Bastard sword, with exotic weapon but not martial proficiency?

[Scryangi]

Good day everyone.

If my character has Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Bastard Sword, but not Martial Weapon Proficiency, then what exactly can I do? Can I two-hand it? Is it a two handed weapon then? Or does it count as a one handed weapon being wielded with two hands?

Thank you for your time.

[AnimeTheCat]

I would think that wielding it 2-handed would be no different than wielding it one handed. It would be the same as one handing and two handing a heavy mace, for instance. You're two handing it as an exotic weapon, not a martial weapon.

[InvisibleBison]

"A character can use a bastard sword two-handed as a martial weapon.' (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm#swordBastard)

Because it says you "can use" a bastard sword as a 2 handed martial weapon, doing so is optional. Thus, a character with EWP(bastard sword) but no martial weapon proficiency would be able to use a bastard sword in two hands as an exotic weapon.

[Scryangi]

And if I two hand it without martial weapon proficiency, do I get to add 1.5 times my strength?

[Yael]

And if I two hand it without martial weapon proficiency, do I get to add 1.5 times my strength?

Yes, because it is being theated as a 2-handed weapon.


Two-Handed
Two hands are required to use a two-handed melee weapon effectively. Apply 1½ times the character’s Strength bonus to damage rolls for melee attacks with such a weapon.
Sword, Bastard
A bastard sword is too large to use in one hand without special training; thus, it is an exotic weapon. A character can use a bastard sword two-handed as a martial weapon.

[AnimeTheCat]

Right, so think about it this way:

You have proficiency with an one handed weapon. The rules say you can two hand a one handed weapon to apply a 1.5 strength bonus to your weapon damage rolls. This line of thought can be applied to any and all one handed weapons, unless their description explicitly states you can't (i.e. rapiers).

Since you have proficiency with a bastard sword (one handed weapon) the rules say you can two hand your bastard sword to apply a 1.5 strength bonus to your weapon damage rolls.

Being able to be treated as a martial weapon when wielded two handed is a special feature of the bastard sword and dwarven waraxe and has no bearing on two handing a one handed weapon (that in this case happens to be the exotic weapon bastard sword).

[Scryangi]

Thank you for your help, everyone. Maybe we got it mixed up with older editions, because my DM thought that you got less strength bonus for wielding a one handed weapon with two hands, than if you wielded a two handed weapon, meaning that a bastard sword counting as exotic would do less damage than if it were martial, due to...let me just copy paste what he said:



the cause for this silly ruling is that the bastard sword shows up in the martial list as 2 handed weapon, and in the exotic list as 1-handed, but you get the option to 2-hand any onehanded weapon
but 2-handing a 1-handed weapon grants less strength bonus on attacking than using a 2-handed wpn
thats why this discrepancy comes to be

[Crake]

Thank you for your help, everyone. Maybe we got it mixed up with older editions, because my DM thought that you got less strength bonus for wielding a one handed weapon with two hands, than if you wielded a two handed weapon, meaning that a bastard sword counting as exotic would do less damage than if it were martial, due to...let me just copy paste what he said:



the cause for this silly ruling is that the bastard sword shows up in the martial list as 2 handed weapon, and in the exotic list as 1-handed, but you get the option to 2-hand any onehanded weapon
but 2-handing a 1-handed weapon grants less strength bonus on attacking than using a 2-handed wpn
thats why this discrepancy comes to be

Then yeah, you just link him to the line detailing that one handed weapons can be 2 handed for 1.5x str, the same as a two handed weapon, and the issue is solved