Disarming with a whip [Archive] - Wizards Community

Disarming with a whip [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Alvis
04-12-06, 09:36 AM One of my players expressed interest in using a whip to disarm opponents, so I want to make sure I have the rules correct. A whip gives you a +2 on your disarm attempt. Improved Disarm gives a +4. Do these stack?

Also, in the rules for disarming, opponents make opposed rolls with their respective weapons. The higher one wins the disarm attempt. Now, does that mean the one who rolled more damage? Because a whip does pretty pathetic damage. Or is it more like a Strength check with your disarm bonuses and penalties and +s from your weapons added in? Is BAB part of it?

As you can probably guess, none of my players have used this rule before ;)
Dalthbar
04-12-06, 09:43 AM I would think that they should stack because they're coming from different sources and both are unnamed I believe.

You make opposed attack roles (damage is never dealt while disarming in this way). Then you add in your BAB, to-hit modifiers (strength, weapon enhancement bonuses, etc.), anything from improved disarm and in the case of whips and like weapons, bonuses to disarm from that.

You can read up on disarm in the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/combat.htm) for the "steps" that disarm takes and determining a winner and consequences of losing the roll.
JulesCARV
04-12-06, 09:48 AM Improved disarm and the whip stack, as far as I know. The rolls are attack rolls (i.e., strength (or dexterity, with finesse) + BAB + enhancement (if any) + 2 if it's a whip, spiked chain, flail, nunchaks, ranseur or sai + 4 if you're using two hands).
jaelis
04-12-06, 09:54 AM Improved disarm and the whip stack, as far as I know. The rolls are attack rolls (i.e., strength (or dexterity, with finesse) + BAB + enhancement (if any) + 2 if it's a whip, spiked chain, flail, nunchaks, ranseur or sai + 4 if you're using two hands).

Just to be more complete on the penalties and bonus... you get +4 with a sai, the other weapons give +2.

You get +4 with a two-handed weapon. It's a DM call whether you get this bonus with a 1H weapon held in two hands (I'd say you should, myself.) You always get a -4 penalty with a light weapon.

You get a +/-4 modifier for each size category difference between you and your opponent.

You get a +4 bonus if you have Improved Disarm.

All these modifiers stack, and are applied to both your's and the defender's attack rolls.
kjenks
04-12-06, 09:54 AM That +4 from using a whip two-handed comes from the Main 3.5e FAQ.

He can get another +2 from charging.

A cheap +1 enhancement bonus comes from using a masterwork whip.

An interesting thing about the disarm rules: Cover bonus to AC has no effect on the opposed attack rolls. This means that your disarming dude can do his trick from behind his fighter buddy.
Alvis
04-12-06, 11:06 AM Thanks a lot everybody!
Shr3dZ
04-12-06, 11:33 AM Im sure the +2 from charing is right (as in, in the books) but really how does it make any sense?

You charge up to the person, stop 15ft away and whip his weapon out of his hand? :confused:
Dalthbar
04-12-06, 11:38 AM The conflict is that charging says that it only works for melee weapons and a whip is listed as a melee weapon, despite only doing non-lethal damage.

I could see this being houseruled that you can't charge with a whip since it's a unique case that has special rules. It's a very non-standard weapon all around and fits into a space somewhere between melee and ranged.
Shr3dZ
04-12-06, 11:43 AM Im thinking any weapon thats not firm, that cant transfer your momentum well, shouldnt get the plus to charging. I suppose its no game-breaker though.

But Im thinking my next character will a disarming monkey so maybe I should keep my thoughts to myself ;)
jaelis
04-12-06, 12:22 PM Im sure the +2 from charing is right (as in, in the books) but really how does it make any sense?

You charge up to the person, stop 15ft away and whip his weapon out of his hand? :confused:

Run up and then plant you feet and break to a stop. Time the whip strike so that you add your forward momentum to the strike, and your backward recoil to the pull back to disarm.

