Power Attack, 1 point per tier.

 

[AllisterH]

If all your focused on is doing DAMAGE, then Heavy Flail is the best.

Not being harsh, but I'm somewhat skeptical of the claims that Greatsword is the worst as I haven't seen a good mathematical argument about it (involving to-hit versus monsters etc. For example, it looks like at pretty much every level, a fighter isn't actually going to auto-hit the monster which means that the +3 from the greatsword is huge).

I'm still crunching the numbers and I'm shall we say not convinced that there is a clear cut winner this time around on the weapons table front. The weapon table is seriously cut down from previous editions (how many polearms did the 2E PHB have again )but it seems like every weapon actually has a feature/drawback.

 

[SerialInflux]

If the scaling were consistent and/or didn't provide extras, I wouldn't be so miffed about the greatsword. But it isn't, so compared to the rest of the 2h weapon family, the greatsword begins to creep into worthless category.

It looks to me that the fighting style feats make up the difference. For example check out the feats for heavy blade vs axe. At paragon tier axe users get Deadly Axe: treat all axes as having high crit (not very useful for a great axe wielder, it already has the quality). While greatsword wielder take Heavy Blade Oppertunity: when making an opportunity attack, you can use an at-will power instead of just a basic attack.

edit: Hello everyone, decided to delurk

 

[phil500]

I think sword+board will be the way to go for ftrs.

with mastery, +3 to ac and +3 to reflex is really huge compared to doing, what, 10-15% more damage?

more damage means enemies go down faster, and in that sense will be hitting less. I think you will take even less damage with beefed up defenses.

I suspect HP racing isnt really as effective a tactic as maxing DEF.

 

[Doug McCrae]

The weapon table is seriously cut down from previous editions (how many polearms did the 2E PHB have again )

It's not D&D if there's no Bohemian ear-spoon.