A few spiked chain questions.

[Fun Elemental!]

If a normal sized character takes the Monkey Grip feat and wants to use a Spiked Chain that is one size larger than a standard spiked chain, does it have a 10 foot reach or a 20 foot reach?

If somebody with an oversized spiked chain gets enlarged, would the reach go out to 20 or 30 feet?

Also, if a character with a spiked chain does a whirlwind attack, they can choose to attempt trip and disarm attacks since they count as melee attacks? If you trip a target with a Whirlwind attack and Improved Trip, would you get the free follow-up attack?


To make things clear here is the character:

Fighter9
Spiked Chain, Monkey Grip, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Improved Disarm, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack.

He is an ex-pirate who uses a boat anchor on a chain as a rather exotic weapon.

 

[Hypersmurf]

If a normal sized character takes the Monkey Grip feat and wants to use a Spiked Chain that is one size larger than a standard spiked chain, does it have a 10 foot reach or a 20 foot reach?

There is no real effect on reach in the Core rules for wielding an oversized reach weapon. Savage Species (in 3E) had some rules to deal with it; I personally use a version of those Savage Species rules updated for 3.5. But as written, it doesn't matter if the orc is wielding a Medium, Large, or (somehow) Huge reach weapon - he's a Medium creature wielding a reach weapon, and therefore threatens at twice his normal reach - 10 feet.

Also, if a character with a spiked chain does a whirlwind attack, they can choose to attempt trip and disarm attacks since they count as melee attacks?

Yes.

If you trip a target with a Whirlwind attack and Improved Trip, would you get the free follow-up attack?

Due to a quirk in the wording of Improved Trip, it could be argued that yes he does... but note that Whirlwind Attack prohibits extra attacks from other feats. If the follow-up attack is considered an extra attack, Whirlwind Attack forbids it.

-Hyp.

 

[RigaMortus2]

As a Medium Character, you can always buy a Small version of the Spiked Chain. You'll be doing 1d6 damage but still retain the 5 and 10 foot reach of the weapon. It will be -2 to attack, just as the Monkey Grip feat, but it will cost you one less feat.

However, in terms of disarming, I am not sure if you would get a -4 to disarming for it being a small weapon or not.

 

[Bront]

As a Medium Character, you can always buy a Small version of the Spiked Chain. You'll be doing 1d6 damage but still retain the 5 and 10 foot reach of the weapon. It will be -2 to attack, just as the Monkey Grip feat, but it will cost you one less feat.

However, in terms of disarming, I am not sure if you would get a -4 to disarming for it being a small weapon or not.

That's smaller, not larger, and not sure why he'd do that.

I wouldn't give him extra reach, just because it'd get unwieldly. Personaly, I've never been a huge fan of Monkey Grip, but more out of the visuals and flavor than anything else, mechanicaly it's not too bad.

As for the extra trip attack afterwards, I'd say no, but as Hyp said, it could be argued.

On a side note, I'd turn the spiked chain into a bludgeoning weapon if used as the anchor.

 

[RangerWickett]

By the rules, a colossal giant could grab a pixie longspear and he'd threaten, what, 50 ft?

 

[Bront]

By the rules, a colossal giant could grab a pixie longspear and he'd threaten, what, 50 ft?

Technicaly, if he could actualy grab it. It'd be like trying to grab a splinter.

 

[Infiniti2000]

That's smaller, not larger, and not sure why he'd do that.

Because then he could use the spiked chain one-handed. However, I'm guessing RigaMortus2 was thinking of the old 3.0 version of Monkey Grip which allowed you to use a two-handed weapon of the same size as one-handed. 3.5 Monkey Grip does not work that way, however.

By the rules, a colossal giant could grab a pixie longspear and he'd threaten, what, 50 ft?

A colossal giant could use a Huge longspear as the smallest choice.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Because then he could use the spiked chain one-handed. However, I'm guessing RigaMortus2 was thinking of the old 3.0 version of Monkey Grip which allowed you to use a two-handed weapon of the same size as one-handed. 3.5 Monkey Grip does not work that way, however.

No... What I was thinking of (and this may be wrong) is that a medium sized person could buy a small Spiked Chain (does 1d6 damage) and still retain the standard 10 foot reach spiked chain normally has (while also threatening 5 feet as well, as usual for the spiked chain).

Where I may have gone wrong is, would that now mean the medium sized character could wield the small spiked chain in one hand (since it is smaller)? Without the need of even taking Monkey Grip.

 

[Infiniti2000]

No... What I was thinking of (and this may be wrong) is that a medium sized person could buy a small Spiked Chain (does 1d6 damage) and still retain the standard 10 foot reach spiked chain normally has (while also threatening 5 feet as well, as usual for the spiked chain).

Okay, sure, but as Bront asked, why would he do that? Only one reason . . .

Where I may have gone wrong is, would that now mean the medium sized character could wield the small spiked chain in one hand (since it is smaller)? Without the need of even taking Monkey Grip.

Yes. Monkey Grip isn't even a question, however, as smaller weapons have nothing at all to do with Monkey Grip, nor specifically do two-handed weapons.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Okay, sure, but as Bront asked, why would he do that? Only one reason . . .

Yes. Monkey Grip isn't even a question, however, as smaller weapons have nothing at all to do with Monkey Grip, nor specifically do two-handed weapons.

My point was, you can save yourself a feat (Monkey Grip) by taking a small sized spiked chain while still being able to (a) dual wield 2 spiked chains (b) having a 10 foot reach and (c) threatening 5 and 10 feet out. The only think you lose out on is the damage, but I figured the motivation for using spiked chain wasn't for the damage, but a, b and c.