Ambidexterity in C&C?

[tylermo]

I'm going to plow through the phb and ckg to see if ambidexterity is discussed in either. My pirate player is asking about it. Fully functioning left hand, partially functioning right hand(thumb and forefinger work). Wears the cuff and hook. He's wanting to be ambidextrous. Even if he gets to be ambi, I would think there would have to be a penalty on that hand.

[alcyone]

They can't ever be happy with what's in the book, can they?

He may have been ambidextrous when he had two fully functional hands, but clearly one hand is better than the other now. I'd leave the penalties in place. After all, what if someone with two perfectly good hands then wants ambidexterity? And the poor monk has to wait for 6th level to get a similar ability, and the poor fighter can only look on in admiration at the damage this pirate deals.

On the other hand, if you lift the penalties for fighting, I'd put them in place for everything else. Penalties to climbing, picking locks, etc., and watch for situations where you can use those things.

In PHB and CKG, handedness only applies to two weapon fighting, and just to determine which is the "primary" weapon. It's not stated if ambidexterity removes the need for this choice; I'd just as soon rule it does not. For all I know the rules ASSUME you are ambidextrous .

[tylermo]

If right hook hand is the off hand(being used by itself--not the other hand as well), I assume it's going to be -4(accounting for his +2 dex mod)? He doesn't like that penalty. Don't even get me started about the patch on one eye, but no depth perception or blocked vision issues. Aarrrgghhh!

[alcyone]

I think it would be ok to not assess an off-hand penalty when 2 weapons are not being used, at least in the rules I can't find mention of off-hand in any other context.

[tylermo]

Short of the Chenaults weighing in officially. I either like your suggestion, or a possible -3 for the one-hand usage(even if it's the off hand, minus the dex mod of course).

[gideon_thorne]

Well, statistically, less than 5% of the population are ambidextrous. So you could always roll a percentage to see if a given character has such an innate talent.

[tylermo]

Thanks, Peter. I let him roll it, and wouldn't you know it...he rolled a friggin' 5%. Now, I'll have to let all the other players have a chance to be ambidextrous. Then, my halfling paladin player called just now. He's lost his character sheet. Great. Had the mule stats on it too. It gets better and better, but I'm looking forward to the game tonight.

[tylermo]

I assume there'll still be a penalty for two attacks. Since he's ambidextrous, I guess it'll be -3/-3 instead of -3/-6.

[TheMetal1]

I assume there'll still be a penalty for two attacks. Since he's ambidextrous, I guess it'll be -3/-3 instead of -3/-6.

Sounds like a pretty good ruling. If you're looking for more cruch here is the entry from the 3.5 SRD online:

Two-Weapon Fighting

If you wield a second weapon in your off hand, you can get one extra attack per round with that weapon. You suffer a -6 penalty with your regular attack or attacks with your primary hand and a -10 penalty to the attack with your off hand when you fight this way. You can reduce these penalties in two ways:

•If your off-hand weapon is light, the penalties are reduced by 2 each. (An unarmed strike is always considered light.)
•The Two-Weapon Fighting feat lessens the primary hand penalty by 2, and the off-hand penalty by 6.
Table: Two-Weapon Fighting Penalties summarizes the interaction of all these factors.

Double Weapons
You can use a double weapon to make an extra attack with the off-hand end of the weapon as if you were fighting with two weapons. The penalties apply as if the off-hand end of the weapon were a light weapon.

Thrown Weapons
The same rules apply when you throw a weapon from each hand. Treat a dart or shuriken as a light weapon when used in this manner, and treat a bolas, javelin, net, or sling as a one-handed weapon.

[redwullf]

Well, statistically, less than 5% of the population are ambidextrous. So you could always roll a percentage to see if a given character has such an innate talent.

In fact, it's about 1 in 100 people (1%). I like this idea...just have him roll d%, if he gets a 01, great! He's ambidextrous. If he gets 02 to 00, too bad.

[tylermo]

Too late. I went with the 5%. He's got it. He gave up his firearm(which doesn't work for me in most fantasy), and made a few other concessions, as well.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

It might be fun for a character wielding a hook to be able to use the hook as a main-gauche.

[Arduin]

In fact, it's about 1 in 100 people (1%). I like this idea...just have him roll d%, if he gets a 01, great! He's ambidextrous. If he gets 02 to 00, too bad.

Yes, ~1% is correct. Whenever I have a player that wants a large advantage of this type, I have him roll.