pathfinder trip large creature

Size Doesn’t Matter When You’re Flat On Your Back – A Guide to Trip ping

Introduction

Damage, Control, and Support. There have been countless theories shared on the various roles there are to play in Pathfinder combat, but my favorite model boils down to categorizing anything you can do into one of these three.

I’ve never liked filling only one of these roles. Some people get a lot of satisfaction out of running into battle with their two-handed sword, dealing over a hundred damage, and calling it a day. That’s not me. After my bard’s started singing her song and finished casting her buffs, I’d like for her to be competent at disabling and damaging enemies. If my rogue could blind her foes in addition to dealing her sneak attack, that’d be peachy. Fireballs are nice, but they’re a lot nicer when they’re making my targets dazed.

In short, I don’t like to be a one-trick pony. If my primary role in the party ever proves to be impractical, I like to have some other way I can contribute.

When I decided to play a fighter I wanted to find some means of providing either support or control in addition to my damage. The obvious solution lay in combat maneuvers. Of the options, tripping turned out to be one of the most appealing, as it provides several benefits:

• Reduces your enemy’s melee armor class and attack bonus, protecting you and your friends while making them easier to hit.
• Harms their action economy by forcing them to stand up.
• Forces the enemy to provoke attacks of opportunity  allowing you to deal additional damage that would otherwise be unavailable.
• Limits the enemy’s mobility as they must either crawl or stand, both of which provoke AoOs.

The tactic, however, has its limitations, which include the following:

• Many enemies are, in  principle,  immune to tripping, including all flying, incorporea l, very large,  and legless enemies. Such foes  become increasingly common at higher levels.
• Average CMD of enemies at your CR increases more rapidly than your BAB, meaning the higher level you achieve, the more difficult this tactic will be to pull off.
• Keeping up with the CMD arms race is resource intensive, discouraging you from investing as much in raw damage output and thus limiting your usefulness when you are unable to trip.

To put it simply, if an enemy is on the ground and has legs, it will stand little chance against you. If it’s a giant flying incorporeal blob, you’ll fare worse than a more damage-oriented fighter.

This guide will help you orient your build around minimizing circumstances in which you cannot trip while maximizing your effectiveness when you can. We will focus on four primary approaches: polearms, whips, monk styles, and ranged attacks. Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge this guide to trip builds.  I referenced it heavily when designing my fighter and it is excellent to this day despite having been written more than 6 years ago. I would be remiss in not acknowledging its contribution to my understanding of the tactic. There’s little it explores that I will not cover in this guide, but I encourage you to check it out nonetheless.

I have made an effort to keep the suggestions in this guide PFS-legal. Those suggestions which are not PFS-legal have been labeled with an asterisk (*).

Blue:  Excellent Green:   Good Orange:   OK/Circumstantial Red:   Bad

Strength  – Contributes to your CMB, attack rolls, and damage. Like most melee fighters, it’s the stat that will drive most of what you do. It is far less important for a ranged build and can be brought as low as 10.

Dexterity  – Will eventually contribute to your CMB (with Fury’s Fall) and will determine your number of AoOs per round (via combat reflexes). For all melee trippers str and dex are equally important. For ranged trippers it should be your highest stat.

Constitution  – As you will be preventing most of your enemies from attacking you via your tactics Con is less vital for you than most front-liners. However, you will still be on the front lines, so you will need to be able to take a few hits.

Intelli gence / Wis dom / Cha risma  – A limited dip into a spellcasting class may help you tremendously. The casting stat of whichever class you dip into will need to be high enough to cast 1 st -level spells and should be higher if there are additional benefits. If you are taking Combat Expertise, your casting stat should correspond to the stat you’re using to acquire it. The other mental stats you will need to dump.

Generally speaking any race that will give you a boost to Strength and/or Dexterity is worth considering (so long as it’s not at the expense of the other and preferably not at the expense of Con or your casting stat). Any race that gives a boost to CMB is exemplary.

Elves offers little of interest except for built-in proficiency with the elven branched spear, a potentially excellent weapon for a trip build due to its built-in +2 to AoOs.

Worth considering only in regard to the Underfoot Adept monk archetype, which, when combined with some traits and feats, makes up for the liabilities of being a halfling enough to be worth considering.

With a +2 to any stat you like, a bonus feat, and access to Giant Ancestry in place of Skilled for a +1 to CMB, human offers everything you desperately need in your trip build. It also has access to the Bred for War Race Trait which will provide an additional +1 to CMB. It’s cliché to say humans are the best race in Pathfinder, but for this build, they absolutely are.

With a +2 to Dex and Con and darkvision, hobgoblins aren’t bad. They can replace Sneaky with Pit Boss to gain proficiency with a whip and a +1 to their CMB when tripping or disarming with a whip. If they play a monk, their favored class bonus contributes to their trip CMB. They aren’t as good as humans, but they’re good, especially in classes besides Fighter.

With a +2 to Dex and Int but a -2 to Con, sylphs don’t have the greatest stat distribution. With the Breeze Kissed alternate racial trait they gain the capacity to attempt a 30’ ranged trip once per day. Combined with the potential to fly via a feat chain and the various abilities allowing for ranged trip via other means, sylphs are worth considering for a ranged build.

Classes/Archetypes

Alchemist – We’re considering alchemist as a means of gaining access to Enlarge Person without relying on our friends or a 1-round casting time. It is thus ideal as a dip, not as a primary class. Drinking an alchemist extract is a standard action, which is better than a move + standard but a bit impractical in combat when compared to the Growth Domain offered by clerics and Inquisitors. The Potion Glutton feat will let us drink potions ( but not extracts) as a swift action, making it competitive with the Growth Domain ability, but we can use that with any class. If you’re not playing in PFS, it may be worth asking your GM to let you treat extracts as potions (move action to draw, standard action to drink, and eligible for Potion Glutton), as I suspect they were originally intended. Since the spell will last for several minutes we will enjoy both the benefits and hazards associated with being large for a longer duration than the Growth Domain allows. We will not need to spend our swift actions each round and we will be large for a greater total time period, but we will not be able to shrink down to fit through corridors or maneuver around the battlefield as needed. The mutagen provides a long-duration alchemical bonus to your most important stats as well, so that’s fantastic. The bombs will be mostly useless, as will the Throw Anything feat, but they’re there, and you can use them for swarms if nothing else. Some of the Discoveries are pretty cool but few will be worth delaying your feat and Weapon Training progression to acquire. A 1-level dip gets you pretty much everything you want, so if you’re going with alchemist at all, leave it at that.

Bloodrager  - The main reason we’re considering a spellcasting dip is for the benefits of Enlarge Person. Bloodrager can cast it natively, as well as Long Arm. At 10th level it gains access to Fly, Haste, Heroism, and Greater Thunderstomp, all of which are fantastic options for a trip build. The centerpiece feature of the class is, of course, the ability to rage, and it’s as good for us as it is for any melee fighter. The Abyssal bloodline lets you enlarge person as part of a rage at 4th level, allowing for free  action enlarge (albeit without the ability to end the enlargement without consequences). On the downsides, it’s feat-starved, never gains an ability resembling Solo Tactics, and must invest in Armor Focus to gain access to the Armor Mastery feats. If you’re playing a campaign in which your GM has allowed an alternate “feat tax” ruleset, the Bloodrager may be a better tripper than a fighter. Otherwise, the lack of feats will pose a significant challenge.

Brawler  - The Brawler is the most versatile class on this list, and if you’re going to use it as your trip build’s chassis, I encourage you to make maximum use of that versatility. The brawler gains access to all of the style feats enjoyed by the monk and all of the combat feats enjoyed by the fighter. Using Martial Flexibility, you can switch the feats you want in and out as needed. Fighting a ghost? Add in the Ghostslayer feat. Fighting a huge enemy? Switch in Poised Bearing. The Brawler is also the only class that can competently exploit multiple combat maneuvers by switching in their Improved and Greater feats as needed. They are thus able to perform feats with a whip, a versatile but feat-intensive weapon, that no other class can emulate. Through the diversity in combat maneuver options, the Brawler is likely the best controller in Pathfinder that isn’t a caster.

Cleric – While the Inquisitor is generally superior for our purposes, the cleric offers an alternate means of gaining access to the Growth Domain’s swift action enlarge power as well as the capacity to cast Enlarge Person. It also provides a greater (but less ultimately useful) spell list, a second domain, and the capacity to channel energy. There is unfortunately no deity that features the Plant domain that also features the other domains we’d be most interested in (like Travel, Luck, and Strength). Zyphus and Tamede feature Plant and War (which is good for the Tactics or Dueling subdomains) but they’re both neutral evil. Nhimbaloth and Shub-Niggurath give access to void which can provide protection vs. mind-affecting effects, but they’re both Chaotic Evil. If you’re playing an evil character, a vanilla cleric might be worth considering, but other classes are probably superior.

Cleric (Divine Strategist) - Provided you want to play a good character, since the available secondary domains aren’t that great, you’re not looking to be a healer, and you’re not going to be able to afford to become an effective offensive channeler, you probably want to go with the Divine Strategist archetype, which gives up one domain and the channel energy feature to add a bonus to initiative and the ability to always act in the surprise round. You can also aid another caster’s concentration check, but you will never use that. Overall I don’t think it’s as good a dip as the Inquisitor, but being a controller who always acts in the surprise round is nothing to sneeze at.

Fighter – An ordinary vanilla fighter is, somewhat surprisingly, the best class you can choose as a foundation for your trip build. Sporting a full BAB, excellent weapon and armor proficiency, and a bonus feat every other level, they are by far the class best suited for the tremendous feat demands this build requires. Weapon Training will keep your attacks competitive with enemy CMDs and ACs and Armor Training will keep you protected and mobile.

The greatest appeal of the fighter, however, and what makes them above and beyond what other classes can offer, is the pool of Armor Mastery Feats, and to a lesser but still substantial degree, Weapon Mastery feats and Advanced Weapon Training. These pools require the Weapon Training and Armor Training fighter abilities as pre-reqs, and though you can gain access to the vital Armor Mastery feats via the Armor Focus feat, we don’t have feats to spare, and there’s not much that any other class or archetype can offer that’s better than what vanilla Fighter provides out of the box. The stand-out feat from these lists is Poised Bearing which allows you to treat your size category as one size larger for the purpose of combat maneuvers, and later, Imposing Bearing, which lets you treat your size as two size categories larger. Since there are precious few other means of emulating this feature, any trip build that is not  a fighter is unlikely to trip anything larger than a Huge enemy (and even doing that requires Enlarge Person). The Advanced Weapon Training options are also extraordinary with several excellent options including Fighter’s Tactics , which functions like the Inquisitor’s Solo Tactics in regard to teamwork feats, and Warrior Spirit , which will let you spontaneously enhance your weapon. This is exceptionally powerful when used in conjunction with the Leveraging and Dueling enchantments.

* Fighter (Lore Warden, PFS Field Guide)  – A fantastic archetype that provided Combat Expertise for free, encouraged taking knowledge skills, and gave a +2 to CMB every several levels, the Lore Warden was widely considered the best archetype to use for any combat maneuver-centered build regardless of what combat maneuver that was. No other class can compete with that massive CMB bonus every few levels. So long as you pick up Armor Focus the Lore Warden can compete with the vanilla fighter as a tripper, though I personally find the benefits of Advanced Weapon Training preferable to the CMB bonuses.

