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Currently having a two-handed weapon is all curse, no blessing. With all the effort GW went into differentiating power weapons, they completely dropped the ball in appropriately giving two-handed vs. one-handed weapons flavor, especially when talking about claymores and giant axes.

As it stands a two-handed weapon is little more than getting no attack bonus... here is my proposal instead:

Two handed weapons have the same profile as their one-handed variant, with the following changes:
- 2 initiative (axes are always unwieldy)
Extra +1 strength to the weapons' profile
Rending

So:
A two-handed power sword would be +1 STR, rending, at -2 I
A two-handed power axe would be +2 STR, rending, unwieldy
A two-handed power maul (if one existed) would be +3 STR, rending, concussive, at -2 I

The greater chance to wound helps mitigate the loss of attack, and rending is a small chance to auto-wound given the loss of initiative.

What about Warscythes and Big choppas?

Oh and Crowe's sword, he's definitely swinging that thing around with two hands.

and Blood angels Glaives

And Necron Staffs, and the Rod of the Covenant. And power armor wearing daemon/force/thunderhammer wielders.

Actually I think with the exception of Swords and Flachions, all Grey Knight force weapons are used with two hands, hence why the stormbolter is wrist mounted.

I think it should apply to anything that adopted a PW profile. In the case of BA glaives they adopted the profile of a two-handed axe or sword.

Basically if the profile says: "two handed" it should get additional STR and rending to mitigate the loss of the attack.

a minimum of +1 strength I agree with but the rending is a little much, any 2 handed weapon should just be +1 strength ontop of what ever rules they have

Sounds like too much for too little loss. -2 initiative it pretty bad in the case of MEQs, but you still get to hit before power fists and it results in no losses for the power axe except losing an attack for not having a pair of CCWs. Honestly I would probably just do rending OR +1 strength, with no loss of initiative. Think of it like Incubi Demi Klaives, they can get extra attacks or they can get a higher strength. Besides, sure a two handed sword is heavier, but you can use both hands to control it, canceling out any loss of agility by running around with a heavy weapon.

what about 'two handed weapons may re-roll their to wound rolls'?

I would take that over losing the extra attack

^That seems feasible.

Or simply come back to how it was in the Chaos dex 3.5, two handed weapon, doesn't give the extra A for 2 CCW , but gives +1S.

It is better as is, as it is a simple rule that shows something doesn't let an extra attack, but the weapon itself is usually deadlier (+strength, good AP, not unwieldy).

If you cost it, you can bring the price down compared with standard weapons, similar to Unwieldy and Specialist weapons being drawbacks.

Auswin wrote:
Currently having a two-handed weapon is all curse, no blessing. With all the effort GW went into differentiating power weapons, they completely dropped the ball in appropriately giving two-handed vs. one-handed weapons flavor, especially when talking about claymores and giant axes.

As it stands a two-handed weapon is little more than getting no attack bonus... here is my proposal instead:

Two handed weapons have the same profile as their one-handed variant, with the following changes:
- 2 initiative (axes are always unwieldy)
Extra +1 strength to the weapons' profile
Rending

So:
A two-handed power sword would be +1 STR, rending, at -2 I
A two-handed power axe would be +2 STR, rending, unwieldy
A two-handed power maul (if one existed) would be +3 STR, rending, concussive, at -2 I

The greater chance to wound helps mitigate the loss of attack, and rending is a small chance to auto-wound given the loss of initiative.

well first Storm Shields prevent you from getting +1 attack for 2 CCW but they dont actually take a hand. So there would be no penalty for using a SS and a 2 handed weapon.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

DOOMONYOU wrote:
what about 'two handed weapons may re-roll their to wound rolls'?

I would take that over losing the extra attack

would make a two handed sword into a single lightning claw


I like it more than the -2 init, rending, and +1 strength


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Buttons wrote:
Sounds like too much for too little loss. -2 initiative it pretty bad in the case of MEQs, but you still get to hit before power fists and it results in no losses for the power axe except losing an attack for not having a pair of CCWs. Honestly I would probably just do rending OR +1 strength, with no loss of initiative. Think of it like Incubi Demi Klaives, they can get extra attacks or they can get a higher strength. Besides, sure a two handed sword is heavier, but you can use both hands to control it, canceling out any loss of agility by running around with a heavy weapon.

at which point a demilkave is +2 attacks or +2 stength

so you are thinking +1 or +1?

well first Storm Shields prevent you from getting +1 attack for 2 CCW but they dont actually take a hand. So there would be no penalty for using a SS and a 2 handed weapon.

All SS models have them holding it in their hand. It's combat shields that can be put on bolt pistols that give an extra CCW attack

DOOMONYOU wrote:

well first Storm Shields prevent you from getting +1 attack for 2 CCW but they dont actually take a hand. So there would be no penalty for using a SS and a 2 handed weapon.

All SS models have them holding it in their hand. It's combat shields that can be put on bolt pistols that give an extra CCW attack

Models are holding it, but the wording of the rules in some codexes is that it prevents your from getting +1 attack, not that it takes a hand.