[.11] Staff vs Twohanders for blocking

Staff gets an exception probably because its in the trope of a caster with a wizard staff. They want to encourage the fantasy tropes that inspired the game.

Bows also get the same exception. So its not just staff.
 
Also I dont see why Staff gets a special exception while others weapons don't.

As @Feldor alluded to, it’s likely to encourage the idea that staves are a spellcaster weapon (not just wizards, but often found in the hands of druids, priests, etc). I suspect that’s also why staves are limited in how you can attack with them (oh man, I’d make a staff fighter in a heartbeat if I could use a thrusting staff with no grip limits).

Fantasy, bud.
 
If you want to staff fight as a fighter, you just want to take polearm, and make a simple naginata. In foam boffer form, it'd likely be a staff with no grip area (all foam) with one end decorated with enough silver tape to represent the blade end. With appropriate thrusting tips, it can thrust and attack with both ends. Alternatively, you could go "2H blunt" and make a minimal but existent club head (specs on what is required for 2H blunt are very vague in the rulebook) - think shillelagh. Either one of these would also be a "base damage 3" weapon versus the quarterstaff's base damage 2 -- which is especially relevant for fighters with slay moving to scaling damage off base weapon damage.
 
As @Feldor alluded to, it’s likely to encourage the idea that staves are a spellcaster weapon (not just wizards, but often found in the hands of druids, priests, etc). I suspect that’s also why staves are limited in how you can attack with them (oh man, I’d make a staff fighter in a heartbeat if I could use a thrusting staff with no grip limits).

Fantasy, bud.

Templars are casters too. I am pretty sure they would like to have the ability to block while casting.
 
You could do weapon & shield - block with the shield while casting. Or do short sword & staff with two weapon, and block with the staff. Or do short bow & long sword, and block with either while casting. Admittedly, all of those are more expensive than just buying polearm.

Personally I do weapon & shield, and cover the back of my shield with scrolls. I highly recommend it, even if it doesn't work as well at night and makes your shield shatter-bait.
 
I do weapon and shield as well. But that is not the point. I never even considered 2handers because I could not cast and defend with them. I would love to have that option. Paladin's with massive 2handers in games always appealed to me. Also in 2.0 you can hit 10s as a templar with a 2hander alot easier then 1handers.

We dont see many PCs at all with 2handers. I feel like making them equal to staves for blocking would go along way to opening up that as an option, Especially in 2.0 where shields are less good and profs are much more spendy. I would certainly consider going 2 hander to get to 10s as a templar if I could reliably cast spells while doing so.
 
There’s a bunch of people who use polearms. 2H swords are rare because they’re slow and build expensive in a game that’s evolved around ultralights.

Sure, there’s a weapon imbalance, but I don’t think it’s because of this specific issue.
 
I guess I want to know if this is still around because it has always been that way? Or if there is a specific reason to keep it this way?

This seems like a good time to revisit and question this rule that has been around for 20+ years.
 
I guess I want to know if this is still around because it has always been that way? Or if there is a specific reason to keep it this way?

This seems like a good time to revisit and question this rule that has been around for 20+ years.

I agree, we still haven’t received an official response yet. I understand that a certain important individual is (rightfully) more focused on enjoying their vacation. Until then, I don’t think it’s a problem to have us guessing it’s original intent :3
 
Also I dont see why Staff gets a special exception while others weapons don't.

Maybe it has something to do with the base damage. Base damage of a staff is lower than other 2-handed weapons. Or maybe it is to encourage casters to use it for thematic reasons. Or maybe it is for consistency reasons, seeing how a bow is the 2-handed weapon that is most similar in physical design to a staff.

-MS
 
Maybe you are just guessing.

That’s rude, man. Obviously, the only thing anyone here can do is guess. If you want an official answer, send an Owner a message. :p
 
Hiya folks!

Unfortunately, we simply don't have the bandwidth or opportunity to provide detailed background/reasoning on every item in 2.0. We'll do what we can, but please keep in mind that while we work hard to answer any clarifications or rules disputes that come up, those by necessity need to take priority over requests asking "why" something is the way it is.

In this case, it's a combination of thematic and safety reasons. As to the safety question: both Bows and Staves clearly state that they must be wielded in a central section, which helps balance out where the rest of the weapon might go when it's hit. Other two handed weapons do not. For example, while one person might hold a Polearm in the middle to block one-handed, others might hold it all the way down next to the pommel - and if someone hits it hard at the far end it is more difficult to control than what we consider the "Alliance safety threshold". This might be different in other games, just like other safety requirements; that's fine for them, but we have safety concerns about allowing it in Alliance.

-Bryan Gregory
ARC
 
Cool that makes sense. Thanks. Just wanted to know there was a reason. And it was not just an artifact from the old days.
 
Hiya folks!
In this case, it's a combination of thematic and safety reasons. As to the safety question: both Bows and Staves clearly state that they must be wielded in a central section, which helps balance out where the rest of the weapon might go when it's hit. Other two handed weapons do not. For example, while one person might hold a Polearm in the middle to block one-handed, others might hold it all the way down next to the pommel - and if someone hits it hard at the far end it is more difficult to control than what we consider the "Alliance safety threshold". This might be different in other games, just like other safety requirements; that's fine for them, but we have safety concerns about allowing it in Alliance.

-Bryan Gregory
ARC

Sounds like a simple solution to the issue would be to require one handed blocking work in a similar way to the ways that Staffs and Bows are.

Not trying to argue here, just trying to find a solution that works for everyone.
 
Back
Top