What you are describing doesn't involve grabbing an enemy. Tripping with a Scythe is probably best done with Slam Down.
If you really do want to add the ability to grab foes while wielding a two-hand weapon, I would suggest Monk Archetype with Clinging Shadows Initiate (though it may be out of your level range). You will need to get a Ki spell first, but most of the entry level Ki spells are also pretty nice. The Shadow Grasp strikes don't specify a body part, and they don't lock you out of using other Strikes, so they don't necessarily have to use your occupied hands.
No way to do this with a two-handed scythe to my knowledge.
When I do a trip build, I prefer Slam Down and Crashing Slam.
I did try a monk build with trip with Combined Maneuver where you trip and grapple so the target can't get back up. It wasn't worth it.
When you trip the target, you don't want to keep them on the ground. You want them to stand back up so it activates reactive strikes.
The grapple keeping them on the ground did not activate reactive strikes because escaping isn't a move action. They can just focus on you to beat you to death rather than escape.
It's far better to trip, then force them to make the decision to stay on the ground taking the penalty to attack and give everyone off-guard or stand up and take the Reactive Strikes.
I am planning to trip with Topple Foe, the issue I am having is being able to grab the foe. Then once grabbed do a Dazing Blow.
So you will spend your reaction to a Topple a Foe you already have grabbed, then using a press action which requires you have a MAP penalty which will be -5 with a scythe to use an Incap trait ability to possibly stun a target?
You want to use a 2 handed weapon which will require an action to return to using two hands to swing and release the grab?
Hopefully someone can tell how to do that.
Some argue that you can maintain a grab with a two-handed weapon as long as you start the grab with a free hand, but I am not sure how many DMs will allow it.
A Gnoll/Kholo (Uncommon Ancestry, but allowed in PFS if you need to persuade your GM) can get the Grapple trait on their bite (and have some feats re: bones if that's the vibe you're going for).
Topple Foe doesn't feel that attractive to me for a Fighter who already has Reactive Strike (and ways to improve it) and the aforementioned Slam feats given you have a two-handed weapon. A Fighter's bonus is superior weapon proficiency, so use that to trip rather than Athletics where other martials are equal (and in a way where you're waiting for an ally to hit).
As in, it's you hit (w/ the best attack roll available) + auto-trip
vs.
adjacent ally hits + you might trip.
I appreciate your attraction for stacking Stun + prone + grappled, but you might be undermining your goals here, especially with a two-handed weapon (and not even one with a Crit Spec that makes an enemy prone or Reach to get extra Reactive Strikes).
I am looking to build a level 12 Fighter with the FA rules. The idea is i would like to Trip my enemies with a Scythe, and use Dazing Blow to stun my enemy. Is there any way I can grab my enemy while wielding a scythe? Like maybe an appendage or something with an ancestry or a special item?
Options I can think of:
Inventor with the weapon innovation can put Grapple on a scythe.
Kholo with the Crunch feat can grapple with their jaws, allowing them to grapple with their hands full.
The Snake Fangs spell is a rank 4 primal spell to give you a grapple bite for a minute.
Yes the idea was to use one of my two reactions to Topple Foe, then when they try to get back up then the Reactive Strike.
By default you only have one reaction. You can do this, but you have to take Tactical Reflexes to get a second Reactive Strike reaction.
I dont want to spend two actions to Trip the enemy, I'd rather maybe get into a stance like earlier mentioned Clinging Shadows and then I can grapple with no hands. Does that make sense or?
A couple of things to note:
Clinging Shadows Initiate is a level 8 Monk feat. You will need to be Fighter level 16 in order to get it from the Monk Archetype. Level 12 won't be sufficient.
The Shadow Grasp Strike only has the Grapple trait. You can use it to grab an enemy, but not trip them.
Another option may be Reflective Ripple Stance. It is easier to get, its Strike also doesn't lock out other Strikes, and doesn't specify that it uses your hands. It has the Trip trait, so you can use the attack to trip with, but not grapple. It does, however, also require you to be unarmored. Which may be a dealbreaker for your Fighter.
