#two-weapon

[dndcharactersinfo]

[dailycharacteroption]

Two-Weapon Warrior (Fighter Archetype)

Fighting with two weapons is nothing new in Pathfinder and the world’s oldest RPG, and it has been a solid strategy for the most part thanks to the feats and various forms of training that allow it to become feasible. However, it is often thought of as a path of pure damage, with little deft tactics or defense to be had.

However, in fiction when we see warriors fighting with two weapons we see them spinning and twirling, using the two of their weapons to better block, parry, and even control their opponent’s weapons. Fans of those fictional sources and real-world practitioners expect a deft, dexterous combination, but they don’t usually get it.

Certainly fighting with two weapons is not easy. Using a shield is hard enough, and that’s just keeping it between you and your foe, but a second weapon has to do all the strikes and parries of the primary at the same time, often doing two different things at once.

Enter today’s entry, which unlike those who merely take the two-weapon fighting feat chain, trains exclusively and primarily in the use of two weapons. Whether it be two actual implements of destruction, or a double weapon, theirs is a deadly dance that punishes foes while keeping oneself safe with their ambidextrous arts.

  No matter what weapon or weapons they use, the flurry of their many strikes serves as a natural barrier between them and their foe, deflecting strikes and causing foes to hesitate, negating many a strike when attacking at full intensity.

They also learn to attack simultaneously and/or consecutively with their twin weapons, increasing their overall accuracy.

That skill even carries over to their shorter, single attack, allowing them to attack with both weapons even when unable to stand and unleash their full fury.

Balance is important to these fighters, and they learn not only to be better co-ordinated when using both weapons, but also to improve their skill with their off hand, making weapon weight less of an issue in that regard, but not at the same time.

Not even those who drop their guard for a moment are safe from their dual technique, allowing them to strike with both weapons against those who foolishly present an opportunity.

Eventually, their balance becomes so perfect that not only do they increase their coordination further, but they can do so at the same time that they use a heavier weapon in their off hand.

Using two weapons grants a great amount of control over the opponent’s weapon when both are brought to bear, and these warriors can use their paired weapons to remove or destroy said opposing instrument as part of their dual strike, even pulling their foe’s feet out from under them if wielding weapons capable of doing so.

At the pinnacle of their mastery, they become a deadly whirlwind when unleashing their full fury, lashing out at those who attack them while they are in the midst of their onslaught.

These fighters are masters of the full attack, with plenty of extra benefits for hitting with both weapons, even when it’s not a full attack. Naturally, the entire two-weapon fighting feat tree is a given, but I also recommend making your character speedy to get into the fray quickly, and the step up feat to keep casters in the meat grinder as long as possible. Combat reflexes are also good so you can get as many attacks of opportunity as possible too. On that note, it’s important to say that there is actually a reason to not take this archetype and those like it: While archetypes like this favor certain builds of fighter quite well, you do miss out on the more general purpose things like weapon training and armor training, even bonus feats, so keep that in mind before making your decision.

  If yesterday’s two-handed fighter needs to have an iconic weapon, then today’s entry needs an iconic pair of weapons or double weapon. Additionally, look into videos of demonstrations of real-world double weapons like quarterstaffs, shaolin spades, double-variant meteor hammers, and so on for inspiration on how fighting with a double weapon looks, as well as more conventional two-weapon styles.

    Deep in the jungles of Utkani lies the Lizardfolk nation of Shroka, a place where the primitive past and the enlightened present collide. Though their magical might is impressive, their military power is not to be underestimated. Many of their elite warriors practice a martial art known as Leaping Dragon Style, which focuses on agile motions while wielding a double weapon, usually the iconic two-bladed swords favored by their clan.

  Part of the festivities of this year’s festival of stones is a contest of arms. The prize is a fragment of a shattered dragonstone, an artifact supposedly capable of granting the abilities of a dragon to the user. The competition is fierce this year though, and the reigning champion is a wyvaran warrior trained in the hammer and axe who seems a little too eager to win the prize, and might resort to unsportsmanlike means to scare off other competitors.

  The Art of the Deadly Pinwheel is a martial art rarely practiced anymore that involves wielding two starknives with spinning, looping motions. It was originally developed by the people of the flying nation of Ulexa. By tracing it back to regions where the style has surfaced, in theory one might find the remnants of one of the crash-landed islands.