Weapon Finesse

[Ottergame]

No, weapon finesse only works on light weapons (and those others listed in the feats or items description). A quarterstaff is a two handed weapon. In the items description, the line that says you fight like having a one handed weapon and a light weapon ONLY applies to the penalties involved for using two weapons.

"You can fight with it as if fighting with two weapons, but if you do, you incur all the normal attack penalties associated with fighting with two weapons, just as if you were using a one-handed weapon and a light weapon (see Two-Weapon Fighting, page 160)."

That means that it is ONLY treated as a light weapon in regards to the penalities incured for fighting with two weapons, nothing else.

 

[Black Knight Irios]

That makes double weapons much better with the Power Attack feat, because you get the bonus on both ends and have only the penalties for fighting with a light off-hand weapon. Well you had to spend a feat at least most of the time.
I think you can rule it the one or the other way round, both rulings have their benefits and drawbacks.

 

[Ranger REG]

So, we're at a stalemate.

Perhaps we should ask what's the party-line ruling from WotC?

Then, if you disagree with the ruling and prefer it your way, then more power to you.

 

[Drakh]

Dont ask me why i said spiked chain was a double weapon... i think i was doing too many things at once again (teach me to read boards at work )

Categories of weapons - Light, One handed, and two-handed

These are the 3 categories of weapons, double weapons are not in the list - they fall under two-handed weapons

Most feats (if not all) refer to weapons they effect individually or by category - Weapon finesse states whip, spiked chain, rapier and weapons that fall under the light weapons category.

 

[Hypersmurf]

These are the 3 categories of weapons, double weapons are not in the list - they fall under two-handed weapons

Absolutely.

... unless you're using both ends, in which case it's treated as a one-handed weapon and a light weapon.

-Hyp.

 

[Uller]

I agree with Hyp. It makes sense. The rules as written can't account for every possible combination of weapons and feats. The text for a quarterstaff seems to just be pointing out how the penalties apply for one specific feat (or lack thereof): TWF. Probably because that's the one the writers thought would come up the most often. Power attack is the only other place that mentions how you "normally" treat a double weapon...as a one-handed weapon and a light weapon.

So I would say that its treated as a light weapon in all circumstances where it makes sense. The only exception I can think of is in a grapple...but then again maybe even then. I could see a quarterstaff being used to damage a foe in a grapple...put it across your foes neck and squeeze...

It makes sense that a quarter staff in the hands of a character with a high dex and trained in using it as a finesse weapon would be more effective.

 

[Ottergame]

Absolutely.

... unless you're using both ends, in which case it's treated as a one-handed weapon and a light weapon.

-Hyp.

Cept it's only treated as a one handed weapon and a light weapon in regards to the penalty for fighting with two weapons.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The only exception I can think of is in a grapple...but then again maybe even then.

Except you can't fight with two weapons in a grapple, so you could only strike with one end... which means it's treated as a two-handed weapon, which you can't use in a grapple

-Hyp.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Cept it's only treated as a one handed weapon and a light weapon in regards to the penalty for fighting with two weapons.

Not accroding to the text of the Power Attack feat; and not according to the FAQ answer quoted above.

-Hyp.

 

[Goblyn]

So let me sum up what's going on here:

Dude is fighting with a quarterstaff, as a double weapon. He has both weapon finesse and power attack, thus can power attack with the quarterstaff, but only gains the damage bonus to the 'first' end while suffering the penalty to attacks with both ends. The weapon finesse feat allows him to use his dex bonus on the 'second' end only.

Sounds alright to me.