Some people like to play defensively. However, for some players, the best defense is a good offense. For those players, here are a few two-handed weapon options they can use.
10 Solar Shellflower
Guns are some of the best weapons in Pathfinder if you know what you’re doing.. The Solar Shellflower is a magical gun that does fire damage. This magical musket can do additional damage once a day.
Gunslingers, particularly those who specialize in muskets, may benefit from this weapon. It does fire damage. For enemies that are immune to anything but magic damage, this is a good gun to have.
This gun is best used in sunny areas like deserts. Its additional fire damage ability can be used once an hour rather than once a day. However, it might be good to have an extra weapon for when you’re dealing with enemies that are immune to fire.
Magic bullets can be hard to find. The rules saying that all the damage is magic solves the problem.
A lot of creatures are weakened by fire. Look at creatures like trolls for an example.
This is good for gunslingers because it has the ability to do extra persistent damage. The 2d4 damage once a day or hour depending on where you are is handy.
You can find it at a rare weapon shop but it won’t be unlocked till mid-level.
Solar Shellflower stats:
- Price 160 gp
- Usage held in 2 hands; Bulk L
- Base Weapon Flintlock Musket
9. Dancer’s Spear
Originally used by duelists, the dancer’s spear has received renewed life in the fight against the undead. Many champions can benefit from this weapon. Especially when they’re fighting the undead.
Champions routinely fight against the undead. While they have spells to help them with this, having a good weapon to help is important so they can save their spells for stronger undead. Luckily, the dancer’s spear has some traits that help with this.
The undead often have assorted resistances. Skeletons have piercing and slashing resistances. Some zombies have bludgeoning resistances. However, the weapon can be piercing or bludgeoning. As a sweeping weapon, it can also be used to handle large groups.
This is a good weapon for champions because:
- It is good against the undead. It has piercing and bludgeoning.
- The sweep ability allows champions to attack multiple opponents. This is good against the undead since they attack in groups.
- The reach ability is good for dealing with necromancers. Being able to disrupt a summoning spell is crucial and reach helps with that.
This common weapon can be found in most shops.
Dancer's Spear stats:- Price 3 gp;
- Damage 1d6 P;
- Bulk 1
- Hands 2
- Category Martial
- Group Spear
8. Bec de Corbin
The Bec de Corbin is a polearm with a hammer-like surface attached. It can do both piercing and bludgeoning damage. This can make it ideal for champions and fighters.
Like most bludgeoning weapons, they’re handy against the undead. Particularly skeletons. However, it’s also handy for fighters. They break objects like shields and living objects like living statues.
Using the rach ability is important. It can keep lightly armored fighters and champions safer. You can also use the shove ability. It can shove enemies 5-10 feet. If you’re trying to guard someone, this is a good weapon
This weapon is good for champions and fighters because:
- Bludgeoning helps with undead opponents. They often have piercing and slashing resistance. And being able to switch to piercing can be used if the creature resists bludgeoning.
- It has razing so it can damage objects. Fighters may find it useful for destroying shields.
- They can use shove to keep enemies from getting at weaker party members. Fighters can use it to keep casters out of melee.
Being a common weapon, you can get this at character creation or in any store.
Bec de Corbin stats:
- Price 4 gp;
- Damage 1d8 P;
- Bulk 2
- Hands 2
- Category Martial
- Group Polearm
7. Combat Lure
If you’re running a ranger that wants to make more extensive use of animal companions, the combat lure is a good idea. It functions as a good ranged weapon. It has several other traits that can be handy for rangers.
The combat lure is a finesse weapon. It uses dexterity to attack. This makes it easier for a dexterity-based ranger to hit things. You can also throw it 20 feet and use its tether to pull it back.
Its best use is the ability to give your animal companion a +1 to attack on anything the lure hits. This can help you strategize your attacks. Your animal companions can flank with rogues.
This weapon is good for rangers because:
- It is ranged so you can stay out of melee. Rangers often wear light armor.
- They boost the power of animal companions. Rangers often use animal companions. And the bonus stacks with other buffs.
- It uses dexterity to attack. A dexterity-based ranger can benefit from this.
It is uncommon so you’d have to get it from a shop in a larger city.
Combat Lure stats
- Price 2 gp;
- Damage 1d6 B;
- Bulk 1
- Hands 2
- Category Martial
- Group Flail
6. Frost Brand
As far as magical greatswords go, the Frost Brand is pretty good. Fighters and cha,pions specializing in greatswords will find a lot of usefulness. It also has a pretty handy out-of-combat effect.
Like most greatswords, the Frost Brand does good damage on its own. However, it has the added effect of slowing enemies and making them lose an action. This can be important since you’ll be fighting high-level monsters by the time you get this.
It can also put out magical and non-magical fires. This is not something that can be granted by traditional runes or crafting spells. Use this for when you encounter a spell like flame wall.
This weapon is good for fighters because:
- It gives them extra out-of-combat utility. They can extinguish flame obstacles. Extinguishing fire spells can save a caster’s spell slot.
- It does additional ice damage. But beware of enemies that absorb ice and have a backup weapon.
- Fighters who like a little more defense may like this weapon. It gives 5 fire resistance.
This weapon is a high-level weapon found most often as treasure or can be bought for 10,000 GP.
