Knight with Spiked Chain. Broken?

At 3rd Level, the Knight in the Player's Handbook 2 gets an ability called defensive bullwark. It states that any creature begining its turn in your threatened area treats the area you threaten as Difficult Terrain.

The effects of difficult terrain say: Each square of difficult terrain counts as 2 squares of movement. (Each diagonal move into a difficult terrain square counts as 3 squares.) You can’t run or charge across difficult terrain.

Enter the Knight with the spiked chain. He threatens a 10' radius around himself. Suppose a barbarian charged the knight to attack him. The knight would get an AOO for the barbarian exiting a square he threatened, but the barbarian doesn't care, he's used to incurring AOOs from charging, and besides, next round he'll do his full attack action, and tear the knight up... WRONG.

On the knight's turn, he takes a 5' step back, and full attacks the barbarian. On the barbarians turn, he tells the DM he takes a 5' step and full attacks the knight. The DM says, "No, that square is considered difficult terrain. It takes you 10' of movement to move there, and therefor, you cannot take a 5' step into it." Frustrated, the barbarian takes the 10' of movement then necessary to attack, and incurrs and AOO again, because he left a threatened square [and not with a 5' step or tactical withdrawal]. The barbarian takes his licking, then gives the knight a single attack. The knight then takes a 5' step back, and full attacks the barbarian again, and the process repeats itself until the barbarian dies or retreats.

So, is this broken? Remember, there are other ways for a knight to gain reach that can be just as broken. Potions of enlarge person, or simply being an Ogre knight would also do it. Don't forget the lance is also a reach weapon. If you have a reach weapon and improved unarmed strike, you also threaten both your adjacent square and 10' away...

Edit: I see your point now.

The main problem is the 5ft step in the difficult terrain.

Try to get Combat Acrobat in some way: it's the perfect response to this Knight tactic.

Otherwise, attack from distance.

Hi Epochrpg,

Question: Do you think a knight who bases their entire existence on chivalry and honour, a knight who won't even get a flanking bonus because they see such as an unfair advantage would resort to such tactics?

So while in theory, it's an interesting technique and mental exercise in terms of game mechanics, any DM worth their salt would severely question a knight using such tactics. As far as I can read it, the aim of the Bulwark of Defence is to make it difficult for opponent's to get around you (assisting the knight in protecting a valued member of their party). It is most certainly not meant to induce attacks of opportunity for the knight to take advantage of.

YMMV.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

Honourable !=stupid

This kind of tactic merely seems sensible, slowly retreating and fighting to minimise your opportunities opportunities to attack.

If it's difficult terrain, then the knight can't take a 5' step.

Besides, why can't the barbarian use a reach weapon himself? Or a ranged weapon?

Why can't the knight take a 5' step?

Quartz said:

If it's difficult terrain, then the knight can't take a 5' step.

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The knight's ability is causing the areas he threaten to be treated as if it were difficult terrain. It's not actually difficult, and the knight himself is not affected. He can 5' step with no problem.

Merkuri said:

The knight's ability is causing the areas he threaten to be treated as if it were difficult terrain. It's not actually difficult, and the knight himself is not affected. He can 5' step with no problem.

Click to expand...

Point. I should have re-read the text.

But I'm not sure that the OP's GM is right. The barbarian can take the first 5' step. The Difficult Terrain only applies to 'an opponent that begins its turn in your threatened area'. (PHB 2, p28).

In the given example, the knight is using a spiked chain, which allows him to threaten all squares in a 10ft radius. If he is in combat with a barbarian and he takes a 5' step back then the barbarian is ony 5' away, still in the threatened area. That's the point.

Though personally, I doubt a knight would stoop that low, if you are focusing on roleplaying. The knight I'm currently playing considers the spiked chain a dishonorable weapon.

I don't see much of a problem with it; there are always effective tactics and counters throughout D&D. Antimagic field is sheer hell on spellcasters, but that's where Orbs of Force and Barbarians come in.

In this case, the answer there is to handle the knight from a range, or step a Martial Adept into the fray (who can do about as much damage as a full-attacking warrior, but only takes a standard action to do so).