Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rykler 06-26-07, 08:04 PM	Well, I was recently thinking that a scythe or a spear should not be just limited to piercing or slashing damage. They should also gain blunt damage as well. My reasoning is this: On the other side of were teh scythe blade ishard oak or some wood of the kind. Also, there is the butt of the weapon. I feel you should be able to use this, but with a heavier penalty. For example, you are fighting skeletons with a spear. A spear is a piercing weapons, and piercing weapons do not do very well against skeletons. You could use the but of the spear to strike damage to the skeleton. To make this balanced, however, maybe a attack penalty and a lesser hit dice should be used. I don't know, just throwing my two cents in...sorry if it sounds stupid.
NeueRegel 06-26-07, 08:22 PM	I wrote this about a year ago. It is my writing, not to be confused with ANYTHING official. But as a feat, at least it spells out what I think you want. WEAPON GENERALIZATION [GENERAL] Prerequisites: Int 13, Proficiency with all simple and martial weapons, base attack bonus +4. Benefit: You better understand how to exploit all of the attributes of any given weapon in combat, by applying your experience and familiarity with all weapon types. Slashing or Piercing: The following weapons may be treated as such, in the same manner as dagger, halberd, and scythe (player's choice at time of attack): Shortsword Longsword Scimitar Falchion Greatsword Bastard sword (but does not grant exotic proficiency) Two bladed sword (but does not grant proficiency) Spear, melee only (but presumes broadbladed construction) Pommelled and Hafted weapons: At no penalty*, the wielder may use light and one-handed weapons' pommels as gauntlet-equivalent** bludgeoning damage, one-handed hafts as club bludgeoning damage, and non-reach two-handed hafts as quarterstaff bludgeoning damage. Pommel attacks may be substituted for normal attacks at will; But with hafted weapons, the player must "Declare": This being the equivalent of drawing a weapon (a move action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity) to switch between these combat modes, or alternately, in the case of two-handed hafted weapons only, apply two-weapon fighting rules. (does not grant the two-weapon fighting feat). * But, at no weapon-specific feat bonuses either. ** But considered an armed attack. Lance: At no penalty, unmounted, a lance may be treated as a longspear when set to receive a charge. Longspear: At no penalty, a longspear may be treated as a lance when used from the back of a charging mount, except that it cannot be wielded with one hand. Normal: A character without the Weapon Generalization feat is limited to wielding weapons only in the manner and techniques traditionally taught. Special: A fighter may select Weapon Generalization as one of his fighter bonus feats. Addendum: Magical Weapons: While such a weapon is enchanted as a whole, only its significant portion actually carries the enhancement bonus. Thus, the pommel of a dagger, or the haft of a spear, is considered non-magical for combat purposes. Likewise, some magical weapon special abilities are type dependent; Thus, a keen, vorpal longsword +2 used for a piercing attack functions only as a keen longsword +2. It is possible that exceptional weapons might be created, applying the creation rules and costs for double weapons.
TheDarkLord 06-26-07, 08:25 PM	I use the bastard sword type mechanic for spears, for a scythe, I'm not to sure about considering the weight is focused on the "slashing" head. As a Simple weapon it only deals piercing damage, as a Martial weapon it's considered a double weapon and deals 1d6/1d6 piercing/bludgeoning.
Raymond_Luxury_Yacht 06-26-07, 10:34 PM	A scythe pole really isn't balanced for hitting people with it.
Radiun 06-26-07, 10:46 PM	A scythe pole really isn't balanced for hitting people with it. What i you hold it more like a longsword, with blade below your fist?
