Classes that wield large weapons

[omegaghost]

Hi. I was wondering if there are any classes that have the benefit of powerful build or something akin to that. Can be any classes from 3/3.5/pf, but no archetypes pls. Thanks.

[tstewt1921]

Hi. I was wondering if there are any classes that have the benefit of powerful build or something akin to that. Can be any classes from 3/3.5/pf, but no archetypes pls. Thanks.

There is an epic feat in the complete warrior "Wield Oversized Weapon" that would allow you to do it as a medium creature. I'm not aware of any class that gives it to you, only races that would allow it. There are ways of increasing your damage dice for unarmed damage to where you can be a medium creature hitting like a huge creature.

[omegaghost]

There are ways of increasing your damage dice for unarmed damage to where you can be a medium creature hitting like a huge creature.

Oh. That's interesting, what are those? I only know of INA feat and Battlefist for a warforged.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Kinda-sort-of, Goliath Barbarian substitution levels make you actually Large while raging. I think you lose Powerful Build while doing it, though.

The feat Monkey Grip (Complete Warrior) lets you wield a weapon one-size above normal with out changing its 'handedness' (so a one handed Large weapon could still be wielded in one hand by a character with this feat). So any class that lets you choose this as a bonus feat arguably gives you poor-man's Powerful Build.


Oh. That's interesting, what are those? I only know of INA feat and Battlefist for a warforged.

Monk is the obvious one, as well as Monk/Monk-like PrCs (Fist of the Forest and Enlightened Fist are the main ones I know), and Battle Dancer. Ascetic Mage feat lets you sacrifice a spell slot to increase unarmed strike damage, Ascetic Rogue feat makes your rogue levels stack with your Monk levels for unarmed strike damage, and the Superior Unarmed Strike feat gives you a lovely boost to your damage. The Warshaper PRC lets you boost any natural attack you already have, and Weretouched Master can increase the damage of the natural weapons you get while shifting. There's definitely more out there, but that's what I've got off the top of my head.

[StSword]

The Warmain from Arcana Unearthed can wield weapons up to two sizes larger than them as two handed weapons, but they don't get that trick until 16th level.

I had forgotten it took so long for the to get that trick, since the Warmain's whole shtick is being a tank with feet.

[tstewt1921]

The Warmain from Arcana Unearthed can wield weapons up to two sizes larger than them as two handed weapons, but they don't get that trick until 16th level.

I had forgotten it took so long for the to get that trick, since the Warmain's whole shtick is being a tank with feet.

Is this a 5th Ed class? Because Arcana Unearthed is a 5th Ed book I believe.

[Rynjin]

Is this a 5th Ed class? Because Arcana Unearthed is a 5th Ed book I believe.

Unearthed Arcana well predates 5th Edition; it's just a common term that Wizards uses.

[Maat Mons]

Sorcerers and Wizards can learn the Greater Mighty Wallop spell (Races of the Dragon, p115), which makes weapons deal damage as if they were bigger. Wu Jen can learn the Giant Size spell (Complete Arcane, p109) and become bigger themselves. Sorcerers can forsake their normal spell list to use the Wu Jen one instead (Oriental Adventures, p30).

There were 3e books bearing both the titles Unearthed Arcana and Arcana Unearthed, though the latter was 3rd party.

[Biggus]

Oh. That's interesting, what are those? I only know of INA feat and Battlefist for a warforged.

The spell Greater Mighty Wallop from Races of the Dragon increases the effective size category of bludgeoning melee weapons by up to five depending on caster level. I think that includes unarmed strikes.

EDIT: ninja'd

[JMS]

In PF 3rd party, You'd be looking at an Aegis, I have one now that can do 3d6+24 all day, at level 1, since it can give you powerfull build.

[StSword]

Is this a 5th Ed class? Because Arcana Unearthed is a 5th Ed book I believe.

Arcana Unearthed is a setting book and alternate Players Guide made by Monte Cook for DnD 3x.

Different base classes, races, magic rules, the whole shebang.

Warmain are one the two classes designed to fill the fighter niche, the heavily armored meat shield that hits like a truck in this case.

I'm fond of the book, but I don't know if it would tickle your fancy.

Oh anyway, I thought of pathfinder option to wield larger weapons.

