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Jacob Blackmon noted yesterday that there are a LOT of illustrations of barbaric characters fighting with two axes. He's right, and I also noticed that often that art shows them using 2-handed axes in each hand.

I thought it was a shame it's not something the 1st edition Pathfinder RPG supports well as a character concept.

And then, this idea hit me. Read the full article below, or follow the link to my blog:

https://owenkcstephens.com/2021/01/28/barbaric-axe-fighting-for-pathfinder-1st-edition/

<figure>(Art by Konstantin Gerasimov)</figure>

BARBARIC AXE FIGHTING (Combat)You have mastered a vicious axe-fighting technique.Prerequisites: Martial weapon proficiency, rage class feature, Str 13.Benefit: You can fight with two weapons you are proficient with from the axes weapon group, one in each hand. You can do this even if one or both is a two-handed weapon (you can use each 1-handed, without taking any special penalty for doing so, otherwise using 1-handed weapon rules). You are not considered to be two-weapon fighting, and do not gain any extra attacks of benefits of two-weapon fighting. If you gain multiple attacks per round from a high base attack bonus or haste effect, you can choose which weapon to make each attack with.Additionally, when you make an attack roll where the d20 show a result 1 or 2 less than your threat range, your attack is a lesser critical threat. Roll to confirm the lesser critical threat, just as if it was a normal critical threat. If your lesser critical threat confirms, your attack does double damage. You do not gain any other benefit you would normally gain with a critical hit, and any effect that would prevent a critical hit from being effect also negates your lesser critical hit.Special: A character that gains rage powers may select this as a rage power if they meet the prerequisites. It functions exactly as noted above, even when the character is not raging.

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Comments

DragoDorn

How does an Advanced/Greater version that allows you to dual wield/two weapon fight at level 8 or 10 sound to you?

Owen K.C. Stephens

Almost certainly broken. Really the only place to go from here is to expand the minor critical threat range, or add special effects to the minor critical.

DragoDorn

So it could be a start of your Horrifically Overpowered Class features/abilities/talents line then?