Waterhammer 06-26-07, 11:47 PM	Not only should spears be able to attack for bludgeoning Dmg, they should also be double weapons. Except the longspear of course. Due to the danger of gouging oneself with the sharpened bit, the short, and standard spear would do only 1d4(M) Dmg of bludgeoning. If the EWP feat is taken for the spear, the bludgeoning Dmg would kick up to 1d6. Any spear used as a double weapon is treated as a two-handed weapon. IMO, of course. :cool:
dengarbountyhunter 06-28-07, 10:14 AM	The weapon isn't DESIGNED to be a double weapon, balance-wise at least and probably realistic-wise. I would treat the blunt end as an "impromptu" weapon; the impromptu vs. improvised weapon is a system designed by somebody on these boards, I give all credits to him despite the fact that I don't remember who it was. Basically, impromptu weapons are like already existing weapons and give a -2 penalty to hit, while improvised weapons are not weapons at all and impose a -4 penalty to hit. A chair leg is pretty much like a club. Impromptu. A ladder is pretty much like nothing existing. Improvised. So, the blunt end of a spear would count as an impromptu quarterstaff (used in two hands and not double only).
tarkin 06-28-07, 11:19 AM	There is a feat that lets you use them as a double weapon, off hand being a blunt weapon. It should DEFINITELY be required. There is no way an untrained person could use the weapon like that. You need training and training = a feat. Just take the existing feat.
NickResonance 06-28-07, 02:32 PM	I have an old Dragon magazine kicking around (And I mean old, it's for AD&D) that actually addressed this. Damned if I can remember the article name, but it was about giving magical weapons to lower-level PCs without giving them too much power. One of the weapon enhancements it lists is bladehammer/piercing head. Basically, the weapon behaves as whatever type it normally is most of the time. But, if it comes up against something that had a resistance to its normal type of damage, it would change its type to blunt (for a slashing weapon) or piercing (for a blunt weapon). As an example, we'll take a longsword, which is a slashing weapon, with the bladehammer property. It behaves as a slashing weapon in all respects. However, if you were to attack a skeleton with it, it would behave as though it were a blunt weapon (skeletons taking less damage from slashing attacks). This might not be exactly what everyone else has in mind, and I don't think it's been converted to 3.5 rules. I just thought I would throw it out there. If someone feels like writing some rules for it, that would be cool.
ninjasuperspy 06-28-07, 03:06 PM	There is a feat for this in the Dragon Compendium, just use that. There were a large amount of feats for the spear/halberd user, as far as I remember, one to attack closer foes, one to use the weapon to aid a jump, pretty much coveres all of the situation X's that could result from "I think I can use my spear to X."
Waterhammer 06-29-07, 12:17 AM	The weapon isn't DESIGNED to be a double weapon, balance-wise at least and probably realistic-wise. If the balance mechanic disallows something that can be done IRL the mechanic is broken. The spear can easily be used as a double weapon IRL. There is no way an untrained person could use the weapon like that. You need training and training = a feat. Shouldn't have to waste a feat to do something so easy as as use a shortspear as a double weapon. Of all the double weapons in D&D excepting the Quarterstaff, the shortspear makes far, and away the most sense. A double flail? You have got to be kidding me. A double sword? Make it a double spear, it would work. That double axe thing? I don't know which is more silly. The dire flail, or the orc double axe. The Urgosh? Might just work...
Johannixx 06-29-07, 02:11 AM	I'd say you could treat a spear as a Martial double weapon that deals 1d8 20x3 Slashing/Piercing with the primary head, and 1d6 20x2 Bludgeoning with the butt. That puts it right in between the power level of the Quarterstaff (1d6/1d6 20x2, Simple) and the exotic doubles (1d8/1d8 20x3 or 19-20x2, Exotic).
wonlee76 06-29-07, 11:23 AM	The Spinning Halberd feat does something like this. The blunt side could be used as an extra attack. Relatively hefty feat pre-reqs. Take a look at that feat to design similar feats for other wooden hafted type weapons that might work in a similar way as a halberd.
Priest_of_Doom 06-29-07, 11:55 AM	In the recent "Age of Wyrms" adventure path in Dungeon Magazine there was a weapon called the Axe of Kyuss or the Mace of Kyuss (I don't have it in front of me). Basically it is a morning star with an axe blade welded onto the head, and maybe a pointy bit on the top. It's an exotic one handed weapon and can be used to do either slashing or bludgeoning damage. 1d8 I believe.
Raymond_Luxury_Yacht 06-29-07, 12:35 PM	What i you hold it more like a longsword, with blade below your fist? Still no. Also, you'd slash your hand open.