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Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth
There's a cat laying on my hands so I can't reach the book right now.
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They do that. On Purpose.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth
If you've only got Basic and thus don't have access to those penalties, I'd suggest that if the stairwell (or any other corridor) is neither wider nor taller than your weapon's maximum reach, just say no to Swing attacks. Note that narrow stairs can have good overhead clearance.
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I'd slightly disagree. Most two-handed swinging weapons are held relatively low and close to the body. For example, two-handed sword use starts from a stance where the hilt of the sword is roughly at groin level.
Unless you're going for A-o-A (strong) Telegraphic attacks at maximum reach, making yourself look like a stereotypical barbarian hero on the cover of a fantasy novel in the process, it is possible use Reach C,1,2 melee weapons in somewhat cramped quarters, and even use them to make effective swing attacks! Just make sure the weapon's tip doesn't go much above your head, and that you keep your swinging attacks in the more or less vertical plane (like chopping wood).
The exceptions are that purely swinging weapons where the weapon's length is longer than the narrowest dimension of the space will have problems. You have to choke up on the shaft and even then you've got a lot of excess pole sticking out behind your body. That seriously messes with your ability to attack and defend, especially if you're on a slope or a staircase where the ground is higher behind you, forcing you to hold the weapon with the head facing downwards.
At that point, you're pretty much limited to thrusts, and you'll have a hell of a time getting your weapon around corners. Using a pikestaff in a realistic cave setting isn't recommended!
Many years ago, my local SCA group used to put on demos at gaming cons, showing that it is possible to effectively use a two-handed sword, or a dueling glaive, in your stereotypical 10' wide x 10' high corridor, or even your OSHA minimum 3' x 7' high corridor.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth
You can choose to do a Telegraphic Attack for +4 (and +2 to enemy defenses, if they get any) and you can choose to do an AOA for +4. (And those are stackable.) But I'm pretty sure there's no +4 bonus for an unexpected angle of attack. That would be pretty bizarre as a bonus to attack rather than a penalty to defend.
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That's what I meant. I was thinking of the +4 for AoA, since there's no need to defend if you're attacking from below and behind your foe.