MP2 Style Feats are delicious candy to my Chainfighter

[Obryn]

So, given my fairly limited time, I've finally gotten around to checking how MP2 will affect Jergal, my 6th (or is it 7th now?) level Tempest Spiked Chain Fighter. He's taken a few hits to the nose lately, with the changes to Dual Weapons and Footwork Lure, but I haven't minded - live by the updates, die by the updates, as far as I'm concerned.

But these style feats... Well, holy hell. It's like I got mildly nerfed and then gifted with some huge presents.

Let's start with Rending Chains Style. Since Footwork Lure is now kinda useless at range, this feat makes Reaping Strike my new favorite single-target attack. First, I get the full auto-damage-on-miss effect, given that the chain now counts as a 2-handed weapon. Second, I can now pull bad guys adjacent to me from range. Wow.

Then, the probably-unintended synergy and insanity of Midnight Blade style. All of a sudden, Dual Strike - my bread and butter at-will - goes against Reflex since my Chain counts as a light blade. So it effectively gets a bonus anywhere from +2 to +6 or so, depending on what kinds of enemies I'm facing.

All I can say is - holy crap. I feel kind of bad for this level of cheese.

-O

 

[Saagael]

With the Midnight Blade Style, only the off-hand secondary attack of Duel Strike gets to target Reflex, since it's only the off-hand end of the spiked chain that counts as a Light Blade.

Otherwise it's not so much cheese, since you're spending 2 feats to boost your at-wills, which is in lieu of taking other things. Besides, I'm glad to see that not-much-used weapons are being put to good use this way.

 

[Obryn]

Actually, both ends are still light blades...

In the feat’s Benefit section, replace the second two
lines with the following: “You can treat the spiked
chain as a double weapon. As a double weapon, each
end of the spiked chain is a light blade and deals 2d4
damage. The primary end gains the stout property,
and the secondary end gains the off-hand property.”
This change revises this feat to work with the new
double weapon rules.

-O

 

[Saagael]

Really? Interesting. The character builder only lists the secondary end as a light blade, while the primary end is a flail. The Compendium doesn't even mention the off-hand end.

Well that's pretty cool then, I might have to make my drow long knife Tempest Fighter use a spiked chain then

 

[Mort_Q]

Doesn't it depend on which feat you take to get proficiency? The Multiclass feat is a lot better than the standard one... but has greater opportunity cost.

 

[Felon]

Actually, both ends are still light blades...

Is that feat from MP1? Got a spiked chain half-orc mini I've been wanting to use for some time now.

 

[Saagael]

Oh, I see. I wasn't looking at the Multiclass feat that gives you proficiency. The feat in question, for future reference, is called Spiked Chain Training [Multiclass]. I believe it's from the Dragon Magazine Annual 2009.

 

[Obryn]

Oh, I see. I wasn't looking at the Multiclass feat that gives you proficiency. The feat in question, for future reference, is called Spiked Chain Training [Multiclass]. I believe it's from the Dragon Magazine Annual 2009.

That's the one, yep - from Dragon, anyways. I have no idea if it was in the Annual or not - IIRC, it was in the same issue as the Shadar-Kai. It even has a decent power-swap feat for the level 8 Utility. (It's basically the same as the Polearm Master Level 12 Utility - a Stance which effectively gives you Threatening Reach.)

-O

 

[Mort_Q]

Polearm Master

On a side note, despite the name, there is no reason why you can't use the Polearm Master PP with a Spiked Chain.

 

[Obryn]

On a side note, despite the name, there is no reason why you can't use the Polearm Master PP with a Spiked Chain.

Already planning on it. It's by far the best PP available for reach weapons. And with the aforementioned power swap and the aforementioned PP Utility, that's probably half the encounters per day with threatening reach. (Add that to the Rending Chains upgrade to Reaping Strike... and it's sticky city.)

-O