Ripptor
2013-10-26, 02:46 AM
This is an attempt to make a Whip weapon that's more viable and desirable by updating an old whip (the whip-dagger) and adding some realistic functionality and flavor.
Barbed Whip
Exotic One-Handed Melee
Critical: 19-20/×2
Range Increment: —
Type: Slashing
Hardness: 2
{table=head]Size|Cost|Damage|Weight|HP
Fine|*|1d2|*|*
Diminutive|*|1d3|*|*
Tiny|*|1d4|*|*
Small|25 gp|1d6|2 lb.|*
Medium|25 gp|1d8|3 lb.|*
Large|50 gp|2d6|4 lb.|*
Huge|*|3d6|*|*
Gargantuan|*|4d6|*|*
Colossal|*|6d6|*|*[/table]
Description
Any character who has proficiency with the whip is also proficient in the barbed whip.
The barbed whip is treated as a melee weapon with 15-foot reach, though you only threaten the area exactly 15ft away. In addition, unlike most other weapons with reach, you can use it against foes anywhere within your reach (including adjacent foes).
According to the SRD, "Large or larger creatures using reach weapons can strike up to double their natural reach but can’t strike at their natural reach or less." In the case of a whip, which ranges triple the natural reach for a Medium creature, I'm going to rule that it remains triple the reach, and threatens the last 1/3 of the range.
The following are helpful diagrams of threat ranges for different size categories. PC = Player Character, TH = Threatened Square.
{table] |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|
TH|TH| | | |TH|TH
TH| | | | | |TH
TH| | |PC| | |TH
TH| | | | | |TH
TH|TH| | | |TH|TH
|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| [/table]{table] | | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | |
| |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| |
|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|
|TH|TH|TH| | | | | | |TH|TH|TH|
TH|TH|TH| | | | | | | | |TH|TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | | | | | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | |PC|PC| | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | |PC|PC| | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | | | | | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH|TH| | | | | | | | |TH|TH|TH
|TH|TH|TH| | | | | | |TH|TH|TH|
|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|
| |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| |
| | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | |[/table]{table] | | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | |
| |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| |
|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|
|TH|TH|TH| | | | | | | |TH|TH|TH|
TH|TH|TH| | | | | | | | | |TH|TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | | | | | | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | |PC|PC|PC| | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | |PC|PC|PC| | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | |PC|PC|PC| | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | | | | | | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH|TH| | | | | | | | | |TH|TH|TH
|TH|TH|TH| | | | | | | |TH|TH|TH|
|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|
| |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| |
| | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | |[/table]
Using a barbed whip provokes an attack of opportunity, just as if you had used a ranged weapon.
You can make trip attacks with a barbed whip. If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you can drop the barbed whip to avoid being tripped.
When using a barbed whip, you get a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an opponent (including the roll to keep from being disarmed if the attack fails).
You can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to attack rolls with a barbed whip sized for you, even though it isn’t a light weapon for you.
Reductions:
None
Additions:
Damage as the 3.0 Whip-Dagger, and increased one category like the whip from 3.0 to 3.5
Removed caveat about armored opponents, as per the 3.0 Whip-Dagger
Limited threatened squares, only 15 ft away, as depicted:
{table]||TH|TH|TH||
|TH||||TH|
TH||||||TH
TH|||PC|||TH
TH||||||TH
|TH||||TH|
||TH|TH|TH||[/table]
This change reflects how whips are actually used. The whip is kept in constant motion, able to lash out at anyone who gets too close. Anyone who gets inside the range of the whip, however, means the wielder has to compensate to hit them. This threat range means the barbed whip keeps enemies at range, or else! (for the attacker AND defender)
Because everything gets compared to the holy grail spiked chain.
Additions:
Double Critical Threat, from 20 to 19-20
5ft reach, from 10ft to 15ft
Threatens squares 15ft away
Reductions:
Threatens nothing within 10ft, from everything within 10ft
Provokes AoO upon attack
Swaps:
Slashing instead of Piercing type
One-Handed instead of Two-Handed
This means that like the spiked chain, you can attack an enemy before it get's within range. However, unlike the spiked chain, when the opponent is within your range, the wielder is in trouble that a 5ft step can't fix.
10/26: Posted
11/07: Added diagrams for size category changes according to SRD rules, at least as I interpret them..
Looking for feedback, let me know if there are any templating errors or other oversights, especially in wording. I made up some of the wording myself, and it may be improperly done. Also balance issues, anything in place that I may have overlooked that could become a problem under certain circumstances.
