Lunge and pushing assault are good alternatives to trip. Trip is about area control- this combo is distance control.
With lunge, you can no only full attack a wider area, but you can also preserve you AoOs when you do attacks.
Normally, when you attack first with a reach weapon, the enemy is at a distance that lets them take a 5' step to reach you- no AoO, and they can full attack. You are forced to wait for the enemy to blindly walk in on you (which could waste attack actions
With lunge, you can attack from further away, which can force enemies to spend actual move actions to reach you. Those draw AoOs, and eat enough actions so they can only get 1 attack in. It allows you to attack that perfect sweet spot 15' away.
Pushing assault is advised for similar reasons- it can put enemies into the 'sweet spot'. This way, taking a 5' step back, you can then push them to the spot 15' away. Thus, they are set up for another round of AoOs. Yes, you can keep on getting AoOs again and again. Note- lunge may be important, since it can allow you to continue your attack after pushing the enemy away.
If you are going with distance control, then enlarging yourself can be a detriment- it can be hard to get in your nice, powerful 2 handed attacks with your shiny, well enhanced polearm when the enemy gets into the 'doughnut'. Enlarge is more important when you do a lot of tripping...and you don't do that for a LONG time (possible long enough that it doesn't matter anymore). So that is the question- do you try to get a few more AoOs, but then you have to spend move actions playing footsies with enemies that get right up on you? Cause remember- those move actions might get them AoOs against you.
There are armor spikes that can address that issue...a bit. But lets be honest- armor spikes aren't a freakin' well enhanced 2 handed skull ram. They are terrible light weapons. They are a band aid. Admittedly, you ahve slightly better luck with half orc bites (since a single natural attack gets x1.5 bonuses)...but those are hard to enhance, and get no iteratives.
I like the combo of Combat Reflexes, Stand Still, Power Attack, and Pushing Assault. Maybe some Furious Focus for zest.
I'm pretty sure Lunge only works on your turn, so it doesn't increase your AoO region, but double check that with someone.
Can you multiclass into bloodrager, magus, Growth sub-domain cleric, or some other way to get enlarge person?
I'm pretty sure Lunge only works on your turn, so it doesn't increase your AoO region, but double check that with someone.
Lunge does not extend past your turn, but it's still worth taking for reach characters because it lets you full attack attack people 15' away. Those 15' away, however, will likely need to spend a move action to get close enough to hit you, which opens them up to AoOs.
If they were just 10' away when you attacked them, they can 5' step to get in close and avoid the AoO. So it's worth taking lunge for reach builds.
I'm pretty sure Lunge only works on your turn, so it doesn't increase your AoO region, but double check that with someone.
Yep. Does absolutely nothing to expand your threatened area. But that doesn't change the fact that it makes setting up AoOs all the easier.
Attacking normally allows enemies to get too close. They avoid AoOs.
Attacking with lunge, enemies are far enough away that they still have to deal with your threatened area if they want to deal with you.
And you make sure that they want to deal with you. Keeping your distance with lunge is a great defense (Since you can full attack, but most enemies can't), but you are no turtled monk. You have a nice big 2 handed weapon.
Overall, lunge is a quality of life feat for reach. It lets you maneuver yourself more easily for the best chance to get AoOs.
Should Lunge be the 6th level feat, then?
Well, we have covered the advantages in preserving AoOs.
There is also the rather expressed benefit of being able to full attack a wide area. With reach, you can full attack just about anything in a 45' wide circle, due to reach+lunge+5'step going from either side of your starting square. So overall, it is easier to get off full attacks with lunge when you are using a reach build.
Not quite a pounce, but still rather nice. Acting as the guard for the party's squishies, you will generally get good attack opportunities a lot of the time after everyone has closed in.
Are there any other "Orc" weapons out there that are available now?
|
If you're really into bull-rushing, then you should check out the Siegebreaker fighter archetype. Does damage whenever you bull-rush an enemy, and eventually gives you free overruns along with it (that also deal damage). I mean, the combo works best with a shield, obviously (thanks to the Shield Slam feat), but with a reach weapon you can do some pretty amazing crowd control stuff, especially with huge dexterity and something like Agile Maneuvers with an Elven Branched Spear. (Though you then lose out on the Strength to damage, so... YMMV. :P)
Along these lines, I am looking at a half-orc Mutagenic Mauler (Brawler) with an orc skull ram: Use unarmed combat and brawler's fury for close attacks, but keep the ram on hand to threaten a 10' circle.