Spiked chain wielders and how to DM for them?

[Kodam]

Hi!

I agree with souljourner that the MoCh is quite weak.

But using the Spiked Chain as a double weapon rocks! You can take TWF at 9th level; ITWF at 12th and GTWF at 15th. You then have a double weapon which you can enchant on both "ends" at once, effectively for half the price of all the other double-weapons! AND you still have the option to use it as reach weapon, just as you seee fit.

Nevertheless it would still not be too good: just imagine fights against monsters of huge or bigger size and/or with 4 or more legs. No disarm, barely trip, lower damage than other two-handed weapons -> not "uber".

How about making it a feat requiring Weapon Focus (Spiked Chain), Weapon Specialisation (Spiked Chain), Imp. Critical (Spiked Chain) and a Dex of 13+ ?

Kodam

 

[Darklone]

Nah, Kodam, just because a weapons is weak against some monsters, there's no reason to boost it... against humanoid NPCs with class levels, it still rocks.

 

[Norfleet]

Of course, the main problem with being a user of exotic weapons that normal people do not use in the campaign, is the scarcity of finding magical versions of it as loot: If you want one, your own partymembers are likely going ot have to create it, or you'll have to try and commission one yourself: Something that unusual won't be found lying around. You can stick it to the player for that, and probably should. That'll teach him to create some crazy mutant.

As many people have stated, master of chains is probably subpar. Any suggestions for improvement of character, on the other hand, are being sent to the wrong person: The DM, not the player, started this thread. From a DMing perspective, the class is considered subpar to average at best, and therefore will not threaten the balance of the campaign.

 

[Lellindil]

a good build i am currently using w/ the spiked chain, is frenzied berzerker. 5 ftr, 1 barb, feats like improved trip, knockdown, CLEAVE, and GREAT CLEAVE do wonders. especially when as u get more lvls of berzerker you get supreme cleave (free 5 foot step when cleaving or G.Cleaving) the huge str bonus' u get for ragining and frenzying drop multiple opponents like flies.

add to that an enlarge... 20ft reach, huge str, and triping ur opponents, free 5 foot step making it so u can increase your circle of death even more, combat reflexes so u get another attack when they get up and ur talking about a lot of carnage.

of course the dm stops throwing large mobs at u at that point and concentrates on bigger tougher foes. but u can still swing w/ the best of em w/ ur huge str, and obscene # of hp.

 

[Kodam]

Hi!

Nah, Kodam, just because a weapons is weak against some monsters, there's no reason to boost it... against humanoid NPCs with class levels, it still rocks.

It would be a boost to the weapon if I said "Everyone should be able to use the Spiked Chain as a double weapon". But I don't say that. I was talking about a special feat.
But perhaps it would be even better to leave this ability to the Master of Chain and to modify this PrC to make it "standard" in power.

Kodam

 

[Darklone]

Ah, feat. Nice idea. Used that actually...

Here we have it. BAB +6, ... the other requirements I had are redundant (TWF, Ambi, Dex 15+,...)