Best Class/Prestige class For wielding 2 handed weapons

[Aeromyre]

Is there a class that gives you bonuses for using a 2 handed weapon? Or even a class that specializes in using them exclusively with abilities only usable when wielding a 2 handed weapon?

Thanks in advance

NOTE: I mean for 3.5/PF

[Keld Denar]

Anything with full BAB is what you are looking for. About the only thing that gives you extra bonus out of it is Frenzied Berzerker, which increases your bonus from 2 handed PA to 3:1 and finally 4:1 at 10th level.

[Gametime]

Frenzied Berserker makes Power Attack better, and Power Attack already favors two-handed weapons, but that requires you to have a barbarian base.

[Jokasti]

Two Handed Ranger?

[Aeromyre]

Two Handed Ranger?

I did think of ranger but they're more Dex based and i love weapon finesse and couldn't have a ranger without it.

I think i will go for the frenzied berserker pretty suiting for a minotaur anyways.

[gallagher]

Take that prestige class from miniatures handbook that gives you +2 strength instead of bab. Then take the feat that let's you take away armor bonus instead of bab for power attack. You hit just as efficiently and hit harder and make them hurt more. Take exotic weapon prof for the jovar and make it keen, also get strongarm bracers

[Gametime]

Take that prestige class from miniatures handbook that gives you +2 strength instead of bab. Then take the feat that let's you take away armor bonus instead of bab for power attack. You hit just as efficiently and hit harder and make them hurt more. Take exotic weapon prof for the jovar and make it keen, also get strongarm bracers

Shock Trooper doesn't change the fact that Power Attack is limited by your BAB. War Hulk isn't bad in a low optimization game (and extra strength is certainly nice with two-handed weapons), but the lack of iteratives starts to hurt quickly.

[gallagher]

Shock Trooper doesn't change the fact that Power Attack is limited by your BAB. War Hulk isn't bad in a low optimization game (and extra strength is certainly nice with two-handed weapons), but the lack of iteratives starts to hurt quickly.

Take only 4 levels of it so you still get your final attack. As I recall you can gt into frenzied berserker after level 6. So go barb 4/fighter 2/ frenzied berserker 10/ war hulk 4

[okpokalypse]

Psychic Warrior w/ a 2H Weapon with "Sizing"

2 Feats: Expand Knowledge - Metamorphosis, Linked Power.

At the high end you can Linked Power Metamorphosis (War Troll) & Expansion.

You go Large Sized w/ a 35? Str 1st Round and hit Gargantuan Next with a Colossal Weapon (Gotta fight oversized). In most cases you're looking at having in excess of 50 Str at this point (+30 Dam w/ 2H Wp), doing 8d6 Weapon Damage (which should be Vampiric at this point). Add in Enchantment Bonuses, some Energy Damage and what have you and you're looking at ~70 Damage a hit BEFORE Power Attack.

Oh, and every strike Dazes as well. Enjoy that!

There's beardy ways to do it quicker via a PW / Ardent combo - but just straight PW works well. The one thing you won't get that way is Temporal Accelleration - which you can get with a PW 4 / Ardent XX. The PW Part is just necessary for getting a few bonus feats and PW powers.

[Pluto]

Take only 4 levels of it so you still get your final attack. As I recall you can gt into frenzied berserker after level 6. So go barb 4/fighter 2/ frenzied berserker 10/ war hulk 4

?
4 levels Warhulk: +6 damage/hit
4 levels in any full BA class: +16 damage/hit (+32 on a charge)

[gallagher]

?
4 levels Warhulk: +6 damage/hit
4 levels in any full BA class: +16 damage/hit (+32 on a charge)

I was assuming that thy go with shock trooper for their PA, and at level 20 one will have vast options to have an armor bonus in excess of 30

[PairO'Dice Lost]

I was assuming that thy go with shock trooper for their PA, and at level 20 one will have vast options to have an armor bonus in excess of 30

You still can't PA away more than your BAB, regardless of what your AC is; Shock Trooper doesn't change that.

[gallagher]

You still can't PA away more than your BAB, regardless of what your AC is; Shock Trooper doesn't change that.

Looks like I learned something new today :)

[Anxe]

Going Ranger to get Favored Enemy and then taking Favored Enemy Power Attack feat helps too. We're still just talking about Power Attack instead of two handed, but they should be the same thing.

[Person_Man]

In my opinion, TWF is an inefficient method of maximizing damage. Having a ridiculously high Dex, spending feats on the TWF tree, and spending gp on an extra magic weapon will not net you as much damage as more traditional methods of maximizing Str, spending feats on the Power Attack and things that multiply damage, and spending gp on your primary weapon. So while Frenzied Berserker and whatnot will certainly be playable, they won't be as optimal as a two handed version of the same build.

My preference for TWF is that you should focus on effects that require lots of attacks to be effective. That means status effects (Staggering Strike, Boomerang Daze, Dire Flail Smash, Three Mountains Style), and ability damage (Wounding, Maiming Strike, Mind Cripple, Crippling Strike).