There is also Gorilla Stance. Like Clinging Shadows, its stance doesn't lock out other attacks, the Strike has the Grapple trait, and it doesn't require you to be unarmored.
It also doesn't actually specify using your hands for the Strike. But its narrative flavor does imply that it uses your hands. So it may be a bit of an uphill battle with your GM to allow you to use it while your hands are full of a 2-hand weapon.
The reason for Topple Foe is to trip them so when they get up they are ideally stunned 2 from the Dazing Blow
Clarifying on this point:
The Subordinate Actions rule won't let you replace the Strike in Reactive Strike with Dazing Blow.
You can hit them when they stand up. You can't stun them when they stand.
You can stun them before they stand if you have them grabbed and you have an action to use Dazing Blow with.
So they may only have the one action left when they go to stand up. But if they are standing up, then they are not Stunned afterwards due to your reaction. They might be dead if you hit them hard enough, but not Stunned.
Yeah, the timing to coordinate all that is wonky.
That "two-actions to trip" includes a Strike, and has better odds of tripping.
Also, I don't like an ally needing to be adjacent, as then they aren't flanking (unless they have a special ability). Of course party composition might help (or hinder) with this too.
TP, please run us through how you picture this routine playing out from initial engagement in melee to final Stunned 1 & prone.
Doesn't Grapple attempts always require a free hand unless you have a grapple weapon?
Grapple:
Requirements You have at least one free hand and your target is no more than one size larger than you.
How does Clinging Shadows change this?
Shadow grasp attacks have the Grapple traitDoesn't Grapple attempts always require a free hand unless you have a grapple weapon?
Grapple:
Requirements You have at least one free hand and your target is no more than one size larger than you.How does Clinging Shadows change this?
Ok. So since Shadow Grasp attacks are an unarmed attack, this is being adjudicated as using some other part of the body then I guess like a knee.
I guess that would work for the scythe.
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Shadow grasp attacks have the Grapple traitDoesn't Grapple attempts always require a free hand unless you have a grapple weapon?
Grapple:
Requirements You have at least one free hand and your target is no more than one size larger than you.How does Clinging Shadows change this?
Ok. So since Shadow Grasp attacks are an unarmed attack, this is being adjudicated as using some other part of the body then I guess like a knee.
I guess that would work for the scythe.
Actually: "You learn a mystical stance that transforms your qi into sticky smoke that shrouds your limbs."
The smoke is doing the whole grappling thing.
Ally only needs to be adjacent to the enemy that's all. Seems very common.
It IS...and I'd misread. :-)
So I guess I see it playing out like this, my ally attacks an enemy, it procs Topple Foe, he falls down. On my turn I use Clinging Shadows to grapple, then second action Dazing Blow, third action free to do as I please. I may intentionally release the Grapple as I want the enemy not grabbed at this point but simply prone and able to stand up. When the enemy stands up I use my second reaction to attack them with a Reactive Strike with the Scythe or Ogre Hook.
1. This is way too expensive for what you get, both in actions and feats. Ex. Kholo/Gnoll + a 1st level feat gives you the grapple trait immediately w/o using your Stance (and Fighters have great Stances available) and three Archetype feats. (Not counting Marshal's for Topple Foe.)
2. If you want to destroy your enemies off your ally's Strike consider Rogue w/ Opportune Backstab (8th so 16th), an MCD with many other helpful feats, including debuffs which you seem to enjoy.3. A Fighter leading with a grapple or trip (or waiting for one's ally to hit to begin their routine) is underplaying the Fighter who can use their more reliable Strikes to auto-grapple/auto-trip. Here you've gained one Strike w/ MAP, which might come w/ a stun (save), grapple (attempt), or trip (ally hit + attempt) and possibly a Reactive Strike.
Consider an earthbreaker (for its crit spec; a bastard sword or katana would do slightly more damage).
1st: Move, Dual-Handed Assault, Combat Grab (auto grab, works on any size opponent since it's not a grapple).
Ally moves up and Strikes, you attempt trip w/ Topple Foe. With Tactical Reflex you still have Reaction in case they stand.
