Ultimate-ish Two weapon build

[DrizztFan24]

So If I were to have a two weapon build (dual rapiers, DM counts rapiers as being off hand for some reason) and had stats of
STR:13
DEX:18
CON:16
INT:15
WIS:15
CHA:11
what would be my best option to gain back my attack bonus? I've heard of TWF, ITWF, GTWF, and perfect two-weapon fighting, ambidexteiry, and twin weapon style but I'm not sure what the bonuses are for anything past Greater.

[Person_Man]

Ambidexterity? Are you playing 3.0? If so, at lot of the advice you get on this board will be confusing, since most people play 3.5 (or 2nd ed).

Also, just to clarify your first sentence, are you saying that your DM counts rapiers as light weapons when wielded in your off hand, but as one handed weapons when wielded in your primary hand? That would reduce your attack penalty when using TWF, but prevent you from using Power Attack. There's no need for that house rule, btw. There's a feat called Oversized Two Weapon Fighting that lets you fight with a one handed weapon in your off hand without additional penalty, retaining your ability to use Power Attack with it.

[Xefas]

If you're willing to use two daggers, kukris, or kamas, then I'm pretty sure you can reduce the penalty for dual-wielding to zero with the Bloodclaw Master.

The normal penalties are -6/-10

Two-Weapon Fighting feat brings it down to -4/-4

Light Off-Hand Weapon reduces it to -2/-2

The second level ability from Bloodclaw Master reduces the penalty to -0/-0 if you're wielding daggers, kukris, or kamas.

[DrizztFan24]

The DM said that he will count rapiers as an off-hand weapon when wielded in the off-hand. I've never sued power attack anyways so I won't care if I lose it.

We are playing 3.5, but I may be able to persuade the DM to let me include other feats or make my own spin offs

[kemmotar]

As was said, a full BAB class, such as warblade, with the bloodclaw master PrC will reduce your penalty to 0. Also, the multiheaded template from savage species gives you superior two weapon fighting thus making the offhand a main hand, thus with BAB 10, you would be getting 2 attacks with each weapon...This also has no need for you to take any TWF feats thus freeing up slots for feats. You also get improved initiative free which is always good.

Then they dervish PrC is also a good choice. Maybe a way to get pounce to maximize damage, so a one level dip in lion totem barbarian or the feral template if you don't mind the -4 int...

Though a multiheaded feral X would be kinda overkill...but fun

[NEO|Phyte]

Personally, my take on an 'ultimate' TWF build is a Warblade 5/Bloodstorm Blade 4/Bloodclaw Master2/War Mind 5, seasoned to taste (you need some filler levels after the first two PrCs to be able to get the required skills for War Mind)

Near-full BAB, no TWF penalties with certain weapons, limited ranged ability without having to switch weapons OR sacrifice your TWF full attack, and having every melee attack you make (which can include your thrown attacks) target 2 adjacent squares, rather than just a single creature.

[Draz74]

what would be my best option to gain back my attack bonus? I've heard of TWF, ITWF, GTWF, and perfect two-weapon fighting, ambidexteiry, and twin weapon style but I'm not sure what the bonuses are for anything past Greater.

The biggest thing to keep in mind about two-weapon fighting styles is that you need to boost your damage as much as possible. Sneak Attack is the easiest way, and magic weapons (Flaming, Shock, Wounding) are good too. Reducing your attack penalty isn't as important.

Ambidexterity doesn't exist in 3.5. Its benefit got absorbed into normal TWF in the edition change.

Perfect TWF is an Epic feat. It can only be taken if your character gets to Level 21 or higher. Even then, it just continues the ITWF/GTWF line of feats, and lets you attack with your off-hand anytime you attack with your primary hand.

I can find no feat named Twin Weapon Style. Twin Sword Style I can find; actually, three versions of it. One you wouldn't care about at all with your build (it's for specific non-rapier swords). The other two just give you a benefit similar to the Dodge feat (+2 AC vs. one opponent) when you fight with two swords. Not especially powerful, and they have weird prerequisites (one of them can only be taken at 1st level, because it's a Regional feat).

If you're trying to get rid of your -2 attack penalty, there is no feat that will help you, but there are two PrCs that will do so as a special ability. They are Tempest and Bloodclaw Master. Bloodclaw Master is the better of the two, and easier to get into, but it is from a newer, less-widely-accepted sourcebook (Tome of Battle).

Another huge advantage for TWF types is to be able to move and make a full attack in the same round. Again, Tome of Battle offers a number of maneuvers that let you do this. If that book isn't an option, though, you could look at Dervish (a PrC in Complete Warrior) as someone else recommended.

[DrizztFan24]

OK, I think I found some that would work on dandwiki.com, from what I can tell they are homebrew but seem to high on the sites Balance-O'-Meter (bottom left of each entry)

Improved Weapon Finesse

You've become more reliant on agility rather than strength when it comes to damage.

Prerequisite:Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (any finessed weapon), base attack bonus +4


Benefit:Select one finessed melee weapon with which you have Weapon Focus. When you wield that weapon, you may apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to damage rolls made with it. You cannot apply your Dexterity bonus to damage rolls against creatures that are immune to critical hits.

Normal:When using a melee weapon, you apply your Strength modifier to damage rolls.

Special:You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of finessed melee weapon with which you have Weapon Focus.


Twin Weapon Fighting

You can wield a matching pair of weapons, one in each hand, with extraordinary ability.

Prerequisite:Two-Weapon Fighting, Base attack bonus +6

Benefit:Choose a one-handed weapon, based on your size. When wielding one of the chosen weapons in each hand, you suffer only a -2 attack penalty with both weapons.

Normal:With the Two-Weapon Fighting feat and a one-handed weapon, you get a -4 penalty on attacks with both weapons.

Two-Weapon Focus
Two-weapon fighting is easier for you when fighting with two matching weapons.

Prerequisite:Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (any one-handed or light weapon), Dexterity 15, base attack bonus +2

Benefit:Select one one-handed or light weapon that you have Weapon Focus with. When you wield one weapon in each hand, the penalty for two-weapon fighting is reduced by 1, or by 2 if the weapon is light.

Normal:The penalty for two-weapon fighting is -4 for both attacks if you have the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, or -2 for both attacks if the off-hand weapon is light.

Special:You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon that you have Weapon Focus with.

A fighter may select Two-Weapon Focus as one of his fighter bonus feats.


Bye-bye attack penalty and I still get full dex bonus dmg.