Character Creation/ Applications

[DM Vitkyng]

Two-Weapon Style: The character wields one weapon in each hand. Unless both 
weapons are Small (S on the Size column on the Weapons chart), the weapon in the 
character's off-hand must be lighter in weight than his primary weapon. This character 
can vary from a street-thief wielding two identical daggers, to a fencer using a rapier in 
one hand and a main-gauche in another, to a heavily-armored warrior with a long sword 
in one hand and a short sword in the other. Note: Read the Player's Handbook, page 96, 
for the rules on Attacking with Two Weapons.

Two-Hander Style

Two-Hander Style involves carrying and wielding a weapon with both hands. 
Naturally, many weapons (including polearms, the great axe, the two-handed sword, and 
others) require two-handed technique. Other weapons (such as bastard sword, javelin, and 
spear) have it as a listed option. (Two-handed options for Harpoon, Javelin, Long Spear, 
Spear, and Trident are given in the Equipment section of this rulebook, not in the Player's 
Handbook.)

Advantages
The main advantage of two-handed weapon technique is that it allows the character to you drop or lose one. A single Disarm maneuver cannot rid you of your weapons.
Disadvantages
The principal disadvantage to this style, as with some other styles, is that you don't 
gain the AC benefit of a shield.

Style Specialization
Please read the "Attacking with Two Weapons" section from the Player's Handbook, 
page 96, before continuing.
 
If you devote a weapon proficiency slot to style specialization with Two-Weapon 
Style, you get two important benefits. First, your attack penalty drops; before, it was a –2 
with your primary weapon and –4 with your secondary, but with Specialization in Two￾Weapon Style it becomes 0 with your primary weapon and a –2 with your secondary weapon. (If you're already ambidextrous, as per "Off-Hand Weapons Use," above, that 
penalty is 0 with primary weapon and 0 with secondary weapon.) Second, you're allowed 
to use weapons of the same length in each hand, so you can, for example, wield two long 
swords.
 
When fighting with two-weapon technique, you can choose for both weapons to try 
the same maneuver (for example, two strikes, or two disarms), or can have each try a 
different maneuver (one strike and one parry, one pin and one strike). If the two 
maneuvers are to be different, each receives a –1 attack penalty.
 
Though rangers don't suffer the off-hand penalties for two-weapons use, they do not 
get a bonus to attack rolls if they devote a weapon proficiency slot to Two-Weapon Style. 
They do get the other benefit, of being able to use weapons of equal length.