Feel free to play with it, and let me know how it goes!
Barbed Whip
Exotic One-Handed Melee
Critical: 19-20/×2
Range Increment: —
Type: Slashing
Hardness: 2
{table=head]Size|Cost|Damage|Weight|HP
Fine|*|1d2|*|*
Diminutive|*|1d3|*|*
Tiny|*|1d4|*|*
Small|25 gp|1d6|2 lb.|*
Medium|25 gp|1d8|3 lb.|*
Large|50 gp|2d6|4 lb.|*
Huge|*|3d6|*|*
Gargantuan|*|4d6|*|*
Colossal|*|6d6|*|*[/table]
Description
Any character who has proficiency with the whip is also proficient in the barbed whip.
The barbed whip is treated as a melee weapon with 15-foot reach, though you only threaten the area exactly 15ft away. In addition, unlike most other weapons with reach, you can use it against foes anywhere within your reach (including adjacent foes).
According to the SRD, "Large or larger creatures using reach weapons can strike up to double their natural reach but can’t strike at their natural reach or less." In the case of a whip, which ranges triple the natural reach for a Medium creature, I'm going to rule that it remains triple the reach, and threatens the last 1/3 of the range.
The following are helpful diagrams of threat ranges for different size categories. PC = Player Character, TH = Threatened Square.
{table] |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|
TH|TH| | | |TH|TH
TH| | | | | |TH
TH| | |PC| | |TH
TH| | | | | |TH
TH|TH| | | |TH|TH
|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| [/table]{table] | | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | |
| |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| |
|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|
|TH|TH|TH| | | | | | |TH|TH|TH|
TH|TH|TH| | | | | | | | |TH|TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | | | | | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | |PC|PC| | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | |PC|PC| | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | | | | | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH|TH| | | | | | | | |TH|TH|TH
|TH|TH|TH| | | | | | |TH|TH|TH|
|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|
| |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| |
| | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | |[/table]{table] | | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | |
| |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| |
|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|
|TH|TH|TH| | | | | | | |TH|TH|TH|
TH|TH|TH| | | | | | | | | |TH|TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | | | | | | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | |PC|PC|PC| | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | |PC|PC|PC| | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | |PC|PC|PC| | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH| | | | | | | | | | | |TH|TH
TH|TH|TH| | | | | | | | | |TH|TH|TH
|TH|TH|TH| | | | | | | |TH|TH|TH|
|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|
| |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| |
| | | |TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH|TH| | | |[/table]
Using a barbed whip provokes an attack of opportunity, just as if you had used a ranged weapon.
You can make trip attacks with a barbed whip. If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you can drop the barbed whip to avoid being tripped.
When using a barbed whip, you get a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an opponent (including the roll to keep from being disarmed if the attack fails).
You can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to attack rolls with a barbed whip sized for you, even though it isn’t a light weapon for you.
Reductions:
None
Additions:
Damage as the 3.0 Whip-Dagger, and increased one category like the whip from 3.0 to 3.5
Removed caveat about armored opponents, as per the 3.0 Whip-Dagger
Limited threatened squares, only 15 ft away, as depicted:
{table]||TH|TH|TH||
|TH||||TH|
TH||||||TH
TH|||PC|||TH
TH||||||TH
|TH||||TH|
||TH|TH|TH||[/table]
This change reflects how whips are actually used. The whip is kept in constant motion, able to lash out at anyone who gets too close. Anyone who gets inside the range of the whip, however, means the wielder has to compensate to hit them. This threat range means the barbed whip keeps enemies at range, or else! (for the attacker AND defender)
Because everything gets compared to the holy grail spiked chain.
Additions:
Double Critical Threat, from 20 to 19-20
5ft reach, from 10ft to 15ft
Threatens squares 15ft away
Reductions:
Threatens nothing within 10ft, from everything within 10ft
Provokes AoO upon attack
Swaps:
Slashing instead of Piercing type
One-Handed instead of Two-Handed
This means that like the spiked chain, you can attack an enemy before it get's within range. However, unlike the spiked chain, when the opponent is within your range, the wielder is in trouble that a 5ft step can't fix.
10/26: Posted
11/07: Added diagrams for size category changes according to SRD rules, at least as I interpret them..
Looking for feedback, let me know if there are any templating errors or other oversights, especially in wording. I made up some of the wording myself, and it may be improperly done. Also balance issues, anything in place that I may have overlooked that could become a problem under certain circumstances.
Feel free to play with it, and let me know how it goes!