As I fiddle with my back-up character (the last session came really close to a tpk) I have been investigating the differences between 2 handed and two weapon fighting.
Two Weapon Fighting
Pros: Looks cool. Good for many opponents with no DR and low AC. Exceeds damage of two handed style only at higher levels (14+). Many changes to land crit feats if you are using a high crit range weapon.
Cons: Requires a ton of feats to out perform 2-Handed. Requires both a high dex and high str to be effective. Lower chance to hit and low damage on each swing means DR is a problem. Only decent on a full attack.
Two Handed Fighting
Pros: Only need high str. Works best against 1 or 2 opponents. DR less of a problem. The Vital Strike feats make even attack standard actions good damage. Effective with few feats (Power Attack essential). Higher chance to hit for much bigger damage.
Cons: Large weapons cannot be used in a grapple/confined spaces. Fewer swings mean less chance to land critical hits.
Fred Funk's OD&D Set
2 weeks ago
3 comments:
I'm firmly in the "two-handed weapon" camp myself, unless I'm playing a ranger, of course. The addition of the Vital Strike feat (and its improved derivatives) as well as the 1.5 x Str modifier to damage makes a one-strike-one-kill a serious possibility against some opponents. Throw in Improved Critical and Critical Focus, with a x3 crit weapon and you're looking at truly staggering damage potential.
I think 2X and a bigger crit range is better. While it nice to occasionally smack something for 90 points of damage, I think you are often going to over kill things. I think it would be better to smack things for 60 more often. Less wasted damage.
That's true, although sometimes you just have to set the calculator aside and immerse yourself in the pure pleasure of ridiculously excessive destruction.
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