Qc Storm
2015-02-12, 11:05 PM
I think it's common knowledge that Double Weapons are pretty bad. Although the ability to TWF or 2H at will is nice, it is hardly worth a feat. I've brainstormed a way to make them more appealing, and I'd like opinions.
First up, remove all current double weapons from the game. Except maybe the quarterstaff. No more Urgroshes, gnome hammers and dire flails.
Now only one weapon exists, Double Weapon itself. By taking Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Double Weapon), you are proficient with all double weapons you may come across.
You can make a double weapon by combining any 2 light or one-handed weapons together, keeping their special abilities and stats exclusive to each head. This can be done with the two chosen weapons, a relatively easy craft check and a few hours. You expertly manage the heft of each head onto a large shaft, making it wield-able by experts such as yourself.
Thus you could make a Morning Star/Longsword, or a Flail/Heavy Mace. You still need the relevant proficiency for each separate head, or suffer standard penalties. One side is always considered a light weapon (chosen while attacking).
At any time, using the same rules for creating a Double Weapon, you may replace one or both heads on your double weapon with another one. So if you currently own a Katana/Scimitar, but come across a really neat +1 Flaming Longsword, you can spend a few hours reworking your double weapon to replace the Scimitar head with the new, magical Longsword one. The scimitar is repaired back to its original form and can be used normally.
As an added bonus, Weapon Focus (Double Weapon) and similar feats now exists, and apply to both heads of a double weapon, no matter what they are.
So how is it? Players can make it silly, but remember that the Dire Flail is a genuine double weapon intended to be used in play, so arguments for realism don't hold much ground. A player willing to spend a feat on the proficiency would benefit from increased versatility. The choice of TWF, 2Handing, combining heads with interesting bonus abilities, and most of all, the ability to pick up all those magical weapons that are normally vendor trash, and put them to good use.
First up, remove all current double weapons from the game. Except maybe the quarterstaff. No more Urgroshes, gnome hammers and dire flails.
Now only one weapon exists, Double Weapon itself. By taking Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Double Weapon), you are proficient with all double weapons you may come across.
You can make a double weapon by combining any 2 light or one-handed weapons together, keeping their special abilities and stats exclusive to each head. This can be done with the two chosen weapons, a relatively easy craft check and a few hours. You expertly manage the heft of each head onto a large shaft, making it wield-able by experts such as yourself.
Thus you could make a Morning Star/Longsword, or a Flail/Heavy Mace. You still need the relevant proficiency for each separate head, or suffer standard penalties. One side is always considered a light weapon (chosen while attacking).
At any time, using the same rules for creating a Double Weapon, you may replace one or both heads on your double weapon with another one. So if you currently own a Katana/Scimitar, but come across a really neat +1 Flaming Longsword, you can spend a few hours reworking your double weapon to replace the Scimitar head with the new, magical Longsword one. The scimitar is repaired back to its original form and can be used normally.
As an added bonus, Weapon Focus (Double Weapon) and similar feats now exists, and apply to both heads of a double weapon, no matter what they are.
So how is it? Players can make it silly, but remember that the Dire Flail is a genuine double weapon intended to be used in play, so arguments for realism don't hold much ground. A player willing to spend a feat on the proficiency would benefit from increased versatility. The choice of TWF, 2Handing, combining heads with interesting bonus abilities, and most of all, the ability to pick up all those magical weapons that are normally vendor trash, and put them to good use.