The Awl Pike

the Jester

Legend

• Feb 19, 2005

• #1

How does this look for balance?

Awl Pike (two handed exotic weapon)- damage 1d8 (medium) or 1d6 (small); crit x3; type piercing. An awl pike gives a character 15' reach. A character wielding an awl pike cannot attack any closer than 15'. It is a very awkward weapon, so those not proficient in it suffer an extra -4 to attack rolls with it.

An awl pike for larger than medium creatures triples their natural reach.

If you ready an action to attack a charging enemy with an awl pike, you deal double damage.

 

Last edited: Feb 21, 2005

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Crothian

First Post

• Feb 19, 2005

• #2

interesting weapon. I assume then it is a two handed item? Seems blaanced as is, but I'm sure someone can come up with a reason that 15ft reach is out of line.

 

Jdvn1

Hanging in there. Better than the alternative.

• Feb 19, 2005

• #3

Instead of tripling natural reach, I'd make it a flat +15'.

 

devoblue

First Post

• Feb 20, 2005

• #4

You can use a ready action to do double damage against charging foe's.

I would be tempted to increase the damage dice or crit range, in return for drawing an AoO when attacking with it (hence best used in formations).

Given that peasants are likely to be called to use it, I think the non-profficiency penalties, and it being exotic are a bit harsh. Perhaps leave the damage alone but make it a simple weapon.

 

the Jester

Legend

• Feb 20, 2005

• #5

Jdvn1 said:

Instead of tripling natural reach, I'd make it a flat +15'.

Click to expand...

I based that on the rule for large creatures with reach- a longspear, spiked chain or whatever straight up doubles your natural reach.

The flat +15' makes it shorter than a longspear for a Gargantuan or larger creature. :\ I agree that tripling natural reach seems extreme, but 15' reach is triple for a Medium creature, and it needs the 15' reach in order to match my vision of them.

I'm open to suggestions, however.

 

Elephant

First Post

• Feb 20, 2005

• #6

the Jester said:

How does this look for balance?

Awl Pike (exotic weapon)- damage 1d8/1d6; crit x3; type piercing. An awl pike gives a character 15' reach. A character wielding an awl pike cannot attack any closer than 15'. It is a very awkward weapon, so those not proficient in it suffer an extra -4 to attack rolls with it.

An awl pike for larger than medium creatures triples their natural reach.

Click to expand...

I agree with the comment above about making this a simple weapon. I'd modify it a bit, though. Keep the 15' reach, 1d8/x3 Piercing, and triple reach for Large and above. Then, permit Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Awl Pike to add 1d6/x2 bludgeoning, no penalties.

Wielders who do not have the EWP feat treat it as an improvised weapon when trying to fight using the blunt end.

I model it thusly: A company of peasant conscripts is armed with awl pikes. They march in ragged formations and use their pikes to jab at the enemy, having been hastily drilled in the use of the weapon.

Now, take an elite fighter who has trained extensively with his Awl Pike. Not only does he fight effectively in formation, but he can also fight TV show-style, taking on multiple enemies by twirling and hopping around the battlefield, stabbing here, bashing there, etc. It sounds quite cinematic, actually.

Hmm...come to think of it, this type of rule could be handy for all polearms, not just Awl Pikes.

 

the Jester

Legend

• Feb 20, 2005

• #7

It seems to me like trying to use a 15' pole arm would be extremely difficult. In fact, a book I'm reading right now emphasizes the difficulty in using something of that size- especially en mass, you'll tend to have everyone tangle each other up unless you maneuver as one. I really don't think it should be a simple weapon. Also, a 15' reach is pretty incredibly useful (imho) and I think giving that to just anyone is prolly broken. Awl pikes, among other thing, allow for an incredible forest of danger when you set up your ranks thusly:

AAA
LLL
SSS
XXX

where A= awl pikeman, L= longspearman, and S= Shortspearman. And X is where you're subject to 3 or more attacks at a time.

I suspect the peasants would be the shortspear and longspear wielders, and the awl pikes are where the resistance stiffens a little (with warriors or even fighters).

 

Elephant

First Post

• Feb 21, 2005

• #8

Jester, good points. After reading your post, I tend to agree that Awl Pikes shouldn't be simple weapons. Perhaps Martial might be more appropriate for the partial effect I described above.

 

Jdvn1

Hanging in there. Better than the alternative.

• Feb 21, 2005

• #9

the Jester said:

I based that on the rule for large creatures with reach- a longspear, spiked chain or whatever straight up doubles your natural reach.

The flat +15' makes it shorter than a longspear for a Gargantuan or larger creature. :\ I agree that tripling natural reach seems extreme, but 15' reach is triple for a Medium creature, and it needs the 15' reach in order to match my vision of them.

I'm open to suggestions, however.

Click to expand...

Hm, good point. I don't often play Large creatures with reach weapons (seems redundant to me), but I assumed it worked like the Morphic Reach abilitiy from Warshaper from Complete Warrior. Flat +5'.

 

Aaron2

Explorer

• Feb 21, 2005

• #10

Elephant said:

Perhaps Martial might be more appropriate for the partial effect I described above.

Click to expand...

I'd make it martial as well. One of the things I do for pikes is to double the penalty for being flanked to +4. This represents how heavy and unwieldy it is in close quarters.


Aaron