Fighter (Lore Warden, Adventurer’s Guide)  – This post-errata version of the Lore Warden still gives you the benefits of combat expertise for free, but the appeal largely ends there. If you’d like to employ a variety of combat maneuvers the Maneuver Training quality will let you do that, but that’s not what we’re really interested in. I include this class in the list mostly to let you know it’s a trap.

Fighter (Molthuni Defender)  - The Molthuni Defender replaces ordinary Armor Training for a bonus to CMD and CMB with various combat maneuvers at 7th, 11th, and 15th levels. It retains armor training for the purpose of qualifying for feats but is not eligible for advanced armor training options. Essentially, you’re trading the ability to take Poised Bearing for free (among a few other appealing options) for a bonus to your CMB. Is this worth it? That’s a tough call. It’s important to maximize our CMB but we’re also feat-starved. Ultimately I think the vanilla fighter slightly edges out the Molthuni Defender, but this is without a doubt one of the best options.

Fighter (Polearm Master)  – Prior to the release of the Armor Master’s handbook the Polearm Master was a competitor for the best tripper in Pathfinder. It got bonuses to AoOs and readied actions beyond the fighter’s normal weapon training bonuses, bonuses to attacks with polearms, the ability to threaten at a 5’ reach as an immediate action, and the ability to treat squares adjacent to you as where you stand for the purposes of flanking. Everything about this archetype is wonderful for us and, despite the exceptional benefits of the vanilla fighter, it’s still worth considering. Be sure to pick up the Armor Focus feat so you can gain access to Poised and Imposing Bearing.

Inquisitor – Arguably your best spellcasting dip, the Inquisitor provides a multitude of excellent benefits for our build. The centerpiece is the Solo Tactics ability at 3 rd  level which lets us treat all of our allies as possessing all of our teamwork feats when determining whether they activate. The power of this ability cannot be overstated, as we’ll discuss in the Teamwork Feats section below. In addition, an Inquisitor gains a Cleric Domain power at 1 st  level, the most impressive being the Plant (Growth) domain which allows swift action Enlarge Person for 1 round 3+Wis times per day. The versatility of being able to enlarge at will is exceptional, and unlike ordinary Enlarge Person, it automatically turns off, allowing you to maneuver with ease in a crowded room. Unlike a cleric, you don’t get the bonus domain spell, so you can’t cast  Enlarge Person, but that’s not a huge loss since it’s available through potions. Inquisitors also get a bonus teamwork feat at 3 rd  level, Detect Alignment at will, a Judgment which can give you a +1 to attacks, AC, saves, etc., a bonus to your initiative, and access to spells like Heightened Awareness, Bless, Divine Favor, Protection from Evil, and Shield of Faith. It will also shore up your weakest (and most dangerous to fail) save.

Magus - The Magus provides access to a variety of helpful spells including Enlarge Person, Long Arm, True Strike, Force Sword (for incorporeal), Dispel Magic, Fly, and Haste. More importantly, the Arcane Pool ability can increase the enhancement bonus of your weapon, which works fantastically with a Dueling and Leveraging weapon. On the downside, it sports only a ¾ BAB and requires you to wield a one-handed weapon, thus precluding polearms. I think it’s most effective as a one-level dip or potentially as a *variant multiclass to get the arcane pool, though the latter will cost you several feats you desperately need. You could make it work as your primary class, though I think there are better options.

Monk (Maneuver Master)  - While the vanilla monk is likely the weakest class in all of Pathfinder, there’s much to love about the Maneuver Master archetype. The maneuver master treats its monk level as its effective BAB for determining CMB, so it doesn’t lag behind the fighter like the vanilla monk does. Its bonus feats include all the combat maneuver feats appeasing some of the feat starvation inherent to this tactic. The option to perform a flurry of maneuvers lets you trip multiple nearby targets enjoying all the AoOs they bring. Most importantly, the monk gains access to the various combat maneuver-related style feats including the Wolf and Brute Style chains, not to mention Ki Throw, an invaluable tool for helping your friends benefit from your trip build. Ultimately I don’t think it’s quite as powerful as the polearm or ranged fighter, but it’s absolutely worth considering.

Monk (Underfoot Adept)  - A halfling exclusive, this monk archetype is perhaps the easiest way to deal with the problem of size. It gains Improved Trip for free and at 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, it treats its size as 1 category larger for the purpose of determining what it can trip and when determining its trip CMB and CMD. This amounts to a bonus to CMB of +0 at level 4, +1 at level 8, +2 at level 12, +4 at level 16, and +8 at level 20. It is also exceptional at moving through threatened space with acrobatics. In comparison to the Maneuver Master, the Underfoot adept is free to wear a stat belt and need not take Armor Training, Poised Bearing, or Imposing bearing, freeing three feats with which it can pursue a style chain or some other means of improving its trip abilities. Unfortunately, its access to Greater Trip will be delayed when compared to other options, as it must wait for a BAB of +6 at level 8. Overall, a solid if not absolutely optimal choice.

Adopted (Social) – You’re going to see a lot of great race traits in this list. Adopted lets you access them without being the crappy race they belong to.

Arodenite Sword Training (Combat) - +1 trait bonus on attacks of opportunity with a longsword. You probably shouldn’t be using a longsword, but this is the sort of trait we’re interested in.

Bred for War (Race, Human, Shoanti) – Provides a +1 bonus to CMB so long as you’re taller than 6’0”. Beautiful.

Called (Faith) – Once per day on rolling a natural 1 on an attack roll, you may reroll it and take the second result.

Candidate for Perfection (Regional, Jalmeray) - +1 trait bonus to AoOs made with unarmed strikes.

Chain Master (Race, Tiefling) - +2 trait bonus to CMB to trip opponents with a spiked chain or whip. Excellent if you are using one of those weapons.

Deadeye Bowman (Religion, Erastil) – Ignore the soft cover from a single enemy when making ranged attacks with a longbow. Mandatory for a ranged tripping build until you get Improved Precise Shot or Friendly Fire Maneuvers.

Equality for All (Regional, Andoran, and Halfling) – +2 to CMB and CMD when facing enemies at least two size categories larger than you. This is great with the Underfoot Adept.

Failed Aspirant (Combat) – Once per day, perform a specified combat maneuver without provoking an AoO and gain a +2 to the attempt.

Favored Champion (Race, Human, Shoanti) – Once per day as an immediate action when you fail a combat maneuver, you can reroll it.

Fencer (Combat)  - +1 trait bonus to AoOs with daggers, swords, and similar bladed weapons. While we probably aren’t going to be using swords, if we are, this is exactly the sort of trait we want.

Fight for Liberty (Regional, Andoran) – DC 15 Perform (Oratory) check to provide you and all allies within hearing range a +2 trait bonus to attack rolls with improvised weapons and unarmed strikes for 1 round per level.

Fight with the Flock (Race, Skinwalker, Werebat-Kin) – As long as you are within 10’ of at least 2 allies you gain a +1 trait bonus to intimidate checks and attacks of opportunity.

Finish the Fight (Race, Half-Orc, Orc-Raised) - +1 trait bonus to attack rolls vs. enemies you’ve damaged in the past 24 hours. This is almost as good as Weapon Focus, and since you will be making multiple attacks against most of your targets, you will benefit from this frequently.

Giant-Harried (Regional, Wastelands such as Geb, Mana Wastes, Nex, Nidal, Numeria) - +1 trait bonus to CMB and CMD against enemies larger than you.

* Goblin Foolhardiness (Race, Goblin) - +1 trait bonus to attacks with non-reach melee weapons when no allies are adjacent to you. This is a very good trait, but for a circumstance we’d rather avoid with a race we’d rather not be wielding a weapon we’d rather not wield.

Heirloom Weapon (Equipment) – Choose a non-masterwork simple or martial weapon. With this weapon, you are proficient, gain a +1 trait bonus on AoOs, or gain a +2 trait bonus on a specific type of combat maneuver with that weapon. If you’re using a martial weapon (longbow, guisarme) this is fantastic. Unfortunately for those using a fauchard, whip, unarmed strike, or most monk weapons, this isn’t helpful. Also keep in mind you can never upgrade its material which can have serious consequences for penetrating DR, so even for guisarme users this might not be the best way to go.

Intrepid Volunteer (Race, Halfling) – You can use your dex bonus in place of your str bonus to calculate your CMB for a specific combat maneuver. Like agile maneuvers, this is a trap for our purposes as you can already use your dex modifier for any combat maneuvers performed with your weapon so long as you’re using Weapon Finesse (which you should be). The only reason to consider this is if you’re a dex-based brawler looking to use a large variety of maneuvers. That is probably a sub-optimal build, and the domain of a different guide.

Militia (Regional, Amananadar) - +1 trait bonus to attacks made while flanking.

Mistrusted (Race, Half-Orc) – Against either humans or orcs, you gain a +1 trait bonus to AoOs and a +1 trait bonus to CMD against that race.

Opportune Slayer (Religion, Lamashthu) - +2 trait bonus to damage against those you hit with an AoO.

Opportunistic   (Religion, Calistria) - +1 trait bonus to AoOs when using a dagger, sword, or whip.

Ozem Inspired (Combat)  - +1 trait bonus to AoOs and AoO damage rolls vs. undead. If you’re wielding a shield, your shield bonus to AC vs. attack of opportunity made by undead improves by 1.

Pirate Duelist (Regional, Mediogalti) - +1 trait bonus to AoOs made with daggers, short swords, cutlasses, rapiers, scimitars, or hook hands. Good trait, not our ideal weapons.

Ruthless (Race, Dwarf) - +1 trait bonus to confirm critical hits. Decent trait, less than ideal race.

Scourge of the Seas (Regional, The Shackles) – Once per day when you use a whip or scourge to perform a disarm or trip combat maneuver, you regain 1 point of grit or panache.

* Snowstride  (Regional , Darklands) – You can trip enemies up to two size categories larger than you.

Swordlord’s Page (Regional, Brevoy) - +1 trait bonus to confirm critical hits with an edged weapon in which you’re proficient.

Tactician (Combat)  - +1 trait bonus to initiative and once per day you gain a +2 trait bonus to an attack of opportunity.

Threatening Defender (Combat) – When using combat expertise, reduce the amount you sacrifice from your attack rolls by 1. Since you may need to take Combat Expertise anyway, this makes using it a lot more appealing.

Tianjing Temple Guard (Regional, Tianjing) - +1 trait bonus to AoOs made with polearm weapons. Yes. At last. We’re all about this.

Valknar Alumnus (Regional, Tymon) - +1 trait bonus on performance combat checks and +1 trait bonus on combat maneuver checks with a selected combat maneuver.

*Weathered Patience (Race, Human, Kellid) – Once per day, when you ready an attack, you gain a +4 trait bonus on that attack.

Well-Prepared (Religion, Angradd) - +1 trait bonus on attack rolls made as part of a readied action.

Whip Specialist (Regional, Okeno) - +1 trait bonus to all damage dealt with a whip.

Tripping and Combat Feats

In this section we will focus on feats that improve our tripping and combat abilities in general.

Agile Maneuvers   – Use your dex modifier in place of your str modifier for all str-based combat maneuvers. This is a trap. So long as you’re using a weapon to trip, and so long as you’re already using Weapon Finesse to get your dex bonus to your attack rolls, you can already use your dex bonus for your CMB.

Armor Focus - +1 to your AC with a given armor. It also qualifies as Armor Training if you lack the class ability, opening up Armor Mastery feats for characters who aren’t vanilla fighters.

