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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Aluvial" data-source="post: 5154865" data-attributes="member: 6862">In your original post, you wanted to know if there was a penalty to using a weapon in your off hand. By the RAW, there is a -4 penalty for using a weapon in your off hand. You must account for handedness!  If you choose to, but why would you ever choose to, you can attack with only your off hand (but again, there is a penalty). For AoO's, you can, again, choose which hand to use, your primary, or your off hand. In four different places in the rules, it states that you use one half of your Strength modifier for additional damage if you are using your off hand. Specifically in the RAW, the off hand is defined as NOT your primary hand. The rules are clear on this point. Again, off hand is defined as the hand that you don't customarily use and is usually your left hand (Most people are right-handed). There is no accounting for ambidexterity in any way, shape, or form in the 3.5 game in RAW/SRD. You can't just say that you are and make it happen! So... if you have a weapon in your off hand (usually your left) and you attack with it, you do so at a -4 penalty, and you use one half of your Strength modifier for damage. And yes to the above poster, if you have a spiked shield in your off hand and you choose to attack with it as your standard action, you attack with it at a -4! I suggest, that if you do allow Ambidexterity in the game, it must come as a talent/feat at 1st level only.  There should be no way you should be able to just "say" you are ambidextrous, that would be the same thing as just saying you are REALLY strong, or I just know I have Lightning Reflexes for free because I'm quick like a cat... You do get to pick your handedness however. You have a choice between two arms/hands to be your primary, the other, and be clear here, is your off hand. And don't forget you also get to arbritarily choose eye color!!!  ...if you pick lavender eyes.... well you know what is going on if you pick lavender eyes....  Aluvial</blockquote>

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