Large-sized reach weapons [Archive] - Wizards Community

Large-sized reach weapons [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
QuantumSteve
10-13-07, 12:53 PM A medium creature has a reach of 5'. If she wields a reach weapon it's 10'.

A large creature has a reach of 10'. If she wields a reach weapon it's 20'.

A medium creature with powerful build still has a base reach of 5'. If she wields a large sized reach weapon, is her reach now 15'?
Marcus Majarra
10-13-07, 04:20 PM No. Reach weapons double a creature's natural reach, assuming the weapon is at least appropriately sized for it. As such, a powerfully built medium creature wielding a large reach weapon still has a reach of only 10 feet.
Holy_Beholder
10-14-07, 07:50 PM Rules please. That only seems to be the rule for how they work for someone wielding their own size reach weapon. I think it would actually be 15 feet.
Crimson_Concerto
10-14-07, 10:11 PM A medium creature with powerful build still has a base reach of 5'. If she wields a large sized reach weapon, is her reach now 15'?No. Her reach is 10 feet. Reach has nothing to do with the size of the weapon. It has to do with the natural reach of the creature wielding the weapon. A reach weapon simply doubles natural reach.
Marcus Majarra
10-15-07, 01:33 AM PHB113 states that "most reach weapons [...] double the wielder's natural reach." As you can see, this defers directly to doubling the wielder's reach, regardless of weapon size. The term "most" is used here because certain weapons are an exception to this rule. Whips, for example, triple the wielder's natural reach. Furthermore, I do believe reach only applies to appropriately sized weapons (which includes weapons sized for creatures 1 category larger, for creatures with Powerful Build).
mvincent
10-15-07, 02:18 PM Rules please. From the 3.5 FAQ:
"A human (Medium) wielding a Large or larger reach
weapon could attack a creature 10 feet away (but no further),
and could not use the weapon to attack a creature 5 feet away
(as normal for a Medium creature wielding a reach weapon).
weasel0
10-15-07, 06:28 PM Here's another take that's based off the OP.

Yes the bigger weapon gives you a longer reach.
It does not change your range of threat.(5')
You only threaten creatures 15' away(3rd square out). Anyone(thing) getting inside 15' of you can do anything they want and you can't AoO because you don't threaten nor can you attack them because your weapon already reachs past them.
Marcus Majarra
10-15-07, 10:15 PM Yes the bigger weapon gives you a longer reach.
This is incorrect. Larger weapons do not provide you more reach, not even large reach weapons. By this kind of logic, merely wielding a large non-reach weapon should allow you to attack at 10 feet, which is not the case.
weasel0
10-16-07, 08:19 AM Would it work well? no.
Look at claymores. 6' long + 2' arm easily reaches into a "10'" square.
Huge-arse swords meant for hacky-hacky, not for accuracy.
If someone wanted it, I'd think on it and then say sure and then let them wonder why they keep missing as they lug this large thing around, lopping crazily through the air with a -4(non-proficient/improper size-which is an option in the DMG for using the older method utilizing weapons of proper size and type for creatures) or more for such an ungainly tactic.

But that's what a DM is for. Making on the spot judgments for: 1) not covered 2) poorly covered or 3) covered but not appreciated-rules.

Lets use the other end of the spectrum. Lets say a Huge Giant is using said large long spear. Is his reach now doubled or is it only increased by 10' which is all a large sized long spear could do?
Either the spear is X' long and thus reaches Y' out or Rule Z affixes a very bad rule of thumb to this kind of issue, IMO.
Furthermore, I do believe reach only applies to appropriately sized weapons (which includes weapons sized for creatures 1 category larger, for creatures with Powerful Build). Even if the creature has powerful build, the weapon is still not appropriately sized for the actual creature. The creature in this case really only has a beefier physique and is still only medium. It acts like it's size large, but standing amoungst it's breathren, is still the same size category.

Either way, I felt(and still feel), the OP logic makes sense and if it were to arise in my games, I'd go with it. But that is in my game and I felt as making a DM judgment on this was fine. Disagree if you please(because the rules do stand on your side) but as far as some degree of sense goes, this fits. It's not over-powered and infact, would wind up being more of a disadvantage than an advantage.
Marcus Majarra
10-16-07, 02:14 PM Actually, I can argue that powerful build lets you treat larger weapons as appropriate for your size since PHB113 stipulates that inappropriately sized weapons are those that a creature can't make optimum use thereof. As it is, a powerfully built medium creature can optimally use large weapons.

Regarding your example, a Huge giant wielding a large reach weapon would not receive any reach benefits with the weapon (since it's inappropriately sized for it). Thus, it would use its natural reach (15 ft.).

