So now the improved combat manuever feats (FEATS, pg. 33) basically give you a +2 to your CMB check with that manuever and eliminate the attack of opportunity for making the manuever.
How does this interact with weapons which give bonuses to particular manuevers and in particular with reach weapons?
If I use a whip to perform a trip or disarm manuever the target most likely doesn't threaten me so he gets no AoO anyhow.
In fact using a whip is just as good as having the improved disarm feat (+2 to disarm, no AoO due to reach) and even the weapon handedness modifiers have been removed. Adding improved disarm only gives me a +2 bonus on the check.
I appreciate the streamlining of the system, but perhaps the handedness modifiers should be added back in. It seems like it would be easier to sunder or disarm a dagger using a great sword than it would be using another dagger.
What about adding weapon enhancement bonuses to the CMB check? A magic shield would improve your bull rush manuevers, a magic sai your disarm attempts, a magic whip your trip and diarm attempts, and so on.