I'm looking at a build where the character sometimes wants a weapon in one hand and sometimes wants a weapon in two hands. The obvious solution is the bastard sword, but then as I was looking at magic weapon enhancements, I found the Transformative property.
This special ability can only be placed on melee weapons. A transformative weapon alters its shape at its wielder’s command, becoming any other melee weapon of the same general shape and handedness; the weapon’s categorization as simple, martial, or exotic is irrelevant. For example, a Medium transformative longsword can take the shape of any other Medium one-handed melee weapon, such as a scimitar, flail, or trident, but not a Medium light or two-handed melee weapon (such as a Medium short sword or a Medium greatsword). It can even take the shape of comparable weapons of different size categories. For example, a Small greatsword is a two-handed slashing weapon for a Small character, but is a one-handed slashing weapon for a Medium character, which is very similar to a Medium longsword; a Small transformative greatsword can thus become an actual Medium longsword, usable by a Medium creature without the —2 penalty for using a weapon of the wrong size. The weapon retains all of its abilities , including enhancement bonuses and weapon special abilities , except those prohibited by its current shape. For example, a keen transformative weapon functions normally in the form of a piercing or slashing weapon, but cannot use the keen special ability when in the shape of a bludgeoning weapon. When unattended, the weapon reverts to its true shape.
Obvious uses for this include altering the type of damage, which sounded interesting by itself, but then I re-read the text of the bastard sword.
A bastard sword is about 4 feet in length, making it too large to use in one hand without special training; thus, it is an exotic weapon. A character can use a bastard sword two-handed as a martial weapon.
So, let's break this down. A bastard sword is obviously a melee weapon, so it qualifies for the Transformative weapon special ability. It's generally a straight, solid metal weapon, so I'll assume that "all sword shapes" is a fairly reasonable and conservative interpretation of what shapes it can assume. What I'm not clear on is whether or not it qualifies as a two-handed weapon or a one-handed weapon with respect to this ability, since the ability depends on "handedness".
It's obviously a One-Handed Exotic Weapon, but when it's wielded in two hands, it (I believe) becomes a Two-Handed Martial Weapon. Since the typing isn't important ("the weapon's categorization as simple, martial, or exotic is irrelevant"), the operative typing here is "One-Handed Weapon" or "Two-Handed Weapon", both of Medium size.
Is it then a reasonable interpretation to assume that if a character is proficient with the bastard sword and can thus wield it as a one-handed weapon, they can also use Transformative to turn it into any one- or two-handed weapon of the same general shape?
