Rules Question: Size and Weapons

[similar]

This is probably something all of you who use these rules all the time just know but if someone could just confirm or clarify.

My character Tamlin is a halfling. That makes him small.

So all weapons he uses have to be small.

He can use 1H medium weapons but in 2 hands at -2.

Is this correct? Is there anyway to not have such a penalty?

For example it would make sense to me that if a Halfling had sufficiently high STR he could wield a bigger then normal weapon no problem.

I was just wondering because of the +2 Mighty Cleaving Unholy Longsword we just found. I wondered weither it was practical to covet it or not.

[K Man]

The feat you are looking for is called Monkey Grip. Essentially, it requires a BaB +1, but allows you to wield a weapon one size-category larger with the -2 penalty, but still as a one-handed weapon. If you have a large long sword as a medium character with monkey grip, you use it one-handed still, but you get a -2 to hit with it.

The Mighty Cleaving only works with a character that has cleave, the unholy only works on good aligned monsters/characters, the +2 works all the time. Honestly, to me, the sword is not worth the feat....but there may be others like it. Who knows.

Others may think differently.

[Japic]

Hey mon, KMan's reponse seemed a bit wordy, so I'll boil it down.

Assuming you have marshal (longsword) weapon proficiency you can wield the sword. If not, it's -4 right off the top.

Being one size category smaller you must wield it two handed.

Being smaller you automatically incur the -2 penalty for it being inappropriately sized for you. (cumulative of course with the -4 for non proficiency if applicable)

With the monkey grip feat, you would still incur the -2 for the weapon's size difference, however you could wield it one handed instead of the manditory two. (treat it as the same category of weapon; light, one hand, two hand)

I don't see the feat being overly helpful to you here. You don't have shield proficiencies anyhow, so using it two handed is better (str x 1.5 for damage) in combat. This feat can be helpful for characters who wish to wield bigger weapons; but usually only if they plan on that weapon being used in conjunction with another weapon or shield.

It's much the same as the illustrious KMan said, but there it is in a slightly different light... if not more wordy. <shrugs>

This of course gets me to thinking about creating a higher level character that uses a huge Final Fantasy style sword. Medium charcter, weapon focuses galore for say a longsword, plus monkey grip.

Get a huge longsword (incurring a -4 penalty to your rolls) or a large greatsword (-2 to rolls) to use two handed (I'm not sure about damage difference, but atleast 3d6 dam). With the right buffs you don't necessarily have any penalties, only more weapon damage. Yah, mebbe I'll try this some time, I'll call him Cloud.

[Lin]

Quick facts:

#1: Mighty Cleaving works regardless of if you have cleave or not. It gives you one extra cleave per round, as per the feat. If you have cleave, you'd get up to 2 extra attacks. If you have great cleave, you get nothing.
#2: Mathematically speaking, Monkey grip is a terrible feat. +1 to hit is worth ~2 damage. As such, a -2 to hit should get you +4 damage. It doesn't. Its like being forced to power attack for 2 every turn and not getting full damage for it.
#3: You can use a medium longsword as a 2 handed weapon if you are small with a -2 penalty..

[K Man]

Ummm...on point #1, this is how I read it from the SRD.

Mighty Cleaving
A mighty cleaving weapon allows a wielder with the Cleave feat to make one additional cleave attempt in a round.

Allows a wielder with the cleave feat....is there something I'm missing?

[Lin]

Must have been mistaken for one of my many abundant houserules.

Having a weapon enchancement that is:

#1: Useless unless you have a certain feat.
#2: Useless if you have a different certain feat for which the feat you need to utilize it is a prerequisite
#3: Less powerful then said feat, which, by definition, the character qualifies for.

makes no sense to me, which is no doubt why I have ruled it such.

[Toptomcat]

*Nod* I've always hated Mighty Cleaving.

[TheZebraShakes™]

So, basically what they're trying to tell you Similar, is, sure, use the longsword if you think a -6 penalty to hit and the inability to use any of its abilities effectively sounds worth it to you cause there's really no way around it.

At least that's what I got out of the discussion

In game terms, a stronger halfling is still weaker than a human with average strength so it doesn't really work out that way either.

[similar]

Well it would be -2 because I can use longswords thanks to my Ranger level but yes I got the point that it is not worth it. I was just unclear what could be done about and now I know. Grow.

Thanks for all the info guys.