From what I understand of the game mechanics, a character wielding a Reach weapon is able to Bull Rush an opponent adjacent to them without penalty and without provoking an Attack of Opportunity (AoO). The Bull Rush attempts works like a cross-check or push-kick that moves the opponent away without necessarily harming them.
I imagine a scenario where a character with a Reach weapon could hold back opponents on a narrow choke point, like a 5-foot-wide corridor. An enemy approaching carefully would be attacked when in range of the Reach weapon and the hero would be able to step back to keep them at bay without getting hurt, forcing the enemy to get adjacent to the hero by running past the Reach weapon's threatened square and provoking an AoO. If the hero can successfully Bull Rush the now adjacent enemy away, they can step back without provoking an AoO and keep the enemy at bay. If the Bull Rush check is good enough, the hero can push back the enemy far enough without even having to step back.
Do I understand everything correctly?
Thanks,
:Byronus
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From what I understand of the game mechanics, a character wielding a Reach weapon is able to Bull Rush an opponent adjacent to them without penalty and without provoking an Attack of Opportunity (AoO).
A character wielding a reach weapon can bull rush an adjacent opponent, true, but unless that character possesses the Improved Bull Rush feat or a similar ability, the bull rush attempt provokes an attack of opportunity. The reach weapon has no bearing on how bull rush plays out.
From what I understand of the game mechanics, a character wielding a Reach weapon is able to Bull Rush an opponent adjacent to them without penalty and without provoking an Attack of Opportunity (AoO).A character wielding a reach weapon can bull rush an adjacent opponent, true, but unless that character possesses the Improved Bull Rush feat or a similar ability, the bull rush attempt provokes an attack of opportunity. The reach weapon has no bearing on how bull rush plays out.
This is correct.
You can make a bull rush as a standard action or as part of a charge, in place of the melee attack. You can only bull rush an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you. A bull rush attempts to push an opponent straight back without doing any harm. If you do not have the Improved Bull Rush feat, or a similar ability, initiating a bull rush provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver.
I was aware that Bull Rushing without the Improved Bull Rush Feat would provoke an AoO, but I wasn't sure if there were any additional complications from wielding the Reach weapon or from not having the Improved Unarmed Strike Feat.
Thanks for the help, guys. :)
Is there anything that says that you cannot use a weapon to make the Bull Rush? It cannot be used in place of a melee attack like Trip can (except as part of a charge), but I see nothing that precludes the use of a weapon.
Is there anything that says that you cannot use a weapon to make the Bull Rush? It cannot be used in place of a melee attack like Trip can (except as part of a charge), but I see nothing that precludes the use of a weapon.
You might "use" a weapon as a part of your bull rush in the sense of flavor, but you do not gain benefit from any bonuses specific to the weapon. As noted above, if you have a feat along the lines of Shield Slam, you may then apply relevant modifiers.
Is there anything that says that you cannot use a weapon to make the Bull Rush? It cannot be used in place of a melee attack like Trip can (except as part of a charge), but I see nothing that precludes the use of a weapon.You might "use" a weapon as a part of your bull rush in the sense of flavor, but you do not gain benefit from any bonuses specific to the weapon. As noted above, if you have a feat along the lines of Shield Slam, you may then apply relevant modifiers.
Not what the rules say. They say that if you use the weapon as part of the maneuver then you do add the bonuses that apply to the weapon.
"When you attempt to perform a combat maneuver, make an attack roll and add your CMB in place of your normal attack bonus. Add any bonuses you currently have on attack rolls due to spells, feats, and other effects. These bonuses must be applicable to the weapon or attack used to perform the maneuver. The DC of this maneuver is your target's Combat Maneuver Defense. Combat maneuvers are attack rolls, so you must roll for concealment and take any other penalties that would normally apply to an attack roll."
If it is a maneuver that cannot be used as a melee attack then how can you gain the bonuses of a weapon on it?
Because you are using the weapon to do a maneuver rather than a basic attack.
If you are using Dirty Trick to blind some one by making a cut above the eyes, how is that not using the weapon in the maneuver?
"The GM is the arbiter of what can be accomplished with this maneuver, but it cannot be used to impose a permanent penalty, and the results can be undone if the target spends a move action."
You'd need to heal a cut to stop it bleeding, so not just a move action.
"The GM is the arbiter of what can be accomplished with this maneuver, but it cannot be used to impose a permanent penalty, and the results can be undone if the target spends a move action."
You'd need to heal a cut to stop it bleeding, so not just a move action.
You are not inflicting a permanent or a bleed condition. Fluff was asked for to determine a game mechanic effect.
Yeah, I was referring to the fact that the default rule is that you do not use a weapon, and players cannot simply choose to change that.
What rule? Since when are blog posts rules?
It is explicit that weapons can be used in combat maneuvers, but there is nothing that limits which maneuvers can use them.
If you are going to ignore stuff there is nothing to talk about here. Play as you and your gm see fit.
If you are going to treat unofficial sources as official rules there is nothing to talk about here. Play as you and your gm see fit.
