Can I make the Whip work ?

[RigaMortus2]

How does the Rules Compendium answer this question?

 

[Kat']

If you're trying to simply kill somebody, something sharp, pointy, hard, and/or heavy is a much better choice.

Is it? Ever thought of a whip-wielding Duskblade with Whirlwind Attack?

 

[frankthedm]

Is it? Ever thought of a whip-wielding Duskblade with Whirlwind Attack?

Nope. that line of "It deals no damage to any creature with an armor bonus of +1 or higher or a natural armor bonus of +3 or higher." kills any plans for the whip other than tripping a foe with a whip and quickdrawing another weapon.

 

[joshjurg]

Does the deft strike feat from complete adventurer change any of this - it lets you ignore armor & natural armor bonuses with a spot check.

 

[joshjurg]

Also - They should have just put non-damaging weapon-like-items in the equipment section, that would have made it much easier. I could have easily seen the whip, bolos & the net removed as weapons all together.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Does the deft strike feat from complete adventurer change any of this - it lets you ignore armor & natural armor bonuses with a spot check.

I'd need to check the wording, but possibly - a Brilliant Energy whip can damage someone in armor, since as far as the whip is concerned, the person does not have an armor bonus.

Deft Strike might have a similar effect, depending on how it's worded.

-Hyp.

 

[frankthedm]

it is worded so the attack ignores the armor and natural armor though not other AC bonuses.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

so would that be possible to damage a normally non-damageable critter ? I could possibly envision snapping a platemail-bound knight right in an unguarded area - neck, eyeslit, etc..But our playgroup maintains that all logic goes out the window with 3.5. So I would like to see if there is any literature to back this up.

In terms of "envisioning" I don't see any need for it to do damage to the flesh - a death inducing sneak attack with a whip is getting a good wrap around the neck and yanking just right. If it doesn't kill them, you wrenched their arm.... Now this would mean that a lethal use of a whip would be more accurately described as bludgeoning damage than slashing, but does non lethal damage really need a type anyway?

By RAW, you can make the whip work in a tripping disarming support sort of role, though it's not great even for that. (Remember that even with a whip, a disarmed object is at the wielder's feat, not in your square or your hand, and without threatening, you can't even punish him for picking it up again.) Making it work for damaging combat takes some house rules.

 

[Mistwell]

Why not just use a whip-dagger from 3.0 instead of a normal whip?

 

[Jhaelen]

MIC has several magical whips (in the specific weapons section) all of which do damage just like any other weapon.