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<blockquote data-quote="Zimbel" data-source="post: 2549674" data-attributes="member: 29912">I've been part of a campaign where it was used for levels 8-16. The spiked chain was pretty good, particuarly with feats that can take advantage of its reach and Enlarge (preferably permenant). That PC did not, however, dominate the game, and the player eventually switched out for a character with a more traditional weapon.I've also seen it used in a current game from LV 1-4. My opinion is that for that game, it's a bit weak, since at low levels, with few of the support feats, its advantages don't outweigh the disadvantage of not having a shield. Note that we are frequently swarmed with many, many low CR creatures, so AC ends up being more important than normal (+2 to AC in some combats would have 1/2ed the damage received).The real problem at LV 14+ is not that the spiked chain is weak- it's that major spellcasters blow through the roof in power somewhere around that level (Sorcerer a bit earlier, Cleric a bit later). All weapons are weak by LV 15 or so; the primary purpose of front liners becomes meat-shielding, not damage dealing. When I played a high-level sorcerer, my character was nearly the offensive strength of the rest of the entire party - and that was a party that was heavily pumped by her spells.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Zimbel, post: 2549674, member: 29912"] I've been part of a campaign where it was used for levels 8-16. The spiked chain was pretty good, particuarly with feats that can take advantage of its reach and Enlarge (preferably permenant). That PC did not, however, dominate the game, and the player eventually switched out for a character with a more traditional weapon. I've also seen it used in a current game from LV 1-4. My opinion is that for that game, it's a bit weak, since at low levels, with few of the support feats, its advantages don't outweigh the disadvantage of not having a shield. Note that we are frequently swarmed with many, many low CR creatures, so AC ends up being more important than normal (+2 to AC in some combats would have 1/2ed the damage received). The real problem at LV 14+ is not that the spiked chain is weak- it's that major spellcasters blow through the roof in power somewhere around that level (Sorcerer a bit earlier, Cleric a bit later). All weapons are weak by LV 15 or so; the primary purpose of front liners becomes meat-shielding, not damage dealing. When I played a high-level sorcerer, my character was nearly the offensive strength of the rest of the entire party - and that was a party that was heavily pumped by her spells. [/QUOTE]

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