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Thread: Flank & Battlefield Control
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2012-11-05, 08:58 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2011
Flank & Battlefield Control
This topic is spawned off another thread that was going on. Just a thought that came to mind that I wanted to share.
Do you receive a flank bonus if you have a weapon with reach? In other words, do you and your ally have to base the enemy in order to receive the flank bonus? Or can your ally base the enemy and you stand 1 square away with your reach weapon to receive the flank bonus?
And what weapon is best for battlefield control? I see the heavy flail and Guisarme are quite effective. Are there any others that might be better?
Thanks!
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2012-11-05, 09:35 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Apr 2011
Re: Flank & Battlefield Control
Spiked chain is one of the best weapons in the game, and is useful for battlefield control. You can flank with a reach weapon, it works just as with a non-reach weapon.
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2012-11-05, 09:40 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Apr 2010
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Re: Flank & Battlefield Control
Flanking with reach is actually slightly better in that you can be another square either side and still flank. Diagram PH p 153
π = 4
Consider a 5' radius blast: this affects 4 squares which have a circumference of 40' — Actually it's worse than that.
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Avatar by Caravaggio
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2012-11-05, 10:43 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2011
Re: Flank & Battlefield Control
Let me ask this question then. What makes the spiked chain better than the heavy flail?
Flail, heavy 15 gp 1d8 1d10 19–20/×2 — 10 lbs. B disarm, trip
Chain, spiked 25 gp 1d6 2d4 ×2 — 10 lbs. P disarm, trip
It looks like the flail is cheaper, has better damage output and you don't have to use a feat in order to gain exotic weapon prof to use the spiked chain
That's just my observation anyways
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2012-11-05, 10:50 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2011
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2012-11-05, 11:02 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Sep 2009
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Re: Flank & Battlefield Control
Just want to say that the way you phrased this, it made me think that you were saying that all reach weapons threaten two squares in all directions.
This is almost unique to the spiked chain, a couple other exotic weapons have a similar trait, where they have reach and still threaten the immediate square in front of you. This is different than, say, the longspear, that has reach and doesnt threaten the immediate squares without a feat (short haft, i think)
And yes, that special ability and the trip bonus make it almost the paragon of weaponsSpoiler
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Avatar by Szilard
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2012-11-05, 11:57 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2006
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- Seattle, WA
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Re: Flank & Battlefield Control
For pure control, the Spike Chain is the premier weapon. It gets the advantage of PA and 1.5x str at close range, as well as primary weapon enhancements. This is most important for Standstill DCs. That gives it a leg up on the Guisarme, the second best control weapon. That benefit is well worth the feat you part to use it, IMO. Control melee are also often enlarged. Being enlarged with a Guisarme doubles the dead zone adjacent to you, which drops your ability to control significantly as it lessens the effectiveness if your 5' steps.
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2012-11-05, 02:50 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2011
Re: Flank & Battlefield Control
The reach quality for the spiked chain you guys are referring to. Is that according to 3.5 in D&D? The spiked chain in PF lists as not having the reach quality, but rather disarm and trip
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2012-11-05, 04:17 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2011
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Re: Flank & Battlefield Control
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