Fighting with Polearms

[Brue]

Okay, I've never used reach weapons and I admit it's because I'm confused.

As I understand it, if using a polearm such as a glaive, you threaten squares 10' away from you, but NOT those 5' away from you.

How does a person fight with one of these weapons then. How often is the enemy going to stay at reach from you? Is there some rule I'm missing that if you manage a hit with your reach weapon you prevent a person from closing?

If not, does this mean that anyone that wants to use a reach weapon has to also invest in quickdraw. Making their reach weapon only good for one attack of opportunity as an opponent closes?

Yes, I can see using reach weapons from a second rank when fighting in ranks, but other than that, why use one?

[Dhavaer]

People without reach can't charge you without provoking an AoO, for one. You can keep taking a five foot step back, or you can get armour spikes are the Improved Unarmed Strike feat.

[kamikasei]

You can 5-foot-step away to put him in your reach, and full attack.

[Closet_Skeleton]

Or draw a different weapon when you run out of space.

[Attilargh]

Is there some rule I'm missing that if you manage a hit with your reach weapon you prevent a person from closing?

Well, there is the feat Stand Still from Expanded Psionics Handbook.

And of course the ever-popular 5-foot step, as others have pointed out.

[LoopyZebra]

Tripping usually works well for keeping them at distance, and alot of reach builds use that.

[JackMage666]

The feat Short Haft in the PHBII allows you to change the reach of such a weapon as a swift action. This doesn't allow you to use polearms like Spiked Chains, but it does allow you to stay adjacent and attack with the same weapon.

[iceman]

There is at least one feat out there (can't remember where it is from) that allows you to make attacks with the haft of the weapon when you aren't able to use the weapons' pointy/sharp end. ie: when someone is within that five foot range and you can't take a five foot step back.

A good reason to use a reach weapon is that most reach weapons have an extra up side to using them. ie; a bonus to either tripping, disarming, being able to be set to receive a charge, etc. That and the fact that they have reach.

[Bears With Lasers]

Basically, yeah, you 5'-step away. You can also have spiked gauntlets or armor spikes for when you can't do that.

Builds relying on reach usually take abilities to prevent enemies from getting too close, also (like the aforementioned Stand Still and Improved Trip)

[Amphimir Míriel]

Well, there is the feat Stand Still from Expanded Psionics Handbook.

And of course the ever-popular 5-foot step, as others have pointed out.

One question... Is the Stand Still feat available for non-psionic characters?

I know it's marked as a [General] feat, but since it's in the psionic section...

[Bears With Lasers]

It's in the psionic section because it was printed in the XPH. General feats are availible to anyone who can meet the prerequisites.

[Black Hand]

Yes there was a feat for using pole arms with opponents adjacent to you. I never read the PhpII, but I did copy the "Shorten Grip" feat out of a dragon mag. It can be viewed here: http://d20realms.com/modules.php?nam...viewtopic&t=16