Gaining reach

[Studoku]

Quick question- is it possible to have a 10ft reach while still threatening adjacent squares other than being large. Ideally nothing that requires a certain race.

Thanks in advance.

[Dire Panda]

Spiked chains are nice if you have a feat slot to burn. Otherwise, Stretch Weapon (PHBII) might be the ticket.

[Duke of URL]

Absolutely.

Simplest is a spiked chain, which threatens reach + adjacent, and has the added benefit of getting an AoO when someone leaves the "reach" space, even if it's to an adjacent one.

Slightly trickier is wielding a reach weapon and a non-reach weapon simultaneously -- the general approach here is reach weapon plus armor spikes.

I'm also pretty sure there's at least one feat and/or ToB maneuver that grants extended reach.

[GrimoireM]

Do you want to still use the same weapon to threaten those squares? If not, Gauntlets or a Monk's Unarmed Strike can get the job done. The latter has the advantage of letting you use any of your limbs if you need both your hands to hold your reach weapon. The former works if you don't mind taking one of your hands off your weapon to use it.

Otherwise it requires some specific weapons I don't recall offhand. I'm sure someone else on the boards will know.

Edit: And indeed they do, they even posted before me. Isn't there a one handed reach weapon somewhere that's similar to the spiked chain?

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

Spiked chain. If your GM allows it, you can wield a polearm and spiked gauntlets.

At most levels it's really really cheap to buy a ton of potions of enlarge person. In most mid-level campaigns I craft a belt with daily charges just so that the party fighter can level the playing field. The neat thing about that is that the fighter has direct control over when he can use it, so you have more control over when you suffer a size penalty.

[Ramshack]

A 2 level monk dip isn't bad. You can get improved grapple, unarmed strike, combat reflexes and evasion for a 2 level dip. Using a pole arm you threaten at with it's reach and at 5' with your legs or head or other large appendage ;) all for a -1 BAB. Plus you don't burn a feat on exotic weapon proficieny. It's the best feat economy IMO

[prufock]

The Short Haft feat will also do this for a polearm, but has limitations. It takes a swift action to switch between the butt end for adjacent space and the business end for reach, so you can't threaten all those spaces at once.

[kitcik]

Kusari Gama is the other good one besides spiked chain.

[mattie_p]

For feats you have Inhuman Reach [Aberration], add 5' natural reach, requires abberant blood (Lords of Madness). Heroes of Horror has Deformity (Tall) [Vile], add 5' natural reach, requires Willing Deformity. Odd as they are, I believe if you have the feats to burn they both stack, as neither increases size nor disqualifies you for the other.

[whibla]

The vile feat Deformity (tall) also gives any creature +5' reach, though it does require the character both be evil and have previously taken the vile feat Willing Deformity. (Heroes of Horror)

There is another feat called Inhuman Reach that gives a +5' reach, though, irrc, it too has a prerequisite..something like the Abberation Blood feat. (Lords of Madness)

Finally, the feat extended reach allows a +5' reach, though I have a feeling you must already have a 10' reach to take it...don't quote me on that though. (Savage Species).

*EDIT* Swordsaged. Thanks Mattie! :smallamused:

[Nerd648]

Oriental Adventures has a few Double or Reach weapons. They include the chain, the kawanaga, and the aforementioned kusari-gama. I'm typically not one to play martial characters, but I tend toward the Double or Reach weapons due to the options. Having one made of adamantine and the other of silver really helps with pesky material-based DR.

Another of my favourites is the Spinning Sword. I think it's from an Eberron book called Secrets of Solana. It's basically a short sword with optional reach and can be used as a belt.

Alas, all of these, like all the cool weapons, are exotic weapons.

[Tvtyrant]

There is a graft that does this in Fiend Folio; you have to hack off your own arm though and you take a -6 to diplomacy checks.