Barbarians and reach weapons?

[Fenes 2]

I just think that cleaving with a spear is a bit... hard to imagine...

Rav

I did so at first as well, but then I imagined it as spearing two persons with the same thrust - going through the first to pierce the second. Or ripping out the spear and impaling another whole using the excess force of that swing.

 

[NoOneofConsequence]

My wife's playing a barbarian with a spiked chain in my current campaign. She's only 4th level and has gone Ambidex, ExWP:Spiked Chain & WF: Spiked Chain (she's got a 20 dex). Conceptually, she wanders around in leaf armour (which she got from her faerie bloodkin) with the chain wrapped around her like a belt/baldric. When she beserks she's like a whirling storm of steel.

 

[The Kender]

Why the Ambi dex?

 

[nopantsyet]

In my campaign I have a player with a barbarian using a spear and one who has reach naturally and uses a war hammer. The other two characters have the standard 5' range. It adds a very interesting dynamic to combat. Especially close-quarters fighting.

 

[NoOneofConsequence]

Why the Ambi dex?

To reduce off hand penalties with the double weapon.

 

[tleilaxu]

one of my friends had a nice polearm barbarian on diablow. not that that matters...

 

[Dingleberry]

To reduce off hand penalties with the double weapon.

What double weapon? I thought you said she used a spiked chain.

 

[Tolen Mar]

What double weapon? I thought you said she used a spiked chain.

You know, dingleberry is right...I thought it was a double weapon too. Well that changes things for me. Ive avoided training any of my characters in it because of the extra hassle of the combat mods. (Once in a while I go through the hassle, but I prefer not to).

Well, then, that does make a spiked chain a perfect weapon. 10' reach, and can be used against adjacent foes, plus trip attacks....I wonder if my barbarian would look cool with it?

I guess it pays to read the rules closely, eh?

 

[Ravellion]

I did so at first as well, but then I imagined it as spearing two persons with the same thrust - going through the first to pierce the second. Or ripping out the spear and impaling another whole using the excess force of that swing.

The problem with that is that you can not cleave someone who is behind your first target... you just don't have the reach, as you just threaten the squares 10 ft away form you. Sometimes you might also want to cleave someone in a 90 degree angle 15 feet away... It isn't broken or anything, it's just silly. I don't see why they didn't make cleave B and S only. They have those rules with "keen" as well for instance... I know, technically they are flavour rules, but they are flavour rules that make a helluva lot of sense.

Rav

 

[Fenes 2]

You are, afaik, able to use a double weapon as a normal weapon, like a quarterstaff does not have to beused as a double weapon.