Asbestos
2009-03-05, 01:03 PM
Ok, so, how do double weapons in 4e work? If its enchanted, only the 'main hand' side of the weapon gets the specific enchantment, while the 'off-hand' side just gets the numerical bonus to hit and damage, correct? But, what determines which end is the 'primary' end? Is it in the statblock? For example, an urgosh is 1d12/1d8 and axe, spear. Is the Main hand side the 1d12 axe? Or is the 1d12 part simultaneously axe and spear (which is silly)
Or, is the main/off-hand determined by the wielder? For example the infamous double sword is heavy blade, light blade. Now, in my interpretation of the urgosh the first listed damage/type is the 'main' side. Meaning that the light blade is off-hand, meaning that the weapon is suboptimal for rogues because they basically only have a Magic + X Defensive Rapier when wielding the double sword, rather than something with a meaningful enchantment. This of course would mean that a parrying dagger might actually be a better bet for a rogue (which is how I think it was originally intended)
However, that interpretation gets weird in regards to the Spiked Chain with the Spiked Chain Mastery feat, in which it becomes a double weapon and gains the light blade keyword. Presumably, both ends of the chain are spiked, meaning that both sides should be flail/light blade.
Now, the 'off-hand' property on these items. For a tempest fighter, for whom 'off-hand' matters most, do they get their class feature granted bonus to damage to both ends of the double weapon or only to the off-hand end?
Now, with enchanted weapons... does the tiefling tempest fighter (hey, why not?) with a Flaming Double Sword and the Hellfire Blood feat using Dual Strike get a bonus to hit and damage with both granted attacks or just one? Remember, only one end has the Flaming enchantment while the other merely has a +X to hit and damage.
Am I the only one confused by this?
Or, is the main/off-hand determined by the wielder? For example the infamous double sword is heavy blade, light blade. Now, in my interpretation of the urgosh the first listed damage/type is the 'main' side. Meaning that the light blade is off-hand, meaning that the weapon is suboptimal for rogues because they basically only have a Magic + X Defensive Rapier when wielding the double sword, rather than something with a meaningful enchantment. This of course would mean that a parrying dagger might actually be a better bet for a rogue (which is how I think it was originally intended)
However, that interpretation gets weird in regards to the Spiked Chain with the Spiked Chain Mastery feat, in which it becomes a double weapon and gains the light blade keyword. Presumably, both ends of the chain are spiked, meaning that both sides should be flail/light blade.
Now, the 'off-hand' property on these items. For a tempest fighter, for whom 'off-hand' matters most, do they get their class feature granted bonus to damage to both ends of the double weapon or only to the off-hand end?
Now, with enchanted weapons... does the tiefling tempest fighter (hey, why not?) with a Flaming Double Sword and the Hellfire Blood feat using Dual Strike get a bonus to hit and damage with both granted attacks or just one? Remember, only one end has the Flaming enchantment while the other merely has a +X to hit and damage.
Am I the only one confused by this?