Editing D&D Optimization (section)

=== 3.5E Gear titbits ===
* For polearm build, Lucerne Hammer from Arms and Equipment Guide can be useful. 12 GP, 2d4, x4 crit, 10 lb, Reach Large weapon is better than halberds and glaives.
* There were experiments with upscaling and downscaling weapons. Weapon can be increased or decreased step by step (Small = Light -> Medium = One-Handed -> Large = Two-Handed -> Huge = Can't Wield). Such resulted in variety of experimental weapons.
** One-Handed Two-Handed Swords. Greataxe can be downscaled into 1d10 9.6 lb 16 GP One-Handed weapon, or 1d8 7.68 lb 12.8 GP Light Weapon. Greatsword can be downscaled into [1d10 or 2d4] 40 GP 6.4 lb if One-Handed, or [1d8 or 2d3] 32 GP 5.12 lb if Light. Both are better than most One-Handed and Light weapons.
** Two-Handed Bastard Swords. Upscale Bastard Sword and Dwarven War-Axe by one size, into "true" Two-Handed weapon with 2d8 damage, what works as Martial weapon when held two-handed (who cares, what it can't be held one-handed anymore?).
** Anti-Materiel Crossbows. Crossbows have their own damage table. Light Crossbow can be upscaled 2 times into Two-Handed 3d6 125-feet range 78.75 GP 9 lb weapon; Heavy Crossbow can be turned into Two-Handed 2d8 150-feet range 75 GP 12 lb weapon. 
** Other oversized ranged weapons. Sling can be upscaled 2 times into Two-Handed 1d8 (1d6 with rocks) 78,125-feet range 0-lb free Two-Handed weapon. Sling and oversized sling are, basically, your ranged emergency weapon: they're free, weightless, and ammo is plenty.
** Altering dice. That's where bug-use starts. 2d4 and 1d8 increase into 2d6; 2d6 decreases into 2d4 or 1d8; so, 2d4 and 1d8 are equivalent. You could increase and decrease a weapon, to turn it from 1d8 to 2d4 (what is already helpful). So in theory, you could design weapons what have same amount of nominal size but different dice amounts (e.g. 1d12 = 2d6 = 4d3 = 12d1), by repeatedly increasing and decreasing weapon's size while choosing how dice look like (e.g. 1d12 > ''2d4'' > 4d3 > ''8d1'' > 12d1; or barring intermediate decreases, 1d12 > 2d6 > 4d3 > 12d1).
* By default, magic Armor can re-size and re-fit for whoever is trying to wear it, changing it's size and shape as needed. So it can, for example, resize from Tiny Humanoid shaped to Colossal Nonhumanoid shaped and back. Armor for Tiny Humanoid creatures costs less than big armor (only special cursed armor can't do this). So you can buy/craft magic armor set for tiny creature, re-size it and wear it. That effectively allows allows for discount of high-tier armor (e.g. full plate), armor made of exotic materials, and armor for big creatures. For example, normal Full Plate costs 1500gp - and Tiny Full Plate +1 costs 1750gp, and it re-sizes to wearer's size.
* One way to make double-wielding worthwhile?
** Use Two-Handed weapon, ''and'' use another weapon held in body part ''other'' than hand, as Off-Hand weapon. For example - swing Greatsword, and then swing spikes on your armor.
** Another method, is to alter anatomy of your character by adding more hands - such as with magical arms (if you can replace old arms with golem arms - why not have ''four'' of such arms) or body-altering spells; wield ''two'' Two-Handed weapons (e.g. Greatsword + Greatsword), for overall higher chance what ''at least one of them'' will hit. Also ask GM, what happens if you quadruple-wield weapons, or grab weapon with 4 hands.