Combat Expertise  – Worth considering only because it’s a pre-req for our most important feats, namely Improved and Greater Trip. For that purpose, Dirty Fighting can be substituted and is infinitely superior. The only reason to consider Combat Expertise is if you intend on getting Gang Up, which, ironically, pairs beautifully with Dirty Fighting. Also note it has a pre-req of 13 Int which will effectively lock you into going Alchemist for your enlarge person (or else relying on potions). You can also acquire it via the Lore Warden archetype or, if you want to make cha your best mental stat, through Brawler. As much as I love Gang Up, unless you’re going for a ranged trip build (and thus won’t benefit from the flanking benefits of Dirty Fighting), you’re probably better off skipping this feat and getting Dirty Fighting instead.

Combat Reflexes – This build is all about taking advantage of attacks of opportunity. This lets you take several per round. It’s therefore mandatory. If you’re doing things right, you will never have enough.

Dirty Fighting – Not only can this stand in for Combat Expertise as a pre-req for Improved and Greater Trip, it provides a +4 bonus to combat maneuvers when you flank (in place of the +2) and allows you to make any combat maneuver without provoking an AoO even if you don’t have the feat to do so (though you lose the +4). This feat is worth getting even if you do opt to take Combat Expertise, but you should probably take it in its place.

Fury’s Fall – Add your dexterity modifier to your CMB for making trip attempts. Awesome. Note that this does not stack with other means of applying your dex bonus to CMB, such as Weapon Finesse or Agile Maneuvers. Be careful not to let GMs tell you it replaces  strength for your CMB.

Greater Trip – An additional +2 bonus to your trip combat maneuvers and, when you successfully trip, your target provokes an AoO. To be clear, that’s not just an AoO from you; that’s an AoO from everyone who threatens them. This is what this build is all about. The more front-line fighters you have in the party, the more terrifying you become.

Imposing Bearing  – As poised bearing, except you can trip two size categories larger instead of just one. When combined with Enlarge Person, you will, in principle, be able to trip any-sized creature in Pathfinder.

Improved Critical – One of the benefits of taking lots of attacks is you’ll be getting lots of opportunities for critical hits. This makes them happen more frequently.

Improved Trip - +2 bonus to your trip combat maneuvers and allows you to make them without provoking AoOs. Excellent.

Just Out of Reach - +4 to AC vs. enemies attacking you with reach. Since anyone not  attacking you with reach is getting tripped, this is a nice boon for dealing with one of your greatest threats. The pre-reqs are, unfortunately, probably not worth it.

Pin Down – When an opponent you threaten takes a 5-foot step or the withdraw action, they provoke an AoO. If you hit, you deal no damage, but the target loses their move action and does not move. This is similar to the Stand Still feat except useful for polearm wielders. It is an excellent feat to use in conjunction with a Fortuitous weapon. The only downside is you need to be fighter level 11.

Poised Bearing  - You are treated as one size category larger for the purpose of determining the size of creatures you can trip (and other maneuvers). Absolutely mandatory for your tactics to remain viable into later levels.

Potion Glutton   – Lets you drink potions as a swift action. If potions are your only means of acquiring Enlarge Person, you should definitely consider this feat, since being large is very useful for our purposes. It will also be useful for drinking potions of Long Arm. Since this feat can’t be used with extracts, I encourage you to find a way to make this feat unnecessary. The Abyssal Bloodrager’s enlarge power, the Growth Domain, or simply having *Permanency cast on you to stay permanently enlarged are all far more efficient uses of resources (though in the latter case this could be useful for potions of Reduce Person).

Pushing Assault  - When you hit an enemy your size or smaller while using Power Attack, you can push them five feet away from you in lieu of doing Power Attack damage. With a critical hit, you can push them 10 feet away. This has potential as a battlefield control maneuver to keep enemies from approaching you and your friends. They run through your threatened area, you take your AoO, trip them, and then push them back 5 feet. I dislike it because it prevents you from taking an AoO when they stand up, but there’s an undeniable appeal to this.

Solo Maneuvers – When you’re the only person threatening an opponent you get +1 to combat maneuvers and CMD. Generally we want to avoid being the only person threatening an enemy, but I suppose this hedges against that eventuality.

Stand Still – When an opponent provokes an AoO from you by moving through a square adjacent to you, you can make a combat maneuver check as that AoO. If successful, the target cannot move. This is only useful if you are not using a polearm, and even then, only against enemies you cannot trip, since tripping would be better. Still, good.

Tripping Strike – Despite seeming in our idiom this feat is mostly redundant with our tactics. If you’re using your trip build correctly, tripping your enemies should be the first thing you do every round. As such, it’ll be pretty rare for you to land a critical hit against an enemy who isn’t already prone. Should that rare circumstance arise, cool, this feat will be nice to have, but the situation's so rare you’re far better off spending a feat on something else.

Vicious Stomp – Take an AoO whenever an enemy next to you falls prone. This is a different trigger from “tripping” an enemy, so yes, it’s in addition to your AoO from Greater Trip. Too bad it’s adjacent and not simply threatened, so it’s not useful for polearm wielders.

Weapon Focus – A +1 bonus to your trip attempts made with your weapon and to your attacks. Excellent.

Weapon Specialization - +2 to damage with your primary weapon. You’re going to have a rough time dealing a lot of damage per hit with this build. This feat helps.

Melee Weapon Feats

Gang Up  - Whenever two or more allies are threatening your target, you are considered “flanking.” This synergizes excellently with Dirty Fighting and Outflank. Too bad it requires Combat Expertise.

Phalanx Formation – You are probably going to want to be using a reach weapon. If you do, you will find your friends will adopt the nasty habit of stepping in front of you to make their attacks providing your enemies a +4 cover bonus to AC. This feat makes it so that’s no longer a problem.

Power Attack – You’re probably going to be wielding a two-handed weapon so you’ll make the most of this feat, but its penalty to attack rolls harms your trip attempts. It’s probably a net positive, but don’t be surprised if you don’t wind up using it as often as a normal fighter.

Weapon Finesse - While I don’t generally recommend eschewing your strength if you’re making a melee build, if you choose to do so, this is a necessary feat for your build.

Weapon Trick (Polearm)  - Allows you to perform a variety of tricks with your polearm. Choke Up  lets you make attacks with your polearm one-handed at a -2 penalty to attacks and damage so long as you do not make attacks with your other hand. This won’t help you deal with your unthreatened “doughnut hole,” but it will let you hold a potion or something. Close Sweep  lets you attempt a bull rush, reposition, or trip maneuver against an adjacent foe even if wielding a weapon with the reach quality. This does  help you deal with your “doughnut hole” with your most important tactic, though it will rob you of your AoOs for doing so. Haft Bash  lets you treat your polearm as if it lacked the reach quality until the start of your next turn, functioning as a club. Polearm Balance  lets you take 10 on acrobatics checks any time you don’t make an attack, even if distraction would normally prevent you from doing so. *Quick Brace is not PFS legal, but while taking a full attack with a polearm with brace, you can ready an attack in place of your final attack. The readied attack uses the attack bonus of the attack you used to ready it. Overall, good feat! It lets you address some of the greatest weaknesses of using a polearm and most involve pre-reqs you’d want to be taking anyway.

Demoralizing Lash  - When you use your whip to attack a foe who’s been demoralized, if you hit, you extend the demoralize effect by 1 round. Decent if you’re using intimidation or someone in your party is.

Fury’s Snare  - When you successfully use your whip to trip a foe, you can choose to drop your whip. Doing so inflicts your target with the entangled condition. You’ve inflicted two conditions on your target, both of which make them easier to hit, while provoking AoOs from your friends. This is fantastic. If you’re going to use it though, I suggest considering the Quick Draw  feat so you can grab a second whip and still take your AoOs.

Greater Whip Mastery  - You never drop your whip due to a failed disarm or trip attempt. You can also grapple with your whip. Grappling can be a pretty devastating maneuver, especially since you can do it at reach, but it’s probably not in your best interest to try and master two combat maneuvers unless you’re a Brawler.

Improved Whip Mastery  - When wielding a whip, you threaten the area of your natural reach plus 5 feet. You can use a whip to grasp an unattended small or tiny object within your whip’s reach and pull that object to your square. It’s the threatened space we’re most interested in. You’ll threaten a 10’ area normally and 15’ when enlarged. That’s a lot of battlefield you control.

Serpent Lash  - When you perform a disarm or trip maneuver with your whip as a standard action, if you succeed, you can make a second disarm or trip maneuver against a target adjacent to your previous target. You can also use your whip to perform reposition at a -4. It’s a bit circumstantial, but not bad.

Whip Mastery  - You no long provoke AoOs when using a whip and you can deal lethal damage with a whip. You can also damage targets with armor or natural armor. It’s well and good, but we’re mostly getting it as a pre-req for other feats we need.

Brut e Style  - You can use the Vicious Stomp feat against any opponent within 10’ as long as it’s within your natural reach. The need for Improved Overrun and 13 Int are unfortunate requirements, especially the latter. We will only be able to use it when enlarged through some means, but if we mean to be so regularly, being able to stomp at our full reach can be very useful. We’re already so MAD as a monk that this probably isn’t worth it, but it’s not a bad ability.

Brute Stomp  - When you make a full attack and a prone enemy is next to you, you can make an additional attack against that prone target. This does not allow you to make an additional attack against a target you tripped as part of your full attack. If your natural reach exceeds 10’, you can use vicious stomp against anyone within it. Getting more attacks is good but this one only materializes if your opponents don’t try to stand up during their turns. It would be more worth it if the price weren’t so high.

Brute Assault  - When you successfully perform an overrun or trip maneuver that causes the target to fall prone, your opponent makes a DC 10=BAB fort save or takes 1d6 str damage and their speed is halved until the damage is healed. The damage is reduced to 1 on a successful save. This is the real reason you’re considering this chain. You’re crippling your foes in multiple ways, and with enough strength damage, you can outright kill them. Great, but damn expensive.

Cudgeler Style  - When you charge and deal nonlethal damage, you damage deal as if it were one size category larger. Not particularly exciting, especially since the pre-req is completely redundant with what we already enjoy via our unarmed attacks.

Cudgeler Sweep - When you hit with a charge attack while using Cudgeler Style, you can immediately attempt a trip combat maneuver with a +2 competence bonus as a free action. This is thus a means of attacking and tripping at the same time while enjoying a bonus on your trip attempt. Not bad.

Cudgeler Takedown  - Your size bonus now lasts for a full round and, if you successfully trip your target using Cudgeler Sweep, the target makes a DC 10+level+str or is stunned for 1 round. This makes us even better at battlefield control than we already are. It’s the reason to consider this chain. Overall, not bad.

Janni Style - Take only a -1 penalty to AC when charging and flanking enemies only enjoy a +1 bonus against you. Not particularly useful, but it isn’t awful.

Janni Tempest  - After a successful unarmed attack you gain a +4 bonus to bull rush or trip. This is in the opposite order from what we’d prefer, but a bonus to trip is a bonus to trip.

Janni Rush  - Always count as having a running start for jumping and deal double damage on a jumping charge. This is almost completely useless for us. Don’t bother with this “capstone” feat.

Ki Throw – Lets you move your tripped foe to any square you threaten rather than his own square. This can be extremely useful in providing your allies with AoOs via Greater Trip, as it allows you to move your target to a square where they’ll provoke the greatest number of AoOs possible.

Kobold Style  - +4 on combat maneuver checks against enemies denied their dex bonuses to AC. Spoilers - this chain is fantastic for a trip build, but it requires being size small. It’s generally inadvisable to be size small with a trip build, but if you decide you want to be, definitely go for these style feats.

