Using two rapiers

[drnuncheon]

Well, there are always weapons that are Just Plain Better than others. Compare rapier & scimitar, for instance, and let me know if you find any good reason to weild a scimitar (other than style, which is perfectly acceptable).

In general, it seems that a weapon that loses a die size can have its critical range increased by 1 - this is the tradeoff that a rapier or a scimitar makes in comparison to a longsword, for example, or a falchion compared to a greatsword (although the falchion comes out slightly worse since they chose to use 2d4 instead of 1d10.)

So, taking a short sword, you could lose a die - down to 1d4 - and increase the crit range by 1 - up to 18-20 - without unbalancing things. A Small character wouldn't be able to finesse it, but a Medium character would.

I'd imagine such a weapon as being an extra-long poniard or stiletto, and I can't see that it would mess with the game too badly. After doing some checking, your average damage is going to be about half a point/attack lower than it is for a shortsword, and even improved critical and keen don't let you catch up much (assuming the shortsword gets those as well).

J

 

[coyote6]

Well, there are always weapons that are Just Plain Better than others. Compare rapier & scimitar, for instance, and let me know if you find any good reason to weild a scimitar (other than style, which is perfectly acceptable).

Well, just for kicks:

- It's the favored weapon of my deity, and I have the War domain, so I get proficiency and Focus in it for free.
- Two words: vorpal weapon

(I played a half-orc cleric of a Baklunish demi-god once that met one of those criteria. I'll leave determining which he didn't meet as an exercise for the reader. )

 

[yennico]

Well, there are always weapons that are Just Plain Better than others. Compare rapier & scimitar, for instance, and let me know if you find any good reason to weild a scimitar (other than style, which is perfectly acceptable).

A scimitar is one of the best one!! handed weapon (nearly as good as a longsword) for a fighter with a high str, so there is no need for spending a feat for weapon finesse.

Just my 2 cents
yennico

 

[kreynolds]

A scimitar is one of the best one!! handed weapon (nearly as good as a longsword) for a fighter with a high str, so there is no need for spending a feat for weapon finesse.

Sure there is....if you're lucky enough to have both a high dex and a high str and you use a scimitar _and_ a rapier. (you know, I think this very well may be the most absurd thing I've ever posted ).

 

[Mike Sullivan]

Well, there are always weapons that are Just Plain Better than others. Compare rapier & scimitar, for instance, and let me know if you find any good reason to weild a scimitar (other than style, which is perfectly acceptable).

There can be vorpal scimitars and not rapiers.

I think that that's actually a legitimate concern for a weapon whose chief benefit is its expanded crit range.

 

[yennico]

Sure there is....if you're lucky enough to have both a high dex and a high str and you use a scimitar _and_ a rapier. (you know, I think this very well may be the most absurd thing I've ever posted ).

mmh, thinking of a Arnold Schwarzenegger/ D´artagnan

IIRC Scimitar and Rapier are of the same size, so you get with TWF because of the size of your off-hand weapon a penalty....

Just my 2 cents
yennico

 

[Centaur]

Open Option is,

In one of our campaigns we had the same discussion and came to the conclusion that the rapier would indead cause the extra penalty when used in TWF.

!!Warning!! Potentialy Dangerous House Rule Later, we decided that if armor made from Mithril was considered one catagory lighter, why not do the same with weapons. This allowed the player to give his character Two rapiers to fight with but at leaste the one in the off hand had to be made from mithril. The extra expense was considered worth the effective +2.

 

[Hypersmurf]

!!Warning!! Potentialy Dangerous House Rule Later, we decided that if armor made from Mithril was considered one catagory lighter, why not do the same with weapons. This allowed the player to give his character Two rapiers to fight with but at leaste the one in the off hand had to be made from mithril. The extra expense was considered worth the effective +2. [/B]

Mmm, house-ruled mithral bastard swords...

-Hyp.

 

[Sejs]

mmm, house-ruled mithril heavy lances...

 

[drnuncheon]

There can be vorpal scimitars and not rapiers.

I think that that's actually a legitimate concern for a weapon whose chief benefit is its expanded crit range.

I guess...if your game lasts that long (at least 14th level before you can reasonably afford one, and you'll be hurting if you come up against creatures with DR...in 3.0 anyway...and if you don't want anything else on the weapon, like keen or an element) and if the DM isn't using a 3rd party product with an enhancement that is 'like vorpal but for piercing (or bludgeoning)' - I know of at least one and would be surprised if there weren't more - and of course if you find one or find someone willing and able to make one.

I don't know of many people who make weapons decisions based on the remote possibility of getting a particular magic weapon 3/4 of the way through their character's career, but other people may have different experiences.

J