(PF) Question About Two Handed Weapons

[Talakeal]

Is a character allowed to carry a two handed weapon in one hand? I know they cannot attack with it, but can they simply hold it?


Also, if the above answer is yes, what sort of action (if any) does it take to ready the weapon for use, assuming the character's off hand is free?


Thanks!

[Sir Chuckles]

Yes.
Free action to switch handedness.

Source. (http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9qda)

[Talakeal]

Yes.
Free action to switch handedness.

Source. (http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9qda)

Awesome. Thank you very much, that makes perfect sense to me. Now if only I could find a way to get my DM to accept the FAQ as a viable source of rules...

[JusticeZero]

That's how they always did it historically, too. Even the mirror fallacy would let you claim realism for that.

[Talakeal]

What is the mirror image fallacy if I may ask?

I assume it is something like "If I can't do it my character can't do it," in which case the DM already admitted that the tactic made sense logically, but "It was RAW. I don't write the rules, I just enforce them!"

[JusticeZero]

Basically, yeah. It's when anything that isn't "magical" is limited by "realism", and "realism" is dictated by the GM looking in the mirror at what they can do personally.

[Skya]

...Now if only I could find a way to get my DM to accept the FAQ as a viable source of rules...

Well it's a FAQ answered by paizo staff so it can't be more official than that.

[Blackhawk748]

Also this is how 3.5 did it too, im not sure if that helps though.

[grarrrg]

To kind-of bypass the FAQ, remember that Muskets exist in this setting.
Muskets are 2-handed. While reloading a Musket, you need to take 1 hand off of the weapon to reload it, then put the hand back on in order to fire it.
If hand-off/hand-on were anything more than a Free Action, Muskets would be absolutely worthless as weapons.

[Psyren]

Awesome. Thank you very much, that makes perfect sense to me. Now if only I could find a way to get my DM to accept the FAQ as a viable source of rules...

This isn't 3.5; FAQ is RAW in PF. If your DM disregards it, he/she is houseruling against you.

[Ninjaxenomorph]

Ask your DM to hold a broom. Then tell them it's a polearm. Problem solved?

[Raimun]

The only way it makes "sense" that both letting go and re-grabbing a two handed weapon are not free actions is that the DM is basing his logic to a video game of some sort, where the character's both hands are useless unless they go manually, in real time, to an inventory screen and unequip their zweihander... And even that shouldn't make sense for people who can exist outside of video games.

So, yeah two handed weapons are very good for even gishes.

And yes. You can carry a two handed weapon in one hand. But not wield it. So, if at the end of the turn, you carry your zweihander in one hand, you can't (normally) make attacks of opportunity with it.

[Talakeal]

The only way it makes "sense" that both letting go and re-grabbing a two handed weapon are not free actions is that the DM is basing his logic to a video game of some sort, where the character's both hands are useless unless they go manually, in real time, to an inventory screen and unequip their zweihander... And even that shouldn't make sense for people who can exist outside of video games.

So, yeah two handed weapons are very good for even gishes.

And yes. You can carry a two handed weapon in one hand. But not wield it. So, if at the end of the turn, you carry your zweihander in one hand, you can't (normally) make attacks of opportunity with it.

Funny, because it is video games that taught me the importance of always carrying a shield even if you don't plan on using it.

When I played World of Warcraft my main was an arms warrior, but I can't count the number of times it was necessary to put away my two hander, pull out a shield, and go into defensive stance.

In D&D where you can have flying or ambushing enemies who kite you around the benefits are even more important.