Alternate Paths Martials 3 has multiple new base classes, and a common feature is to choose a combat school, combat schools.

One of those schools allows you to wield larger weapons at level 6.

APM3 however also has rules for other classes to gain access to combat schools- Magi, Fighters, Cavaliers, Paladins, Rangers specifically, and generic rules for all full BAB or mid BAB classes that are thematically linked to a school.

[ShurikVch]

Not exactly a class, but Giantblooded heroic path from Midnight Campaign Setting gets ability to wield weapon of "+1 size" from the very 1st level (along with -4 to Hide, and need for special armor and shields - twice as heavy and costly); become Large at 10th level

[Biggus]

Oh. That's interesting, what are those? I only know of INA feat and Battlefist for a warforged.

Also, if you don't want to spend a feat on INA, you can get it via a Fanged Ring (DM p.101).

[GrayDeath]

Dont know any aside from the above, but making a Homebrewed prestige Class built around doing this should be both easy and not OP (unless all others are playing base Fighters, Rogues and Paladins ^^).

Maybe gonna try that myself soonish.

[omegaghost]

Dont know any aside from the above, but making a Homebrewed prestige Class built around doing this should be both easy and not OP (unless all others are playing base Fighters, Rogues and Paladins ^^).

Maybe gonna try that myself soonish.

Yeah, that was the initial point of me asking. I've ran into a homebrew class that had such a feature (that doesn't stack with powerful build and the like) and I wanted to compare it to something that already exists. So I tweaked that class to my liking a bit and let one of the guys play it, but on the condition that I'm gonna be changing it if things go out of hand. The other players are a Swift Hunter, a Dread Necromancer, and a Cleric that outright refuses to powerplay even the tiniest bit.

[Gnaeus]

In PF 3rd party, You'd be looking at an Aegis, I have one now that can do 3d6+24 all day, at level 1, since it can give you powerfull build.

That’s weaksauce by DSP standards. Our Stalker is combining a stance and a racial trait to wield a colossal weapons. It’s like 6d8 before bonuses. Not sure if there is an equivalent 3.5 stance.

[GrayDeath]

Yeah, that was the initial point of me asking. I've ran into a homebrew class that had such a feature (that doesn't stack with powerful build and the like) and I wanted to compare it to something that already exists. So I tweaked that class to my liking a bit and let one of the guys play it, but on the condition that I'm gonna be changing it if things go out of hand. The other players are a Swift Hunter, a Dread Necromancer, and a Cleric that outright refuses to powerplay even the tiniest bit.

I think even if you let all that stack and run around with colossal weapons, as long as that requires some ressources and your other Party members are not also meleeists, you should be fine.

A 5 Level Class that say allows to up 2 Size categories weapon only and isnt too good otherwise SHOULD be fine at msot tables.

[Silvercrys]

Yeah, that was the initial point of me asking. I've ran into a homebrew class that had such a feature (that doesn't stack with powerful build and the like) and I wanted to compare it to something that already exists. So I tweaked that class to my liking a bit and let one of the guys play it, but on the condition that I'm gonna be changing it if things go out of hand. The other players are a Swift Hunter, a Dread Necromancer, and a Cleric that outright refuses to powerplay even the tiniest bit.If you're mostly playing 3.5, it'll probably be fine. Increasing weapon size increases damage by around 1.5-3 per hit on average depending on the weapon's starting damage dice.

If you allow Pathfinder stuff it can get a little silly with Vital Strike but that's about the only way to really "break" it, and even with Greater Vital Strike (level 16) it still deals less damage than you would if you hit 4 times (which isn't super uncommon with haste and other ways of getting extra attacks at your full attack bonus). The "best" Vital Strike build is one that somehow gets multiple in a round (Four Winds Monk 12 or Overwatch Style), so as long as they aren't trying to do that it shouldn't get too out of hand.

[Rynjin]

That’s weaksauce by DSP standards. Our Stalker is combining a stance and a racial trait to wield a colossal weapons. It’s like 6d8 before bonuses. Not sure if there is an equivalent 3.5 stance.

Don't worry, on top of everything else an Aegis can do as mentioned above, Aegii can also get maneuvers not via an archetype, but by taking Customizations and then do the same thing but even biggerer.