Any character can use two weapons simultaneously. This is known as dual-wielding. This allows the character to gain additional attacks from a weapon in their off-hand at the cost of a penalty to her attack bonus. The penalties depend on a number of conditions.
Dual-wielding[]
If a character wields a second weapon in his off hand, he can get one extra attack per round with that weapon.
He suffers a –6 penalty with his regular attack or attacks with the primary hand and a –10 penalty to attacks with the off hand when fighting this way. Also, off-hand weapons only add half of the Strength modifier to damage roll; however, for Insightful Strike, the full Intelligence modifier applies to both weapons.
These penalties can be reduced in two ways:
- If the off-hand weapon is light, the penalties are reduced by 2 each.
- The Two-Weapon Fighting feat lessens the primary hand penalty by 2, and the off-hand penalty by 6.
Circumstances | Primary hand |
Off-hand |
---|---|---|
Normal penalties | –6 | –10 |
Off-hand weapon is light | –4 | –8 |
Two-Weapon Fighting feat | –4 | –4 |
Off-hand weapon is light and Two-Weapon Fighting feat | –2 | –2 |
Additional off-hand attacks[]
Additional off-hand attacks may be gained by selecting further two weapon fighting feats.
- Improved Two-Weapon Fighting provides an additional attack with a -5 penalty AB, for a total of 2 off-hand attacks.
- Greater Two-Weapon Fighting provides an additional attack with a -10 penalty AB, for a total of 3 off-hand attacks.
- Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting provides the same progression for off-hand attacks as the character's primary hand attacks.
Other Modifiers[]
- Monkey Grip allows the use of two handed weapons in one hand at a -2 penalty to AB. If using an oversize weapon in each hand, subtract 2 from each.
- Haste effect adds an extra attack to the main hand only.
- Two-Weapon Defense gives a +1 shield bonus to AC when dual-wielding.
- Improved Two-Weapon Defense gives a +2 shield bonus to AC when dual-wielding.
- Whirlwind Attack ignores the off-hand weapon and behaves as if the character is single-wielding.
Double weapons[]
There are no double weapons in NWN2.
Thrown weapons[]
In NWN2, Thrown and Ranged Weapons CANNOT be dual wielded.
Rangers[]
Rangers who choose the two-weapon fighting combat style gain dual-wielding feats as they level, even if they do not meet the prerequisites. However these are only active if a ranger is wearing light or no armor.
- Ranger level 2: Two-Weapon Fighting
- Ranger level 6: Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
- Ranger level 11: Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
- Ranger level 21: Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting
3.5E Rules Comparison[]
Unarmed strike cannot be used as either the primary or off-hand attack in two-weapon fighting in NWN2.