Two handed light weapons

[Devronq]

Is the elven courtblade the only two handed light weapon? Also is there any light weapons that deal greater than 1d6 damage other than the elven courtblade and elven long blade or thin blade or what ever its called. thank you.

[Averis Vol]

The elven courtblade is not a light weapon, it is only a two handed weapon that you can use weapon finesse with. The elven thinblade is a rapier/longsword hybrid that can be used with finesse and deals 1d8 pts of damage.

It would help if you could explain a little more in depth whether you mean a light weapon or a finessable weapon.

[eggynack]

If finesse is the goal, rather than light, the spiked chain is a good answer. That weapon is the insanity.

[Devronq]

Ah right i forgot that. i was just making a personal list of weapons and i forgot that there was a difference between weapon fineseable weapons and light weapons. So just for a catagorising purpose then do two handed light weapons exsist?

[lsfreak]

I don't think so, I think Light weapons are by definition one-handed.

[Rubik]

Is the elven courtblade the only two handed light weapon? Also is there any light weapons that deal greater than 1d6 damage other than the elven courtblade and elven long blade or thin blade or what ever its called. thank you.It's still viable in 3.5, since it's never been overridden, but according to the 3.0 Savage Species, you can craft any one-handed or heavier weapon to be used with 3 or more hands for no cost beyond adding the masterwork quality, and light weapons can be made for 2 hands (but no more).


Any weapon in the Player's Handbook can be lengthened, balanced, and othewise designed and crafted for creatures with more than two hands. The determining factor is the relationship between the size of the wielder [sic (I think they meant "weapon")] and the size of the user. Light weapons can never be designed for use with more than two hands. One-handed weapons can already be used with two hands, and can be designed for use with four hands. Two-handed weapons can be designed for use with up to eight hands. The cost is for a masterwork version of the weapon, and the wielder gains the benefits of using a masterwork weapon as well.

So yes, if the light weapon is made that way via masterwork, any light weapon can be made to be used 2-handed.

[edit] 42 really IS the answer to everything, including that.

[Souju]

I think i'm getting a clue as to what you're trying to do: Strength and a half on a finessed weapon? :)

[Rubik]

I think i'm getting a clue as to what you're trying to do: Strength and a half on a finessed weapon? :)It's useful if you change shape frequently.

[Abaddona]

There is also Sun Blade - magical bastard sword which is considered to be short sword for purposes of handling it (weapon finesse, two weapon fighthing etc.) altough i don't know if you can add you 1,5 strength mod when using it two handed (well, it's essentialy a magical lightsaber).

[Harlot]

I seem to remember that using Hornblade (http://www.realmshelps.net/cgi-bin/magweapdesc.pl?power=Hornblade&src=mweapontype)weapons, you can up the weapon size without penalties, so that you may use a large version of the same weapon without penalties, thus giving more damage. Would that help?

Hmm ... just read it. It ought to work, but appearently you'd have to be a gnome or halfling to use it:


This special ability was developed by gnomes and halflings to allow them to use larger weapons. In the hands of a halfling or gnome, a hornblade weapon is treated as one size category smaller than its actual size for the purpose of determining if the weapon is light, one-handed, two-handed, or too large to use. For example, a Medium longsword is normally a two-handed weapon for a Small creature, but if it were a hornblade longsword it would be treated as a Small weapon when held by a gnome or halfling, allowing them to wield it one-handed. The weapon is considered a normal weapon of its type for the purpose of feats such as Weapon Focus. The weapon functions normally for anyone other than a gnome or halfling.
(Races of faerun p. 171.)

As I read it (but I could very well be mistaken) the damage dealt by the weapon remains the same.

Thus a small twobladed sword which is not light, and normally deals 1d6+1d6 of damage, would as a hornblade two-bladed sword be a double light weapon and would deal 1d6+1d6 damage (minus ofcourse the usual penalties, which with TWF would be -2/-2)

OR maybe have a Hornblade medium twobladed sword (1d8/1d8) which would then be a small twobladed Sword, still dealing 1d8/1d8.