Reach weapons don't increase your actual reach by a fixed number; it's a multiplicative value.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
QuantumSteve 10-13-07, 12:53 PM	A medium creature has a reach of 5'. If she wields a reach weapon it's 10'. A large creature has a reach of 10'. If she wields a reach weapon it's 20'. A medium creature with powerful build still has a base reach of 5'. If she wields a large sized reach weapon, is her reach now 15'?
Marcus Majarra 10-13-07, 04:20 PM	No. Reach weapons double a creature's natural reach, assuming the weapon is at least appropriately sized for it. As such, a powerfully built medium creature wielding a large reach weapon still has a reach of only 10 feet.
Holy_Beholder 10-14-07, 07:50 PM	Rules please. That only seems to be the rule for how they work for someone wielding their own size reach weapon. I think it would actually be 15 feet.
Crimson_Concerto 10-14-07, 10:11 PM	A medium creature with powerful build still has a base reach of 5'. If she wields a large sized reach weapon, is her reach now 15'?No. Her reach is 10 feet. Reach has nothing to do with the size of the weapon. It has to do with the natural reach of the creature wielding the weapon. A reach weapon simply doubles natural reach.
Marcus Majarra 10-15-07, 01:33 AM	PHB113 states that "most reach weapons [...] double the wielder's natural reach." As you can see, this defers directly to doubling the wielder's reach, regardless of weapon size. The term "most" is used here because certain weapons are an exception to this rule. Whips, for example, triple the wielder's natural reach. Furthermore, I do believe reach only applies to appropriately sized weapons (which includes weapons sized for creatures 1 category larger, for creatures with Powerful Build).
mvincent 10-15-07, 02:18 PM	Rules please. From the 3.5 FAQ: "A human (Medium) wielding a Large or larger reach weapon could attack a creature 10 feet away (but no further), and could not use the weapon to attack a creature 5 feet away (as normal for a Medium creature wielding a reach weapon).
weasel0 10-15-07, 06:28 PM	Here's another take that's based off the OP. Yes the bigger weapon gives you a longer reach. It does not change your range of threat.(5') You only threaten creatures 15' away(3rd square out). Anyone(thing) getting inside 15' of you can do anything they want and you can't AoO because you don't threaten nor can you attack them because your weapon already reachs past them.
Marcus Majarra 10-15-07, 10:15 PM	Yes the bigger weapon gives you a longer reach. This is incorrect. Larger weapons do not provide you more reach, not even large reach weapons. By this kind of logic, merely wielding a large non-reach weapon should allow you to attack at 10 feet, which is not the case.
weasel0 10-16-07, 08:19 AM	Would it work well? no. Look at claymores. 6' long + 2' arm easily reaches into a "10'" square. Huge-arse swords meant for hacky-hacky, not for accuracy. If someone wanted it, I'd think on it and then say sure and then let them wonder why they keep missing as they lug this large thing around, lopping crazily through the air with a -4(non-proficient/improper size-which is an option in the DMG for using the older method utilizing weapons of proper size and type for creatures) or more for such an ungainly tactic. But that's what a DM is for. Making on the spot judgments for: 1) not covered 2) poorly covered or 3) covered but not appreciated-rules. Lets use the other end of the spectrum. Lets say a Huge Giant is using said large long spear. Is his reach now doubled or is it only increased by 10' which is all a large sized long spear could do? Either the spear is X' long and thus reaches Y' out or Rule Z affixes a very bad rule of thumb to this kind of issue, IMO. Furthermore, I do believe reach only applies to appropriately sized weapons (which includes weapons sized for creatures 1 category larger, for creatures with Powerful Build). Even if the creature has powerful build, the weapon is still not appropriately sized for the actual creature. The creature in this case really only has a beefier physique and is still only medium. It acts like it's size large, but standing amoungst it's breathren, is still the same size category. Either way, I felt(and still feel), the OP logic makes sense and if it were to arise in my games, I'd go with it. But that is in my game and I felt as making a DM judgment on this was fine. Disagree if you please(because the rules do stand on your side) but as far as some degree of sense goes, this fits. It's not over-powered and infact, would wind up being more of a disadvantage than an advantage.
Marcus Majarra 10-16-07, 02:14 PM	Actually, I can argue that powerful build lets you treat larger weapons as appropriate for your size since PHB113 stipulates that inappropriately sized weapons are those that a creature can't make optimum use thereof. As it is, a powerfully built medium creature can optimally use large weapons. Regarding your example, a Huge giant wielding a large reach weapon would not receive any reach benefits with the weapon (since it's inappropriately sized for it). Thus, it would use its natural reach (15 ft.). Reach weapons don't increase your actual reach by a fixed number; it's a multiplicative value.