Kobold Groundling  - Prone creatures are denied their dex bonus to AC against your attacks. Amazing. You could build a tripping rogue build around this feat.

Kobold Flood  - You can make a grapple combat maneuver check to mount a prone medium or large foe. They are unable to stand until they successfully break the grapple. This is kind of cool. We’re not probably going to be optimized for grappling, and we’re going to be small, so especially not particularly good at it, but it’s flavorful and forces them to spend their standard in addition to their move standing. Overall, not bad.

Monkey Style  - You add your wisdom bonus to your acrobatics checks. You take no penalty to your melee attack rolls while prone, you can crawl and stand up from prone without provoking an AoO, and you can stand as a swift action with a DC 20 Acrobatics check. This is potentially useful for this situations where you attempt a trip maneuver and fail badly enough to be tripped yourself. In my opinion, this is so uncommon that it’s not worth a feat to address (especially if you’re using a weapon with the Trip property or you’re a ranged tripper), but it bears mentioning.

Wolf Style  - When you deal at least 10 damage to a foe with an AoO, that foe’s base speed decreases by 5’ for 1 round. Their speed decreases by an additional 5’ for every 5 points beyond 10. If this reduces their speed to 0, you may attempt a trip combat maneuver as a free action. We’re already going to be tripping which will limit their mobility quite a bit. This limits it more, so it’s good, but not amazing.

Wolf Trip  - +2 to trip attempts that are part of an AoO. When you successfully trip a creature when using Wolf Style, you may choose an available square adjacent to you for the tripped creature to land prone in. This is similar in practical uses to Ki Throw. Not bad.

Wolf Savage  - When you deal a prone opponent at least 10 damage with a natural weapon or unarmed strike, you can savage your foe as a swift action. They become disfigured unless they succeed at a fort save DC 10+½ level+wis. The effects are identical to Bestow Curse which is one of the following: -6 to an ability score (min 1), -4 on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks, or each turn, 50% chance to take no actions. All of these are devastating.  What’s more, you’re going to be dealing damage to prone targets multiple times.

Ranged Feats

Ace Trip  - You no longer take the -2 penalty for making trip attempts with a ranged weapon using Ranged Trip and you can attempt special ranged trip combat maneuvers against flying creatures. If the maneuver succeeds, the target falls at a rate of up to 100 feet per round (unconscious falls at 500 feet per round). Upon impact, it falls prone and takes normal falling damage (or half if it was falling 100 feet per round). A falling creature is considered entangled until it hits the ground but it can attempt a fly check at the start of its turn to stop falling before it hits the ground (DC 15 + your BAB). Otherwise, it is unable to move but can otherwise act normally. This is insane. It’s beyond blue. This is the second best trip feat in the game after Greater Trip and makes a ranged tripper as good if not better than the polearm tripper. This is the reason we’re considering this otherwise sub-optimal route at all. It’s amazing. Be sure to review the Rules Lawyering section for a contentious debate concerning this feat.

Deadly Aim  - Power Attack for ranged builds. You can subtract a point from your attack rolls to gain two points to your damage, and these amounts increase with level. It’s usually worth it, though bear in mind it affects your CMB so be careful if you’re tripping targets with high CMDs.

Point Blank Master  - You do not provoke an AoO for firing your chosen ranged weapon while threatened. This is important for use with Snap Shot or if you otherwise intend on being in melee range. Otherwise it’s not particularly important.

Point-Blank Shot  - Provides a +1 to hit and damage when a target is within 30’. It’s also a pre-req for many other feats we need. It’s mandatory.

Precise Shot  - Targets engaged in melee combat get a +4 bonus to AC. Since most of what we’re doing is tripping our targets so our melee-fighting teammates can take AoOs, firing into melee is going to be our ideal situation , not something we want to avoid. This is thus mandatory.

Precise Shot, Improved  - If an ally is between you and a target, the target receives a +4 soft cover bonus to AC. Given our tactics, this is going to be pretty common. We can mediate this to some degree with the Deadeye Bowman trait, but this feat overcomes this liability plus others that involve cover. We’ll want it as soon as we can take it.

Ranged   Trip - As a full-round action you can attempt a trip combat maneuver with any ranged weapon at a -2 penalty. You add your dex modifier to your CMB in place of your strength. If your target is more than 30 feet away, you take an additional -2 penalty, and your penalties for range increments are doubled. If the trip attempt is successful, the target takes damage as if you’d made a successful attack with that weapon. Were it not for the existence of the Driving weapon enchantment, this would be pure blue. Since a superior alternative to do the same thing exists, it’s just OK. It is, however, a pre-req for Ace Trip, one of the best tripping feats in Pathfinder, so it’s necessary.

Rapid Shot  - Worth considering mostly because it’s a staple to ranged builds and, if you ever find yourself fighting an enemy you can’t trip, it’s useful as a backup plan. It’s also a pre-req for a feat we probably want.

Relentless Shot  – When you successfully trip an opponent with a ranged attack you threaten that opponent until your next turn. You can make attacks of opportunity against that opponent with ranged weapons. This allows you to benefit from the AoOs provided by your Greater Trips. You’ll take a shot immediately and, when they stand up and move through your threatened space, take another for each of those actions. This is what we’re all about.

Ricochet Toss  - Including this mostly in regard to tactics involving Sliding Axe Throw (I don’t think you want your bolas returning to your hand instead of keeping your target entangled), but basically this makes your thrown weapon return to your hand immediately after you attack. This lets you make multiple attacks with the same weapon. I don’t particularly recommend going the thrown weapon route, but if you do, you’re going to want this feat, since it’s better than the Returning enchantment.

Sliding Axe Throw - A feat reserved for trip builds seeking to employ throwing axes which, I’m sure, was the first thing you thought of. You can take a -2 penalty on your ranged attack roll with an axe. If it hits, you can make a trip attempt as a free action. This may not work if the ground is soft or there are obstacles. It’s flavorful and lets you deal damage in addition to your trip attempts, but your tripping becomes contingent on your ability to hit your target’s AC. You’re probably better off with a bow.

Snap Shot  - While wielding a ranged weapon with which you have Weapon Focus, you threaten squares within 5 feet of you. You can make attacks of opportunity with that ranged weapon. In short, it’s another means of getting AoOs with your bow, though you probably don’t want to be just 5 feet away from your target.

Snap Shot. Improved  - You now threaten up to 10’ away with your bow. This is a bit more like it.

Snap Shot, Greater - Whenever you make an AoO with a ranged weapon and hit, you gain a +2 bonus on the damage roll and a +2 bonus to rolls to confirm a critical hit. These bonuses increase to +4 at BAB 16 and +6 at BAB 20. Since most of our damage will be done via AoOs one way or another, this is a solid feat.

Trick Shooter  - +2 to ranged combat maneuvers and you can refrain from damaging your target with no penalty. Beautiful.

Teamwork Feats

While it might be nice for other characters to benefit from our teamwork feats, I am writing this section assuming they will not be taking them and that we will be exploiting these feats through the Inquisitor’s Solo Tactics ability (or something similar, like Fighter’s Tactics) .

Barrage of Styles – You gain a +1 bonus (maximum +4) to your combat maneuver checks for each ally of a different ethnicity adjacent to your and threatening the same foe. This feat’s benefit will be proportional to how many other melee fighters you have in your party. In most parties, you’re not likely to ever gain more than a +1 from this.

Blades Above and Below – When you and an ally of a different size from you are threatening the same enemy, you’re both considered flanking that enemy so long as it’s the same size as one of you. Since you will be capable of changing your size at will, and since feats like Outflank and Dirty Fighting benefit from being considered “flanking,” this will work excellently for you.

Coordinated Maneuvers – Whenever you’re adjacent to an ally who has this feat, you gain +2 to combat maneuver checks. Though the maximum bonus is less than Barrage of Styles, you will enjoy it far more consistently.

Coordinated Shot – If an ally with this feat is threatening a foe you target with a ranged attack without providing that target cover, you get a +1 to that attack. If that ally is flanking that target, you get +2. Since, in a ranged trip build, you’re primarily looking to provide your allies with AoOs, this is exactly the circumstance you’re looking to exploit anyway.

Enfilading Fire – When an ally with this feat is flanking your target, you get +2 on your ranged attack roll. I see no reason why this should not stack with Coordinated Shot.

Friendly Fire  Maneuvers – Makes it so allies never provide soft cover and provides a bonus to reflex saves vs. your friends’ AOE spells. This will ultimately be redundant with and worse than Improved Precise Shot, but you can access it earlier.

Harder They Fall – One of the problems we encounter as trippers is dealing with enemies too large for us to trip. This feat allows us to trip enemies two size categories larger than us when an ally aids us in that trip. Unfortunately it requires Combat Expertise and a 13 int.

Outflank – Increase your flanking bonus to +4 and get an AoO every time your flanking partner achieves a critical hit. The +4 is nice, though if you’re already using Seize the Moment and Dirty Fighting the only thing it will be improving is your attack rolls.

Outflank, Improved – If you and an ally are both threatening a foe and you are adjacent to a square that, if you were standing in it, would be flanking, you are considered flanking. Often (and ideally) you’re going to be positioned behind your melee-fighting allies, not in a position to make this feat work. I think Gang Up and Blades Above and Below are more reliable means of achieving this end, but this is ok.

Overwhelm – You are considered to be flanking an opponent if at least one other ally with this feat is threatening a target and that target is at least two size categories larger than both of you. Potentially useful as a late-game feat to help you out against really big opponents.

Paired Opportunists – When you’re adjacent to an ally with this feat you gain a +4 circumstance bonus to AoOs against enemies you both threaten. Whenever they get an AoO, you get an AoO as well (though it can’t be from the same source). Pairs excellently with Seize the Moment (provided you have a means of giving it to your buddy, like the Ring of Tactical Precision, or you’re a cavalier).

Precise Strike – Gives you 1d6 of sneak attack whenever you and an ally who has this feat are flanking a target. When combined with the various feats that guarantee you flanking, this can provide some much needed extra damage.

Ruthless Opportunist – When a Chellish ally hits an enemy with an attack of opportunity, gain +2 to your attacks vs. that enemy. You’re going to be giving your allies a lot  of AoOs, so you’ll be able to benefit from this, but only if your friends are all from Cheliax.

Seize the Moment – When an ally with this feat confirms a critical hit against an opponent you threaten, you get an AoO. It serves as an additional means of acquiring AoOs in circumstances when you can’t trip. It’s also an excellent candidate for the Ring of Tactical Precision if you’ve taken Improved Critical. Pair it with Paired Opportunists and every time you score a crit, both you and your friend get an AoO.

Swarm Strike – Whenever an opponent provokes an AoO from you, you gain a +1 to your attack plus an additional +1 for each ally who has this feat who threatens that foe.

Tandem Trip – Allows you to roll twice and take the better on any trip attempt against an opponent threatened by one of your allies with this feat. Unbelievably good with solo tactics.

Target of Opportunity – When an ally with this feat makes a ranged attack, you can also make a ranged attack against their target as an immediate action. Your ranged-attacking allies probably won’t appreciate your trip attempts, but any feat that breaks the action economy is a good feat.

Topple Foe – If you attempt to trip a foe that is larger than you, you get a +1 to your CMB to trip that foe as long as an ally with this feat is flanking with you. If multiple allies with this feat are flanking with you, you get an additional +2 for each additional ally. If you attempt to trip the same foe in consecutive rounds, the bonus granted to your trip increases by +1 per ally to a maximum of +4 per flanking ally on the 4 th  round. Excellent when paired with the various feats that provide flanking when you’re not flanking.

