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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lord Zardoz" data-source="post: 3860640" data-attributes="member: 704">As I am sure you will be made aware, the Spiked Chain has been discussed to death on these forums because of how well it works with AoO.  Some Dm's like myself dislike the Great Cleave synergy.  Others dislike the combo of AoO and Improved Trip.The only time that the Chain can become a problem in the context you describe is when the Dm likes running fights with numerous Humanoids.  Many Dm's stop using humanoids around 2nd and 3rd level, preferring to run fights with fewer, but much sturdier monsters, and will argue that the Spiked Chain's limited total damage output more than balances any amount of AoO cheese.If you wish to continue using humanoids, there are still a number of surprisingly effective things you can do to avoid suffering too much from the AoO effect. - Spiked Chain has a range of 10 feet (15 if he gets an enlarge spell).  A Short bow has a range of 60 feet.  Humanoids only get one attack anyway.  You do not lose much by using bows and thrown weapons. - Use your own reach weapons:  Halberds, Long Spears, and the like are not that hard for Orcs to get their hands on.  You can use the range to avoid the AoO. - Disarm and Sunder:  An opponent with a 2 handed Dire Flail and Improved Disarm stands a decent chance of taking his chain away from him. - Tank Grapple:  An opponent with a solid amount of Hp can eat a hit and go for a grapple.  If you do manage a grapple, the opponent cannot use the Spiked Chain. - Other Monsters:  Consider chaning up the tactics and going away from humanoids for a while.  Manticore's are pretty nasty with the spike volleys.  Trolls have that whole regenerating thing going for them.  Ogres and Giants can negate reach and lay in a savage beating.  And if you can get some 5 HD creatures with the Fiendish Template, the DR of 5/magic is pretty nice against a spiked chain that lacks enchantment.In my own game, I house ruled the spiked chain out mostly because I knew it would make it difficult to run the kind of game I liked to run if any player decided to go for the Spiked chain cheese.  The only reason I really dislike the spiked chain is that it is the only weapon that threatens at 5 and 10 feet at the same time.  I tend to distrust any sort of build that depends on single specific bit of equipment to work.  Since you already let the player into the game, I do not advise trying to remove the weapon from the game.END COMMUNICATION</blockquote>

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