OR as stated in the example above, you could wield a small greatsword 1d10 (twohanded) as one handed weapon, but dealing the same damage.

OR you could wield a medium sized greatsword 2d6 (which would normally be too large to wield) as small sized greatsword, twohanded, but without reducing damage.

I must admit that I am not absolutely sure if the weapon retains its original damage capacity.

[Darrin]

Anyone mention rapier yet? However, that one doesn't get any additional Str damage when wielded two-handed.

There's also the Spinning Sword, in Secrets of Sarlona: one-handed version of the spiked chain, reach, strikes adjacent, but unfortunately also has the same "two handed" text as the rapier.

Dragonsplits (MMIV p. 151) are one-handed weapons that can use Weapon Finesse. They can be wielded two-handed for x1.5 Str bonus.

Adding the Feycraft template (DMGII) to a one-handed weapon allows it to be treated as a light weapon for the purposes of Weapon Finesse, but it also drops the damage by a step. Feycraft dwarven waraxe/bastard sword would become the equivalent of a battleaxe or longsword (1d8 damage), but could be finessed.

[PaucaTerrorem]

You cannot gain STR+1/2 on light weapons

[Jigokuro]

You cannot gain STR+1/2 on light weapons

Source? I know some say that, but I'm not aware of a blanket rule...

[Waker]

Light

A light weapon is easier to use in one’s off hand than a one-handed weapon is, and it can be used while grappling. A light weapon is used in one hand. Add the wielder’s Strength bonus (if any) to damage rolls for melee attacks with a light weapon if it’s used in the primary hand, or one-half the wielder’s Strength bonus if it’s used in the off hand. Using two hands to wield a light weapon gives no advantage on damage; the Strength bonus applies as though the weapon were held in the wielder’s primary hand only.
However if you want to swing around a light weapon and get extra damage for using it two-handed, you could look at Exotic Weapon Master. Specifically the Uncanny Blow trick which says that you can treat an exotic one-handed weapon as two-handed for the purposes of determining damage on his rolls. And it makes the damage X2 Strength as opposed to 1 1/2.

[Talderas]

So yes, if the light weapon is made that way via masterwork, any light weapon can be made to be used 2-handed.

Which is rather pointless unless it actually changes the weapons type from light to two-handed. At that point it confers many mechanical changes.

You get 1.5x damage on attacks.
You get to use power attack.
You can no longer use weapon finesse with it.

I'm sure there's others.

--


However if you want to swing around a light weapon and get extra damage for using it two-handed, you could look at Exotic Weapon Master. Specifically the Uncanny Blow trick which says that you can treat an exotic one-handed weapon as two-handed for the purposes of determining damage on his rolls. And it makes the damage X2 Strength as opposed to 1 1/2.

One handed is a type of weapon. If that ability specifies you can use exotic one-handed weapons two-handed then it doesn't apply to exotic light weapons.

[Waker]

One handed is a type of weapon. If that ability specifies you can use exotic one-handed weapons two-handed then it doesn't apply to exotic light weapons.
True, but Light Weapons are something of a subset of One-Handed Weapons. They follow all the normal rules for One-Handed Weapons except that unlike normal 1HW, they can't be held with two hands to gain a bonus on damage. There isn't any difference in damage between a normal 1HW being held with two hands versus a 2HW. So this is more of a RAI for what I think the Uncanny Blow trick was meant to read.

[Talderas]

True, but Light Weapons are something of a subset of One-Handed Weapons. They follow all the normal rules for One-Handed Weapons except that unlike normal 1HW, they can't be held with two hands to gain a bonus on damage. There isn't any difference in damage between a normal 1HW being held with two hands versus a 2HW. So this is more of a RAI for what I think the Uncanny Blow trick was meant to read.

The difference between a Light and One Handed weapon is far greater than the difference between a One Handed and Two Handed weapon.

[Rubik]

Which is rather pointless unless it actually changes the weapons type from light to two-handed. At that point it confers many mechanical changes.

