Will this work?

[Supplement Four]

Could you take a 15 foot war spear, and have the character using it stand behind another fighter. The other fighter serves as a buffer between the enemy and the warspear user.

Then, have the other fighter go into full defense mode, while the spear user pokes at the enemy from behind the defending charcter.

Spear User ---> Defender ---> Enemy?

Could that work? Or is that taking advantage of the rule system?

 

[Jeffreywns]

I think as long as the target gets cover(+4 to Defense) there wouldn't be an issue.

 

[Supplement Four]

I think as long as the target gets cover(+4 to Defense) there wouldn't be an issue.

That's good input. I hadn't thought of it from that end.

 

[Malcadon]

That is a classic "wall of spears" formation. With a 15' pole-arm, you could have a formation 3 men thick! An opponent would have to cross 2 treated squares (attacks of opportunity) to reach the front-line solder, and if he survives that, the opponent would have to deal with the front-line solder going on full defense, while the solder at the rear can attack the opponent in the most advantageous way (attack of opportunity, add another, and such).

Historically, thick formations of Pikemen could hold back even heavily armored Calvary -- their only tactical weakness are a shower of arrows.

 

[Majestic7]

You could even have a guy with a 20 foot pike, a guy with 10 foot longspear and a guy with a shield and a sword or something... So the shield and the sword guy only defends, the guys standing behind him attack over his shoulders. However, yes, -4 to attack / +4 to defence to the target for cover... though I'd say remove the penalty if everyone involved has formation combat that could cover that. (If everyone involved has a pike, that could count as Macedonian phalanx.)

 

[Phobos]

Yes, it could work, in fact, is one of the few things that could threat mid-hig level PCs, a shieldwall.

 

[Supplement Four]

That is a classic "wall of spears" formation. With a 15' pole-arm, you could have a formation 3 men thick!

I was thinking it would have to be a 15' warspear (pike, lance, whatever) for game mechanics reasons: You've got 5' for the spear wielder; 5' for the "blocker" in front of you; and 5' to threaten the enemy.

I think the "cover" penalty is a good call. It can't be easy try to hit the enemy with the man in front of you, even if that man is working with you.

But, if the blocker goes into full defense, and attacks are made with the spear, it seems a pretty formidable way to use the weapon.

...That is until the enemy gets smart and sunders the warspear. :wink:

 

[geordiekimbo]

i think you'd need some kind of feat to cover this tactic, maybe a Pike Formation feat or a Pike Defense feat,

I'd say without the feat the pikeman would be able to attack the target but the target would gain a -/+4 cover save as their is a body in the way. likewise though an attacker could target the pikeman through the swordsman at a -/+4 cover save and provoking an attack of opportunity from the swordsman.

with the feat the pikeman can attack over/around a defending comrade at no penalty. the target could strike at the pikeman with the usual cover bonus.

 

[Supplement Four]

i think you'd need some kind of feat to cover this tactic, maybe a Pike Formation feat or a Pike Defense feat,

What about a combat maneuver with some requirements, instead? Maybe a BAB requirement?

I'd say without the feat the pikeman would be able to attack the target but the target would gain a -/+4 cover save as their is a body in the way.

I'm with ya, here.

... likewise though an attacker could target the pikeman through the swordsman at a -/+4 cover save and provoking an attack of opportunity from the swordsman.

You're forgetting reach. The ideal enemy would only have a sword with a reach of 5 feet. The pikeman would be 10+ feet away (depends on length of the pike).

And the blocker/pikeman combo would consistently counter any movement around the blocker so that the enemy can't touch the pikeman. And the blocker is using his most advantageous defense move.