Spiked Chain Disarm at +10 ?

[Rashak Mani]

I'm making a Combat Rogue and I was thinking of using a Spiked Chain. So I read up on the weapon and the special attacks like trip and disarm.

Well it says clearly +2 to disarm attempts. In the disarm description it says +4 bonus per size category. Spiked chain is large and therefore +4 vs medium weapons. (Spiked Chain is in Large Exotic category) and then +4 if the weapon is held in 2 hands. That would seem to be +10 total bonus vs a poor longsword ? Thou most large weapons are held in 2 hands which makes the double +4 way too much ?

Well even if the bonuses only add up to +6... its a pretty good bonus. Plus due to reach you probably wont suffer the AOO from attempting disarm from 10 feet away. If you do fail... they can attempt to disarm you... but then the poor longsword will go against your +6 bonus once more.

Any other nifty spiked chain tactics or ideas ? Sure does seem worth the Exotic Weapon Feat.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

You'll notice that the bonus for wielding the weapon in two hands only applies to the roll to avoid being disarmed--not the roll to disarm your opponent. Thus the spiked chain is: +6 to the opposed attack roll to disarm a foe with a longsword and +10 to the opposed attack roll to avoid being disarmed by a foe with a longsword.

It's quite a useful bonus but then again, there's a reason why characters (PC and NPC) might buy locked gauntlets. And, in any case, every attack roll you use to disarm is one you're not using to damage your foe.

 

[Taren Seeker]

You'll notice that the bonus for wielding the weapon in two hands only applies to the roll to avoid being disarmed--not the roll to disarm your opponent. Thus the spiked chain is: +6 to the opposed attack roll to disarm a foe with a longsword and +10 to the opposed attack roll to avoid being disarmed by a foe with a longsword.

It's quite a useful bonus but then again, there's a reason why characters (PC and NPC) might buy locked gauntlets. And, in any case, every attack roll you use to disarm is one you're not using to damage your foe.

3.5 SRD:

You and the defender make opposed attack rolls with your respective weapons. The wielder of a twohanded
weapon on a disarm attempt gets a +4 bonus on this roll, and the wielder of a light weapon takes a –4 penalty. (An
unarmed strike is considered a light weapon, so you always take a penalty when trying to disarm an opponent by using an
unarmed strike.) If the combatants are of different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per
difference in size category. If the targeted item isn’t a melee weapon, the defender takes a –4 penalty on the roll.

It ain't just for defence anymore. Disarming, like tripping, got a lot stronger in 3.5. I suppose it's a good thing, cause when I play at high levels it seems like the special combat options sort of fall by the wayside and dealing damage is the best option.

 

[Caliban]

You actually get to fight opponents who use melee weapons at higher levels?

 

[Taren Seeker]

You actually get to fight opponents who use melee weapons at higher levels?

Not often

for ex: In LG high APLs(10+) all enemies seem to be some sort of advanced multi-templated large creature (or elementals)...the only opponents that I can disarm are spellcasters, and why bother unless it's a wand?

A pox on advanced Athachs with Huge punch daggers! A POX I SAY!

And in LC, the last time I tried to disarm a guy, he turned out to be a Cleric holding a charge of Harm. Let's just say that he REALLY took advantage of his AoO. Ow.

 

[Caliban]

Not often

for ex: In LG high APLs(10+) all enemies seem to be some sort of advanced multi-templated large creature (or elementals)...the only opponents that I can disarm are spellcasters, and why bother unless it's a wand?

A pox on advanced Athachs with Huge punch daggers! A POX I SAY!

And in LC, the last time I tried to disarm a guy, he turned out to be a Cleric holding a charge of Harm. Let's just say that he REALLY took advantage of his AoO. Ow.

I know, I play a 12th level melee character in LG. I never get to go after my opponents weapons, because they usually don't have them (unless they happen to BE a weapon...)

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

The original poster seems to be asking a question about 3.0--note that he compares a large weapon to a medium weapon and includes the size bonus. My answer is true for 3.0.

In 3.5, the rules for disarm change: weapon size no longer means the same thing. . . . In 3.5, the spiked chain wielder has +6 to rolls to disarm and to avoid being disarmed.

3.5 SRD:

You and the defender make opposed attack rolls with your respective weapons. The wielder of a twohanded
weapon on a disarm attempt gets a +4 bonus on this roll, and the wielder of a light weapon takes a –4 penalty. (An
unarmed strike is considered a light weapon, so you always take a penalty when trying to disarm an opponent by using an
unarmed strike.) If the combatants are of different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per
difference in size category. If the targeted item isn’t a melee weapon, the defender takes a –4 penalty on the roll.

It ain't just for defence anymore. Disarming, like tripping, got a lot stronger in 3.5. I suppose it's a good thing, cause when I play at high levels it seems like the special combat options sort of fall by the wayside and dealing damage is the best option.

 

[green slime]

3.5 SRD:

You and the defender make opposed attack rolls with your respective weapons. The wielder of a twohanded
weapon on a disarm attempt gets a +4 bonus on this roll, and the wielder of a light weapon takes a –4 penalty. (An
unarmed strike is considered a light weapon, so you always take a penalty when trying to disarm an opponent by using an
unarmed strike.) If the combatants are of different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per
difference in size category. If the targeted item isn’t a melee weapon, the defender takes a –4 penalty on the roll.

Reading this I see you don't get a bonus for a large weapon, only if you are larger.

Thus the human spiked chain wielder gains +6 vs human armed with long sword.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Reading this I see you don't get a bonus for a large weapon, only if you are larger.

Thus the human spiked chain wielder gains +6 vs human armed with long sword.

Well, you do still get a bonus for a large weapon... it's jsut that they're called two-handed weapons in 3.5.

A longsword is a one-handed weapon, even when it's held in two hands. Someone using Monkey Grip with a greatsword (if you convert the feat to 3.5) is using a two-handed weapon, even though he's holding it in one hand.

Everything's is so much simpler in 3.5, isn't it?

-Hyp.

 

[Rashak Mani]

Thanks for the answers guys... thou I am still stuck in 3.0 D&D

Depending on the foe thou... disarming them is like "handicapping" them. Picking up a weapon gives a AOO too. So disarm from 10 feet then move in 5 feet. If their weapon was magical or they have no reserve weapon.... too bad for them.