Ways to trip with non-trip weapon?

[Anger Nogar]

Title says it all. Is there a way for my Sohei/Unchained Rogue to trip with his elven branched spear that does not involve taking levels in other classes (basically with feats or gold)?

There was a long discussion if you can trip with a weapon that does not have the trip special ability, but I believe in the end it was decided that you can't.

[Claxon]

Well, you're in luck because you're incorrect.

You can make a trip attack with any weapon. The trip special quality only means that you can drop the weapon to avoid being tripped if you fail by 5 or more.

Quote:

Trip Weapons: If you want to make a trip combat maneuver, do you have to use a weapon with the trip special feature?

No. When making a trip combat maneuver, you don't have to use a weapon with the trip special feature--you can use any weapon. For example, you can trip with a longsword or an unarmed strike, even though those weapons don't have the trip special feature.
Note that there is an advantage to using a weapon with the trip special feature (a.k.a. a "trip weapon") when making a trip combat maneuver: if your trip attack fails by 10 or more, you can drop the trip weapon instead of being knocked prone.

On a related note, you don't have to use a weapon with the disarm special feature (a.k.a. a "disarm weapon") when making a disarm combat maneuver--you can use any weapon.

Note: This is a revision of this FAQ entry based on a Paizo blog about combat maneuvers with weapons. The previous version of this FAQ stated that using a trip weapon was the only way you could apply weapon enhancement bonuses, Weapon Focus bonuses, and other such bonuses to the trip combat maneuver roll. The clarification in that blog means any weapon used to trip applies these bonuses when making a trip combat maneuver, so this FAQ was updated to omit the "only trip weapons let you apply these bonuses" limitation.
posted March 2011 | back to top