Two-weapon defense question

[Scarlet-Devil]

Two-weapon defense says it gives the shield bonus when "wielding" two weapons (or a double weapon); does this mean that you get the bonus in a round when you attack with both weapons, or simply all the time as long as you have both weapons in hand?

Basically I'm wondering if you can choose to make attacks with one weapon (without the penalties from two weapon fighting) and still keep the bonus, i.e. you decide to make a single attack with your main hand weapon before using your move action to retreat or move to the next enemy.

[Gavinfoxx]

It's a shield bonus, all the time.

Honestly, it's a piece of junk crappy feat, one of many feat taxes to be mediocre at two weapon fighting, one of the most feat intensive and least useful weapon fighting styles in the game...

[Greenish]

one of many feat taxes to be mediocre at two weapon fighting

A feat tax is a crappy feat you have to take for some purpose.

One you're better off not taking, but which might look useful, is usually called a trap feat.

Note also that TWD's bonus doesn't stack with actual shield (animated is cheap), and can't be enchanted.

[Gavinfoxx]

A feat tax is a crappy feat you have to take for some purpose.

One you're better off not taking, but which might look useful, is usually called a trap feat.

Note also that TWD's bonus doesn't stack with actual shield (animated is cheap), and can't be enchanted.

Okay okay, feat trap then, I'm sorry for getting the semantics wrong..

[Greenish]

Okay okay, feat trap then, I'm sorry for getting the semantics wrong..

You just made it sound like one is required to take it to be mediocre at TWF.

[Yuki Akuma]

You're wielding a weapon when it's ready to attack with - both hands on a two-handed weapon, and so on. So a one-handed weapon or light weapon is considered wielded as long as you're not, like, holding it with a hand that's also holding a shield, or something.

You can get the bonus from Two-Weapon Defense (or from a Defending weapon) without ever using it to attack.

[gorfnab]

Improved Buckler Defense (CW) might be a better option for you to look into. It's fairly easy to enchant a buckler if you want more AC. Spending feats for Two Weapon Defense is kind of a waste for most build unless you're really trying to focus on defensive fighting, and even then they're still a feat tax.

[panaikhan]

there was an exotic weapon from 2e (Dark Sun) that was basically a short-sword strapped to a buckler, that you tied on the end of your arm.
The weapon counted as 'piecemeal' armour, not a shield bonus.
If you wore two of these, you'd get an AC increase from each one, and then you could apply your TWD bonus.
I'm not sure how you would rule enchanting the defence quality though. I'm not sure how the piecemeal armour mechanic would work in 3.x

[Greenish]

there was an exotic weapon from 2e (Dark Sun) that was basically a short-sword strapped to a buckler, that you tied on the end of your arm.
The weapon counted as 'piecemeal' armour, not a shield bonus.
If you wore two of these, you'd get an AC increase from each one, and then you could apply your TWD bonus.
I'm not sure how you would rule enchanting the defence quality though. I'm not sure how the piecemeal armour mechanic would work in 3.x

OA has a couple of pieces of armour that work with light armours.

Races of Stone has the gnome turtle blade (or something to that effect), which is a buckler and a short sword combined. There's also a dwarven buckler axe somewhere, perhaps even in the same book.