Not that I know anything about whips. That's what give me liberty to makes something like that up.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Alvis 04-12-06, 09:36 AM	One of my players expressed interest in using a whip to disarm opponents, so I want to make sure I have the rules correct. A whip gives you a +2 on your disarm attempt. Improved Disarm gives a +4. Do these stack? Also, in the rules for disarming, opponents make opposed rolls with their respective weapons. The higher one wins the disarm attempt. Now, does that mean the one who rolled more damage? Because a whip does pretty pathetic damage. Or is it more like a Strength check with your disarm bonuses and penalties and +s from your weapons added in? Is BAB part of it? As you can probably guess, none of my players have used this rule before ;)
Dalthbar 04-12-06, 09:43 AM	I would think that they should stack because they're coming from different sources and both are unnamed I believe. You make opposed attack roles (damage is never dealt while disarming in this way). Then you add in your BAB, to-hit modifiers (strength, weapon enhancement bonuses, etc.), anything from improved disarm and in the case of whips and like weapons, bonuses to disarm from that. You can read up on disarm in the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/combat.htm) for the "steps" that disarm takes and determining a winner and consequences of losing the roll.
JulesCARV 04-12-06, 09:48 AM	Improved disarm and the whip stack, as far as I know. The rolls are attack rolls (i.e., strength (or dexterity, with finesse) + BAB + enhancement (if any) + 2 if it's a whip, spiked chain, flail, nunchaks, ranseur or sai + 4 if you're using two hands).
jaelis 04-12-06, 09:54 AM	Improved disarm and the whip stack, as far as I know. The rolls are attack rolls (i.e., strength (or dexterity, with finesse) + BAB + enhancement (if any) + 2 if it's a whip, spiked chain, flail, nunchaks, ranseur or sai + 4 if you're using two hands). Just to be more complete on the penalties and bonus... you get +4 with a sai, the other weapons give +2. You get +4 with a two-handed weapon. It's a DM call whether you get this bonus with a 1H weapon held in two hands (I'd say you should, myself.) You always get a -4 penalty with a light weapon. You get a +/-4 modifier for each size category difference between you and your opponent. You get a +4 bonus if you have Improved Disarm. All these modifiers stack, and are applied to both your's and the defender's attack rolls.
kjenks 04-12-06, 09:54 AM	That +4 from using a whip two-handed comes from the Main 3.5e FAQ. He can get another +2 from charging. A cheap +1 enhancement bonus comes from using a masterwork whip. An interesting thing about the disarm rules: Cover bonus to AC has no effect on the opposed attack rolls. This means that your disarming dude can do his trick from behind his fighter buddy.
Alvis 04-12-06, 11:06 AM	Thanks a lot everybody!
Shr3dZ 04-12-06, 11:33 AM	Im sure the +2 from charing is right (as in, in the books) but really how does it make any sense? You charge up to the person, stop 15ft away and whip his weapon out of his hand? :confused:
Dalthbar 04-12-06, 11:38 AM	The conflict is that charging says that it only works for melee weapons and a whip is listed as a melee weapon, despite only doing non-lethal damage. I could see this being houseruled that you can't charge with a whip since it's a unique case that has special rules. It's a very non-standard weapon all around and fits into a space somewhere between melee and ranged.
Shr3dZ 04-12-06, 11:43 AM	Im thinking any weapon thats not firm, that cant transfer your momentum well, shouldnt get the plus to charging. I suppose its no game-breaker though. But Im thinking my next character will a disarming monkey so maybe I should keep my thoughts to myself ;)
jaelis 04-12-06, 12:22 PM	Im sure the +2 from charing is right (as in, in the books) but really how does it make any sense? You charge up to the person, stop 15ft away and whip his weapon out of his hand? :confused: Run up and then plant you feet and break to a stop. Time the whip strike so that you add your forward momentum to the strike, and your backward recoil to the pull back to disarm. Not that I know anything about whips. That's what give me liberty to makes something like that up.