Discussion:Can a half-giant wield two bastard swords?

Can a half-giant wield two bastard swords?

Summerscythe

My friend and I are both DMs, we switch campaigns every so often, and now it's my turn. He created a half-giant fighter who weilds two bastard swords. Now the powerful build ability says a half-giant can wield a weapon one size larger without penalty I think. But, does that effect his ability with medium weapons? Could a half-giant weilds two bastard swords? The powerful build ability gets a tad confusing.

Sledged-20080430135309

Sledged (talk) 2008 April 30 13:53 (MDT)

I'm guessing you mean two Medium bastard swords. Yes, he can, but probably not the way he thinks he can. Powerful build has no effect on weapons made for the creature's size. It only effects weapons made for creatures one size larger, and that's it. A half-giant wields Medium bastard swords the same way any other Medium creature wields Medium bastard swords; he can wield it as a two-handed martial weapon. If he has the feat Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), he can wield it as a one-handed weapon without penalty. Note that it can't be wielded one-handed at all without Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), not even with a −4 penalty. The benefit of powerful build is that he can wield Large bastard swords the exact same way he can wield Medium bastard swords. Variant rule: If you use the weapon equivalence variant rule in the DMG (I forget what page; check the index), he can wield them as two one-handed weapons. Optionally, if he has EWP (bs), he can wield them as two light weapons.

There's no better laugh than the one that you're ashamed to share with your mother. —Stephen Notley, creator of Bob the Angry Flower A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof was to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. —Ford Prefect in "Mostly Harmless" by Douglas Adams

MorkaisChosen 07:50, 11 May 2008 (MDT)

Mechanically for a Half-Giant, it'd be exactly the same to use Large Longswords- the only difference being that they're Martial, not Exotic.

Add Oversized TWF and you're away!

Sledged-20080515163419

Sledged (talk) 2008 May 15 16:34 (MDT)

No. Unless you use the weapon equivalence variant rule in the DMG, a half-giant's powerful build gives no benefit with Medium weapons, not even bastard swords. He would still have to have EWP in order to wield it one-handed. Even if you use the the variant rule, he'd be better off with two Medium greatswords (or Large longswords) instead.

There's no better laugh than the one that you're ashamed to share with your mother. —Stephen Notley, creator of Bob the Angry Flower A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof was to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. —Ford Prefect in "Mostly Harmless" by Douglas Adams

Eiji 18:35, 15 May 2008 (MDT)

It's even better if he uses two Grand Pianos!

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