You get 1.5x damage on attacks.
You get to use power attack.
You can no longer use weapon finesse with it.

I'm sure there's others.According to the rest of that section in Savage Species, each additional hand you wield a weapon with grants +50% boost to your Strength modifier for the purpose of damage.

And, unarmed strikers in particular can get a nice boost out of this because tossing that on a gauntlet means they can 2-hand their unarmed strikes (which they couldn't do before), and options like the bracers of striking and kensai enhancements can now be channeled through a single strike, rather than needing to be split between multiples.

[Talderas]

According to the rest of that section in Savage Species, each additional hand you wield a weapon with grants +50% boost to your Strength modifier for the purpose of damage.

And, unarmed strikers in particular can get a nice boost out of this because tossing that on a gauntlet means they can 2-hand their unarmed strikes (which they couldn't do before), and options like the bracers of striking and kensai enhancements can now be channeled through a single strike, rather than needing to be split between multiples.

Right, so it doesn't actually change the weapon type, so why you can two hand your gauntlet and get 150% of your strength bonus, it's still a light weapon and thus does not qualify for Power Attack. On the other hand you still get to finesse that gauntlet so I guess that's something... but if you have strength enough to make the damage increase worthwhile it's probably your attack stat rather than dexterity.

[Rubik]

Right, so it doesn't actually change the weapon type, so why you can two hand your gauntlet and get 150% of your strength bonus, it's still a light weapon and thus does not qualify for Power Attack. On the other hand you still get to finesse that gauntlet so I guess that's something... but if you have strength enough to make the damage increase worthwhile it's probably your attack stat rather than dexterity.There are little tricks you can pull. If you have access to shapeshifting, such as with wild monk, your stats change, meaning you can change the way you wield your unarmed strikes. Plus, unarmed strikes ARE Power Attackable.

Basically, this gives you more options, and if you build with an eye toward them, they come in quite handy.

[Talderas]

There are little tricks you can pull. If you have access to shapeshifting, such as with wild monk, your stats change, meaning you can change the way you wield your unarmed strikes. Plus, unarmed strikes ARE Power Attackable.

Basically, this gives you more options, and if you build with an eye toward them, they come in quite handy.

It's an exception though.

The point to using the gauntlet is to stage from nonlethal to lethal damage with a very minor increase in damage die. So if your unarmed attacks already deal lethal damage, such as from being a monk, and your unarmed damage die is basically unimproved. So I guess the only real reason for this is because the damage increase from multiple hands is greater than the damage you get from your unarmed damage die.

So the big issue is that this bonus damage comes from the virtue of the MW weapon. That means you need to have the gauntlet crafted for your shapechanged form. Otherwise the gauntlet just melds into your new form and becomes non-functional thus you don't get the benefit of two-handing the gauntlet for 150% damage.

[Rubik]

It's an exception though.

The point to using the gauntlet is to stage from nonlethal to lethal damage with a very minor increase in damage die. So if your unarmed attacks already deal lethal damage, such as from being a monk, and your unarmed damage die is basically unimproved. So I guess the only real reason for this is because the damage increase from multiple hands is greater than the damage you get from your unarmed damage die.

So the big issue is that this bonus damage comes from the virtue of the MW weapon. That means you need to have the gauntlet crafted for your shapechanged form. Otherwise the gauntlet just melds into your new form and becomes non-functional thus you don't get the benefit of two-handing the gauntlet for 150% damage.Don't forget that you can also enhance your gauntlets. And this stacks with any other abilities you put on your unarmed strikes.

Also, weapon crystals.

This is a huge, huge thing.

[Talderas]

Don't forget that you can also enhance your gauntlets. And this stacks with any other abilities you put on your unarmed strikes.

Also, weapon crystals.

This is a huge, huge thing.

Savage Species is the same book that can get you an amulet that lets you enhance unarmed strikes and natural attacks.

[Rubik]

Savage Species is the same book that can get you an amulet that lets you enhance unarmed strikes and natural attacks.Yes, and all of those weapon abilities stack rather nicely.

Observe. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15474863&postcount=733)