How does a Trip Attack happen?

[phillipjp]

I'm talking about a normal warrior, not a monk.

What do you use to do it? You're foot? Leg-swip with your weapon? Lay down behind them and get your comrade to push?

A sudden brain fart has caused me to become confused why some weapons indicate they can be used for Trip Attacks, and most others don't.

 

[Crothian]

I'm talking about a normal warrior, not a monk.

What do you use to do it? You're foot? Leg-swip with your weapon? Lay down behind them and get your comrade to push?

A sudden brain fart has caused me to become confused why some weapons indicate they can be used for Trip Attacks, and most others don't.

The ones that can wrap around the leg and you pull them off balance. But I say any hafted weapon can be used to trip as you sweep their legs. Heck, I've seen people do it with the flat end of a sword.

 

[phillipjp]

But if any weapon can be used, why do some weapons specifically mention it? If you can use your leg and can trip without a weapon, then again, why do some weapons mention it?

 

[Crothian]

But if any weapon can be used, why do some weapons specifically mention it? If you can use your leg and can trip without a weapon, then again, why do some weapons mention it?

By the rules, only weapons that specifically say they can trip, can be used in a trip attack.

 

[dcollins]

Yes, the default act assumes that you stick out your leg and trip someone.

 

[Moto Jojo]

I think you'll find that the weapons that specifically mention they can be used for a trip attack are reach weapons. If you're tripping someone 5 feet away, I think you're assumed to be using mostly your body to trip them (stick a foot behind their leg and push, for example). However, if you've got the right reach weapon, you can trip them at 10 feet. The weapons that tell you they can be used for a trip say it so that you know you can trip at 10' with this particular weapon.

 

[DMaple]

Halberd isn't a reach weapon and that lets you make trip attacks with it.

The reason some weapons mention you can make trip attacks with them is because then you have the option of dropping them instead of being tripped in return if you fail on your trip test.

If say you are armed with a greatsword and make a trip attack which your opponent wins and succeeds in tripping you in return, then you end up flat on your back.

If you are armed with a Halberd or any other trip weapon you can either end up on your back or choose to instead drop the weapon, and remain on your feet.

 

[The_lone_gunman]

Is the use any weapon to trip anywhere in the rules? This came up at our last session and would be very useful information. It would seem that you could trip someone with a sword, although it would be painful i would think.....the rules do seem to imply that only those with the trip listed in description are the ones that you can trip with.....


TLG

 

[CRGreathouse]

Is the use any weapon to trip anywhere in the rules?

No. You can tip with a trip weapon, or unarmed.

 

[Moto Jojo]

Is the use any weapon to trip anywhere in the rules? This came up at our last session and would be very useful information. It would seem that you could trip someone with a sword, although it would be painful i would think.....the rules do seem to imply that only those with the trip listed in description are the ones that you can trip with.....
TLG

You can always make a trip attack regardless of the weapon you're carrying, as I understand it. If you are using a weapon that doesn't let you trip with it, then you are assumed to be using your body to trip your opponent. If you are using a weapon that says you can trip with it, however, you are using the weapon itself to make the trip. This means that if it's a reach weapon, you can trip from further away, and also that you can choose to drop the weapon instead of being tripped in return if you fail (as DMaple added above - I'd overlooked that aspect entirely).

If you're holding a longsword and you make a trip attack, you're not actually using your longsword to trip the guy, you're using your body.