Eldrich Glaive and weapon finesse?

[Donny_Green]

So as far as I can tell, there is no rule that would actually weapon finesse.

Taking on the word "glaive" in the title does not imply a light weapon. Infact eldrich glaive isn't an attack with a melee weapon, it's an invocation that replicates an attack with a melee weapon.

On the flip side, RAW weapon finesse feat specifies "light weapons, rapier, whip,spiked chain"

Basically, I see every Loc handbook recommend weapon finesse for a glaive lock, but from what I can tell it's just an author interprating a weapon-like invocation as a light weapon.

Otherwise there's a rule or two I'm missing out on, and I'd greatly appreciate someone explaining.

[Vanitas]

Complete Arcane specifies that weaponlike melee spell effects are finesseable.
Eldritch Glaive is a weaponlike melee spell effect.

I'm pretty sure the Melee Warlock Handbook explains it with more details.

[HunterOfJello]

Check out the weapon-like spells section of Complete Arcane. It explains and clarifies rules for using spells and spell-like abilities as if they were weapons.

Since the invocation is a weapon-like SLA touch attack, then it would fall into the traditional category of qualifying for Weapon Finesse.

However, most DMs are likely to say that it works like a glaive and therefore doesn't qualify. It also happens to be a touch attack and your character really shouldn't need a feat to boost their attack on touch attacks very high.

[Vanitas]

However, most DMs are likely to say that it works like a glaive and therefore doesn't qualify.
But it never says anywhere that it works like a glaive.

[Mithril Leaf]

However, most DMs are likely to say that it works like a glaive and therefore doesn't qualify.

You are neither most DMs, nor particularly correct as most DMs follow the very reasonable rules that there are in place that allow you to do it.

[hymer]

@ Mithril Leaf & HunterOfJello: On the 'most DMs' bit, we don't know what most DMs do. There's no statistics to point it one way or the other. So let's just say 'many DMs' and be done with the nitpicking? :smallsmile:

[Sir Pippin Boyd]

So as far as I can tell, there is no rule that would actually weapon finesse.

Taking on the word "glaive" in the title does not imply a light weapon. Infact eldrich glaive isn't an attack with a melee weapon, it's an invocation that replicates an attack with a melee weapon.

On the flip side, RAW weapon finesse feat specifies "light weapons, rapier, whip,spiked chain"

Basically, I see every Loc handbook recommend weapon finesse for a glaive lock, but from what I can tell it's just an author interprating a weapon-like invocation as a light weapon.

Otherwise there's a rule or two I'm missing out on, and I'd greatly appreciate someone explaining.

If you're going to invest feats in hitting with a touch attack, it might be more worth your time to find a way to make the target flat-footed against it.

If you can cast it, Grease might do the trick. A caveat a lot of players forget is that requiring they make balance checks makes them flat-footed unless they have 5 ranks in the balance skill.