Its not the size that matters....

[AxeD]

Do you think it's reasonable to consider the great sword and the long sword to be the same weapon in regards to weapon focuses & weapon specialisations?

I was looking at the weapon size section of the SRD and noticed that a large sized long sword does the same damage as a medium sized great sword. In fact, when you increase each wepon by an increment in size, they have the same corresponding damage. (ie, a huge l.sword & large g.sword does 3d6 damage, a colossal l.sword & gargantuan g.sword does 6d6 damage)

When you consider that they have the same critical hit range and modifiers and that the weight is the same (l.sword weighs 4 pounds, g.sword weighs 8 pounds, when you go up an increment, you double the weight, therefore a large l.sword would weigh the same as a medium g.sword) it seems to be that the great sword is only a increased size of the longsword.

The only difference I can note, is that the long sword costs 15 gp and the great sword costs 50 gp. (Normally you double the cost of the weapon when you increase the size.)

So theorectically, could a fighter have a long sword weapon focus and apply that bonus when he wields a great sword? Would there be a difference if the fighter held a large sized long sword in two hands or if he held a medium great sword in two hands? What about if he held a medium longsword in one hand or a small sized great sword in one hand?

Anyone know if this is referenced in any sources?

[WarKitty]

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere rules for scaling weapons up/down, so a medium dagger might be a small short-sword, etc. Arms & Equipment guide I think?

[Chipp Zanuff]

The closest I can think of are the Great Falchion and Great Scimitar in Sandstorm, but that's probably where you got the idea.


I don't view it as game-breaking to allow. The Weapon Focus line needs love badly. This isn't a good way to fix it though.

[TimeWizard]

honestly how often is it going to come up? you really get committed to one or the other

[Aran Banks]

Make life easier on yourself...

[Marnath]

A greatsword is a lot different than a longsword in how it's wielded. The most glaring difference is obviously the fact you have to use both hands to swing it, but there's others too.

[Peregrine]

In 3.5e, a longsword is a longsword, no matter what size it is. A human wields a Large longsword in two hands (like a greatsword), and it deals 2d6 damage (like a greatsword), but it's still a longsword for all feat and proficiency purposes. He might get a +1 from Weapon Focus, but he takes a -2 for size difference, so he'd be better off with a properly-sized greatsword.

The DMG has a variant rule for weapon equivalencies (p.27), which lets you wield a Large longsword as a Medium greatsword. This section specifically says that it's a variant rule because different weapons are wielded differently. You don't wield a longsword like either a greatsword or a dagger, and if you tried wielding a Huge dagger as a Medium longsword, it wouldn't be very effective. (The implication is that you can wield a Huge dagger like a dagger, benefiting from all proficiencies and feats, but taking the -4 size difference penalty.)

[Kylarra]

There's also Weapon Groups, which is a variant that I tend to use.

[SilverLeaf167]

Peregrine: Yes, I think there are a few things that make weapon equivelancies a little funny.

1. The centers of mass are in different spots; in a greatsword it's probably in the tip to increase the power of a swing, while in a longsword it's either in the hilt or the middle of the blade to make it more balanced.
2. A Medium longsword and Medium greatsword probably have hilts of about the same size, the blade is just a different size. Thus, a Large longsword might be as long as a Medium greatsword, but would have a much larger hilt.

There's another one, but I can't seem to remember it right now.

[hamishspence]

I thought it was the other way round- longswords have short hilts like arming swords, and to grasp two handed, you need to grip the pommel-

whereas Greatswords are more like claymores or zweihanders- with a hilt much longer, proportionally.

[SilverLeaf167]

Perhaps, but when a weapon grows, the hilt grows proportionally. In this case, the length of the hilt doesn't really have any effect; but it's pretty hard to get a good grip on something as thick as your arm.

[Greenish]

I thought it was the other way round- longswords have short hilts like arming swords, and to grasp two handed, you need to grip the pommel-

whereas Greatswords are more like claymores or zweihanders- with a hilt much longer, proportionally.

They're what you fluff them to be.

[hamishspence]

Well, Arms & Equipment Guide fluffs them as claymores, zweihanders, flamberges, no-dachi, etc.