Spiked Chain: The Ultimate Defenders Wep or Sir Not Appearing in the Edition?

[frankthedm]

The problem is the "threaten at a distance". If the chain worked like a whip, where you can make attacks farther out, but it does not increase your threatened area, it would be much saner.

 

[ZombieRoboNinja]

OP: If your player liked the mechanical effect of the spiked chain (keeping nearby enemies tripped up at all times), I'm guessing he'll really like the 4e fighter. It sounds like ALL fighters in 4e "defend" largely by getting a ton of AOOs on nearby enemies stupid enough to ignore them.

Whether the spiked chain is in or not may be an open question, but if it IS in, I'm guessing it'll be nerfed from its 3e incarnation... or rather, other weapons will be brought up to par, so (for example) a spear fighter might be just as good at that keeping-enemies-at-bay shtick.

As for the light armor... I think the way it's designed is that defenders (the guys who take a lot of hits) are supposed to wear heavy armor, and strikers (the highly mobile guys who hit hard and fast against selected targets) wear lighter armor. So if your friend wants to move fast and hit hard, the optimal build would probably be more levels of ranger or rogue with a little bit of fighter; whereas if he was to stand in the middle of things and protect his allies, it's fighter all the way, and he should be ready to buckle up that full plate.

 

[kennew142]

I'm going to admit that I have my problems with the spiked chain. If such weapon had existed in history, and it was half as good as the spiked is in D&D, no fighter anywhere would have wielded anything else. That said, I know that some people really like them, so I wouldn't argue for them not being in the PHB. My personal tastes shouldn't determine how other folks should play. I expect that I will have to heavily houserule them in the next edition, just like I did in 3e. Funny thing is that I had no argument from my players over it. After that encounter I ran with the Cloud Giant Psychic Warrior with Expansion, a spiked chain and improved trip, they could see the need for a little down grading in its abilities.

 

[Mercule]

The spiked chain will show up in the Martial splatbook, along with the martial controller class.

 

[Campbell]

The greatsword is fine if you remove the greatness?

Am I wrong?

 

[Plane Sailing]

I'm going to admit that I have my problems with the spiked chain. If such weapon had existed in history,

Historically there were a number of japanese chain weapons (manriki-gusari, kusari-gama etc). I'm guessing that they took more specific training to use well, but did have their uses.

and it was half as good as the spiked is in D&D,

The problem comes from its D&D implementation, and that problem really comes from the huge difference between a 'reach' weapon and a 'non-reach' weapon in 3.5. It would be nice if this has been resolved in 4e, but I don't hold my breath.

Cheers

 

[I'm A Banana]

Whoever heard of the legendary hero proving his Right to Rule by pulling a Spiked Chain out of a stone?

Thus must've been before the whirlwind of doom came to down and killed him and all of the Knights of the Round Table by standing in one place and spinning his arms to become a human threshing machine, a hurricane of blood and wind.

You know, before AWESOME came to town.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Historically there were a number of japanese chain weapons (manriki-gusari, kusari-gama etc). I'm guessing that they took more specific training to use well, but did have their uses.

If I remember my history right too, despite having to take special training they weren't that useful of a weapon. Most weapons were considered more efficient and better to use in a fight. They were however useful as scare-weapons/psychologically and surprise weapons.

So... These weapons wouldn't really match up to the spiked-chain. Now if they were used like a normal weapon in-game, ie: just using the normal weapon part of the instrument and then as a optional attack it could be flung out that could make sense.

 

[Henrix]

Historically there were a number of japanese chain weapons (manriki-gusari, kusari-gama etc).

And don't forget their predecessors, the variety of chinese chain and rope weapons.

I hope that chain weapons are in the PHB, but preferably in a slightly less silly and overpowered version.

 

[Scholar & Brutalman]

Well, the Desert of Desolation minis (of which all creatures with be in the 4E MM) have a Shadar-Kai assassin in the set, who is wielding a spiked chain.

Based on that singular piece of info, I assume the spiked chain is in.

It just lists the weapon as "chain", not "spiked chain", though it still has a Reach of 2. I'm not a DDM player, but the attack bonus and damage look a little low.