Tribal Hunter – When you and an adjacent ally are both threatening an enemy who is larger than at least one of you, you are considered flanking that target. Strictly superior to Overwhelm except the pre-req of Animal Affinity sucks. Overall though, this will be your most reliable means of “flanking while not flanking,” especially against your most challenging very large foes.

The following are spells that will significantly enhance your performance. If you can gain access to them through your own casting, other party members, potions, Use Magic Device, or some other means, you should do so.

Enlarge Person  - A bulwark of this tactic, it improves your CMB, CMD, and increases the size of targets you can trip. No matter what build you’re doing, you absolutely must gain consistent access to this spell..

Haste - +1 to attacks and AC, +30 movement speed, and you get an extra attack on your full attacks. We’re all about this. Any time you can get access to this, including via Boots of Speed, do so.

Heroism - +2 to your attacks, saves, and skill checks, and it lasts for 10 minutes per level. Since it can’t be cast by clerics or inquisitors and alchemists can’t get it until level 7, you probably won’t have an easy way of casting it on yourself unless you’re a Bloodrager. Carrying around some potions isn’t a bad idea though, and any time the bard has a 2nd-level spell to spare, ask for it.

Line in the Sand  - Increase your number of AoOs per round by your casting stat’s ability modifier.

* Permanency (Enlarge Person)  - For any melee-oriented trip build you will generally be better off as size large than size Medium. It improves your damage, CMB, CMD, and raises the size of enemies you can trip. If you’re not playing in Pathfinder Society (in which Permanency is illegal) it’s probably worth the 2,500 to pick this up. Doing so will spare you the need to pursue a dip into a spellcasting class in order to self-enlarge. On the downside, you will often encounter corridors and doorways in which you’ll need to squeeze, inflicting a -4 penalty, and if you’re using a reach weapon, the “doughnut hole” in which you don’t threaten will be more difficult to address than if you were using the Growth Domain.

Rage - +2 morale bonus to strength and Con, a +2 morale bonus on will saves, -2 to AC. If you have someone able to cast this one you, it’s a fantastic buff, especially with a Furious weapon.

True Strike  - Gives a +20 to your next attack roll so long as it’s done no later than the very next round. This can be useful when you really need to trip that gargantuan end guy who’s way above your CR that may  or may not be in a scenario near a certain ancient civilization’s ridge.

Before delving into which weapons are best for tripping let’s discuss the “Trip” weapon quality. A weapon does not need to have the “Trip” quality to be used as part of a trip combat maneuver. Ordinarily, if you attempt to trip an enemy and fail by 10 or more, you fall prone instead of your enemy. A “Trip” weapon allows you to drop the weapon rather than fall prone. This is nice, but hardly necessary. While most of the best weapons for tripping do have the “Trip” quality, it’s not necessary for it to be a viable tripping weapon.

Aklys – A hooked throwing club with an attached 20’ long cord dealing d6 damage with a 20/X2 crit range. You can throw the Aklys to make trip attempts at range, and if the attempt is within 20’, retrieve the weapon by pulling the cord as a move action.

Armor Spikes  - For those using reach weapons and bows to perform your trip maneuvers, what’s the single greatest weakness of such weapons? Not threatening adjacent squares. Armor spikes all but eliminate that liability. As much as I personally believe this to be a horrid oversight in the rules, armor spikes allow you to threaten adjacent squares even when both of your hands are occupied wielding a two-handed weapon. You can even trip with them. How that works I have no idea, but the rules allow for it, so huzzah. At only  50 gp, there’s no reason not to pick these up.

Bolas - A ranged trip weapon with a 10’ ranged increment that can deal 1d4 damage. It may be a worthwhile backup weapon to carry for melee builds should you ever need to make ranged trip attempts.

Double-Chained Kama  - Exotic eastern monk, reach, and trip weapon. You can use it as a single kama in each hand (with which you can flurry) or extend the chain to make a single 10’ reach attack. You can swing the rope around to make disarm and trip attempts. If you drop the weapon (perhaps as a result of a failed trip attempt) you can retrieve it as a free action by pulling on the chain. Definitely worth considering.

Elven Branched Spear – A finessable exotic reach weapon with a d8 damage and a 20/X3 critical, the Elven Branched Spear’s main appeal is its +2 bonus to attacks of opportunity made due to enemies provoking by moving through a threatened square. Though it lacks the Trip quality, it’s a contender for the best weapon available for our purposes.

Fauchard – An exotic reach weapon with the trip quality, a d10 damage, and an 18-20/X2 critical, the Fauchard is another contender for the best tripping weapon in the game. Note that Archives of Nethys does not list it as PFS-legal, but it is explicitly called out as legal in the Additional Resources for Classic Horrors Revisited.

Guisarme – Potentially the best non-exotic weapon, the guisarme is a reach weapon with a 20/X3 crit range that deals 2d4 damage. You’re primarily interested in it because the best tripping weapon in the game, the *Dragoncatch Guisarme, is a guisarme. If you aren’t in PFS, I encourage you to consider this route.

Longbow, Composite  - 110’ range weapon with piercing arrows dealing 1d8 damage plus whatever you assign as your strength modifier. If you add the Driving enchantment it can be used to make ranged trip attempts. This is probably your weapon of choice for a ranged trip build.

Lucerne Hammer – The Lucerne hammer’s greatest appeal is its mixed bludgeoning and piercing damage allowing you to circumvent a lot of damage reduction. It also enjoys a d12 damage die, though only a 20/X2 crit range. Either it or the guisarme is probably your best martial reach weapon.

Meteor Hammer – A peculiar reach weapon that provides a lot of versatility. It has two modes. In the first mode, it enjoys 10’ reach, has the trip quality, and if you wish, instead of making your target go prone, you can drag it 5’ toward you. While in its second mode, it provides a +1 shield bonus and is no longer a reach weapon. You switch between modes as a free action at the start of your turn. One of the hazards of a reach weapon build is the vulnerable region inside your threaten space “donut.” The meteor hammer helps you deal with that a bit.

Slaver’s Crossbow, Light  - A crossbow with a 40’ range increment that shoots specialized Bolas Bolts capable of making ranged trip attempts. On a critical hit (19-20), the target is entangled unless it makes a DC 15 strength check to break the cords. A masterwork bolt or one with an enhancement bonus increases this DC to 20. If the attack trips and entangles a target, the target cannot move from its square until it breaks free of the bolas cord. While a dedicated ranged tripping build probably wants to go with a Driving Longbow, this is a great starting weapon until you can afford that, and a decent backup weapon for a melee tripper who wants to be able to trip at range if he needs to. Definitely worth considering.

Snag Net  - Functions as an ordinary net (10’ range increment, target is entangled with a successful ranged touch attack) except it also has the Trip feature. If you successfully entangle a target and you continue holding on to the net’s rope, on your turn, in place of a melee attack, you can make a combat maneuver check to trip it. The concentration check to cast in a snag net is 17+spell level and the escape artist DC is 22.

*Angelfall Bow (26,900) - +1 composite longbow (+5 str). 3 times per day as a swift action you can make trip attempts with your attacks with the bow. If the target is flying, they must make a DC25 fly check or plummet to the ground. You can also immediately dispel a light effect cast on you once per day. It’s pricy, but the built-in Ace Trip is pretty sweet. Too bad it isn’t PFS-legal.

Boarding Pike of Repelling  (4,308) - +1 boarding pike (D8 damage 20/X3) can, as a swift action, extend the wielder’s reach to 20’ for 1 round (with a 15’ “doughnut hole”). When enlarged, one could argue this reach doubles. While having such extraordinary reach will certainly be useful on occasion, I’ve found that even 20’ of reach is a bit much when you’re moving about in a dungeon. I don’t think I’d pick it up in PFS since it could never be upgraded, but if I happened to find one in a dungeon, I don’t think I’d sell it either.

* Dragoncatch Guisarme  (13,308) - +1 dragon bane guisarme that can make special trip maneuvers against targets using wings to fly. Success forces the target to fall to the ground and gain the entangled condition. Fantastic. This is one of the best means at your disposal for dealing with flying enemies. Too bad it’s not PFS legal.

Grasping Bolas  (3,805) - +1 bolas that can make a special trip maneuver once per day that ignores any size modifiers the target has to CMD. If the attempt succeeds, the target falls prone and becomes entangled for 1 round plus 1 for every 5 by which the attempt exceeded the target’s CMD. While this is neat, the break free DC is only 20 and it has only 12 hit points. If broken, the item is destroyed. Since we’d probably be using this to trip mammoths and other similarly massive and strong creatures, 3,805 gp is a lot to be spending for a couple rounds of prone entanglement.

Maelstrom Shield (14,170) - +1 bashing heavy steel shield. When you make a shield bash attack you can make a trip attack as a free action. You can also produce a gallon of fresh water on command and cast the hydraulic push spell. I don’t recommend using a shield as your main tripping weapon, but it’s kinda cool.

Enchantments

Brawling (+1) Brass knuckles, cestus, sap, or light bludgeoning weapon only. Wielder of weapon gains an enhancement bonus on combat maneuver checks equal to the enhancement bonus of the weapon.

Driving (+1) - Ranged only. A driving weapon can be used to perform bull rush and trip combat maneuvers in its first range increment. Magnificent. This is mandatory for any ranged trip build.

Dueling (+1) - Not to be confused with the 14,000 gp enchantment of the same name (which is excellent in its own right), this comes from the Pathfinder Society Field Guide. When you use this weapon to perform a combat maneuver you gain a luck bonus to your CMB equal to twice the weapon’s enhancement bonus. Can be used with Disarm, Trip, Reposition, and any dirty tricks using the weapon. This, combined with leveraging, is perhaps the most guaranteed means of keeping your CMB competitive in later levels.

Fortuitous (+1) - Melee only. Any time you successfully make an AoO you can make another AoO at -5. Note that this only works once per round. Fantastic. This is exactly the sort of thing we want and a big part of why the polearm master will, in most circumstances, ultimately deal more damage than the ranged tripper.

Furious (+1) - Melee only. When you’re raging or under the effect of a Rage spell, your enhancement bonus is +2 better than normal. This is fantastic for a Bloodrager or anyone who can rage consistently, and it stacks ridiculously with Dueling and Leveraging.

Leveraging   (+1) - Double your weapon’s enhancement bonus on bull rush, drag, trip, and reposition maneuvers. This, combined with Dueling, is perhaps the most guaranteed means of keeping your CMB competitive in later levels.

Plummeting (+1) - Ranged only. A flying creature hit with a plummeting weapon must attempt a DC 20 fly check with a penalty equal to twice the weapons enhancement bonus. Failure causes it to lose 10’ of altitude. On a critical hit, the creatures loses 10’ with a successful fly check and 1d4X10’ on a failed check. If it hits the surface, it takes falling damage as appropriate and is no longer flying. Ace Trip is a far superior means of dealing with flying enemies, but if taking that feat chain is too expensive, this is an alternative worth considering.

Quaking (+2) - Bludgeoning only. You can strike the ground as a standard action to perform a trip combat maneuver that applies to all foes within a 5’ radius spread, a 10’ cone, for a 20’ line along the ground. You can trip enemies of any size this way. This is almost green, especially since it overcomes size restrictions, but since it requires a standard action you need to compare the AoE benefit with the damage you’d be capable of inflicting via a full attack. It doesn’t match up and it’s certainly not worth a +2 bonus. Still, kinda cool.

