Defending Weapons (Not About Stacking)

[dirkformica]

If a character wields two weapons, and one of them has the Defending quality, does he have to take the two weapon penalties to gain the armor bonus?  For example, a character uses their move action to get into position, she can only attack once, she uses her main-hand weapon, but is still holding the defending weapon in her off hand, would she have to apply the penalties for two weapon fighting to gain the defending bonuses, or could she use her full to hit bonus with the main hand and still receive the armor bonus? or something else?

[snakeman830]

You don't take any penalties for using the Defending property, you just get a smaller bonus to attacks with that weapon.

Interestingly, even if you do use the full enhancement bonus to get AC instead, you still get a +1 bonus to attack from it being masterwork.

[Maat Mons]

I recall a FAQ entry saying you can only benefit from the defending property if you attack with the weapon that round.  It was based entirely on the notion that you're not "wielding" something just because you're holding it such could use it if you desire.  The entry always upset me though, because that is literally the definition of the word. 

[Jackinthegreen]

The intent was you had to attack with the weapon to gain the bonus, even if they screwed up on their English with it.  It's not the first or last time they had poor word choice.

Basically it's a weapon form of fighting defensively or using Combat Expertise.

[kitep]

If a character wields two weapons, and one of them has the Defending quality, does he have to take the two weapon penalties to gain the armor bonus?

I would say yes, you take the TWF penalties if you want the extra AC  The way I see it, it's not "defending" unless you're wielding it, even if you don't actually attack with it.

However - 3.5 is ambidextrous -- it doesn't matter which hand you attack with.  So in your example, you could take the one attack with your defending weapon and not suffer the TWF penalties and still gain the AC.

[faeryn]

I remember reading somewhere that two-weapon fighting penalties are only applied IF and only IF you attack with both weapons that round...

So if you only attack with your mainhand and do not make your extra off-hand attack that round, then there would be no two-weapon fighting penalty.

Afterall it's not "Two weapon wielding" it's "Two weapon fighting" anyone can wield two weapons at once and only attack with one.

As for everything else that's been mentioned about a defending weapon only functioning if you attack with it that round... that call is up to the DM since the FAQ isn't considered to be binding to all groups. Many groups will flat out ignore anything in the FAQ or Errata if they do not agree with it, and, quite honestly thats how they should be treated.

I would view using a defending weapon in the offhand with no intention of attacking with it as a fighter wielding a parrying blade... the weapon is not intended to be used as a weapon, but rather has a defensive tool, you should not need to attack with it for it to function.

[linklord231]

I recall a FAQ entry saying you can only benefit from the defending property if you attack with the weapon that round.  It was based entirely on the notion that you're not "wielding" something just because you're holding it such could use it if you desire.  The entry always upset me though, because that is literally the definition of the word.

A quick ctrl+f through the FAQ for "defending" has no results.  "Wielding" has several results, but none that would seem to imply the ruling you recall.

[Maat Mons]

I did some looking.  It's in the 3.0 FAQ.