Bat'leth Crafting

[hemming]

I'm allowing a player to craft a Klingon bat'leth type weapon -

I was thinking it would be treated as a doubled ended weapon with bonus on trip and disarm - but that it could also be treated as a two-handed single weapon (should the trip/disarm bonuses still be valid?)

Also, bat'leth must be masterwork (bc its a freakin bat'leth)

How would you stat out this weapon?

[MesiDoomstalker]

I would disagree with being a double weapon. Every time I saw its use, typically only one end was used primarily, suggesting its a two-handed weapon.

Regardless, bonuses to trip and disarm should apply regardless of handedness. I'd also make it a 1d10 or 2d6, Piercing or Slashing, with a 19-20/x2 crit.

[mealin]

Closest thing to it is the Orc Double Axe, so stat it similarly.

Exotic weapon (obviously)
1d6/1d6 (18-20/x2) Slashing

+2 to disarm attempts
can trip with it, can drop to prevent being tripped

[Fouredged Sword]

Yeah, orc double ax works well for space orcs as well as normal orcs.

[hemming]

Well...just to nerd out a bit. Orcs don't have any of the cultural refinements of Klingons (orc opera? orc tea ceremony? - I think not!)

Actual question - how does enhancement work on a double weapon? Can you enhance each side or does the enhancement apply to the whole thing?

[Cog]

...but that it could also be treated as a two-handed single weapon (should the trip/disarm bonuses still be valid?)
This is true of every double weapon (with one stupid exception from Dragon Mag) already anyway.
Do you want this to be in line wit existing exotic weapons, or do you want it to actually be worth the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat? If the former, then you've got the Orc Double Axe. If the latter... start with the Spiked Chain, take away the reach, and give it these special abilities:

Heavy Blade: The bat'leth is built to focus the force of its wielder's attacks. When fighting with both ends of the weapon, you only take penalties as if fighting with two light weapons, but both ends are treated as one-handed weapons for the purpose of damage calculations.

Single Blade: The bat'leth is a single edge even though it is a double weapon. For purposes of enhancing it, both ends are treated as a single weapon, though the cost of enhancement is increased by half. (Normally, you'd be paying the full price separately for each.)

[Drachasor]

I'm on the fence about the whole trip thing. You don't really see it being used to trip in a way that a greatsword or the like couldn't be used to trip. Same with Disarm.

If anything I'd think it would give a shield bonus to AC or something.

I'd probably stat it just as a two-handed weapon and not a double weapon though.

I'm not sure whether it should be exotic or not. If it was exotic then I think +1 Shield bonus to AC, 2d6 x2/18-20 would be good stats. At that point you could allow tripping, I think.

[ZamielVanWeber]

If you want to stay true to the show, they show bat'leths as being unwieldy and easily sundered, but very visually intimidating. They could give a nice +2 untyped on intimidate that rises to +4 if masterwork.

[dysprosium]

According to the creator of the bat'leth, it was based on the Chinese fighting crescent, a pole arm which emphasizes the heaviness of the blade to deliver strong slashing strikes. The disarming aspect of the fighting crescent was not incorporated until contemporary times.

So exotic two handed weapon 1d10 crit x3, +2 to disarm checks, no bonus to tripping.

At least that's how I would use it . . .

[hemming]

May the DM gods smite me but I think I'll let him pick one bonus - shield (+1), trip (2) or disarm (2)

The guy took the initiative to make a bat'leth, I feel like not letting him get something cool out of it would be wrong. Going to use the 1D10 x 3 w/ cog's special 'single blade' feature

[LibraryOgre]

Personally, I think calling it the equivalent of a great axe or greatsword would work. Or perhaps, if you want to make it "special", let it be an exotic weapon that can either be used two-handed for 1d10 *3, or double weapon for 1d6/1d6 19/*2

[SiuiS]

I'm allowing a player to craft a Klingon bat'leth type weapon -

I was thinking it would be treated as a doubled ended weapon with bonus on trip and disarm - but that it could also be treated as a two-handed single weapon (should the trip/disarm bonuses still be valid?)

Also, bat'leth must be masterwork (bc its a freakin bat'leth)

How would you stat out this weapon?

A bat'leth is an Orc double axe.

[lytokk]

personally, I see the Bat'leth being a little more than unwieldly using it as a double weapon. Granted, I've not watched a ton of star trek, but I've only seen it used offensively as a greatsword (both hands grip in the same spot) or somewhat more defensively (hands spread out). So my thoughts would be, the 1d10 two handed, or 1d6 two handed with a +1 shield bonus to ac.

[Drachasor]

I want to repeat that a big part of the balance will depend on whether it is a martial or exotic weapon. If it is exotic, it should be better than most of the other exotic weapons -- because the vast majority are NOT worth a feat. If it is a martial weapon, then it should be made to be about equal to the existing martial weapons.


personally, I see the Bat'leth being a little more than unwieldly using it as a double weapon. Granted, I've not watched a ton of star trek, but I've only seen it used offensively as a greatsword (both hands grip in the same spot) or somewhat more defensively (hands spread out). So my thoughts would be, the 1d10 two handed, or 1d6 two handed with a +1 shield bonus to ac.

I agree, but no one seems to be paying attention to that. I have watched a lot of Star Trek and while you can attack with either end, you really aren't doing "full attacks" with both ends like you might with two weapons. I don't think having it as a double weapon really fits it -- I'd only consider it IF the player wanted it for that reason.

[dysprosium]

I agree, but no one seems to be paying attention to that. I have watched a lot of Star Trek and while you can attack with either end, you really aren't doing "full attacks" with both ends like you might with two weapons. I don't think having it as a double weapon really fits it -- I'd only consider it IF the player wanted it for that reason.

I called it an exotic two handed weapon . . . :smallsmile:

[hemming]

I agree, but no one seems to be paying attention to that. I have watched a lot of Star Trek and while you can attack with either end, you really aren't doing "full attacks" with both ends like you might with two weapons. I don't think having it as a double weapon really fits it -- I'd only consider it IF the player wanted it for that reason.

Qapla' - they really switch back and forth quite a bit, giving no real analog to D&D. But most actual attacks are made two-handed (agreed). The player is going to be using it that way anyway.

I am planning to make it an exotic weapon at this point

DS9 season 5 episode where quark woos a Klingon has some good Bat'leth fights - including at least one Bat'leth trip attack

[Fouredged Sword]

Maybe count is as the following

Exotic two handed weapon weapon
1d12 slashing/piercing
+2 to trip attempts, if you fail your trip attempt it can be dropped to avoid being tripped back
+1 shield bonus to AC as it is easy to parry attacks with, may be enchanted both as a shield as well as a weapon.

[shylocke]

This help?
http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Bat'leth_(3.5e_Equipment)

[LibraryOgre]

This help?
http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Bat'leth_(3.5e_Equipment)

It currently directs to "This page has been deleted."

EDIT: Needs a final ) http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Bat'leth_(3.5e_Equipment)

[shylocke]

Oops.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Bat'leth_(3.5e_Equipment))

[Zweisteine]

Here's (http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?319892-Bat-leth!!!) one homebrewed bat'leth.

This is how I would stat them up:

Bat'leth
Exotic two-handed melee weapon
Damage (medium): 1d10
Damage (small): 1d8
Critical: 19-20/x2
Range increment: —
Weight: 12 lbs
Cost: [not sure]

With a bat'leth, you get a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an opponent (including the roll to avoid being disarmed if such an attempt fails).


It's not a double weapon because it is not wielded as one. The two ends are used together as one weapon, swung rather slowly, usually.