Spiked Chain Master

[Atavar]

Hello Everyone,

I will be playing a character in a new Eberron campaign soon. I would like to play a character who becomes a master with the spiked chain. I had originally thought of going straight fighter and just taking whatever feats would help me toward that goal. However, I am now thinking about being a warblade (Book of Nine Swords) instead and taking whatever maneuvers would help me toward that goal.

So, how do I make the best spike chain master? Any WotC source can be considered for DM approval.

Thanks,

Atavar

 

[Victim]

It depends on what you want to do.

If you want to focus more on area control via tripping, then going fighter for a while is a solid bet. Exotic Weapon Master has some abilities that work well too.

If just want to hit people as they move around and aren't worried about special combat options, then think about Crusader instead of or in addition to Warblade. Thicket of Blades works amazingly well with reach weapons.

 

[Elethiomel]

Thicket of Blades works amazingly well with reach weapons.

It works even better with the Spiked Chain, as that also threatens adjacent squares.

 

[Glomus Jugulare]

Isn't the Thicket of Blades ability somewhat abusive with Reach Weapons (basically giving you an extra attack each round against an opponent without one, as opposed to an initial extra attack when they close, then trading blows...?) I'm not sure I'd actually allow the Thicket of Blades ability to work beyond 5ft if I had to DM a character with it....

In answer to the original question though, at least a few levels of Fighter is almost necessary because of the number of Feats that are needed to realise the full potential of the weapon. I DM a game with a Spiked Chain wielder who is a Fighter / Rogue and uses the reach of the weapon to achieve flanking positions (for Sneak Attack damage) in a way that someone with a non-reach weapon can't, and it's been very effective.