Improving Trip CMB

Belt of Physical Might (Str and Dex)  (10,000, 40,000, 90,000) - Provides a +2, +4, or +6 bonus respectively to Str and Dex. Improving strength will improve your attack rolls, CMB, CMD, and damage. Improving dex will improve your AC, reflex saves, initiative, CMD, and in conjunction with the Fury’s Fall feat, your CMB.

Dueling Enhancement  (+1) - Gain your weapon’s enhancement bonus as a luck bonus to your trip CMB when you use that weapon to trip.

Gauntlets of the Skilled Maneuver  (4,000) - +2 to CMB for one type of combat maneuver.

Gladiator’s Sandals  (6,000) - +4 to CMB during the surprise round. Good bonus, but circumstantial. You might get some mileage out of it if you’re using the Divine Strategist archetype, but since you’ll never be particularly good at sneaking up on enemies, I don’t think it’s worth investing in, especially given the number of far superior items for the boots slot.

Gloves of Dueling  (15,000) - If you’re a Fighter, this improves your weapon training bonus by +2. It also provides a variety of other benefits that are nice but not particularly relevant to improving our CMB.  This works fantastically with Warrior’s Spirit, Abundant Tactics, and Combat Competence.

Hyena Spirit Skin  (16,000) - Once per day for 10 minutes enjoy a +4 enhancement bonus to Str and Dex, a +2 enhancement bonus to trip attempts, and you can make a trip attempt as a swift action that does not provoke an AoO. The 1/day and short duration means this will only be useful for one, maybe two battles. The shoulder slot precludes using a Cloak of Resistance and the enhancement bonus won’t stack with your belt. I’d be delighted to find this in a pile of treasure, but I wouldn’t buy it.

Leveraging Enhancement  (+1) - Gain double your weapon’s enhancement bonus when performing trip maneuvers.

Thorny Brown Ioun stone  (8,000) - +2 competence bonus on trip combat maneuvers.

Wayfinder (500) and Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone  (5,000) - The ioun stone provides a +1 insight bonus to AC. The wayfinder can cast Light as a standard action and works as a compass providing a +2 circumstance bonus to Survival checks to avoid becoming lost. We’re purchasing them for the resonance benefit of inserting the ioun stone inside the wayfinder providing a +1 insight bonus to CMB. Note that this is the errata’d version. Prior to the errata, it provided a +2 insight bonus to CMB and CMD.

Weapon Enhancements  (+1, +2, +3, +4, +5) - Enhancements to your weapon apply to your CMB when you use that weapon to trip. Obviously they also provide improved attack bonuses and damage, as well as penetration of damage reduction.

Everything Else

Belt of Impossible Action  (16,000) - Allows you to trip enemies of any size. The fact it’s a belt and the less than stellar race restriction (ie. it’s not Shoanti) make it less than appealing, though if you really need it you can always gain access to Bred for War via the Adopted trait.

Boots of Speed  (12,000) - Free action haste for 10 rounds per day that need not be consecutive. Haste will give you better movement speed, a +1 to AC and attacks (including CMB), and an extra attack when full attacking. This is just about the best buff we could ask for.

Commander’s Helm, Lesser  (10,000): Gives you a teamwork feat and, as a standard action, you can grant that feat to all allies that meet its prereqs for 1 minute up to 3 times per day. 10,000 for a feat is quite good, though I wouldn’t recommend relying on the command word ability to use it. Note that Archives of Nethys does not indicate this is PFS legal. It is.

* Malevolent Armor Enchantment  (5,000): +2 competence bonus to Bluff and Intimidate checks and apply your armor’s enhancement bonus to attack rolls vs. enemies who are prone or flat-footed. This is pretty much mandatory if you’re not in PFS.

Windstrider Mail  (10,100) - +1 mithral chain shirt. 3X per day as a standard action you can move up to 60’ in a straight line that need not be horizontal. All creatures in this line are blasted by a squall. You may attempt a trip combat maneuver against everyone in this area with a +5 circumstance bonus. Any creature in this area must make a DC 15 fly check or fall 20’. Pretty cool! I don’t think it’s worth the price, and in PFS it could never be upgraded again so definitely not worth it, but flavorful and a potential means of attacking flying targets.

Dealing with Immunity to Trip

In this section we will discuss the best means of dealing with enemies immune to trip for various reasons.

“Immune to Trip”

If the stat block says it’s outright immune to being tripped, it can’t be tripped. I know of no way to get around this, even in the mythic rules. Sorry. Another party member gets to shine this time.

The single greatest hazard you’ll encounter as a trip build, especially at higher levels, will be flying enemies. While taking to the air yourself, attacking normally, and thus functioning as a less-than-optimized fighter is always an option, we would ideally have a means of grounding our flying enemies and thus taking advantage of our primary tactic.

Wings/General

Ace Trip – Behold: the feat that makes the ranged trip build potentially worthwhile and, at higher levels, arguably superior to the polearm wielder. Ace Trip lets you make ranged trip attempts against flying targets. If you succeed, they fall at 100’ per round unless they can make a fly check DC 15 + your BAB. This is probably the most reliable means of tripping your flying foes.  It’s mandatory in a ranged build and worth considering as a backup plan for anyone else, though three feats and an advanced weapon training are a heavy price to get it.

Burdenstone – A 1,000 gp magnet that, when you throw it at a target wearing metal armor, renders them unable to fly, in addition to some other encumbrance penalties. This would be great except that flying enemies often aren’t wearing armor. It’s also rendered inert after use, and 1,000 gp is a lot to be spending on a consumable.

*Dragoncatch Guisarme   – A +1 Dragon Bane guisarme that lets you make a special trip attempt vs. enemies who use wings to fly. If you succeed, the flying creature falls to the ground and gains the entangled condition. It can remove the entangled condition with a move action and a DC 15 fly check. Since it isn’t PFS legal we don’t need to worry about upgrading rules, so this is a fantastic item. Dragonbane probably doesn’t interest you, but overall, this is likely the most efficient means of dealing with flyers for a trip build and good cause to consider the guisarme over its competitors as your weapon of choice.

Spell Storing (Burdened Thoughts)  - Allows you to store a single targeted spell of up to 3rd level with a casting time of 1 standard action. When you strike a creature and it takes damage, the weapon can immediately cast the spell on the creature as a free action. The spell you probably want in this weapon is Burdened Thoughts, as it prevents flight RAW. The target gets a will save and it’s susceptible to SR, so if your druid or wizard friend can cast it, it’ll serve you better than using a scroll.

Tanglefoot Bags – Ranged touch attack with a 10’ range increment. If you hit, they are automatically entangled. If they fail a DC 15 ref save, they are glued to the floor unless they make a DC 17 str check or deal 15 damage to the glue. If the target is a flying enemy who fails their ref save, they cannot fly and immediately fall to the ground. This would be the ultimate solution to the flying problem were it not for the relatively low DC (that doesn’t scale) and the short range. At 50 gp a pop they’re also a bit pricey for a consumable you will need to use regularly.

Tangleshot Arrow – Essentially a mini tanglefoot bag at the end of an arrow, you will enjoy the range of your bow with your attack, however the DC for the reflex save is only 10, making it far less likely to ground a flying target. They’re only 20 gp though, so a bit more cost effective.

Wingclipper – When you confirm a critical hit against an enemy who uses wings to fly, you can forego your extra critical hit damage to prevent it from flying for a number of rounds equal to twice your critical multiplier. Opponents that are flying when struck must make a DC 20 fly check to avoid falling damage. Hardly the ideal solution, but it’s only 1 feat, it becomes available at about the right time, and if you’ve taken improved critical on a fauchard, you’ll be threatening a critical hit every four swings. It’s probably the least bad solution for a melee build after the Dragoncatch Guisarme.

Dispel Magic  - Medium-range level 3 spell for just about everyone, Dispel Magic lets you make a caster level check with a DC equal to 11 + the caster level of the spell you’re dispelling. When it works it can be great, but oftentimes when you’re trying to take down a magically flying target, their caster level is quite high, and will most certainly be higher than the caster level of your scroll, if that’s how you’re doing it.

Dispelling Weapon  - This +1 bonus functions like a spell storing weapon but it can only store Dispel Magic. The caster level is equal to that of the caster who charges the weapon with the spell and receives a bonus equal to the weapon’s enhancement bonus. When you successfully hit, you can release the dispel and make your attempt at removing the target’s enchantment (presumably the one allowing it to fly). While this is contingent on your friends being willing to burn a spell slot filling your weapon, it’s a very useful effect, and probably the most cost effective means for you to dispel enchantments on your targets.

Dispelling Burst Weapon  - This +2 bonus functions like a Dispelling weapon except that it can also store Greater Dispel Magic. The dispel can be released as a free action in the event of a critical hit, and if done so, the caster level check to dispel increases by an amount equal to the weapon’s enhancement bonus or critical multiplier, whichever is higher. You can also use it to immediately discharge an available Dispel Magic spell when you make a critical hit, though this won’t apply to us. In my opinion, the benefits over the Dispelling Weapon enchantment aren’t enough to consider it except at very high levels.

Wayfinder of Spellbreaking  - Allows for a 1/day dispel magic with a melee touch attack with the power of a 7th level caster. I think it’s way overpriced for what it is.

Ask for Help

Burdened Thoughts  - Medium-range 2nd level druid spell and 3rd level wizard, the target makes a will save or gains heavy encumbrance and is unable to fly for 1 round per level.

Gravity Well  - Medium-range 5th level wizard spell, 6th level druid spell, target makes a fortitude save or it weighs twice as much as normal, can only move at half speed, its maneuverability is worsened by two steps (functional -8 to fly for most targets), and it plummets to the ground unless it succeeds at a DC 25 fly check.

The next most common problem you’ll face is targets too large to be tripped. Ordinarily you can only trip a target of up to one size category larger than yourself. In this section we’ll discuss means of increasing what size that is.

Belt of Impossible Action  - Lets you trip opponents regardless of size. The fact it’s a belt and thus interferes with your stat belt is less than ideal, as is the race restriction. You could conceivably take care of the race issue by making your race Vudrani and take the Adopted trait for Shoanti humans to gain access to Bred for War. I wouldn’t recommend considering this belt unless your GM’s using the Automatic Bonus Progression rules, in which case it’s worth several feats and absolutely worth considering.

Enlarge Person – Increases your size category by 1 allowing you to trip enemies one size category larger.

Harder They Fall – A teamwork feat that, when an ally who also possesses it (or you treat them as if they do) aids you in your trip attempt, you can trip enemies of any size, I recommend finding some means of producing your own aid, such as the Ally Across Time spell or Spiritual Squire.

Poised Bearing and Imposing Bearing – Two armor mastery feats that require Armor Training as pre-reqs (though you can access them with the Armor Focus feat). Each increases your size category by 1 for the purpose of determining what enemies are vulnerable to your combat maneuvers. When combined with enlarge person, these feats will make you able to trip any size, at least in principle.

Quaking - +2 enchantment that lets you trip as a standard action by hitting the ground and targeting all enemies within a selection of areas of effects. It explicitly calls out that you can trip enemies of any size through this means. It’s not great that it requires a standard action rather than an attack, and a +2 bonus is a bit pricy, but it’s an option.

* Snowstride – This trait lets you trip enemies two size categories larger than you instead of just one.

Underfoot Trip – A Halfling monk exclusive via the Underfoot Adept archetype, every four levels you increase the size category you can trip by 1.

