Using A Long Spear In Combat

[irdeggman]

frank is correct on the errata issue.

It was included in the Special edition.

Soft cover only applies to ranged weapons, not melee ones.

 

[3d6]

Soft cover also applies "when making a melee attack against a target that isn’t adjacent to you (such as with a reach weapon)".

 

[Hypersmurf]

Soft cover only applies to ranged weapons, not melee ones.

Right, but a melee attack against a non-adjacent target uses the cover rules for ranged weapons, not melee ones, so soft cover applies.

Due to having creatures in the way, the wielder of the reach weapon and the T-Rex will have some difficulty attacking one another.

The T-Rex almost gets away with it - the intervening creatures are low obstacles, and if he were closer to them than his target, he could ignore the cover.

Unfortunately, they're both adjacent to the cover, so he isn't closer and can't...

-Hyp.

 

[irdeggman]

Right, but a melee attack against a non-adjacent target uses the cover rules for ranged weapons, not melee ones, so soft cover applies.


-Hyp.

Yup there it is on page 150 (even in the collector's edition).

 

[frankthedm]

Both Longspear Lance and Archer have to trace lines from one corner of their square to all corners of their targets square under most readings of the soft cover rules. That means the Mummy Mook's positioning adds +4 to the AC of their Malicious Master. Cyan the Samurai ignores soft cover rules since he is normal melee.

Because Cover blocks AoOs, Only Cyan would be able to take an AoO if Mr Mysterious & Malignant cast a spell without taking the Cast Defensively option. Lance is left out in the cold despite his reach.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Both Longspear Lance and Archer have to trace lines from one corner of their square to all corners of their targets square under most readings of the soft cover rules. That means the Mummy Mook's positioning adds +4 to the AC of their Malicious Master. Cyan the Samurai ignores soft cover rules since he is normal melee.

Ah! This is an example where the low obstacle rules might come into play.

Let's say Mr Mysterious is a gnoll with a glaive, and the mummies are kobold mummies.

Mr Mysterious has soft cover from Longspear Lance; he has a +4 cover bonus to AC and is protected from AoOs.

Longspear Lance, however, does not have soft cover from Mr Mysterious; the kobold mummies are a low obstacle, and Mr Mysterious is closer to them than Lance is. Longspear Lance has no cover bonus to AC, and if he provokes an AoO, Mr Mysterious can take it.

-Hyp.

 

[frankthedm]

Ah! This is an example where the low obstacle rules might come into play.

Let's say Mr Mysterious is a gnoll with a glaive, and the mummies are kobold mummies.

Mr Mysterious has soft cover from Longspear Lance; he has a +4 cover bonus to AC and is protected from AoOs.

Longspear Lance, however, does not have soft cover from Mr Mysterious; the kobold mummies are a low obstacle, and Mr Mysterious is closer to them than Lance is. Longspear Lance has no cover bonus to AC, and if he provokes an AoO, Mr Mysterious can take it.

That is also a situation where the varying degrees of cover varient work nicely, Since the kobolds are so short they only provide the glaive wielding gnoll 2 points of cover aganst Lance. And how is the gnoll closer to the kobolds than Lance is? Both are medium with 10 feet of reach due to equipment. ...Unless you are not using a grid and have small creatures on 20MM bases, then it is possible.

Back to more gifs...

Since Mr. Mysterious & Malignant choses the corner to draw to his target's corners, he can fire at Lance and Archer without his Mummies granting them cover. Cyan too, though i forgot to draw those lines... darn.

 

[Hypersmurf]

And how is the gnoll closer to the kobolds than Lance is? Both are medium with 10 feet of reach due to equipment. ...

Look at the diagram yourself.

How far is Mr Mysterious from the mummies? 5 feet. How far is Lance from the mummies? 10 feet. How far are Mr Mysterious and Lance from each other? 15 feet, but within reach of a reach weapon due to the exception on p137.

So Mr Mysterious and Lance can both reach each other, but Mr Mysterious is five feet closer to the cover than Lance is.

-Hyp.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Soooooo..............

The final answer is?

A +4 to the baddie's AC? Yes?

If so that still seems kind of wrong to me since that is how the long spear is actually meant to be used in the first place.

Yes I meant to say +4 to the baddie's AC, not -4 to the to hit roll.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Emongnome]

How would you rule if the PC, wielding a Long Spear, declares he is "choking up" on the spear in order to use it as a Half Spear, Short Spear, or otherwise more as a regular melee type Spear (as opposed to the long reach type spear)?

I didn't see this mentioned (might've missed it), but there's a feat called Short Haft (PHB II, pg. 82) that allows you to "choke up" (and vice versa) a reach weapon as a swift action. Requires prof. w/ reach weapon, WF w/ reach weapon, BAB +3. Your idea to make it as a -4 to attack sounds fine, though I'd also add that it takes a move action to do without this feat.