Halberd, Ranseur, or Guisarme #3.5#

[Machiavellian]

Of these 3, which is the best?

[Draz74]

Probably the Guisarme. The halberd lacks reach , and Tripping is generally a stronger strategy than Disarming.

[Machiavellian]

Probably the Guisarme. The halberd lacks reach , and Tripping is generally a stronger strategy than Disarming.

So the Guisarme is great

[Jair Barik]

I'd go with Halberd. Higher damage, can be set against a charge and has slashing or piercing depending on what the situation calls for. The others both have their own uses but they are more situational plus if your thinking of doing what they are good at its worth taking a feat to get spiked chain instead (all the bonuses of reach, gets trips and disarms but no minimum range)

Glaive-glaive-glaive-guisarme-glaive>all the above

[Machiavellian]

I'd go with Halberd. Higher damage, can be set against a charge and has slashing or piercing depending on what the situation calls for. The others both have their own uses but they are more situational plus if your thinking of doing what they are good at its worth taking a feat to get spiked chain instead (all the bonuses of reach, gets trips and disarms but no minimum range)

Glaive-glaive-glaive-guisarme-glaive>all the above

but spiked chain sucks (blasphemy, I realise) without Chain Fighter (Which lets you dual-weild them)

[Eldariel]

but spiked chain sucks (blasphemy, I realise) without Chain Fighter (Which lets you dual-weild them)

Naa. Two-Handed Wielding is much better; you get full Power Attack, full bonuses and no extra feat expediture.

[Machiavellian]

Naa. Two-Handed Wielding is much better; you get full Power Attack, full bonuses and no extra feat expediture.

Not feat, PrC (Master of Chains). Two separate trips on two numb-nuts

[Akal Saris]

Heh...I don't think I've heard anyone use "numb-nuts" since middle school...

And master of chains is nice, but spiked chains are plenty broken without the PrC.

[Jair Barik]

If you want to go down that path then may I suggest a Half Ogre weilding huge spiked chains (I 'think' they still get the extra reach...) through monkey grip and taking abberation blood (flexible limbs is generally good) and then inhuman reach.

[Greenish]

And master of chains is nice, but spiked chains are plenty broken without the PrC.

I wouldn't say "broken". I'd say "possibly worth spending a feat for". Yes, that makes them hugely better than most other exotic weapons.

[Edit]:

If you want to go down that path then may I suggest a Half Ogre weilding huge spiked chains (I 'think' they still get the extra reach...) through monkey grip and taking abberation blood (flexible limbs is generally good) and then inhuman reach.

Monkey Grip sucks and you don't gain extra reach for using oversized reach weapons.

[Eldariel]

Not feat, PrC (Master of Chains). Two separate trips on two numb-nuts

Eh, you generally don't need more trips than what your main attacks give you given how unlikely it is that your target is still standing after the first one, and the unlikelihood of you having that many enemies nearby... Generally standard full attack is enough, though Master of Chains isn't bad (though it has alignment restriction of "non-good" for whatever reason); still, Warblade, Psychic Warrior or even something silly like a Fighter can make fine use out of Spiked Chain with size increases to cover ~20' - 30' areas.

And wielding it as a double weapon takes TWF feats even with the class feature; it's generally worse.

[Darklord Xavez]

I'd go with Halberd. Higher damage, can be set against a charge and has slashing or piercing depending on what the situation calls for. The others both have their own uses but they are more situational plus if your thinking of doing what they are good at its worth taking a feat to get spiked chain instead (all the bonuses of reach, gets trips and disarms but no minimum range)

Glaive-glaive-glaive-guisarme-glaive>all the above

I agree 100%.
-Xavez

[aivanther]

but spiked chain sucks (blasphemy, I realise) without Chain Fighter (Which lets you dual-weild them)

Why blow it on a PrC when you could just get Kasri-gama instead? I'm sure I butchered that spelling.

[Machiavellian]

Why blow it on a PrC when you could just get Kusari-gama instead? I'm sure I butchered that spelling.

Fixed. I'm a trained Ninja irl

[Lateral]

Hey, are there actual stats for kusarigama?

[Greenish]

Hey, are there actual stats for kusarigama?

Yeah, it's a light spiked chain.

[Draz74]

Hey, are there actual stats for kusarigama?

I believe so -- they're in the DMG, but not the SRD.

[Dr Bwaa]

Hey, are there actual stats for kusarigama?

Here you go.

[Eldariel]

I believe so -- they're in the DMG, but not the SRD.

Page 145 in DMG. But eh, it's:
Light exotic weapon, 1d6 (Medium) damage, x2 crit, 10' reach + usable vs. adjacent, tripping, disarming and Finessable.

[Lateral]

Page 145 in DMG. But eh, it's:
Light exotic weapon, 1d6 (Medium) damage, x2 crit, 10' reach + usable vs. adjacent, tripping, disarming and Finessable.

Well, I guess it's not great, but it's perfect for what I need mechanically and in flavor. How do I increase its reach length? Other than increased size, I mean.

[Greenish]

Well, I guess it's not great, but it's perfect for what I need mechanically and in flavor. How do I increase its reach length?

Enlarge Person and vile feats.

[Godskook]

Enlarge Person and vile feats.

Vile feats? Which ones? - Forgot Willing Deformity was [Vile]

Also, there's:

Willing deformity + Deformity(Tall)

Aberrant Blood + Inhuman Reach

Each one extends the reach of a reach weapon by 10'(or your normal reach by 5'). One requires medium size, so will not stack with size increases.

[Eldariel]

Well, I guess it's not great, but it's perfect for what I need mechanically and in flavor. How do I increase its reach length? Other than increased size, I mean.

It's actually pretty great. Right up there with Spiked Chain, as the best option for a non two-hander (of course, power-wise there's little excuse for not two-handing); you get Spiked Chain goodies on a light weapon chassis with only 1.5 points less average base damage.

[Lateral]

Vile feats? Which ones? - Forgot Willing Deformity was [Vile]

Also, there's:

Willing deformity + Deformity(Tall)

Aberrant Blood + Inhuman Reach

Each one extends the reach of a reach weapon by 10'(or your normal reach by 5'). One requires medium size, so will not stack with size increases.

That's ok, I don't want a size increase. I know what Aberrant Blood feats are but what's a deformity feat? Also, does that mean that, with these feats, the reach becomes 30 feet with kusarigama? Dual-wield chain tripper build, here I come!

Edit: Ah, no. Deformity (tall) is evil only, I'll stick with inhuman reach. 20 feet is good too!

[Jair Barik]

If i understand correctly you can use whirlwind attack to get lots of trips. That said taking into account all the feats for increasing reach+the inevitable improved trip and combat reflexes you 'might' actually have to go fighter to have enough feats to add whirlwind into the mix (and its utility is limited anyway)

[Octopus Jack]

Enlarge Person and vile feats.

You can use enlarge weapon instead of enlarge person if you don't want to increase in size for whatever reason. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

[hamishspence]

I think one of the Eberron splatbooks may have a slightly better version of the weapon- same stats mostly, but better crit range- but I can't remember which book.

[Greenish]

You can use enlarge weapon instead of enlarge person if you don't want to increase in size for whatever reason. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Enlarging the weapon doesn't increase it's reach, though.

[Edit]: Vile feats.

[Octopus Jack]

Enlarging the weapon doesn't increase it's reach, though.

dosn't it? i thought it did... oops

[sofawall]

I think one of the Eberron splatbooks may have a slightly better version of the weapon- same stats mostly, but better crit range- but I can't remember which book.

Might it have been Spinning Sword?