Frost Brand stats:
- Price 10,000 gp
- Usage held in 2 hands;
- Bulk 2
- Base Weapon Greatsword
5. Meteor Hammer
If you want to do some bludgeoning damage with a reach weapon, the meteor hammer is a good option. It has a 10-foot range. Some of its other abilities can be helpful.
For starters, it can disarm opponents. This makes it ideal for fighters since they have high athletics ability. If an opponent goes to pick up their primary weapon, they can get an attack of opportunity. They can also trip opponents.
This is best used when you’re dealing with an enemy with a strong weapon. If you can use trip to knock him prone, you can weaken his defenses. Tag team with the rogue.
This weapon is good for fighters because:
- It has reach. It can attack from a longer range and expands your attack of opportunity range.
- It can disarm opponents. It can make them drop weapons or shields and weaken them.
- Tripped opponents are easier to hit. It’ll optimize your ability to flank with the rogue,
This common weapon can be bought at character creation or any store,
Meteor Hammer stats:
- Price 3 gp;
- Damage 1d8 B;
- Bulk 2
- Hands 2
- Category Martial
- Group Flail
4. Long Hammer
When all you have is a hammer, every monster looks like a nail. Luckily, the long hammer gives you additional range to hit all those nails. This is a good weapon for barbarians.
The long hammer is a reach weapon that does bludgeoning damage. It’s a dwarven weapon so dwarves can use it immediately. It can also trip enemies.
Granted, when in the throes of a rage., you probably don’t want to use a round of rage to try tripping. You want to do damage.So use the trip attack, then go into a rage.
This weapon is good for barbarians because:
- It has reach. You can get to enemies more easily.
- Tripping before a rage is possible. This is a good way to make your first attacks hit harder.
- It does a lot of damage and is good for roleplay purposes. Nothing says dwarven barbarian better than a giant hammer.
You can get this weapon at character creation or at a common shop.
Long Hammer stats:
- Price 5 gp;
- Damage 1d8 B;
- Bulk 2
- Hands 2
- Category Martial
- Group Hammer
3. Mikazuki
If you’re a monk, you probably fight with your fists. While this works for ground-based enemies, fighting an aerial enemy can be more of a challenge. Enter the mikazuki.
The mikazuki is a weapon similar to the nunchaku when used in melee. But it is a combination weapon. It can be used as a bow but you have to perform an interact action to switch it over.
The best thing about this weapon is that compatible runes work for both states of the weapon. So you don’t have to spend resources upgrading two weapons or downgrade if you have to attack from range. Use the bow mode for fighting air enemies or if you intend to make a ranged monk.
This weapon is good for monks because:
- Being able to attack from range makes monks more versatile. Monks who rely on their fists are at a disadvantage when facing aerial enemies.
- They can use the weapon in ranged and melee combat. This lets them not be dependent on either mode.
- The runes apply to both forms. Meaning a monk won’t downgrade in an air combat situation the way fighters often have to.
This weapon can be bought at character creation, at a store, or at a monastery.
- Price 8 gp; Bulk 2
- Category Martial
Melee stats:
- Damage 1d6 B
- Hands 2
- Group Flail
Ranged stats:
- Damage 1d6 P
- Hands 1+
- Range 70 ft.
- ; Reload 1
- Group Bow
- Ammunition Arrows
2. Shield Bow
Sometimes, a fighter has to put aside his trusty sword and shield and fight from range. This can put him at a marked disadvantage if the fighter is more defensive. Having a shielded bow lessens this somewhat.
In circumstances where a bow is necessary, the shielded bow makes an excellent secondary weapon. If someone gets close to you during this time, you can parry melee attacks.
The best way to use this weapon as a fighter is to drop your shield and draw the bow when an opponent that can’t be attacked in melee appears. This will keep the fighter functional during combat. He may not lay on as much damage but damage is damage.
This weapon is good for fighters because:
- It allows the fighters to attack airborne enemies. This keeps the fighter in the fight.
- The shield allows him to parry attacks. This gives the fighter a bit more defense.
- The deadly d8 upgrades the damage on a critical hit. This is good since the 2e system upgraded criticals.
This can be bought at any shop or at character creation.
- Shield Bow stats:
- Price 5 gp;
- Damage 1d6 P;
- Bulk 1
- Hands 1+;
- Range 50 ft.; Reload 0
- Category Martial
- Group Bow
- Ammunition Arrows
1. Dwarven Dorn-Dergar
The dwarves are excellent craftsmen. The dorn-dergar provides excellent offensive and defensive capabilities. So much so that it was hard to find another weapon for this list. When properly upgraded, this thing can become a barbarian’s personal engine of death.
Even unmodified it has several things going for it. Reach allows the user to attack from a distance. Razing breaks shields and objects. And it does 1d10 damage.
The best way to use this weapon is to rage, charge in and start smashing. If you want to smash shields, this is a great weapon. Increase your critical hit ability to get more mileage out of its ability to knock people prone.
This weapon is great for dwarven barbarians because:
- Dwarves get immediate access to this weapon without using feats. This lets you spend feats on other things.
- It can smash shields. This makes enemies more vulnerable to attacks during rage.
- This weapon is simple to use. The strategy with this weapon is easy for new players.
This weapon can be bought by dwarven characters at creation or you have to visit the dwarves or a rare item shop.
- Price 8 gp
- Damage 1d10 B;
- Bulk 2
- Hands 2
- Category Advanced
- Group Flail