* Sea Hunter – When you make a successful melee attack against a swimming target, you can “knock them off balance” as a free action with a trip combat maneuver. Not PFS legal and I wouldn’t recommend this outside an aquatic campaign, but if you’re playing Ruins of Azlant definitely pick it up.

Incorporeal

How incorporeality interacts with tripping is a matter of some debate, but ultimately I don’t think it looks good for our tactic. The first relevant statement is as follows:

“Incorporeal creatures cannot make trip or grapple attacks, nor can they be tripped or grappled.”

This, I would argue, is overcome via a ghost-touch weapon. Ghost Spike armor, for example, allows for the grappling of ghosts, which implies that the grapple rules apply to incorporeal enemies just as much as anyone else; it just only comes up under highly unusual circumstances. The fact that incorporeal creatures can interact as normal with other incorporeal creatures and objects also suggests that a ghost touch weapon, which acts as an incorporeal weapon for all concerns regarding incorporeal creatures, ought to, in principle, be able to trip an incorporeal enemy as easily as a corporeal one.

The more concerning rule is the sentence which immediately precedes the above, which reads as follows:

“Incorporeal creatures cannot fall or take falling damage.”

This, combined with the fact that nearly every incorporeal creature in the bestiary (with three exceptions, the Bogeyman, Damoc, and Show Wolf) has a fly speed suggests that even if one were to make a successful trip attempt, the target would not “fall prone” since it “cannot fall,” nor would Ace Trip work, since Ace Trip causes a target to “fall.” As such, even with a ghost touch weapon, since they are not apparently affected by gravity in the same way corporeal creatures are, we will never be able to trip incorporeal enemies.

That said, whether you’re able to trip your incorporeal target or not, Ghost Touch is probably worth investing in. It will make them vulnerable to your critical hits and you will still be able to make AoOs against them through whatever other means you’ve acquired (a reach weapon, teamwork feats, etc.). A Ghost Touch snag net and a Ghost Touch Slaver’s Crossbow could also still entangle our incorporeal enemies, so such weapons could provide a bit of control if that’s what we’re most interested in achieving.

The following are means of acquiring Ghost Touch:

Ghost Touch  (+1 bonus) - Allows you to hit incorporeal targets. It’s a shame it consumes a bonus on your weapon, but it’s the most reliable solution.

Holy Weapon Balm  (30 gp) - Provides a magical weapon with the Ghost Touch property for 1 minute until you successfully hit with an attack. It also deals an additional 2d4 damage to undead. Until you can afford a more permanent solution, this is the best there is.

Weapon Blanche Ghost Salt  (200 gp) - Can coat 1 melee weapon or 10 pieces of ammunition providing ghost touch for a single attack. For a ranged build, unless you’re going through arrows like potato chips (which you might be), this is probably the most cost effective solution to the incorporeal problem.

Ghostslayer Feat  - Allows you to imbue your weapon with Ghost Touch as a swift action so long as it’s already a +2 weapon. We’re feat starved as hell so this probably isn’t a great solution, but it’s an option. Definitely consider it if you can easily acquire it via Martial Flexibility or Warrior Spirit.

Spiritbane Spike  (300 gp) - Deal yourself 1d6 damage to give yourself a Ghost Touch shortsword for 10 minutes. Hardly ideal, especially since it won’t enchant your normal weapon and provide all the associated benefits of doing so, but it’s worth considering if your need for ghost touch is limited, especially if you’re an alchemist who can craft for ⅓ the price.

Rules Lawyering

Tripping a prone target.

We’ll address the easy one first. This debate concerns the following question:

“Can you trip a prone target?”

This usually comes up when determining whether you can trip a target who’s attempting to stand up. They stand, provoke an AoO, and you, in turn, put them back on their butt via a trip maneuver taken as your AoO. Through this tactic you can lock down a low-CMD target indefinitely.

This has been addressed in a FAQ :

“No. The attack of opportunity is triggered before the action that triggered it is resolved. In this case, the target is still prone when the attack of opportunity occurs (and you get the normal bonuses when making such an attack). Since the trip combat maneuver does not prevent the target's action, the target then stands up.”

Jason Bulmahn, lead designer at Paizo, also commented on the debate on the Paizo forums on 7/9/2010

“You can use your AoO to trip a creature that is standing up from prone, but it has no effect, since the AoO is resolved before the action is completed, meaning that the creature is still prone. Once the AoO resolves, the creature would stand up normally.”

As such, we can definitively say that no, you cannot trip a prone target, and for this reason, you cannot trip a target who is standing up. This will be relevant in the next more complicated debate which, to date, has no official ruling.

The Great Greater Trip Debate

Greater Trip reads as follows:

“Whenever you successfully trip an opponent, that opponent provokes attacks of opportunity.”

This calls into question the following:

“Are the attacks of opportunity produced by Greater Trip taken when the enemy is prone or before the enemy is prone?”

As discussed previously, “The attack of opportunity is triggered before the action that triggered it is resolved.” The “triggering event” is “successfully trip an opponent,” so by this logic, it would appear that the Attack of Opportunity should be triggered immediately before the successful maneuver, meaning the target will not be prone for your AoO and will not suffer a -4 to AC.

While this appears to be correct RAW, it is insane.

If a target is not prone at the time of the AoO, it is difficult to imagine how the AoO could happen at all. It is, presumably, a result of the target falling and suffering a moment of vulnerability. To suggest that our successful trip attempt retroactively allows us to make an attack when the target was less vulnerable is counterintuitive. As a game attempting to approximate real-life combat, if they are not prone for this attack, how exactly the attack became possible in the first place isn’t clear.

More important than the confusing visualization of the scenario are the logical consequences of this interpretation. To reiterate, by this interpretation’s ruling, a successfully tripped target is not prone   in regard to the AoO provoked by Greater Trip . Since they are not prone, there is nothing preventing them from being tripped again. As such, if we imagine a trip build with Combat Reflexes and a +4 Dexterity Modifier, that character can trip his target an additional 5 times after completing his first successful trip. The first successful trip would unleash a series of infinitely small moments traveling backwards in time allowing the same person to be tripped as many times as the tripper has AoOs. Through silly rules, the fighter has surpassed the level 20 wizard in his power of time manipulation.

“Who cares?” you might ask. “If he wants to waste all of his AoOs on redundant trip maneuvers, that’s his business.” Imagine, then, that there are two other characters threatening the target who also have combat reflexes and an 18 dex. Each of those characters would then enjoy 5 attacks of opportunity thanks to Greater Trip. Furthermore, if he’s using a ranged trip build with Relentless Shot, he’ll get all of his AoOs and deal damage every time. If he’s using Brute Assault, he’s just dealt 6d6 strength damage. This is potentially enough to kill a very old dragon in 1 round. In this infinitely small backwards time-traveling moment when the target is “not prone” and therefore “can be tripped,” the target will be attacked as many times as Combat Reflexes allows. If one is to argue that you can’t do this because the target has been “tripped,” the definition of being “tripped” in Pathfinder explicitly includes “falling prone.” Either the target is prone or it isn’t.

I am confident that the rules as intended are for the target to be prone when your AoO is executed, improving your odds of hitting while precluding the massive abuse and temporal consequences inherent to the “RAW” interpretation. For whatever it’s worth, here is how the original Improved Trip feat read in 3.5:

“If you trip an opponent in melee combat, you immediately get a melee attack against that opponent as if you hadn’t used your attack for the trip attempt.”

This attack is unambiguously after  the tripping event. The only reason we have any confusion in Pathfinder is because this attack was turned into an Attack of Opportunity and AoOs have rules baggage attached to them to make sure they function in the circumstances in which they arise more often (namely movement through threatened squares). Obviously 3.5 rules don’t apply to Pathfinder, but since this was the mechanic that inspired the Greater Trip rules, I think it lends useful insight. Also, if the way a CRPG works holds any water with you, Owlcat has the target prone for the AoO in Pathfinder: Kingmaker.

My advice is, if you’re GMing, make them prone for the AoO. Everything makes sense if you work it that way. If you’re playing and you encounter a GM who insists on the target not being prone for the AoO, feel free to share this write-up. They should appreciate the full ramifications of their ruling. Once they do, if they continue to insist on it, exploit it. Ask your comrades if they have Combat Reflexes, use your Fortuitous weapon enchantment’s AoO to trip and give you another attack, use Relentless Shot to get your full dex’s worth of attacks, and generally milk the situation for as many attacks as you can. Hopefully Paizo will publish a clarification on this, but seeing as how the debate’s gone on for years, I’m not expecting it.

Ace Trip and the Driving Enchantment

Ace Trip reads as follows:

“You don’t take the –2 penalty for making trip attempts with a ranged weapon using Ranged Trip, and you can attempt special ranged trip combat maneuver checks against flying creatures. If the combat maneuver succeeds, the target falls at a rate of up to 100 feet per round (assuming it is conscious and attempting to remain airborne; otherwise, it falls at a rate of 500 feet per round) until it hits the ground.”

Here’s the question: Does that “special ranged trip combat maneuver” necessarily have to be done as part of a ranged trip via the Ranged Trip feat?

If it does, you can only shoot your enemies out of the sky as a full-round action. If it does not, you can use the Driving enchantment (or another means of tripping at range like a Slaver’s Crossbow) to make ranged trip attempts, allowing for multiple shots or a single shot as a standard action.

Linguistically, the first clause in the relevant sentence is not necessarily connected to the second. They are two coherent statements that could each independently describe a benefit provided by this feat. Using the same structure, I can say “You can write words on paper, and you can eat shrimp out of this bowl.” The two are not necessarily related simply because they’re part of the same sentence. Furthermore, the fact it says you can make “ranged trip combat maneuver checks ” suggests it is not  referring to the ability provided by the Ranged Trip feat, since that would necessarily be a single check .

To draw some comparisons, the Trick Spell metamagic feat uses the wording “Immediately attempt a special combat maneuver check   to perform a dirty trick combat maneuver.” The Crook of Unseen Forces is similarly explicitly singular: “This special combat maneuver check   does not provoke attacks of opportunity .. .” For a particularly revealing comparison, if we look at the Ace Disarm feat, which comes from the same source and developers as Ace Trip, it reads as follows:

“You don’t take the –2 penalty for attempting disarm combat maneuver checks with a ranged weapon   using Ranged Disarm , and you can attempt a steal combat maneuver check  instead of a disarm combat maneuver check when using Ranged Disarm .”

Ace Disarm explicitly states that you employ it only when using the Ranged Disarm feat. It furthermore words the action in the singular, contrasting it with the previously used plural: “ a steal combat maneuver check  instead of a disarm combat maneuver check .”

While there is no official ruling on this one way or the other, the fact they worded it as they did suggests to me that the special trip combat maneuver provided by Ace Trip was not meant to be usable exclusively with Ranged Trip in the way the steal check via Ace Disarm could only be used with the Ranged Disarm feat. They intentionally used the plural and omitted that language because you can  use other means of performing ranged trips with Ace Trip, including the Driving Enchantment, a bolas, a slaver’s crossbow, etc. If your GM feels differently I suggest presenting this section as evidence of this conclusion. Of course, whatever they decide will be how it works in your game.

All builds listed below are PFS legal.

