Reach

[Srtz]

If a weapon has reach, or i get reach from a synthesist eidolon evolution, can i not attack adjacent squares?

and if thats the case how would i go about treating encounters? if someone gets close, and i move back a square to attack him, he gets an AoO on me. so what should i do?

[Lamontius]

5-ft step is a good start
Wearing a Cestus is another

[Chess Pwn]

if you have a reach weapon it can't attack close. Growing large or eidolon evolution extends your reach, so you do close and reace. If you 5ft step it doesn't provoke, moving a normal move does provoke.

[Matthew Downie]

A reach weapon stops you attacking adjacent squares. Natural reach from having long arms or similar would not normally stop you attacking adjacent squares.

[Srtz]

so would it be viable to have a reach weapon and reach evo? so thats a 5-15ft range right?

so a combat reflexes reach synthesis summoner build isnt completely out of the question?

[Chess Pwn]

correct.

[daimaru]

Does a 5 foot step count as a move action? If it does, and you have quick draw, I think you can do this.

When he closes with you, this provokes an AoO. Release your reach weapon with one hand as a free action, draw your close range weapon as a free action and hit him.

He gets a shot at you.

Take a 5 foot step away, combining the sheathing of your close weapon with the move action, put your free hand back on the reach weapon as a free action and hit him again.

Keep repeating as long as he moves up, getting two shots for every one of his. So long as you can keep backing.

Unless he can use a 5 foot step to close with you so as to not provoke? Does anyone know if this works?

[Tarantula]

daimaru wrote:

Does a 5 foot step count as a move action?

No it doesn't.

Also yes, 5' can be used to move closer and it does not provoke.

[Chess Pwn]

a 5ft step is a free action, but you can't make a move with your move action.
yes he can 5ft step after you thus he doesn't provoke when he closes in on you.

[Weirdo]

daimaru wrote:

Keep repeating as long as he moves up, getting two shots for every one of his. So long as you can keep backing.

Unless he can use a 5 foot step to close with you so as to not provoke? Does anyone know if this works?

If you take Pushing Assault you can move your enemy backwards 5ft (after you step back to create a 5ft gap), so they have to take more than a 5ft step to close and will provoke.

[dragonhunterq]

Srtz wrote:

so would it be viable to have a reach weapon and reach evo? so thats a 5-15ft range right?

so a combat reflexes reach synthesis summoner build isnt completely out of the question?

Not quite. If you are wielding the weapon in the same limbs as your reach evolution you only threaten at 10'-15'. To threaten at 5' at the same time you need an additional natural attack without reach.

[Magda Luckbender]

Here's an example of reach tactics, which includes a comparison of the least effective and the most effective ways to use a reach weapon.

[Weirdo]

Srtz wrote:

so would it be viable to have a reach weapon and reach evo? so thats a 5-15ft range right?

so a combat reflexes reach synthesis summoner build isnt completely out of the question?

Only if you jump through very specific hoops.

Aside from the whip, reach weapons are held in two hands. The reach evolution applies not to one attack form, but one attack: if you take reach (claw) you only gain reach with one claw. Assuming that the reach on a natural attack is transferred to any manufactured weapon held in the associated arm, and that you need natural reach with both arms to apply that reach to a two-handed weapon, you would need to take the slam evolution (which uses both arms) and then reach (slam). In order to still threaten at 5ft, you'd probably want a bite evolution as well. Note that you can't take the reach evolution twice so 2 x reach(claw) doesn't work.

Alternatively you can use a whip (which threatens at 5ft itself, assuming you have Improved Whip Mastery). Not a great option for a summoner, though.