Fencer two weapons question - 2 sabers?

[PBarone714]

Can a fencer get the “two weapons” abilities (e.g. an attack and a 2 hit parry) if he uses two sabers? The book says he must use two rapiers or a rapier and a main-gauche, but the fencing Talent says a saber is also a fencing weapon.

Thanks,
Paolo

[hcobb]

The restriction goes away for a Master Fencer.

[TippetsTX]

While the text may not state this outright, the intent seems clear to me... the two-weapon ability built into the FENCING talents is limited to one primary long blade (rapier or saber) and a short off-hand blade (main gauche only, though I would probably allow a long dagger or cloak as well).

If you want to wield two weapons of equal size and weight (and other combinations) simultaneously, you need to purchase the TWO-WEAPONS talent.

[Shostak]

Two sabers is not included in the list of double-weapon techniques taught to fencers found in the description of the Two Weapons talent(ITL 41), so Fencing does not allow one to use two sabers.

[larsdangly]

Indeed; this is a case where the rules are specific enough to make a clear ruling, but you have to know all of the relevant rules passages - the Fencing talent doesn't give you enough information to know how it works, exactly, but Two Weapons completes the explanation.

[hcobb]

BTW, does anybody know how the Main Gauche works, other than "Like a small shield, it carries a -1 DX penalty."

If you use an off-hand parry does it stop hits from a two-handed sword?

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by hcobb

BTW, does anybody know how the Main Gauche works, other than "Like a small shield, it carries a -1 DX penalty."

If you use an off-hand parry does it stop hits from a two-handed sword?

I tend to visualize the main gauche with a large basket or similar hand protection, so yes.

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

I tend to visualize the main gauche with a large basket or similar hand protection, so yes.

And even if it's just a regular left hand dagger with a large crossguard...it stops ONE HIT. So typical 2H sword blow is 9.5 hits, less one for the dagger, making "parry the 2H sword blow" as poor a tactic as one could hope for.

[larsdangly]

Also, the quoted rule is in the rule book but is wrong in a most unfortunately misleading way: A Main Gauche carries a -1 DX penalty (at least when all of its special qualities are used) but a small shield does not. This is one of several confusing passages that led to confusion about how a MG works.