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I've been working on preparing a Core character for organized play and I'm tempted by a trip character. I'm close to picking either a Human or Elf Fighter.
However the question of a weapon remains and I am favoring a whip. The two routes I can see is either taking the Exotic Weapon Feat or a level of Bard.
Is there a third option?
Currently the feat seems the best choice as the synergies between my draft build and a level of Bard is just not making any sense.
Yours, curmudgeonly
If Half-Orc appeals to you, you can pick up whip as a trait... assuming traits are allowed in your game.
Go human, use the trait "Adopted Parantage" to gain the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat for free from Half Elf.
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If Half-Orc appeals to you, you can pick up whip as a trait... assuming traits are allowed in your game.
For Organized Play, the only traits available are from the Traits Web Enhancement, and I don't think that one's in there. (I think they're, with few if any exceptions, the ones from the APG.)
The feats that make a whip viable are non-core. You'd be better served picking out a polearm.
If you're set on using a whip, then as a Fighter you have feats to spare and losing BAB for a Bard dip is counterproductive to your desire to use CMB. Go with EWP.
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If Half-Orc appeals to you, you can pick up whip as a trait... assuming traits are allowed in your game.For Organized Play, the only traits available are from the Traits Web Enhancement, and I don't think that one's in there. (I think they're, with few if any exceptions, the ones from the APG.)
There are four sources for Core are the Core Rulesbook, Character Traits Web Enhancement and the Pathfinder Society: Year of the Serpent Pathfinder Society Role-Playing Guild Guide. If one of those sources references Bestairy I then that can be used too - but only if it is referenced.
Core is stricter than general organized play.
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The feats that make a whip viable are non-core. You'd be better served picking out a polearm.
If you're set on using a whip, then as a Fighter you have feats to spare and losing BAB for a Bard dip is counterproductive to your desire to use CMB. Go with EWP.
This got me thinking - there is one more source of whip in Core, a Cleric of Calistria gets one because whip is Calistria's favored weapon. Combat clerics, focused on buffing themselves, used to nearly work in 3.5 so this is a possible.
There probably is at least one more hidden away but if the necessary whip feats are outside of Core then it is a moot point unfortunately.
Battle Clerics are very effective in Pathfinder, but they're strong for DPR, not CMB. You really want to stay in full BAB classes (or at least classes that get pseudo-full BAB like the Monk) for a trip build to be viable.
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Battle Clerics are very effective in Pathfinder, but they're strong for DPR, not CMB. You really want to stay in full BAB classes (or at least classes that get pseudo-full BAB like the Monk) for a trip build to be viable.
Thank you for your advice.
Things are fluid at the moment, if a trip character does not make sense when I dot the i's and cross the t's, I might construct such a cleric.
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For Core, unfortunately, I would also recommend against going with the whip. The Whip Mastery feats are not Core, so you lose a lot with a whip in Core.
Provokes when used, only non-lethal damage, and many opponents will be immune to whip damage, no AoOs with the whip, etc.
In Core, instead, I would go with a polearm for reach, add in the IUS feat to get adjacent threatening. It also gives you a nonlethal option, if you need to capture rather than kill. And you are always armed.
Combat Reflexes are a must for a trip build, so decent Dex.
Core doesn't offer much in the way of Dex-to-Damage, so a Str build gives you more flexibility. A regular polearm gives you a good damage option, especially if you spend a feat for Power Attack.
So, needed feats:
Combat Expertise
Combat Reflexes
Improved Trip
Improved Unarmed Strike
Power Attack
Suggestion: Improved Disarm
Greater Trip
Weapon Focus
Weapon Specialization
My experience with Greater Disarm is mixed. The +2 is nice, but, sometimes, you want to leave the weapon in their square, to tempt them to try and pick it up. Which provokes.
The feats above will give you a competent trip build, which is also going to be able to perform against opponents that cannot be tripped, since you can still do damage.
Go for a decent Dex, 14 or so, and you get several AoOs per turn, and can use a str-tuned composite longbow well enough when you need to. You actually have a few spare feats in this chain, so Iron Will, Improved Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, etc. could all be considered.
While it hurts BAB a little bit, there are a few benefits to considering a 2 level dip into Cleric (I like Desna, for Travel and Liberation domains), since it gives a few advantages for mobility and some backup spell access.
Liberation gives the ability to, basically, ignore magical impediments to movement, like black tentacles a couple of times a day. And the extra movement from Travel lets you use that round as a get out of the AoE free quickly.
Add in a few useful spells, and you get some unexpected advantages, despite a penalty to your BAB.
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It's not bad as a trip weapon in core, but don't expect to actually use it to do damage.
One option that I would consider if you are serious about using the whip in Core is a cleric of Calistria. Luck domain can allow to use both Bit of Luck and True Strike to have several guaranteed trips per day. You would gain proficiency, and have the option of taking martial proficiency in shields to use a shield bash as a backup weapon if anyone gets close, which you can combine with shield slam to knock them back into whip range.
It's still more work than a standard reach cleric, but it's going to be more unique.