Minor Rule Grip on tripping

[buzzard]

OK as we all know there are only a select number of weapons which allow trip attacks. The ones in question are apparently of a nature by which one could hook a leg. Thus you have flails, halberds, and many other such things. One I've looked at for a future character who will be a monk/fighter is the kama. Ok, short hook like blade. OK for a trip.

Now let's take a look at the picks, light and heavy. In shape they are pretty darned close to a kama, but they won't trip anyone. Does anyone want to explain this? [yes, balance, please do better than that]

buzzard

 

[drunkmoogle]

Wow... talk about minor gripe...

Balance is a bad reason... compare the Scythe to the Falchion. Theoretically, against a combat dummy they both do the same average damage, but the scythe has the ability to trip opponents and a cheaper price. Back down to reality, you're usually gonna waste those crits on massive overkill.

Apply the same concept to those weapon's "younger siblings," the rapier and kukri vs. the picks (light and heavy). Same stats, damage die is one lower, akin to size increases/decreases. The rapier is finessible. Kukri is vanilla, along with the picks.

For balance purposes, the picks should be allowed to trip. Personally, I see them being thrown weapons, but that's just me. I have a similar gripe about how daggers have the same range increment as clubs.

But seriously... what serious fighter would use a pick?

 

[Oscar carramiñana]

But seriously... what serious fighter would use a pick?

Any Dwarf or Gnome.
A pick is a great weapon for small PC's the crit multiplier are so great

 

[Darklone]

It's just flavorrulesstuff. There's not much sense in allowing the "trip" weapons to trip.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

It is my belief that a pick has a shorter and straighter piercing "blade" than a Kama. Most of the other weapons you mentioned have an honest to goodness "Hook" and look more like a "J" than a "L".

Yeah, I know... it is a weak attempt but hey, I tried.

 

[buzzard]

But seriously... what serious fighter would use a pick?

Hmmm, my LG character uses a pick. It's part of that mining background as a dwarf. In any case the crits do make for some spectacular imagery.

buzzaard

 

[Vaxalon]

The x4 crit weapons make great backups to pull out when you're up against critters with HUGE hit points.

 

[buzzard]

The best use I've heard of for a pick in total was actually coup de grace. I'd heard of a gone wizard who'd use sleep spells and then dispatch them with his light pick.

buzzard