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Message: <blockquote data-quote="argo" data-source="post: 1997643" data-attributes="member: 5752">The usefulness of Bull Rush depends quite a bit on how complex your battlefields are.  Any enviormental hazzard (edge of a cliff, edge of a pier into water, lava, blade barrier, web spell, grease spell) is a good setup for Bull Rush.  More generally it can be a good way for a high Str character to open up holes in the enemy line for smaller characters to manuver through, to get tough oppenents away from weak allies in danger, to keep them out of a room while allies shut the door/prepare defenses to push them into a corner so they can't escape or to push them into a flank position next to the rogue so he can take a full-round of sneak attacks next round.Actually that is abut the only good use for it  :\  Still, it is a good way to rush enemy spellcasters if you are a high Str tank with no tumble skill.Oh my goodness, do not underestimate the power of trip!  Here is the most basic use for Improved Trip: take a two handed triping weapon (a guisarme or halbred is a good choice) and power attack for 4 points then make a trip attack, triping begins with a touch attack so your -4 to hit won't affect you too much if you are attacking your standard tank, once he is on the ground you get your improved trip attack but the -4 to hit is balanced by his -4 to AC for being prone.  Volia!  You just netted yourself a free +8 to damage.  Also note that this tactic can work with disarms too since a disarm check is an opposed attack roll and a prone defender gets a -4 to melee attack rolls.  Now be sure to also take Combat Reflexes and get that AoO on your oppenent, who still has the -4 to AC, when he stands up.  Tripping is also an extremly effective area control ability: get a reach weapon that also is a tripping weapon (guisarme) and Combat Reflexes then position yourself somewhere where the enemy has to get past you then use your AoO's to trip the poor sod.  When he hits the ground he looses the rest of his movement and has to spend his remaining action (if he has any) on standing up thus ending his turn and on his next turn he still has to get away from you!  Under the right circumstances a single warrior can hold off a small squad singlehanded with this tactic thus protecting weaker allies who can then concentrate on whatever it is they have to do.  At its most fundamental level the benefit of a trip is that it forces an enemy to waste one or more of his actions in getting out of it which can be devestating with the right tactics.  And you may notice that I haven't even mentioned the spiked chain yet either  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />  Seriously, I have a DM who gives me dirty looks any time I make a character with Improved Trip.Note: you cannot use the AoO a character provokes from standing up to re-trip him.  He is already prone when he provokes so triping him is pointless, though he does still have the -4 to AC.  A character who wants to stand up can just soak the AoO and stand up.Again, you are thinking too narowly.  The fundamental function of grappling is that you deny another combatant all his actions at the expense of giving up yours.  If there is any opponent who is messing your team up you grapple him and remove him from the playing field while your allies either concentrate on the rest of the opposition or gang up on the guy you are fighting.  Remember: when you are grappled you loose your Dex bonus to AC versus oppenents not part of the grapple.  Build a grappler and partner up with the party rogue, he will love you for it.  Remember also that this applies to you as well so be careful grappling someone if he has a rogue buddy around to back him up.  That DM I mentioned earlier really hated my grappling/stunning monk as well  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" /> One last thing, you must keep in mind that the thing about all of these manuvers is that they are focused on fighting humanoid opponents of your size or smaller (maybe one size larger but that is about it).  If you are fighting lots of monsters then the utility of these tactics, and the characters built to take advantage of them, goes down dramatically.  Try not to over-specialize if you can help it.Hope that helps.</blockquote>

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