Instead of listing the different OBs and DBs for each character for each situation, I will just give them the once for the PC. The same principles apply to anybody using Two Weapon Combo.
Character X
Offensive Bonuses
Note: we are going to presume that the character has the same number of skill ranks (or less) than the number of skill ranks in either of the two weapon skills. His TWC skill total could actually be higher, but the number of skill ranks MUST be equal or less!
Full Attack against a single foe
Broadsword = 100 OB
Short Sword = 80 OB (twc skill bonus - 20 [off-hand])
DB = 20
Parrying
Note: When Parrying, you do not have to do HALF or FULL parry. You can put ANY portion of OB to your DB. However, for a Two Weapon Combo, this comes off your TWC skill bonus, and thus changes the OB for BOTH weapons by an equal amount.
Example: you want to increase DB by 35 points, then that 35 points comes off BOTH attacks!!!!
Broadsword = 65 OB (100 [twc skill] - 35 [parry])
Short Sword = 45 OB (100 [twc skill] - 35 [parry] - 20 [off-hand])
DB = 55 (20 [normal] + 35 [parry])
Full Parry
Note: When making a full parry, you also get the parrying weapon's shielding bonus (for most all one-handed weapons this is a +5). Also, when doing a full parry, you still make an attack roll because there is always the chance that you or your foe will have some sort of luck (be it good or bad) that allows you to damage him.
Broadsword = 0 OB
Short Sword = -20 OB (0 OB - 20 [off-hand])
DB = 130 (20 [normal DB + 100 [twc skill/parry] + 5 [weapon shielding bonus for broadsword] + 5 [weapon shielding bonus for short sword])
Now, the above is all against a single foe. If the character were attacking/parrying against 2 foe, you would subtract another 20 from both attacks and each foe would ONLY receive 1 attack each (2 attacks total). This -20 would allow apply towards parrying multiple foes as well.
Thus parrying both foes with 50 points from OB would give you the following:
Broadsword = 30 OB (100 [twc skill] - 20 [two foes] - 50 [parry]) against 1 foe
Short Sword = 10 OB (100 [twc skill] - 20 [two foes] - 20 [off-hand] - 50 [parry]) against 1 foe
DB = 70 (20 [normal DB] + 50 [parry]) This DB applies against both foes because the character attacked both foes.
Without parrying, his OBs and DB against 2 foes would be as follows
Broadsword = 80 OB (100 [twc skill] - 20 [2 foes]) -- attack is against one of the two foes
Short Sword = 60 OB (100 [twc skill] - 20 [2 foes] - 20 [off-hand]) -- attack is against the other of the two foes
DB = 20 (against ALL foes)
With two-weapon combo can you Parry 1 opponent and parry a second opponent and then use DB for a third opponent?
The character's base DB applies against ALL attacks, regardless of how many foes are being faced.
Character X's normal DB of 20 would apply against any and all foes attacking him regardless of how many are attacking him.
NPC 1 -- Broadsword and a shield -- Now, he could parry against 1 foe, and use his shield's bonus against a different foe (the base 25 DB he has would also apply against all foes) if he wanted. So that doing a full parry he could have a DB of 130 (25 base + 100 parry + 5 weapon shielding bonus) against 1 foe, while having a total DB of 50 (25 base + 25 shield) against another foe.
Parrying bonuses to DB may only be applied against foes that you are attacking (i.e. you cannot attack 1 foe and then parry against another) (RMFRP page 212).
I know this is lengthy but I have had numerous arguments/debats with my players on all the different numbers for these scenarios. I believe I have covered all the relevant attacks and parries for all the different numbers that we encounter.
This would help us square up exactly how powerful this skill is. The problem, I think, is that I am either too liberal or don?t know all of the negatives to apply since we started using Two-weapon combo it seems every PC now has it. It just seems to powerful for the DP cost.
DP Cost -- The players should be purchasing at least 3 different skills here. One skill for each of the two weapons, and then one skill for the weapons in combination. Even if using the same weapon in each hand, they have to learn the weapon skill separately for each hand.
Why don't you tell us how you have been applying/using the skill. This way we could point out mis-interpretations (which would be easier than trying to fully describe the skill from scratch.. hehe)
I suspect that your biggest misconception is that you are allowing the reduction of both OBs to be applied to DB (i.e. doing a HALF parry with OBs of 100 & 80 adding 80 to DB and resulting in OBs of 50 and 40 instead of only adding 50 to DB and having resulting OBs of 50 & 30 respectively). That seems to be the biggest misconception that folks tend to have.
Help explain the numbers and believe this might shed some light on exactly how this is to be used properly. What would really be nice would be a chart to show the cross-index?ed numbers for each scenario ? this has ALWAYS been a point of vast confusion whenever we try to pit someone with two weapon combo against different opponents doing different combinations of parries and attacks.
I don?t even know if I included all of the combinations that could happen in these scenarios!?!?
Thank you if someone could take the time to explain this thoroughly!!!!
The problem with a chart is that not everybody would have the same OB, and the shifting of OB to DB is not limited to HALF or FULL. Any amount of OB may be shifted to DB.
The thing to remember is that when shifting OB to DB, the full amount shifted comes off BOTH OBs equally.