One Handed Reach Weapons

[subject42]

Other than the whip, are there any one-handed reach weapons in 3.5? All of the ones that I've seen are two handed.

[Eldariel]

Kusari-Gama in the DMG and Spinning Sword in Secrets of Sarlona. Both are tripping exotic weapons.

[Person_Man]

Also the whip's many variants - dagger whip, sting ray whip, fire lash. You can also just add natural reach via many methods (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7081777).

[SurlySeraph]

The Cavestalker PrC lets you wield spiked chains one-handed, but it's not a terrible good class.

[erikun]

A lance can be wielding in one hand, although only while mounted.

[Iku Rex]

... Spinning Sword in Secrets of Sarlona. Both are tripping exotic weapons.(The spinning sword is not a tripping weapon.)

[Fastmover]

Lunging Strike (Feat)

[Glyde]

There's also a stance in ToB that gives reach

[Eldariel]

(The spinning sword is not a tripping weapon.)

Right. I knew that. So yeah, use Kusari-Gama :smalltongue:

[pres_man]

Depending on the DM's interpretation of the weapon sizing rules, you could potentially use a small sized reach weapon as a medium character and still get reach with it, at a -2 penalty of course.

[Person_Man]

Also note that Knock-Down (www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Knock-Down) doesn't require that you use a Tripping weapon. So if your goal is to Trip people, and you take the standard path to optimize it, it's immaterial which weapon you use.

[Eldariel]

Also note that Knock-Down (www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Knock-Down) doesn't require that you use a Tripping weapon. So if your goal is to Trip people, and you take the standard path to optimize it, it's immaterial which weapon you use.

It does reduce your versatility though; vs. high AC opponents, you want the Touch Attack Trip first as it makes connecting much more likely. This has lower potential returns than simple attack, but the higher chance of connecting at all and is thus momentarily useful. Still, yeah, Knock-Down helps a ton with non-tripping weapons.

[subject42]

Also note that Knock-Down (www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Knock-Down) doesn't require that you use a Tripping weapon. So if your goal is to Trip people, and you take the standard path to optimize it, it's immaterial which weapon you use.


I'm actually working on a fairly un-optimized Character that has the stated goal of "staying the heck away from the big guys with the pointy things".

[Warclam]

If you're a kobold and using the "Slight Build" racial ability from the Races of the Dragon Web Enhancement, you can carry a tiny two-handed weapon as a one-handed weapon. Whether you'll still get reach is, as pres_man said, debatable.

If you don't want to go exotic and are OK with using homebrew, I thought it was strange that there was no one-handed reach weapon, so I created a "Dory", a one-handed martial reach weapon that did 1d6 piercing damage, x2 crit. It's a weak weapon, but it does get you that much further away from your enemies.

[Person_Man]

I'm actually working on a fairly un-optimized Character that has the stated goal of "staying the heck away from the big guys with the pointy things".

Well assuming you're going for a non-caster-ish class, then I would suggest Standstill, Knockback, or Manyshot (move and fire). If you are going for a caster, then Batman Wizard or Dragonfire Adept is the way to go.

Also, why the need for the one-handed-ness? I love shields (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123630), but it's not like you can't buy an Animated Shield or a Gnomish Battle Cloak.

[golentan]

If you've got a spare feat, take monkey grip. I did a dual wielding longspear/short sword guy that way

[subject42]

Well assuming you're going for a non-caster-ish class, then I would suggest Standstill, Knockback, or Manyshot (move and fire). If you are going for a caster, then Batman Wizard or Dragonfire Adept is the way to go.

Also, why the need for the one-handed-ness? I love shields (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123630), but it's not like you can't buy an Animated Shield or a Gnomish Battle Cloak.


The character is a caster, but Batman or Dragonfire adept don't fit the concept terribly well. I've written him up in the linked thread if you'd like to take a look.

The background. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134186)

[Agent_0042]

If you've got a spare feat, take monkey grip. I did a dual wielding longspear/short sword guy that way

Monkey grip doesn't quite work that way.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

If you've got a spare feat, take monkey grip. I did a dual wielding longspear/short sword guy that wayThat doesn't work. At all.

Monkey Grip allows you to wield a weapon sized for a creature one size category larger in without increasing the handedness. So a medium creature can wield a Large Greatsword, or TWF with longswords. You can't wield a 2-hander in one hand with it.

[golentan]

Ah, I see. I was using the d20 modern version from Nd20 with weapon sizes, which lets you act as if you are once size category larger but not with regards to your off hand. Since weapon weight (light, one handed, and 2 handed) is entirely based on the size category of the weapon compared to your own, it does work that way.

Since I glanced over the 3.5 method and saw them mentioning wielding something that they described as normally 2 handed in one hand, I assumed the same carried over. And my DM has evidently houseruled that as well, and Neverwinter Nights 2 lets you do so as well. So... yeah. I'd argue that it should work that way, since it's not particularly unbalancing, and the way the feat is worded it fits. Who honestly believes a two weapon fighter will ever have a higher damage output then a shock trooper? Esp. given that in such a case he can't really use both weapons on the same foe.

N'est ces pas.

[pres_man]

The 3e version of Monkey Grip did allow a character to use a longspear in one hand. But of course that had slightly different weapon sizing rules and the feat was a bit different also (you only got to pick one weapon for it to work with instead of all larger sized weapons).