Longswords vs Bastardswords

[Waveclaw]

Doing Ravenloft and getting talismans. Thinking about buying one of the barovian weapons for next TR.

Already have dagger, longbow, and greatsword, thinking about which one I should get next, between longsword and bastardsword.

Which one is better? For "better", I mean, which one can strike multiple opponents at once while dealing more damage.

[ShifterThePirate]

Bastard Sword+ Shield/Orb/Nothing gives Strikethrough (Two Handed Fighting Feat). Long Sword doesn't! Most classes and races don't get Bastard Sword proficiency though. So you'll have to find a way to be able to use it properly.

[Discpsycho]

In general, you can only Strikethrough while using a two-handed weapon, Bastard Sword or Dwarven Axe. Strikethrough provides the best consistent melee AOE damage, especially since classes with built-in cleaves (fighter via free feats, druid, barbarian, paladin) tend to benefit from THF anyway

Because this is DDO, specific beats general, so there are exceptions:
- If you're in Bear / Dire Bear wild shape, in which case you can Strikethrough regardless of weapon (though I haven't tested this). Longswords benefit from Knight's Training, so that'll do slightly better damage as a bear
- Running a Tempest Ranger? They can get strikethrough with any weapon, which makes Longswords more appealing because of a) Knight's Training, b) TWF / THF exclusivity and c) Elf racial abilities
- Monks can get centered with Bastard Swords through One With the Blade, or Longswords with Whirling Steel Strikes. In these case you've probably also got Whirlwind Attack, in which case Longswords win again for TWF/THF exclusivity. You *could* go SWF Monk, but I haven't seen it and doubt it'd be superior to TWF

[Waveclaw]

Hmm... For now, bastardswords seems like the best weapon for me unless I can get longsword dual wield...... Bastardsword it is, then!

So, bastardswords are better for a sword and board build?

[C-Dog]

So, bastardswords are better for a sword and board build?

DDO differs from D&D in that the numbers are never simple. So it's never a case of "d10 bastard sword > d8 long sword".

This is good in that it allows more creativity, but bad in that, yes, it's harder to understand at a glance.

~If~ you can get bastard sword proficiency, then you still have to figure a way to balance the 2-handed feats (which improve strike though) against your one-handed feats (which is Sword & Board fighting style).

So it tends to be "better" when a build has a limited number of spare feats to apply, and you can't chase the entire line (like an Arti melee, or a caster gish).

[Waveclaw]

~If~ you can get bastard sword proficiency, then you still have to figure a way to balance the 2-handed feats (which improve strike though) against your one-handed feats (which is Sword & Board fighting style).

So it tends to be "better" when a build has a limited number of spare feats to apply, and you can't chase the entire line (like an Arti melee, or a caster gish).

Ahh, that's disappointing.... Haven't taken the THF & SWF feats into consideration....

So for a feat-starved paladin, I shall recall on the idea of bastardsword sword-and-board style....

[Matuse]

Bastard Sword Proficiency
3 THF feats
2 Shield Mastery feats
Improved Critical: Slashing

...and that's basically all your feats. It's a doable build. You'd need to be human or splash a couple of fighter levels to get anything more though.

[marinersfan]

Dwarf gets you free dwarven axe profiency as long as you can use martial weapons (as well as a decent amount of strike through from racial enhancement line), so that's another possible avenue to consider. If you're going paladin, I guess the -2 Cha would hurt a bit, but wouldn't be a huge deal

[AlmGhandi]

My first ever Pen&Paper character had a Bastard Sword, cos it sounded mean.

Now with Strikethrough I am experimenting with different builds that take a fighter level or two to get THF and Shield Mastery....
Working great!

[korgzz_bloodaxe]

That is all fine and good if you are playing a "flavour" build. But to be honest it will be far simpler and you will pump out significantly more damage if you go THF i.e. Maul, Greatsword, Falchion or Greataxe. THF is the strongest it has ever been.

[ShifterThePirate]

Or play an Aasimar and get Bastard Sword Proficiency from Racial Enhancements.

[Waveclaw]

Bastard Sword Proficiency
3 THF feats
2 Shield Mastery feats
Improved Critical: Slashing

...and that's basically all your feats. It's a doable build. You'd need to be human or splash a couple of fighter levels to get anything more though.

Hmm, it does not sound as bad as I once thought.... But I guess I'll stick with the dual-longsword....

Or play an Aasimar and get Bastard Sword Proficiency from Racial Enhancements.

Sounds great! But sadly, I haven't got the race unlocked. Aasimar is one of the races that I'm planning to get and play as in the future, though!

[ShifterThePirate]

You can pick up the Aasimar race when Ravenloft base pack on DDO Market gets a sale! Wouldn't surprise me if this happens somewhere at the end of the year when the new Expansion launches.

[Waveclaw]

You can pick up the Aasimar race when Ravenloft base pack on DDO Market gets a sale! Wouldn't surprise me if this happens somewhere at the end of the year when the new Expansion launches.

Sounds great! But I think I might stick to the DDO Store sales for now....