Can a dwarven cleric use a dwarven waraxe?

[hobbitkniver]

A friend told me that I could, but from this bit of info I found online, it sounds as if I'd need martial proficiency too.

A dwarven waraxe is too large to use in one hand without special training; thus, it is an exotic weapon. A Medium character can use a dwarven waraxe two-handed as a martial weapon, or a Large creature can use it one-handed in the same way. A dwarf treats a dwarven waraxe as a martial weapon even when using it in one hand.

So the question is, can I use this weapon without any special feats?

[Zherog]

You're correct that it would be considered a martial weapon for a dwarf. But you will still need to acquire proficiency from somewhere, since clerics are only proficient in simple weapons. Three options off the top of my head:

A) multiclass
B) find a deity that has the dwarven waraxe as his/her favored weapon and has the war domain
C) burn a feat

Alternately, you can use it without proficiency, but you'll incur a -4 penalty on your attack rolls.

[Keld Denar]

Not without the War domain. Unlike elves, dwarves don't actually have proficiency with Waraxes. Instead, they have the ability to treat it as if it were martial. If you don't have MWP, you aren't proficient with the Waraxe. You couldn't even use a Waraxe 2handed as a cleric, because you aren't proficient. Fortunately, the War domain does give you proficiency, and is on the list of no fewer than 3 of the main dwarven dieties.

[Darrin]

Fortunately, the War domain does give you proficiency, and is on the list of no fewer than 3 of the main dwarven dieties.

Even if your chosen deity doesn't have War as part of their portfolio, you can get Martial Weapon Proficiency (favored weapon) + Weapon Focus (favored weapon) by putting 8 ranks in Knowledge: the Planes, pay 250 GP for a planar touchstone object, and take the Planar Touchstone feat. Link it to the Catalogues of Enlightenment (you do not have to visit the planar site for just the base ability), and gain the domain power of War that way.

[hobbitkniver]

Okay then. Thanks everyone, problem solved.

[sonofzeal]

You can also simply use a battleaxe and do (gasp!) one point less damage on average. The horror!

[Fuhrmaaj]

There's also a weapon enhancement in Complete Arcane called Skilled which will give you proficiency in a weapon and 3/4 BAB. Unfortunately it's a +1 enchantment, so you'd do more damage with a morningstar and flaming. You already have 3/4 BAB as a cleric, so the best part of the enchantment would be wasted on you.

EDIT: He's not proficient with Dwarven Waraxe due to not being proficient with martial weapons, so he can't use a Battleaxe either for the same reason.

[Zherog]

You can also simply use a battleaxe and do (gasp!) one point less damage on average. The horror!

A battleaxe, though, has the same issue in that it's a martial weapon. So he'd still need to find some method of gaining proficiency or suffering the -4 penalty.

[Grendus]

In Races of Stone there is a Racial Substitution Level that lets dwarf clerics grab Warhammer proficiency, and get +2 damage with them to boot. You give up a second level spell slot though, which in the grand scheme of things is probably a good trade. You do have to worship Moradin though.

[Kylarra]

In Races of Stone there is a Racial Substitution Level that lets dwarf clerics grab Warhammer proficiency, and get +2 damage with them to boot. You give up a second level spell slot though, which in the grand scheme of things is probably a good trade. You do have to worship Moradin though.Technically any deity with favored weapon warhammer works for that. They also get a D10 HD for that level (less important but eh still noteworthy).

[Urpriest]

Just a thought for the OP: you started out playing a Ranger as a complete newb, then realized it was underpowered. You then got a bunch of optimization advice, and now are well on your way to a reasonably optimized Cleric. This...reminds me of someone (http://agc.deskslave.org/comic_viewer.html?goNumber=150). Just avoid psychologists named Stan, ok?

[hobbitkniver]

Just a thought for the OP: you started out playing a Ranger as a complete newb, then realized it was underpowered. You then got a bunch of optimization advice, and now are well on your way to a reasonably optimized Cleric. This...reminds me of someone (http://agc.deskslave.org/comic_viewer.html?goNumber=150). Just avoid psychologists named Stan, ok?

Haha will do.

[Essence_of_War]

I know the cardinal rule of casters is don't give up caster levels, but if you've decided that you DO want to use a Dwarven Waraxe for whatever reason, a 1-level dip in the Exotic Weapon Master (Complete Warrior) for the Uncanny Blow stunt can be really saucy.