Disarm with a Reach Weapon

[armac]

Since we're on the subject of disarm, I could use a hand for a game I'm DMing...

I just had a player make a Fighter with spiked chain who is going around and disarming and tripping foes. Now I understand the trip mechanics and have no problem with them, but I wonder if I'm missing something with Disarm.

Similar to the Villain at the start of this thread, he has been disarming from reach, and I couldn't see how his opponent would get an AoO. (Oh, and this would give my answer to the original post - I don't think there would be an AoO because of the reach.) However, he was attacking people that should have had cover, either from other PCs that were engaging the opponent, or one that was standing on the other side of a bar with a short bow... (I've also had a second party member start trying to Disarm with a whip with extra range.)

Disarm, as written, doesn't seem to have any chance of missing...it seems that you automatically go into the opposed roll. Is this correct? It makes cover pretty ineffective.

As well, can shields be disarmed? Now, we know that Heavy Shields are supposed to strap onto your arm...should it be possible to remove the person's shield with Disarm?

As for temporary changes that the group came up with after the session (giving me time to look into this further), we thought that perhaps Disarm should require a touch attack be made, and that in the case of Heavy Shields, that if you successfully make a Disarm attack against one, what you would really be doing is knocking it out of place, and having it require a move action to ready for combat purposes again. Being strapped in, it wouldn't drop to the ground unless it was beaten in an attack roll similar to that of a locked gauntlet (where the shield would get +10 bonus).

Any thoughts?

Thanks for any help provided.

 

[wildstarsreach]

A wicked Combo espcially for a Ninja. Take improved trip and the exotic weapon feat Kasari-Gama. This weapon has reach, either blunt of slashing damage and can be used to trip without having to take the improved trip. The advantage is tripping and attacking humanoid characters without getting into their range of attack.

 

[Adolfo_Mondschein]

Disarming from afar

If your NPC has the levels, taking the Exotic Weapon Proficiency with a Greatspear and then taking the Exotic Weapon Master prestige class makes a great combo. You can deal decent damage with it, throw it, and trip,disarm,etc. even when you throw it. Without even provoking an Aoo. If your NPC is lower leveled, using a potion of enlarge person will provide reach with any weapon. If anything, yes, being out of reach of your opponent keeps you from provoking AOOs, but of course your opponent may still win the opposed rolls and disarm you.

 

[mvincent]

From the 3.5 FAQ:
"If an enemy makes an attack against me that would
provoke an attack of opportunity (such as a disarm or
grapple attempt), do I get the attack of opportunity if I
can’t reach him? Would the Close-Quarters Fighting feat
help at all?
Strictly speaking, if you don’t threaten an enemy, you can’t
make attacks of opportunity against that enemy. Thus, if an
ogre tried to sunder your elf’s longsword from 10 feet away,
you wouldn’t get an attack of opportunity against the ogre
(since an elf wielding a longsword doesn’t threaten an enemy
10 feet away). This is true even if the ogre is reaching out with
his hand, such as when trying to grapple you.
Even the Close-Quarters Fighting feat doesn’t help, since
that feat applies only when the attack of opportunity against a
grappling foe normally would be denied by “a feat or special
ability that would normally bypass the attack” and lists
Improved Grapple and improved grab as examples.
If, as DM, this bothers your sensibilities and you and your
players are willing to bend the letter of the rules a bit, consider
the following house rule that the Sage has used in his games in
the past: If a foe would provoke an attack of opportunity with
any action that brings him (or something he holds) into contact
with you or your space, you may make an attack of opportunity
against the foe (or the object he holds, if that’s what’s
contacting you). This means that an ogre trying to initiate a
grapple would provoke an attack of opportunity that you could
make against the ogre (since his hand and arm are clearly
coming within your reach to grab you), while the same ogre
trying to sunder your weapon with his greatclub would provoke
an attack of opportunity that you could make only against the
greatclub (that is, with a disarm or sunder attempt).


The most favored compromise I've seen on the boards is to not allow AoO's if you don't actually threaten the opponent, but to allow a readied action to attack an opponent's weapon, arm, etc. when it comes within reach. Balance-wise, this has yielded better results for me.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

Would this apply to the apposed roll on a subsequent failed disarm check as well? Would a reach weapon be immune to a counter disarm? It says its an attack but is this attack occurred against the reach weapon while in the square threatened by the creature without reach?