[3.5] Bull Rush

[sofawall]

Is there a way (other than Brutal Surge) to Bull Rush somebody a distance, but without moving with them?

Also, other than Warforged Juggernaut, Dungeoncrasher, Size, Str and Imp. Bull Rush, what ways can one improve one's Bull Rushing?

[Glimbur]

Knockback from Races of Stone lets you bull rush without moving with your foes. It's nontrivial to qualify for due to requiring large size.

There are several soulmelds that improve bull rush, including Sphinx Claws (+1 +1 per essentia, competence) and... I can't find any others that help with a casual search, the rest seem to only help you resist.

[sofawall]

Knockback from Races of Stone lets you bull rush without moving with your foes. It's nontrivial to qualify for due to requiring large size.

There are several soulmelds that improve bull rush, including Sphinx Claws (+1 +1 per essentia, competence) and... I can't find any others that help with a casual search, the rest seem to only help you resist.

That's what I keep running into.

[Darrin]

Is there a way (other than Brutal Surge) to Bull Rush somebody a distance, but without moving with them?


Several. Bloodstorm Blade 2 (Tome of Battle) gets Thunderous Throw, which allows you to treat your ranged thrown weapon attacks as melee attacks. Telekinesis + Master of the Unseen Hand can bull rush at range. There's also a couple feats from Dragon Magazine #304, Windup and Rout, that allow you to bull rush with thrown weapons.



Also, other than Warforged Juggernaut, Dungeoncrasher, Size, Str and Imp. Bull Rush, what ways can one improve one's Bull Rushing?

Flaming Homer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4108954&postcount=22) and his red-headed stepchild King of Pong (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5897646).

Other than that...

There's a few soulmelds that add bonuses to Strength checks.
Kensai has that Power Surge thingy.
Factotum 3 has Brains Over Brawn.
Marshall has the Motivate Strength aura.

[RandomLunatic]

The Awesome Blow feat kinda works like Knockback, but it is not a Bull Rush, and really sucks. I mention it only for the sake of completeness.

Armbands of Might from the MIC grant +2 to STR checks.

[Sophismata]

The Charging Minotaur manoeuvre, requiring either the Martial Study feat or a one-level did in any martial class, lets you make a charging bullrush that does not provoke, deals a bonus 2d6 damage and can knockback without you following through.

[Runestar]

The Awesome Blow feat kinda works like Knockback, but it is not a Bull Rush, and really sucks. I mention it only for the sake of completeness.

It sucks only because people do not realize that the foe provokes an AoO for leaving a square you threaten when they are sent flying. :smallbiggrin:

But you do have to be at least large size, and this severely limits who can take it and use it effectively.

[sofawall]

The Charging Minotaur manoeuvre, requiring either the Martial Study feat or a one-level did in any martial class, lets you make a charging bullrush that does not provoke, deals a bonus 2d6 damage and can knockback without you following through.

Since I'm dipping a class anyway, that seems useful to the extreme.

[Sinfire Titan]

The Totemist's Totem Avatar soulmeld (arms bind, specifically) grants a +4 bonus to resist Bull Rushes, Grapples, and Trips. It then goes and grants a +4 bonus whenever you make one of those checks (and specifically states it stacks with the bonus for resisting those checks, giving you a +8 to resist and a +4 to initiate).

The Mauling Gauntlets give a +2 Morale bonus to those checks (not just resisting them). +2/essentia. Lucky Dice gives a +1 Luck bonus to the normal d20 rolls you will be making, such as Ability Checks (like Bull Rushes). Sphinx Claws, as have been mentioned.


AKA: Totemist is your best friend here.

Edit: OH!, there's a feat in Complete Scoundrel that gives you a +5 bonus on any Str/Dex ability check or skill check 3/day. Limited uses, but it's untyped and a +5.

