Thu May 08, 2014 8:59 am
Re: Two Weapon Fighting
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| EileenProphetofIstus wrote: |
I have a Cleric who uses a quarter staff which is a double weapon. As a 11th level cleric I get two attacks.
Base Attack bonuses: +8/+3
Strength 8: applies a -1 penalty to attacks and damage
Normal Two-Handed Penalties: -6 primary hand and -10 secondary hand |
A double weapon, like the staff, counts as a light weapon in your off-hand when using it two-handed, so your penalties for two-weapon fighting are reduced to -4/-4 (from -6/-10).
If you take the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, those penalties are reduced further by 2 each: to -2/-2.
Adding the -1 penalty for your low Strength puts you at -3/-3.
Applying that to your BAB, you have two attacks with your primary hand at +5 and +0 and a single off-hand attack at +5, or a total of 3 attacks at +5/+5/+0. Of course, you now add any magic, spell, etc. modifiers that apply.
In other words, fighting with a second weapon in your off-hand simply gives you a single extra attack with the weapon in that hand (the other end of your staff), albeit at the cost of an attack (To Hit) penalty with both hands.
Now...
| Quote: |
Page 113 under Double Weapons States: The character can also choose to use a double weapon two-handed attacking with only one end of it, most wizards who wield quarterstaffs use them this way.
Does this mean I strike with one end of the weapon twice in one round since I receive two attacks because of my level? |
Yes. As I pointed out above, when making a Full Attack Action, you can always strike twice with the staff counting both attacks as your primary hand. Those attacks use your two BAB bonuses. You do not have to use the extra attack with your off-hand end of the staff. If you forego the off-hand attack, you do not suffer the two-weapon fighting penalties mentioned above. That is why wizards frequently forego an off-hand attack and only attack with their primary hand with a staff - because they can't hit anything if they suffer all those two-weapon fighting penalties. 
Whenever you choose to use the other end of the staff as a weapon in your off-hand to make an additional attack in any round, you only get one extra attack, but you use your best BAB (+8) to figure it.
If you eventually take Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, that feat simply allows you to make a second attack with your off-hand every round. So, in the above example, you'd get two attacks with your primary hand at +5 and two attacks with your off-hand at +0 for a total of 4 attacks at +5/+5/+0/+0.
Hope that is clear. 
SirXaris
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