D&D 3E/3.5 Disarming in 3.5 (Game Tonight!)

[CombatWombat51]

I was reviewing the 3.5 rules for disarming for my game tonight, and I got a little tripped up...

The specific encounter will involve a goblin with a whip who will try to disarm someone. I see that the defender gets an AoO, and damage causes the disarm attempt to fail. But what happens if, like in this case, the defender won't be able to reach goblin?

My other question is about the size penalties/bonuses. Am I reading it right that the weapon size no longer matters, it's now the size of the weilder? So a human with a dagger is at an advantage vs. a goblin with a (goblin-sized, 1d6 dealing) longsword?

 

[AuraSeer]

(Sorry, double post)

 

[AuraSeer]

If the defender cannot reach the goblin, he can't take an AoO on the goblin. However, he could try to disarm the goblin first, because he can obviously reach the goblin's weapon. (Of course, you can skip the whole problem by giving the gob Improved Disarm, which removes the AoO.)

Weapon size does still matter. A light weapon gives -4, and a two-handed weapon gives +4. A human wielding a dagger would be at -4, the same as a goblin wielding a Small longsword. A goblin wielding a Small greatsword would be at +0, the same as a human with a longsword.

 

[dren]

The specific encounter will involve a goblin with a whip who will try to disarm someone. I see that the defender gets an AoO, and damage causes the disarm attempt to fail. But what happens if, like in this case, the defender won't be able to reach goblin?

If the opponent cannot reach it (gob), then the attack would not provoke an AoO vs the goblin; assuming of course, that no other creature(s) are adjacent to the goblin, who would get the aforementioned AoO.

My other question is about the size penalties/bonuses. Am I reading it right that the weapon size no longer matters, it's now the size of the weilder? So a human with a dagger is at an advantage vs. a goblin with a (goblin-sized, 1d6 dealing) longsword?

Auraseer, says it better.

 

[CombatWombat51]

Oh, I see. By combining the mod for weapon category and weilder size, you get the same number as before. Thanks for clearing that up, and the thing about the AoO and the whip

Since they're all new to the game, I'm trying to follow the rules as closely as possible, instead of using 3.25E and a tome of houserules besides

 

[Hypersmurf]

One warning - the current FAQ gives some very misguided information on this topic.

It claims that a one-handed weapon wielded in two hands counts as a two-handed weapon for purposes of calculating modifiers in a Disarm check.

This is completely unsupported by anything in the Core Rules, and contradicts the definition and usage of the terms elsewhere in the books... but just be warned in case one of your players has read it.

-Hyp.

 

[Liquidsabre]

This is completely unsupported by anything in the Core Rules, and contradicts the definition and usage of the terms elsewhere in the books... but just be warned in case one of your players has read it.

And nonetheless the correct way to play the game, just poorly executed in the core books by the rules-text, hence the FAQ (which should be erratta though being so bad). I wouldn't worry too much CW51 about literalists' interpreting the core books as draconic as all that, especially newcomers to the game. It's good advice that should be heeded though for the future if you happen to come across other hardcore core-rules literalists' in the game however.

Good luck and happy gaming with the new group CW51, it's always a joy to bring in a new bunch into the realms of D&D!

 

[CombatWombat51]

One warning - the current FAQ gives some very misguided information on this topic.

It claims that a one-handed weapon wielded in two hands counts as a two-handed weapon for purposes of calculating modifiers in a Disarm check.

This is completely unsupported by anything in the Core Rules, and contradicts the definition and usage of the terms elsewhere in the books... but just be warned in case one of your players has read it.

-Hyp.

Have no worries. I get my Intelligence bonus as a competence bonus to saves vs. Skip

 

[xenoflare]

disarm questions

Hmm, interesting discussion..

To all the mighty rules gurus, i have a bit of a query to throw in as well about disarming. What use is a Sai (from OA) for disarming, if light weapons suffer a -4 to disarm? Admittedly, my monk could use two sai to do a double-handed disarm to negate the -4 penalty if i was to use the optional Sword and Fist rules about two-fisted disarms, and the Sai +2 bonus to disarm checks would kick in... but won't i be much better off using a quarterstaff, a spear, or some other two-handed weapon for the two-handed +4 bonus?

That seems to be very, very wrong... i mean, there're so many small and light weapons (main-gauche, basket-hilt rapiers, three-bladed daggers, jitte, aforementioned sai etc) that are specialised for disarming, but suck when compared with the big guns that aren't even specially designed for disarms. What gives? I understand that neither OA nor Sword and Fist are 3.5 material, but what do you guys think?

Thanks in advance!

Yours,
shao

 

[Hypersmurf]

And nonetheless the correct way to play the game, just poorly executed in the core books by the rules-text, hence the FAQ (which should be erratta though being so bad).

The Core Rules are actually well-written, in the case of weapon sizes. It's a more complicated system than 3E in some ways, but it's well thought-out system, in most cases.

As written, the same weapon possesses the same total modifier, no matter who wields it; the FAQ causes this to break down.

In 3E, a weapon of a given size had a fixed modifier; the defender (but not the attacker) received a +4 bonus for wielding in two hands.

In 3.5 Core, a weapon of a given size (determined by the combinaton of encumbrance class and creature size) has a fixed modifier. No special benefit applies for wielding in two hands.

In 3.5 FAQ, a weapon of a given size (determined by the combinaton of encumbrance class and creature size) has a fixed modifier. A one-handed weapon (but not any other sort of weapon) wielded in two hands gives a +4 bonus to attacker or defender.

It doesn't fit with what's written, and it breaks down the elegance of the consistent system that was designed for 3.5.

-Hyp.