So two Strikes, one w/ MAP, and possibly a Reactive Strike. About same chance of trip and of grapple (because of MAP). And you're set up the next round to Strike, Dazing Blow.
So in first round trading Strike > possible Stun 1 w/ Incapacitation.
You can add a tekko-kagi and Double Slice as a side option.
Consider a similar routine w/ an Agile weapon to increase odds of Combat Grab & Dazing Blow, maybe w/ free-hand defensive feats, Agile Grace. Trades damage for better odds of debuffs w/ all these Press attacks.
Also can work with shield as weapon, trades damage for defense (which would make grappling a stronger option if the attacks get focused on your higher defenses).
A kama/kukri (agile, trip) + shield + Kholo (grapple bite) works with most of this stuff (not Combat Grab) and would have high defenses/good Press attacks (Dazing Blow) at standard cost to damage.
Then there's the guisarme > scythe. Reach + Reactive Strike will get you many extra Strikes (more than enough to make up for losing a scythe's Deadly), and tripped enemies w/ 5' reach will lose a second action after standing to get to you. (Not Topple Foe though, but it doesn't sound like you're into the Marshal that much, which is fine because its best feats/actions aren't superior to your Fighter ones...or those of other Archetypes for that matter.)
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ETA...but not really, took 3 min. too long to write. :-P
Of course you can use the guisarme adjacent too. :-)
But also can Ready a Trip for an incoming enemy, which is good even if they have 10' reach (which at high levels is common). This can really mess up their routine, especially if they have a good two-action attack, like many Giants do, or an attack + Grab/etc. like tons of monsters do. They move, you trip, they stand, Reactive Strike (w/ Tactical Reflexes), they have one action left (so it's really good vs. enemies w/ 5' reach). Of course you can just Ready a Strike too, getting one when within reach and another if they keep moving.
And I forgot to cover the Slam feats better, but they're popular for a reason. Heck, consider: move, reach weapon for Slam w/ trip, Reactive Strike when they stand. If they need/want to move they have to Step to avoid another Reactive Strike, and if they move adjacent to you then your ally can move in to trigger Topple (if you don't get both Reactive Strikes). Lots of discombobulation & striking.
And Slam works fine w/ one-handed trip weapons too (or a free hand).
If focused on Stun & the debuffs, Monk (Stunning Blows) or Barbarian (Silencing Strike) have straightforward attack routines for that, no set up required; plus feats that augment tripping & grappling. Plus Brawling weapons Slow w/ crit spec. And Monks can disrupt standing w/ Stand Still (though unfortunately lack feats for bonus Reactions/round.)
Shadow grasp attacks have the Grapple traitDoesn't Grapple attempts always require a free hand unless you have a grapple weapon?
Grapple:
Requirements You have at least one free hand and your target is no more than one size larger than you.How does Clinging Shadows change this?
Ok. So since Shadow Grasp attacks are an unarmed attack, this is being adjudicated as using some other part of the body then I guess like a knee.
I guess that would work for the scythe.
Actually: "You learn a mystical stance that transforms your qi into sticky smoke that shrouds your limbs."
The smoke is doing the whole grappling thing.
The grappling strikes come from the body, but the monk does say it isn't just punches or kicks but any part of the body. The smoke may be doing the grappling, it would still by the rules be some part of the body doing it. It doesn't matter in this context as it does eliminate the free hand requirement.
He'll have a slightly lower chance to hit for a while since fighters get amazing weapon advancement, but it will all equal out in the end.
Given the poster, he doesn't seem to be going for optimal. He wants to do this occasional cool thing every once in a while whether it works very well or not.
Dazing Blow has the incap trait, which means it will rarely work on bosses or anything even one level higher than he is.
I've always wanted to try Clinging Shadows stance, but that low, void damage has always been too much of an impediment to try it. It's a super weak fighting stance with cool imagery. The way striking runes work, 1d4 damage strikes even if void are just terrible. Striking Runes are one aspect of PF2 I do not enjoy as they make the base weapon die too much of a percentage of your damage making many weapons and fighting styles extremely unattractive to use.