Need a PrC for a warrior that fights with a reach weapon.

[BronzeDragon]

So, I am now, for only the second time in more than 15 years of gaming, a player.

I was invited to play in my friend's Midnight campaign, and decided to go for a concept I rarely saw implemented by players in my own campaigns, that of the reach fighter.

My character is now a second-level wildlander (Midnight's ranger-ish class), and he fights primarily with a Glaive. I was thinking about going with wildlander for all 20 levels, but went and checked out all my books for a prestige class anyway, just for kicks.

To my dismay, only one PrC in all my books (and I have a respectable collection) is built with a reach weapon in mind (incidentally, it's exactly built with a Glaive in mind), but it is the Talontar Blightlord, very much the opposite of my character concept, and a divine spell user, which is a no go in Midnight.

So, I decided to come and check if someone can point out to me a PrC which has reach weapons as its focus.

If no PrCs with that focus actually exist, I will probably go with my original plan and use the wildlander class for all my levels.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[just__al]

So, I am now, for only the second time in more than 15 years of gaming, a player.

I was invited to play in my friend's Midnight campaign, and decided to go for a concept I rarely saw implemented by players in my own campaigns, that of the reach fighter.

My character is now a second-level wildlander (Midnight's ranger-ish class), and he fights primarily with a Glaive. I was thinking about going with wildlander for all 20 levels, but went and checked out all my books for a prestige class anyway, just for kicks.

To my dismay, only one PrC in all my books (and I have a respectable collection) is built with a reach weapon in mind (incidentally, it's exactly built with a Glaive in mind), but it is the Talontar Blightlord, very much the opposite of my character concept, and a divine spell user, which is a no go in Midnight.

So, I decided to come and check if someone can point out to me a PrC which has reach weapons as its focus.

If no PrCs with that focus actually exist, I will probably go with my original plan and use the wildlander class for all my levels.

Any help is appreciated.

Go with an exotic reach weapon and then take exotic weapon master from Complete Warrior, all kinds of neat tricks there.

 

[baeleg]

One of the recent issues of Dragon, #331, has some reach weapon feats at least. I'm not aware of any reach weapon PrC, but these would be pretty good feats to have.

 

[Wish]

The Living Greyhawk Journal had a pclass for glaive wielders. I don't recall whether it was one of the standalone issues or one of the ones in Dragon, however.

 

[baeleg]

I don't think it was in Dragon. I have had a subscription for quite some time now, and I don't recall seeing it. So, I'm guessing it was a stand-alone.

I would be really curious to see it though. I haven't seen nearly enough polearm wielders in 3e.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I don't know the setting you're talking about- how does the wildlander differ from the ranger?

Also, I don't know where the polearm-specific PrCl's in WoTC are, though I recall the existence of at least one.

WoTC's Complete Warrior has the Kensai, which would at least improve his ability with the glaive, even though its not a polearm-specific PrCl. Likewise the Dervish, which only requires that the weapon be a slashing weapon.

AEG's Swashbuckling Adventures has at least two, but you must use either a Boar Spear or Halbard to qualify for them.

AEG's Mercenaries has the Legionnaire Base class which focuses on large weapons and formation fighting, and the PrCls Man-At-Arms and Skirmisher both improve any weapon's damage output, and introduce some interesting tactical possibilities.

 

[Nifft]

What Feats do you have access to? If you can take non-Psionic stuff from the XPH (Expanded Psionic Handbook -- the feats are also in the SRD), consider Stand Still.

As for PrCs, I think just plain Fighter levels (2 or 4 or more) will get you what you need -- more Feats!

Great Feats for reach dudes:
- Combat Reflexes
- Stand Still
- Power Attack (two-handed is nice)
- Cleave, Great Cleave
- Improved Unarmed Strike (so you threaten the squares next to you, too)
- Dodge, Mobility, Combat Expertise, Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack
- Weapon Focus (Glaive), Weapon Spec (Glaive), Imp Crit (Glaive), etc.

-- N

 

[BronzeDragon]

I thought about taking the exotic weapon master (I have Complete Warrior), but I decided against it, solely because I am not willing to spend any extra feats, and I am not going to take fighter levels just for feats.

My character currently has Dodge, Mobility and Weapon Focus (Glaive).

Baeleg, thanks for the tip on Dragon 331. I live in Brazil, and it's usually not very easy to find Dragon here (though finding most books is quite easy....go figure), but I'll go looking for it.

I really would like to see that LGJ, if anyone has a copy and could chime in, it would be great.

Dannyalcatraz, Wildlanders are basically spell-less rangers. They've got a few more skill points (though only compared to 3.0 Rangers), a slightly better skill list, and a slew of nice class features (such as bonuses to some skills, the ability to cover the whole party's tracks at full speed, etc.).

I didn't like the Kensai too much. It simply isn't what my character (or at least my initial ideas about my character) is about. I have Mercenaries, but was more attracted to the Exiles from the Burning Road PrC than the ones you mentioned. It even has some meaningful connections to the world of Midnight, where orcs pillaging and killing is a big part of everyday life.

On the other hand, I do not have Swashbuckling Adventures. Is it OGC? Could you post the classes? I am pretty sure I could convince my DM (who was my player in several campaigns and happens to be my best friend) to change the classes to require proficiency in the Glaive instead of those other weapons.

Nifft, thanks for the tips. I already have the feat spectrum of the character pretty well covered. I do not have the XPH (don't like psionics), but will look into the SRD for that particular feat.

Thank you all for your answers.

 

[Shin Okada]

If your character is using Glaive, consider taking some Dervish (Complete Warrior) levels. As you already have Dodge, Mobility and Weapon Focus (Glaive), all you need are Combat Expertise and some skill ranks (Perform (Dance) 3 and Tumble 3). Dervish dance works really well with a reach weapon, as you can move and make a full-attack. Also, the class gives you Spring Attack as a bonus feat at 3rd level. And anyway, Dervish is a strong warrior class as it gives you full BAB and good Fort & Will saves.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Talk to the DM about adapting Exotic Weapon Master for martial weapons like the Glaive.

Exotic weapons are supposed to be balanced with normal weapons by the feat requirement, adding a prestige class that only works for them (especially a practically no-prereq (after all, if you're an exotic weapon wielder, you should already have proficiency and weapon focus whether or not you're going for EWM) pick what you want grab-bag class like EWM) alters that balance. Allowing the same tricks to martial weapons (possibly with actual prerequisites) would bring a bit of balance back to the system.

There's no reason why Exotic Reach or Exotic Trip should be able to work for a Greatspear but not a longspear and a spiked chain or bastard sword but not a glaive or guisarme.