Enlarged spiked chain

[Mighty Veil]

If a cleric using a spiked chain (w/ its 10' reach), enlarged himself, by spell. Would the spiked chain have a 20' reach?

 

[James McMurray]

Yes.

 

[frankthedm]

Yes. Do note that once you get more than 10' reach, you have to use the 1, then 2, 1, then 2 method for counting diagonally across squares.

Also when makng Melee attacks against those who are not adjacent to you, you determine cover as a ranged weapon. So good placement can bone you out of a few AoOs.

 

[frankthedm]

And here is how to use cover to deny the enlarged combatant all AoOs in the above situation. Trolls might not be tactical enough to do so, but this is just to show how to use cover to avoid AoOs.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Yes. Do note that once you get more than 10' reach, you have to use the 1, then 2, 1, then 2 method for counting diagonally across squares.

Note that a Large reach weapon threatens 20 feet and 15 feet, but not 10 feet or 5 feet; a spiked chain has the special property that it also threatens adjacent squares.

So I see it more like this...

(The pale squares I need to check up on - I'm not certain if they're considered 10 feet, 15 feet, or both for a reach weapon.)

-Hyp.

 

[James McMurray]

Note that a Large reach weapon threatens 20 feet and 15 feet, but not 10 feet or 5 feet; a spiked chain has the special property that it also threatens adjacent squares.

Interesting rules oddity. Certainly not something I'd use in the game, as it appears to go completely against the idea of the weapon, but it's one for the list.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Interesting rules oddity. Certainly not something I'd use in the game, as it appears to go completely against the idea of the weapon, but it's one for the list.

It depends what you mean by 'the idea of the weapon'. As far as I can tell, the idea of the weapon is that unlike most reach weapons, it threatens adjacent squares...

-Hyp.

 

[James McMurray]

To me the "idea of the weapon" is an exotic weapon that gets around the penalty of normal reach weapons.

It's all good though. As long as one of doesn't become a player in the other's game and decide to throw a fit about whichever version gets used we should be alright.

 

[Slaved]

It depends what you mean by 'the idea of the weapon'. As far as I can tell, the idea of the weapon is that unlike most reach weapons, it threatens adjacent squares...

-Hyp.

This is another one of those problems that crops up because the game rules seem to be mostly written from the perspective of being a medium sized human.

Which makes sense, given that it is likely a majority of the writers were medium sized humans, but it is not like it would have taken a lot more work to write it more generally.

 

[frankthedm]

Note that a Large reach weapon threatens 20 feet and 15 feet, but not 10 feet or 5 feet; a spiked chain has the special property that it also threatens adjacent squares.

So I see it more like this...

(The pale squares I need to check up on - I'm not certain if they're considered 10 feet, 15 feet, or both for a reach weapon.)

-Hyp.

if we are going so RAW it hurts, I think this still applies... Large or larger creatures using reach weapons can strike up to double their natural reach but can’t strike at their natural reach or less. So the pale orange is not threatened.