So look for classes and PrC with class abilities that grant such effects. Of the top of my head - Any ToB class, Rogue, Psychic Rogue, Incarnate, Binder, Ironsoul Forgemaster, Kensai, Anointed Knight, Master of Masks, and any full caster with decent BAB (or a workaround via Divine Power or a Skillful weapon) with a weapon-like spell.

[Quietus]

Does Exotic Weapon Master not also give you some kind of additional strength bonus to power attack? A barb/fighter/frenzied berserking/exotic weapon master could do some pretty brutal damage.

[Greenish]

Take exotic weapon prof for the jovar

I wouldn't burn a feat for a slightly higher damage dice on your weapon. The damage increase for a charger will be minimal.

Now, for an exotic weapon worth a feat, a Ribbon Falchion would be awesome.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Ribbon is for weapons made out of Kaorti resin right? hmm a keen ribbon falchion 15-20 X4 .... add some nice enchantments like collision ( +20 damage on crits extra PA damage non withstanding sign me up)

[unre9istered]

War Hulk would be great in a gestalt game...

[Aeromyre]

NWN2, but i did happen to have the Minitures handbook.
I am the DM and I wanted to make a minotaur, CR 9 so i'll add 5 ranks of War Hulk, since he's a large creature anyways.
thanks for your help

[Keld Denar]

Does Exotic Weapon Master not also give you some kind of additional strength bonus to power attack?

Uncanny Blow. It gives you 2x Str modifier when you use a 1handed exotic weapon in both hands, and debatably gives you 2:1 PA when you use it it only one hand. Wording is really funky though, and parsed all wrong. If it were a line of code, the return would by SYNTAX ERROR.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Wording is really funky though, and parsed all wrong. If it were a line of code, the return would by SYNTAX ERROR.

Let's face it, a compiler meant to parse RPG books would probably commit suicide by frying your hard drive the first time you tried to send a WotC book through it.

[AtwasAwamps]

Let's face it, a compiler meant to parse RPG books would probably commit suicide by frying your hard drive the first time you tried to send a WotC book through it.

It would try to take you with it if you started with an Old World of Darkness book.

I hate you White Wolf.

[Tengu_temp]

In my opinion, TWF is an inefficient method of maximizing damage.

The OP is asking for a class good for wielding a two-handed weapon, though, not dual-wielding. And the correct answer is: all of them. Wielding a two-hander is the best tactic after, let's say, level 4 (it's more or less equal to sword'n'board before that). Barbarian/Frenzied Berserker with Leap Attack and Shock Trooper is a classic build for dealing a crapload of damage, but Frenzy is not a very party-friendly ability.

[gallagher]

The OP is asking for a class good for wielding a two-handed weapon, though, not dual-wielding. And the correct answer is: all of them. Wielding a two-hander is the best tactic after, let's say, level 4 (it's more or less equal to sword'n'board before that). Barbarian/Frenzied Berserker with Leap Attack and Shock Trooper is a classic build for dealing a crapload of damage, but Frenzy is not a very party-friendly ability.

It's not bad for a party with a caster or someone who can umd a scroll of dominate person

[Kaiyanwang]

War Hulk would be great in a gestalt game...

I did a Mountain troll Boss monster with war hulk once. With a bit of mineral warrior. Over -CR and with will save defenses. Scary.

*smiles while remebers how many times the troll did beat players*

[Tengu_temp]

It's not bad for a party with a caster or someone who can umd a scroll of dominate person

That wastes party resources, though, and there's still some risk of annoying accidents. Having a slightly weaker power charger who only kills the enemy two times over, not three, is a preferable alternative. And less annoying to the party.

[Paul H]

Hi

In Pathfinder (Chronicles) there is a Cleric subclass (Holy Warrior I think), that grants full BAB, D10 HP/lvl, but loses Domains & Domain powers.

Power attack also works differently. You don't choose how much - it's decided on your BAB. You also get 3 per -1/to hit. Max -6 for +18 damage at lvl 20.

So, extra feats at odd numbered levels. Use spells to augment. Divine Pwr grants +1 Luck bonus/3 lvls to attacks, damage, Str checks/skills . Plus bonus HP. Lasts 1 rnd/lvl

Cheers
Paul H

[Dr Bwaa]

I did think of ranger but they're more Dex based and i love weapon finesse and couldn't have a ranger without it.

I think i will go for the frenzied berserker pretty suiting for a minotaur anyways.

Unless you're allowed to buy off LA/RHD or this is a gestalt game, Minotaur is probably not a great idea--you lose a lot of BAB that you should be converting into damage. If your DM will let you, take the half-minotaur template instead (DR 313 I believe) and buy off the LA right away to get that all-important BAB.

[Keld Denar]

I think you missed the part about him being the DM. That kind makes LA buyoff a moot point...