In a PFS game, a player wanted his PC to use his lucerne hammer (10-foot reach) in a fairly small area - a 20ftx30ft cavern littered with sizeable stalactites and stalagmites. It's the stalactites and stalagmites that made me wonder how easy it would be to use such a weapon among them.
On a judgement call, I told him to make a DC10 DEX check to alter direction, or he could make it part of a move action. Post-game research leads me to believe my judgement call was wrong.
The issue of threat zones for reach weapons has been fairly well duscissed in THIS POST, and there has been some discussion of two-handed weapons in confined spaces (there are no special rules), but I see nothing of reach weapons in confined or restricted spaces.
I can't find anything in the FAQ to cover it.
This leads me to believe that there are no real restrictions on reach weapons in confined spaces. He could attack a creature 10 feet in front of him, and get an attack of opportunity against another creature leaving the threat zone behind him with no penalty, despite the fact that he's standing betwene to stone columns.
Am I correct?
Please note that this is a PFS situation, so I'm looking for Rules As Written answers.
There is no rule for that, and the player is allowed to use his weapon normally. Some GM's in forums don't like it*, but most GM's I have met do not try to alter how the weapon works.
*They are also the same ones that will restrict the use of a weapon that has to be swung in certain areas, but not ones like spears that have a jabbing motion.
There is no rule for that, and the player is allowed to use his weapon normally. Some GM's in forums don't like it*, but most GM's I have met do not try to alter how the weapon works.
*They are also the same ones that will restrict the use of a weapon that has to be swung in certain areas, but not ones like spears that have a jabbing motion.
It woudl be a reasonable hosuerule if you prefer some more "realism".
But yeah, there is no rule about that. I think you can not just add these kind of thing in PFS, and in a homegame houserules should always talked beforehand.
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However, even by RAW, the obstacles might provide Cover against a reach weapon:
PRD/Combat/Cover
"When making a melee attack against an adjacent target, your target has cover if any line from any corner of your square to the target's square goes through a wall (including a low wall). When making a melee attack against a target that isn't adjacent to you (such as with a reach weapon), use the rules for determining cover from ranged attacks."
I would not limit the reach weapon any more than the sword wielder. It is just too difficult to get correct. Otherwise each and every rock, chair, protrusion, ceiling tile and whatnot must be cataloged and identified.
Would you make the same ruling in the woods? What about branches, vines and leaves?
Any weapon with a swinging motion requires more space than those with a prodding motion, but only in one direction! A spear needs more room behind the attacker than a hammer does. Do you penalize all piercing attackers if they have their backs to a wall when fighting?
Again, it is just to complicated and your vision will never be fair and correct.