[Person_Man]

Most of the good stuff has already been mentioned. Here's a re-post from an old thread that I'll update eventually that you might find useful:


Dungeoncrasher alternate class feature: Adds massive damage when you Bull Rush an enemy into a wall or object (like the floor, or the corpse of one of their recently killed friends, or a wall summoned by an ally). Requires Fighter 6. Dungeonscape.
Knockback feat: Free Bull Rush whenever you use Power Attack, with a bonus to your Bull Rush equal to your Power Attack bonus. Requires Large or bigger size or Powerful Build (Half-Giant, Goliath). Races of Stone.
Shield of the Severed Hand: Once per round grants you a Free Bull Rush at a +4 bonus whenever someone hits the shield (misses you in melee by 6 or less - better if you can improve your shield AC bonus). Requires True Believer feat and 7 HD.Complete Divine pg 102. There's also a version in the Magic Item Compendium which uses a slightly different mechanic.
Brutal Surge weapon enhancement: Free Bull Rush 1 + Con bonus times per day when you hit an enemy with the enchanted melee weapon. Magic Item Compendium.
Knockback ranged weapon enhancement: Free Bull Rush with a set modifier whenever you shoot someone. Complete Warrior, with a nerfed version in the Magic Item Compendium.
Forceful Staff Style: Limited free Bull Rush when you use Stunning Fist against someone. Ghostwalk.
Pushback feat: Free 5 ft Bull Rush once per round when you hit enemy with a melee attack. Miniatures Handbook.
Brute Fighting feat: Gives you a modest bonus to damage the round after you Bull Rush. Requires you be Warforged. Races of Eberron.
Cavalry Charger feat: If you hit a mounted opponent with a melee attack you get a free Bull Rush. Your target moves back, but their mount does not. Complete Warrior.
Combat Brute feat: If you Bull Rush an enemy, on the next round you gain a scaled bonus to hit and damage against them. Comp Warrior.
Shock Trooper feat: For every square you Bull Rush an enemy back, you can also move them one square to the right or left. If you Bull Rush an enemy into another enemy, you get a free Trip attack on both of them. Comp Warrior.
Wolfpack feat: Needlessly convoluted Full Round Action that lets you make a special Bull Rush. Sucks. Races of the Wild.
Driving Attack feat: Full Round Action to make one attack that lets you make a special Bull Rush. Sucks. PHBII.
Anything that increases your Size or Strength (most notably Expansion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/expansion.htm), Polymorph, Wildshape, and Rage effects (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36238)) improves your Bull Rush modifier.
Marshal 1: Motive Strength Aura grants Cha bonus to Str checks. Miniatures Handbook.
Factotum 3: Brains Over Brawn ability grants Int bonus to Str checks. Dungeonscape.
Warforged Juggernaut adds it's class level (max 5) to Bull Rush. Races of Eberron.
Mauling Gauntlets soulmeld: 2 + (2 * invested essentia) morale bonus to Str checks.
Sphinx Claws soulmeld: 1 + (1 * invested essentia) insight bonus to Str checks.
Spells and Psionics: Forceful Hand, Telekenisis, and probably a dozen others.


Note that plenty of enemies are immune or highly resistant to Bull Rush attacks. And Bull Rushing your enemy away from you without following up on him makes it difficult to make a Full Attack. So after you get Knockback + Leap Attack, I would just move on to a different combo.

[Greenish]

Hmm, going off-topic a bit (as I am wont to go), the flavour text for Charging Minotaur says that you slam bodily at the opponent and deal 2d6+str damage, so if you're warforged with Adamantine Body, will that damage pierce DR/Adamantine (or ignore object hardness)? :smallcool:

[Zaq]

I'm late to the party, but there's a Mystery (3rd level) in the Cityscape Web Enhancement that lets you make bull rush checks (and certain other combat maneuvers) at range. It's nicer than telekinesis because it comes at a lower level and can be shared with a familiar for two bull rushes each turn.

I doubt it's what you want, but it's there.

[Signmaker]

Ring of Ram. Ramramramramram.

[Greenish]

Ring of Ram. Ramramramramram.That reminds me, there's a Sorc/Wizard 2nd level spell called Battering Ram that bull rushes as a large creature with 25 str.

[lsfreak]

There's an ACF or something that lets you make a bullrush after a charge attack. Let's see if I can find it somewhere...

EDIT: 5th Fangshield Barbarian substitution level, from Champions of Valor. Have to be non-humanoid, which is rather problematic for most builds.

[Olo Demonsbane]

One of the abilities of the drunken master lets one head-butt the opponent, giving a free bull rush attempt (Corkscrew Rush?)