[House] Melee Reach

[Yakk]

So, let's try to simplify it.

1> Standard AoOs are at +10 to hit. Bonus openings via feats are at +0 to hit.
2> "Fighting defensively" while casting reduces the AoO provoked from a +10 to +0.
3> 5' steps trigger a +0 AoO if you leave a threatened square. Retreating provokes a +0 AoO when you leave the initial threatened square.
4> If you are hit while moving, you have two options. You can stop moving, or you can choose to run through the stop-thrust. If you choose to run through the stop-thrust, you take 10x* the attack damage. You make this choice after damage is rolled.
5> The Spiked Chain takes a move-equiv action to change from a reach weapon to a normal weapon.
6> You can enter "short" range with an adjacent opponent by consuming 5' of movement. Leaving short range requires the consumption of 5' of movement and you must spend additional movement so as you are not adjacent to them. If you are AoO blocked, this leaves you at short range. You may not enter short range if you are already at short range with someone, but multiple people may enter short range with you.

Entering short range provokes an AoO from anyone who threatens the square: +0 if you are taking a 5' step to enter short range, and +10 otherwise.

Leaving short range provokes the AoO when the character leaves the square. Note that you cannot use a 5' step to leave short range -- you need at least 10' of movement to leave short range.

7> "Short" range weapons are at -4 to hit at normal range. "Normal" range weapons are at -4 to hit at short range.
8> Most light weapons and shields become short range.

<5> might apply to any other weapon with two range choices.
<1> is added because the above hurts melee ability to move -- casters need a similar hit.

Not that this makes spears kick ass -- you can keep someone at range with a spear pretty easily.

* x10 might be too much. x2 might be too little. Play with it to generate a good number. The idea is to allow a Dragon to bull through the spears of commoners, but make it painful to simply blow through a stop-thrust. As it stands, the x10 multiplier makes ignoring a stop-thrust almost always a fatally stupid idea -- which emulates real combat more closely, without making every blow fatal.