Two Weapon Rend: weak?

[domino]

It could just be me, but I think so.

For the cost of a feat, you add a single d6 + half strength damage.

But, most TWF characters don't ramp up their Strength the way a double hander will, so they'll have a moderate strength, most likely.

And as late as they can get it, 11th level at the earliest (later for rogues) it just seems underpowered. More than Weapon Focus, obviously, but for the outlay, and the fact that you have to already hit with each weapon, seems not really worth it to me.

Am I asking too much out of feats, or is it a neat, but less powerful feat?

 

[Quez The Lame]

It's d6 + 1,5 times the STR bonus.

Two Weapon Rend is a nice feat for stronger two weapon fighters (dual waraxe wielding dwarf comes to mind), but nearly useless for a finesse user.

 

[domino]

You are correct, I misread that part.

Still, it's not much better without a good strength score, and most finesse types (like a rogue, for instance) won't get much benefit, it seems.

What then, would people reccommend in its place then?

 

[frankthedm]

Two weapon fighters with a decent STR deserve a boost more than finesse 2WFs.

 

[Blue Sky]

At that level, it's not unreasonable for even a "low-strength" fighter to have an 18. (14+belt +4) And with three attacks with each hand, you're gonna hit with both weapons pretty often, so it's just an extra little "oomph".

All in all, seems good, but not top tier. Which is fine. I don't think every feat needs to be top tier choice.

 

[3d6]

The funny part is that Two-Weapon Rend was first published as an epic feat in the Epic Level Handbook. Hee hee.

 

[Quartz]

The big problem with Two Weapon Rend is that you don't add in any bonuses other than Str. No Power Attack, no magic bonuses, no nothing.

 

[Dog Moon]

The big problem with Two Weapon Rend is that you don't add in any bonuses other than Str. No Power Attack, no magic bonuses, no nothing.

I think that just keeps the feat from getting out of hand.

 

[comrade raoul]

It's a good feat -- compare it to Weapon Specialization, and assume (conservatively) Strength 18 and two attacks with each weapon. Two Weapon Rend gives you an average of 9.5 points of extra damage if you hit at least once with each weapon; Specialization, on the other hand (for which fighting with two weapons is an optimal way to use the feat) gives you, at most, 8 points of damage -- and then only if you hit twice with each weapon.

This isn't a perfect analysis, since the feats scale in different ways as characters get things like more attacks, a better chance to score critical hits, and higher Strength, but I think it's reasonable to assume that Two Weapon Rend is as good as or better than Weapon Specialization for most of a character's life.

(And yes, it favors Strength -- but if you don't have Strength, what are you doing with two weapons if you're not sneak attacking?)

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

It's good for CW samurai