I’m eager to run my first full session of Conan tomorrow night. This topic probably won’t come up tomorrow, but it probably will eventually raise its bloody brow.
Two-Weapon Fighting. As far as I can tell—and to my surprise—there isn’t a topic for this yet. Has anyone had to rule this at the table? Also, as far as I can tell, this isn’t covered in the Core Book.
Here’s one possibility: using two weapons effectively consumes both the Minor and Standard Actions. Two-Weapon Fighting adds 1d20 to the skill attempt. If the attempt is successful, additional d6 of damage is generated per Momentum up to the max of the secondary weapon (this would be in addition to normal bonus damage by point).
Maybe this is too fiddly. Maybe one Momentum can be spent to activate the damage and qualities of the secondary weapon. Yeah, that seems better.
Do you think to-hit Difficulty should be increased by 1?
This is covered in the Core book: p 115: “Dual Wielding”. Essentially attacking twice when wielding two weapons and striking with your second weapon costs 1 Momentum but increases the difficulty by 1.
The second weapon must be a different weapon like using a dagger and sword or battleaxe and hand axe. If you want to use two of the same type of weapon it costs two momentum instead of one. Difficulty for the second attack is increased by one.
I believe this works for personality attacks such as Displays or the different attacks for creatures such as claw and bite as well.
I don’t have the core book with me right now but I think that it should apply to personality attacks as well. Of course we are talking about the 2 momentum spending not about the two weapons wielding. Furthermore, the basic rule: if you can explain it, if it makes sense, it happens (might require some Momentum though ^^) .
Where do you see the need for errata in this regard?
It is clearly stated in the core rules, I find. Reduced cost for Swift Attack Momentum spend is all there is to it. That covers all kinds of “dual wielding” attacks by one-handed weapons and still allows for characters who use two-handed weapons to kick someone or threaten someone at the same reduced cost.
You only get the 1 momentum benefit if you’re wielding an axe in one hand and a sword in the other? Again, you’re taking the wording way too literally and your argument is illogical. Indeed, what you’re implying makes ABSOLUTELY zero sense.
In these cases, where there is vagueness, I err on the side of “If it is not explicitly stated, then it isn’t the rule.”
In other words, the core rules do not specifically state that they need to be different types of weapons. Conan 2d20 is normally very good at saying stuff like, “For dual wielding to work you cannot use the same type of weapon in each hand. For example if you’re using a broad sword in one hand, you cannot use a broad sword in the other. You can however use an axe!”
The rules DO NOT say this. They simply state that you need two different weapons. Two different swords satisfies this constraint. In other words, you cannot get the dual wield benefit on the second attack with the SAME sword you used in the first. It has to be a DIFFERENT sword.
LOL. I am beating this horse to death, but my players are going to read these forums and I don’t want them misled. ;p
The Conan core rules are quite explicit about that under “Dual Wielding” p. 115:
When using the Swift Action Momentum spend, if one of the character’s Standard
Actions that round are different types of attack (Melee and Ranged, Melee and Threaten, etc.) or use different tools (two different weapons), the cost of the Momentum spend is reduced to 1
A different type of attack or the same type of attack, but using two different weapons (not necessarily of different weapon types, just two different physical items).
What is unclearly stated in the paragraph quoted above, that it could be misinterpreted?
Even the Conan rules FAQ only give the page reference to the core rules without any further explanation.