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A Thri Kreen has multiple limbs according to page 15 of the expanded psionics handbook:

Multiple Limbs thri-kreen have four arms and thus can take the Multiweapon Fighting feat page 304 of the Monster Manual instead of the Two-Weapon Fighting feat. Thri-kreen can also take the Multiattack feat these feats are not bonus feats.

The multiweapon fighting feat is described thus:

Multiweapon Fighting penalties for fighting with multiple weapons are reduced by 2 with the primary hand and reduced by 6 with off hands. Normally a creature without this feat takes a -6 penalty on attacks made with its primary hand and a -10 penalty on attacks made with its off hands. It has one primary hand and all the others are off hands.

If a thri-kreen uses two long swords in a two handed grip what happens? According to page 134 of the player's handbook, we can see:

Strength Bonus: When you hit with a melee or thrown weapon, including a sling, add your Strength modifier to the damage result. A Strength penalty, but not a bonus, applies on attacks made with a bow that is not a composite bow.

Off-Hand Weapon: When you deal damage with a weapon in your off hand, you add only 1/2 your Strength bonus.

Wielding a Weapon Two-Handed: When you deal damage with a weapon that you are wielding two-handed, you add 1-1/2 times your Strength bonus. However, you don’t get this higher Strength bonus when using a light weapon with two hands (see Light, One-Handed, and Two-Handed Melee Weapons, page 113).

So the question is, on the off hand long sword wielded two handedly does the thri-kreen add only half his strength bonus with the off hand long sword or does he add 1-1/2 times his strength bonus or does he add 0.75 his strength bonus, or some other calculation?

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    \$\begingroup\$ For the record, I’ve been looking into this, and have come up empty. Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, Monster Manual, Rules Compendium, and Savage Species all seem to lack any information about it. In fact, I can’t find any information on multiweapon fighting at all, beyond the feat, which doesn’t really get into things at all. \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Feb 1, 2020 at 3:27
  • \$\begingroup\$ Agreed, as far as I'm aware there's no official ruling on how to handle it. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 1, 2020 at 3:33

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A weapon wielded in two off hands deals Str bonus ×1

Although absent from the Monster Manual, Monsters of Faerûn, Fiend Folio, and Monster Manual IIIV, Monster Manual II includes a section on Manufactured Weapons that, in part, says

Creatures that use swords, bows, spears, and the like follow the same rules as characters do. Regardless of how many hands (or other appendages capable of wielding a weapon) a creature may have, only one of them is primary. The rest count as off hands. The damage bonus for a melee weapon attack depends on the hand or hands that wield the weapons, as shown on the table below. Apply the given multiplier to the creature’s Strength bonus (if it has one) and add the result to the damage rolled. (12).

The table lists the damage bonus of a nonlight weapon that's wielded in the primary hand (×1), in the off hand (×½), in the primary hand and an off hand (×1½), and in two off hands (×1). (The table's other information is unnecessary.)

This section is unmentioned by the book's errata, and the Monster Manual II is officially updated for the 3.5 revision by the D&D v.3.5 Accessory Update, it also not mentioning this section. That should make these rules acceptable in many 3.5 campaigns.

Thus a four-handed creature like a thri-kreen (MM2 195–6) that's wielding two-handed two longswords deals the weapon's normal damage plus the creature's Str bonus ×1½ points of damage with one and plus the creature's Str bonus in points of damage with the other.


Note: The only reason I can think of as to why this information is exclusive to the Monster Manual II is that the book marks the first Wizards of the Coast-published appearance of the thri-kreen. Really, xills would certainly agree that this should've been in the Monster Manual from the get-go.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Perfect. Thanks again and all my Thri-Kreen related questions are now concluded. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 1, 2020 at 16:49

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