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Why is the spiked chain so good?
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<blockquote data-quote="Kaisoku" data-source="post: 4295574" data-attributes="member: 58447"><p>Both Two-Handed weapons, and One-handed weapons used with two hands, get the 1.5x Strength damage and 2x conversion from Power Attack.</p><p></p><p>There is literally no other place, other than in Disarm, that Two-handed weapons are differentiated from a One-handed weapon held in two hands, and even then it's only a differentiation through omission. It's quite possible the rule was written by someone who simply thought it was implied in the rest of the rules that it was the same thing.</p><p></p><p>The question really is then...</p><p>Does a Two-Handed weapon get this +4 bonus because it's a "big weapon", and a Light weapon get the -4 penalty because it's a "smaller weapon"? Or is it because it's being held in two hands?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>As for the Spiked Chain itself, it's given up quite a bit of damage capability (two steps lower than the Greatsword or Greataxe) AND costs an extra feat in order to gain the reach capabilities and couple other bonuses.</p><p>Also, it has mixed bonuses... Finesse with a weapon that you'll want to pump your Strength as high as possible? If you go mostly Dex, you give up the extra damage from Two-Handed Strength bonus and give up bonuses to Tripping. Variety is a bonus, sure.. but not that big a deal.</p><p></p><p>My personal feelings are that Disarm and Trip bone characters not built to defend against them in core rules, and the Spiked Chain just happens to be a smart choice for either tactics.</p><p></p><p>Honestly, you can pick up a Guisarme and get nearly the same benefits as a Trip Monkey anyways. Grab Short Haft if you are really REALLY wanting to use it for close quarters combat.. otherwise some spiked gauntlets are easily accessible. The Spiked Chain gives up that extra x3 crit damage to have an additional +2 Disarm (and the largely unused Finesse in the Trip builds).</p><p></p><p></p><p>If you go with the new Pathfinder rules (adding BAB to the check instead of a straight Strength check, and automatic 15+mods for the defender, lesser size bonus, and nerfed Imp Trip feat), you are already making the Trip/Disarm tactic less overpowered options.</p><p>You can allow or deny any overly ridiculous PrCs at your choice too (Weapon Master).</p><p></p><p></p><p>Lastly, do we really need to nerf the Fighter while the flying, greater invisible Wizard is tossing (insert whatever save the target is weakest again) spells around? Really?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Kaisoku, post: 4295574, member: 58447"] Both Two-Handed weapons, and One-handed weapons used with two hands, get the 1.5x Strength damage and 2x conversion from Power Attack. There is literally no other place, other than in Disarm, that Two-handed weapons are differentiated from a One-handed weapon held in two hands, and even then it's only a differentiation through omission. It's quite possible the rule was written by someone who simply thought it was implied in the rest of the rules that it was the same thing. The question really is then... Does a Two-Handed weapon get this +4 bonus because it's a "big weapon", and a Light weapon get the -4 penalty because it's a "smaller weapon"? Or is it because it's being held in two hands? As for the Spiked Chain itself, it's given up quite a bit of damage capability (two steps lower than the Greatsword or Greataxe) AND costs an extra feat in order to gain the reach capabilities and couple other bonuses. Also, it has mixed bonuses... Finesse with a weapon that you'll want to pump your Strength as high as possible? If you go mostly Dex, you give up the extra damage from Two-Handed Strength bonus and give up bonuses to Tripping. Variety is a bonus, sure.. but not that big a deal. My personal feelings are that Disarm and Trip bone characters not built to defend against them in core rules, and the Spiked Chain just happens to be a smart choice for either tactics. Honestly, you can pick up a Guisarme and get nearly the same benefits as a Trip Monkey anyways. Grab Short Haft if you are really REALLY wanting to use it for close quarters combat.. otherwise some spiked gauntlets are easily accessible. The Spiked Chain gives up that extra x3 crit damage to have an additional +2 Disarm (and the largely unused Finesse in the Trip builds). If you go with the new Pathfinder rules (adding BAB to the check instead of a straight Strength check, and automatic 15+mods for the defender, lesser size bonus, and nerfed Imp Trip feat), you are already making the Trip/Disarm tactic less overpowered options. You can allow or deny any overly ridiculous PrCs at your choice too (Weapon Master). Lastly, do we really need to nerf the Fighter while the flying, greater invisible Wizard is tossing (insert whatever save the target is weakest again) spells around? Really? [/QUOTE]
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