H.B.M.C. said:

Well, I think most of use were hoping they didn't represent a smoking pile of scrap.

Pretty much, yes.

It's nice to be told not to worry. It's not quite as nice to see the character's ancestral weapon go up in a rain of sparks and parts, which is what the rules pretty much dictate. Assuming one successful parry per round, a Legacy weapon survives a little less than one minute of combat against a power weapon.

Cifer said:

I wasn't suggesting that you not use your shiny chainaxe. I was suggesting you go on an epic quest to turn it into a power chainaxe. It might be difficult to do but that is why it is an epic quest. Also just so you aren't thinking I'm totally crazy: the spacewolves use power chain weapons caled frostblades and frost axes. They appear in deathwatch.

Another solution to the legacy vs power weapon fight is to encourage proving your martial superiority by disarming your opponent before decapitating them… then parry thier fists or other non-power alternative… assuming you don't just kill them while they try to retrieve thier shiny sword. There are plenty of solutions to working around it.

Another solution is to dodge power weapons instead of parrying them. No one says you have to parry. Sure you won't get those cool counter attacks in, but your weapon isn't broken. And will you really be neglecting dodge just cause you like melee? You can't parry bolter rounds, and agility decides movement and likely initiative so you probably aren't neglecting it, so dodge should work just fine. You might still have to worry about them parrying you, but you will have doubled the lifespan of your weapon. Then you can pick up that nifty talent (killing strike, tier 2) that lets you spend an infamy point to make your attack unavoidable. then your weapon is safe from the nasty powerfield.

You could also just take the hit, make the elevation test and shoot the guy with your back-up inferno pistol (or other suitable weapon). Personally I am a fan of lighting them on fire too, as it is hard to parry me while they are trying to put themselves out.

Be creative. There are plenty of ways around the problem with out saying the rules are faulty. If I was your GM I would happily destroy your legacy weapon if you couldn't come up with some other way to get around it, and insisted on specifically parrying the power weapon with something that couldn't take it.

Personally I think that making legacy weapons automatically ignore powerfields would mostly reduce power weapons down to a meh-whatever-who-cares level of mediocrity that they should never fall to. No one should ever see a badguy wielding a powersword and think, "Oh, I'll be alright, I have my dad's old pocket knife, it can block a power sword, no problem!"

The problem is not so much about not being able to parry - there's always the dodge option or taking it on the chin.  The problem rests with the idea that the defense of a character with a power weapon can destroy your shit.  Sure, there's always ranged combat, but it sends characters without power legacy weapons down to the kiddy pool in terms of what fights they can participate in.  You will never be able to duel an enemy with a power weapon.  They're just out of your weight class.  If you try to use another weapon to compensate, your weapon gets angry and might depower itself.

I'm curious about what everyone thinks of the mass combat rules. I've only read them once, but they seem much better than the ones from Battlefleet Koronus. 

If you dual-wield the legacy weapon, is it acceptable to use one or the other, or must it always be exactly as a pair?

Like, for example, if using an Accurate weapon that you need to single-shot that round.

Or can the dual-wielding be done with any weapon no problem so long as the other is your Legacy?

I presume that if you've got Furious Assault, then you can make two All Out Attacks with bonecrusher to hit everyone in 2m, amirite?

That appears to be the case.

@CryHavok

Another solution is to dodge power weapons instead of parrying them. No one says you have to parry. Sure you won't get those cool counter attacks in, but your weapon isn't broken. And will you really be neglecting dodge just cause you like melee? You can't parry bolter rounds, and agility decides movement and likely initiative so you probably aren't neglecting it, so dodge should work just fine. You might still have to worry about them parrying you, but you will have doubled the lifespan of your weapon. Then you can pick up that nifty talent (killing strike, tier 2) that lets you spend an infamy point to make your attack unavoidable. then your weapon is safe from the nasty powerfield.

Take a look at the alignment of Dodge. And Killing Strike, as you noted, costs an Infamy Point for every single strike.

Be creative. There are plenty of ways around the problem with out saying the rules are faulty. If I was your GM I would happily destroy your legacy weapon if you couldn't come up with some other way to get around it, and insisted on specifically parrying the power weapon with something that couldn't take it.

Personally I think that making legacy weapons automatically ignore powerfields would mostly reduce power weapons down to a meh-whatever-who-cares level of mediocrity that they should never fall to. No one should ever see a badguy wielding a powersword and think, "Oh, I'll be alright, I have my dad's old pocket knife, it can block a power sword, no problem!"

The funny thing is everyone will think just that in the latter stages of the game, because there's no reason not to switch to a power weapon yourself once you can obtain it. No reason unless you like the idea of your character thinking of his weapons as more than a set of stats, that is.

I realize there are solutions to the problem, albeit ugly and expensive ones. What I don't get is how the very character type that defines itself by its weapon can be so disadvantaged in the situation where you expect it to shine. "Oh, our enemy has a martial champion! Let's get our Khornate to face him, he's the only one who has a chance to beat him - and Barbaroth is itching for the Corruption points anyway."-"Nah, the enemy has a power weapon and stupid Barbaroth still insists on lugging his chainaxe around. Just don't tell our berserker and I'll try to snipe the champion. Best for all involved."

Cifer said:

Yes it costs an infamy point, but how many unavoidable hits do you think it is gonna take?  If you are afraid taking any advances not of your chosen alignment then I don't know what to tell you other than that your character is going to have huge gaping weaknesses, regardless of what alignment you are.

Cifer said:

Seems we have opposing views here. Yours seems to be that legacy weapons should be giving everyone a reason to use stuff other than power weapons. Mine on the other hand, is that someone who is impatient and just elevates the first weapon they find to legacy status, should suffer the consequences of thier impatience. By the same token those who are patient and wait to get the weapon the really want, are rewarded when they elevate it to legacy weapon status.

Personally I think that the ability to, at character creation, make your weapon invulnerable to power weapons, would be ridiculous. As it stands, it is a 15% increase in its survivability. It is better than it was before.

Cifer said:

wow editing that last post made it weird.

Cryhavok said:

Given that you can already get a power, force, or rune weapon at character creation, I don't see how this is an issue.