Sword of Blatant Hypercompensation

[Samael Morgenst]

What's the biggest sword a character from a standard race can wield?

So far I found this:

* Fullblade (also called ogre's greatsword): 23 lbs heavy, requires Exotic Weapon Proficency (greatsword); from Sword and Fist.

* Exotic Weapon Proficency (heavy weapons): from 3.0 Forgotten Realms Player's Guide. Allows to wield heavier version of weapons. How much heavier? Well, the weight of iron and gold compared is this: Iron: 7.87 g/cm³ Gold: 19.32 g/cm³ Platinum: 21.45 g/cm³. So let's say 3 times heavier, a little less.

* Monkey Grip: allows to wield weapons one size larger than normal, albeit with a -2 penalty. How much relevant is a size change? Well, for creatures, the height doubles and the weight multiplies by 8... but what counts really is strenght (lifting / encumbrance limit), and this goes up by x2 multipliers. So, a weapone one size large should weight "only" twice the normal weight.

So, with two Exotic Proficency feats and Monkey Grip, a standard medium sized human can wield a Heavy Oversized Fullblade weighting roughly (23 x2 x 3): 138 lbs.

Actually, since those feats have no Strenght prerequisite (even Monkey grip just requires a +1 base attack bonus), even an elderly grey elf with Strength 1 can wield this thing.


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Suggestions to make an ever more improbably oversized weapon?

[Saintheart]

Length matters more than weight.

A Rod of Surprises (MoF) can extend out to 60 feet long, support up to 800kg in weight, and can "sprout a blade," making them into a long-handled short sword. By RAW you can get both at the same time. No indications on weight limits.

[Inevitability]

Does it need to be a sword? Characters with the Titan Bloodline variant rule eventually gain the ability to wield a gargantuan warhammer two-handed, regardless of their own size.

[Crake]

weighting roughly (23 x2 x 3): 138 lbs.

Actually, since those feats have no Strenght prerequisite (even Monkey grip just requires a +1 base attack bonus), even an elderly grey elf with Strength 1 can wield this thing.

Considering 1 str's "lift over head" weight is I believe, 10lb, they might have the SKILL to weild it, but they definitely would not even be able to lift off ground, since their limit is 20lb.

[ShurikVch]

Incorporeal items are have no weight - thus, Incorporeal character can wield even mile-long sword (as long as either they get Ghostly Grasp feat, or the sword in question is Ghost Touch)

[Curse]

Incorporeal items are have no weight - thus, Incorporeal character can wield even mile-long sword (as long as either they get Ghostly Grasp feat, or the sword in question is Ghost Touch)

😂
"What strange weapon are you wielding?!?"
"The city of manifest, why are you asking?"🤷

[StreamOfTheSky]

I find this topic's lack of Strongarm Bracers disturbing.

Also, are there any big/2H swords that have bludgeoning damage as an and/or along w/ slashing? Because then Greater Mighty Wallop becomes an option.

EDIT: Gyrspike from A&EG technically counts as a sword w/ bludgeoning damage!

[Pezzo]

A chameleon could write giant size in his spellbook and cast it with versatile spellcaster, let's say he is a duskblade/chameleon to meet the prerequisite of the feat.
He could cast shrink item and make it permanent on a colossal two handed sword, making it a large two handed sword. As a standard action he can have the sword return to its colossal size and then hug it, the next round he could cast giant size to grow himself to colossal size, affecting his equipment. I believe the world would be sitting on his sword and everything not already in touch with it would start falling upward toward the blade.

[Saintheart]

I find this topic's lack of Strongarm Bracers disturbing.

Also, are there any big/2H swords that have bludgeoning damage as an and/or along w/ slashing? Because then Greater Mighty Wallop becomes an option.

EDIT: Gyrspike from A&EG technically counts as a sword w/ bludgeoning damage!

As usual, gratuitous use of poorly-worded spells can accomplish this.

Ironwood (Drd 6, Wu Jen 6) makes you a wooden sword which does slashing damage. Make a greatsword or whatever with it.
Brambles (Drd 2, Clr 2) gives a wooden weapon piercing and bludgeoning damage.
Mighty Wallop applies to a bludgeoning weapon.

And to make the item last longer, apply Unguent of Timelessness (SRD) to it and make the spells run for months rather than minutes, since the unguent can be applied to any substance that was once living (as ironwood is).

[Morphic tide]

Half-Giant and Goliath may be splatbook material with Level Adjustment, but they're focused on player-race writeups so they're only a slight stretch as "standard". This brings in Powerful Build:

Powerful Build: The physical stature of half-giants lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category larger.

Whenever a half-giant is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the half-giant is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him.

A half-giant is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A half-giant can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.

It gives access to larger weapons by the same function as Monkey Grip without the -2 penalty. May stack with Strongarm Bracers for a Huge Heavy Full Blade weighing what seems to be 276 pounds. Takes 18 Strength to carry as a Heavy load, 21 Strength to carry as a Medium load, and 26 Strength to carry as a Light load. Goliath provides a useful +4 Strength for this.

[Ramza00]

Imbue Object w/ Flight is a 4th level spell in pathfinder for wizards and sorcerer

allows you to make a flying carpet or other up to large size and a weight limit move around via flight / telekinesis for 1 hour per level

the weight limit is the object and anything carried by it is 500 pounds per caster level (maximum 10,000 pounds).

thus a level 8 caster can do 4000 lbs like a car or a sword and surf with it , ride it, or fling it around

[StreamOfTheSky]

Half-Giant and Goliath may be splatbook material with Level Adjustment, but they're focused on player-race writeups so they're only a slight stretch as "standard". This brings in Powerful Build:


It gives access to larger weapons by the same function as Monkey Grip without the -2 penalty. May stack with Strongarm Bracers for a Huge Heavy Full Blade weighing what seems to be 276 pounds. Takes 18 Strength to carry as a Heavy load, 21 Strength to carry as a Medium load, and 26 Strength to carry as a Light load. Goliath provides a useful +4 Strength for this.

Powerful Build explicitly does not stack with Strongarm Bracers.
A Human (or Dragonborn Water Orc, or whatever) w/ Strongarm Bracers can get Enlarge Person, a Goliath or Half-Giant cannot (Expansion is an option, but more costly or requires being a psionic class). And doesn't have a level adjustment.

[Morphic tide]

Powerful Build explicitly does not stack with Strongarm Bracers.
A Human (or Dragonborn Water Orc, or whatever) w/ Strongarm Bracers can get Enlarge Person, a Goliath or Half-Giant cannot (Expansion is an option, but more costly or requires being a psionic class). And doesn't have a level adjustment.

...Brain was stuck on Totemist soulmelds, apparently.