Regarding Reach...

[kwiqsilver]

remember though...if you attack and move more than 5ft. then you incur attacks of opportunity. So with your tactic, you are trading blow for every blow as both you and your opponent each gets one Aoo against each other.

If you use Spring Attack (as suggested above) the opponent you attack does not get attacks of opportunity against you.
Also take Knockdown. When you hit the opponent 10' away for 10 or more points of damage, you get to attempt a trip. When he gets up it's another AoO for you, and he can't close to attack, because getting up is a move action.
And Combat Reflexes of course, so you can do it multiple times per round.
And you might as well take Whirlwind Attack and Combat Expertise to qualify for the Weapon Master PrC. I designed a glaive-wielding Weapon Master, but never played the character.

 

[two]

readied action

You can also do the readied action thing.

Ready an action to step back 5' and attack when a bad guy attacks you.

You have reach, so you hit him at 10' as he moves up. When he attacks you 5' away, you trigger your readied action and move back 5' and attack. His attack misses, because you are 10' away. Next round, either ready another action or just hit him at 10', and step back 5'. He is 15' feet away, he closes, you get another AOO and finally he gets an attack in. You have attacked 4 times before he attacks once. Reach can be powerful.

 

[kwiqsilver]

two, I think you're giving readied actions too much power. In the scenario you described, he would move from a square 10' away to an adjacent one (provoking the AoO), attempt his attack, you'd step back and make your readied attack, then if he still had 5' of movement left, he could move up and make his attack that he didn't make before.
If your DM allows what you suggested, then you could do that with a non-reach weapon and kill an enemy without being hit: as soon as he begins an attack, you hit him and step five feet. If you consider his attempt his standard action, he'd never be able to do anything but move.

 

[Hypersmurf]

If you consider his attempt his standard action, he'd never be able to do anything but move.

If you don't consider his attempt his standard action, then the whole concept of AoOs disrupting spells falls apart.

"I cast a spell."
"He takes an AoO - hits for 29 points of damage. Make a Concentration check."
"Nah, I changed my mind. I'm not casting a spell after all - I'm sticking him with my dagger."

The way to beat the "Ready to move back when he attacks" is to not attack. You move right up to him and do nothing; the readied action is never triggered.

On his turn, he can:

- make a full attack; you get to full attack him back.
- move back and Ready an action again; he provokes an AoO, and you can Trip or Grapple him to screw up his plan.
- withdraw; he can't Ready, so you can charge him.

-Hyp.

 

[Ruvion]

If you use Spring Attack (as suggested above) the opponent you attack does not get attacks of opportunity against you.
Also take Knockdown. When you hit the opponent 10' away for 10 or more points of damage, you get to attempt a trip. When he gets up it's another AoO for you, and he can't close to attack, because getting up is a move action.
And Combat Reflexes of course, so you can do it multiple times per round.
And you might as well take Whirlwind Attack and Combat Expertise to qualify for the Weapon Master PrC. I designed a glaive-wielding Weapon Master, but never played the character.

Yes, but I was answering Keith's reply.

 

[Darklone]

On his turn, he can:

- make a full attack; you get to full attack him back.
- move back and Ready an action again; he provokes an AoO, and you can Trip or Grapple him to screw up his plan.
- withdraw; he can't Ready, so you can charge him.

-Hyp.

Or he uses Spring Attack to screw you with the other tactic. Then it's time to quickdraw your flaming shocking frost bow with screaming arrows and teach him a lesson about fair fights.

 

[Dthamilaye]

..or take Large & in Charge feat (if you got good str). The feat can be found in Draconomicon.

 

[Ruvion]

has Large and in Charge changed since Sword and Fist?

 

[Dthamilaye]

Not sure as I don't have either book here with me.

However, I think that Draconomicon clears up the opponent movement issue. I think the S&F version was written in a belief that one could get any number of AoO:s from the movement of one opponent. As this is not the case, the S&F version is bit useless, as the only thing it did was to reduce the opponents move amount by 5' per round if you did not get multiple AoOs.

The Draconomicon one gives STR check if you hit with the AoO, and if you succeed, the opponent can NOT move anymore after the pushback during his round. This way, L&C really keeps the smaller opponents away from you. (Assuming you have good chance to beat the STR check).