Tias the Polearm Master (Fighter/Inquisitor)

Stats: Str 18 (Human +2), Dex 16, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 7

Traits: Birthmark (Faith), Bred for War (Race), Defender of the Society (Combat), Tianjing Temple Guard (Regional)

• Fighter 1 - Feat (Additional Traits), Bonus Feat (Combat Reflexes), Human Bonus Feat (Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Fauchard)
• Inquisitor 1 - Domain (Plant (Growth)), Judgment 1/day, Monster Lore, Stern Gaze, Orisons, Spell (Protection from Evil)
• Fighter 2 - Feat (Dirty Fighting), Bonus Feat (Improved Trip), Bravery +1
• Fighter 3 - Armor Training 1, +1 Wis, Spell (Bless)
• Fighter 4 - Feat (Phalanx Formation), Bonus Feat (Fury’s Fall)
• Fighter 5 - Weapon Training 1 (Polearms), Bravery +2
• Inquisitor 2 - Feat (Greater Trip), Cunning Initiative, Detect Alignment, Track, Spell (Divine Power)
• Inquisitor 3 - Solo Tactics, Teamwork Feat (Tandem Trip), Spell (Shield of Faith), +1 Str
• Fighter 6 - Feat (Improved Critical), Bonus Feat (Deadly Aim)
• Fighter 7 - Advanced Armor Training (Armored Mastery (Poised Bearing))
• Fighter 8 - Feat (Ranged Trip), Bonus Feat (Ace Trip (taken at next level))
• Fighter 9 - Weapon Training 2 (Polearms), Weapon Training (Bows) , +1 Str

Key Equipment: Fortuitous Adamantine Fauchard, Belt of Physical Might, Mithral Agile Breastplate, Gauntlets of the Skilled Maneuver/Gloves of Dueling, Boots of Speed, Headband of Inspired Wisdom, Cloak of Resistance, Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone in Wayfinder, Brown Thorny Ioun Stone

At earlier levels, before Tias is able to trip his enemies effectively, he relies on his Enlarge Person domain ability to maximize the odds of enemies moving through his threatened space. At level 7 and beyond, he employs Greater Trip to force enemies prone and provoke attacks of opportunity. When enemies are difficult to trip, he will use Enlarge Person, flanking (with Dirty Fighting), Judgment, Bless, Divine Power, Boots of Speed, Tandem Trip, and any other means available to improve his CMB. When faced with flying enemies, he throws tanglefoot bags if their reflex save is likely to be low or else relies on his critical hits and Wingclipper to bring them down, usually while enlarged for maximum damage and reach.

Ygritte the Bowtroller (Fighter)

Stats: Str 12, Dex 20 (Human +2), Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 7

Traits: Deadeye Bowman (Religion), Heirloom Weapon (Composite Longbow, +2 Trip) (Equipment)

• Fighter 1 - Feat (Deadly Aim), Bonus Feat (Point-Blank Shot), Human Bonus Feat (Precise Shot)
• Fighter 2 - Bonus Feat (Rapid Shot), Bravery +1
• Fighter 3 - Feat ( Relentless Shot ), Armor Training 1
• Fighter 4 - Bonus Feat (Combat Expertise), +1 Dex
• Fighter 5 - Feat (Improved Trip), Weapon Training 1
• Fighter 6 - Bonus Feat (Greater Trip), Bravery +2
• Fighter 7 - Feat (Combat Reflexes), Advanced Armor Training (Armored Mastery (Poised Bearing))
• Fighter 8 - Bonus Feat (Ranged Trip), +1 Dex
• Fighter 9 - Feat (Ace Trip) Weapon Training 2 (Bows), Advanced Weapon Training (Fighter’s Tactics)
• Fighter 10 - Bonus Feat (Tandem Trip), Bravery +3
• Fighter 11 - Feat (Improved Precise Shot), Retrain Deadeye Bowman into Bred for War (Race), Armor Training +2
• Fighter 12 - Bonus Feat (Imposing Bearing), +1 Dex

Key Equipment: Driving Adaptive Composite Longbow, Belt of Incredible Dexterity, Mithral Chain Shirt, Gauntlets of the Skilled Maneuver/Gloves of Dueling, Carpet of Flying, Cloak of Resistance, Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone in Wayfinder, Brown Thorny Ioun Stone, Lesser Bracers of Archery

At early levels Ygritte is a basic archer maximizing her damage via Deadly Aim and Rapid Shot. At 6th level she begins employing her Driving bow to trip her enemies while taking AoOs via Relentless Shot. She targets enemies threatened by her allies so as to provide them with AoOs as well and to benefit from Tandem Trip. She prefers to stay above the battle on her Carpet of Flying, avoiding cover from her allies while benefiting from their presence. When faced with flying opponents, she employs Ace Trip to bring them to the ground. When faced with targets immune to trip, Ygritte behaves as an ordinary archer, employing Deadly Aim and taking as many shots as she can. If she has any other means of acquiring feats (like the Ocher Rhomboid Ioun Stone), she will pick up Trick Shooter or Coordinated Maneuver.

Nymeria the Whip Master (Brawler)

Stats: Str 18 (Human +2), Dex 16, Con 12, Int 7, Wis 9, Cha 13

Traits: Bred for War (Race), Opportunistic (Religion)

• Brawler 1 - Brawler's Cunning, Martial Flexibility (1 combat feat), Martial Training, Unarmed Strike, Feat (Dirty Fighting), Human Feat (Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Whip)
• Brawler 2 - Bonus combat Feat (Weapon Focus (Whip)), Brawler's Flurry
• Brawler 3 - Maneuver Training 1 (Trip), Feat (Whip Mastery)
• Brawler 4 - AC Bonus +1, Knockout 1/day, 1d8 unarmed damage, +1 Dex
• Brawler 5 - Bonus Combat Feat (Improved Whip Mastery), Brawler's Strike, Close Weapon Mastery, Feat (Combat Reflexes)
• Brawler 6 - Martial Flexibility (Swift Action, 2 combat feats)
• Brawler 7 - Maneuver Training 2 (Trip, Disarm), Feat (Phalanx Formation)
• Brawler 8 - Bonus Combat Feat (Improved Trip), Brawler's Flurry (Improved Two Weapon Fighting), 1d10 unarmed damage, +1 Dex
• Brawler 9 - AC Bonus +2, Brawler's Strike (cold iron and silver), Feat (Ki Throw)
• Brawler 10 - Martial Flexibility (Free action, 3 combat feats), Knockout 2/day
• Brawler 11 - Bonus Combat Feat (Greater Whip Mastery), Maneuver Training 3 (Trip, Disarm, Grapple), Feat (Fury's Fall)
• Brawler 12 - Brawler's Strike (Alignment), Martial Flexibility (Immediate Action), 2d6 unarmed damage, +1 Str

Key Equipment: +2 Fortuitous Whip, Belt of Physical Might, Mithral Agile Breastplate, Gauntlets of the Skilled Maneuver, Boots of Speed, Headband of Inspired Wisdom, Cloak of Resistance, Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone in Wayfinder, Brown Thorny Ioun Stone, Teal Thorny Ioun Stone, Violet Thorny Ioun stone

In this build we are looking to make maximum use of the versatility of combat maneuvers the whip is capable of performing. To go with our versatile weapon we will use the most versatile maneuver master: the Brawler. Though tripping our foes will be our primary tactic, we will exploit the attacks of opportunity gain through tripping along with the weakened state of our prone targets to debilitate them further, taking away their weapons, grappling them, entangling them, and whatever else we see fit.

The great challenge of this build is being aware of what feats are necessary as a permanent foundation and which ones we can switch in and out via Martial Flexibility. Unlike the fighter, we don't need to devote our permanent feats to circumstantial situations. If we're fighting an enemy too large for us to trip, we can switch in Armor Focus and Poised Bearing. If our enemy is incorporeal, we can use Ghostslayer. If we want to switch to disarming, we can pick up Improved and Greater Disarm. If our enemy is flying, we can pick up the Ace Trip chain. The only feats we need permanently are those which are necessary for us to function as whip users and those which are prerequisites for the feats we seek to use with Martial Flexibility. Those feats are the ones I recommend taking in the above progression.

Here are several feats I recommend keeping on hand for your Martial Flexibility repertoire:

• Combat Expertise (Pre-req for other feats and AC improvement)
• Gang Up (“Flanking” when two allies are threatening)
• Fury's Snare (Drop your whip to entangle targets with a successful trip attempt)
• Greater Trip (+2 to trip and AoO on success)
• Serpent Lash (Make disarm/trip attempt against foe adjacent to one you just tripped/disarmed)
• Improved Disarm (+2 to disarm and no AoO)
• Greater Disarm (+2 to disarm and weapon lands 15’ away)
• Improved Grapple (+2 to grapple and no AoO)
• Greater Grapple (+2 to grapple and two grapple effects when maintained)
• Improved Dirty Trick (+2 to dirty trick and no AoO)
• Greater Dirty Trick (+2 to dirty trick and it lasts 1d4 rounds or more)
• Armor Focus (+1 to AC from armor, pre-req for armor mastery feats)
• Poised Bearing (Trip enemies as if you were 1 size larger)
• Imposing Bearing (Trip enemies as if you were 2 sizes larger)
• Deadly Aim (Subtract from attack roll to add more to your damage)
• Ranged Trip (Full-round action to trip with a ranged weapon)
• Ace Trip (Trip flying targets to make them fall)
• Relentless Shot (Make AoOs against enemies you trip with a ranged attack)
• Wolf Style (Reduce target’s movement speed when you land AoOs)
• Wolf Trip (+2 to AoO trips and choose the square they land in)
• Wolf Savage (Inflict Bestow Curse when you deal unarmed damage to prone target)
• Ghostslayer (Swift action make your +2 weapon ghost touch)
• Soulblade (You can make a weapon attack against a haunt as a standard action)
• Sea Hunter (Merfolk, you can make trip maneuvers against swimmers to put them off-balance)
• Rat Catcher (AC bonus vs. very small enemies and you can attack swarms somewhat)
• Soulwrecking Strike (Deal damage to target possessing creature when you attack possessed)
• *Aquadynamic Focus (No underwater penalties with slashing and bludgeoning)
• *Aquadynamic Shot (Reduce underwater penalty for ranged attacks)
• Blind Fight (Reroll miss chances due to concealment)
• Improved Blind Fight (Reroll miss chance for total concealment and ignore less than that)
• Greater Blind Fight (Treat total concealment as normal and reroll miss chance)
• Bludgeoner (Deal nonlethal damage with a lethal bludgeoning weapon with no penalty)
• Catch Off Guard (No penalty for improvised melee weapon and unarmed targets are flat-footed)
• Dedicated Adversary (Gain the favored enemy class ability against one type of creature)
• Demon Hunter (+2 to knowledge checks, attacks, and spell penetration vs. demons)
• Dragonslayer (Prevent target from using breath weapon on a critical hit)
• Penetrating Strike (Ignore 5 points of DR)
• Greater Penetrating Strike (Ignore 10 points of DR and 5 points of DR/-)
• Wind Stance (Gain 20% concealment against ranged attacks when you move)
• Lightning Stance (Gain 50% concealment when you double move or withdraw)
• Lunge (Increase your reach by 5’)
• Overwhelm (Teamwork, you’re flanking very large targets if ally is threatening them)
• Reap the Infirm (+2 on combat maneuvers and deal 1d6 extra damage to diseased targets)
• Disruptive (+4 to cast defensively in your threatened area)
• Sunder Blessing (You can sunder divine spell effects)
• Weapon Versatility (Swift action to deal a different type of damage with your weapon)
• Wingclipper (Critical hit prevents winged creature from flying)

Mr. Stomp (Monk (Maneuver Master))

Stats: Str 18 (Human +2), Dex 16, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 7

Traits: Bred for War (Race), Bullied (Combat)

• Monk 1 - Bonus Feat (Improved Trip), Flurry of Maneuvers, Stunning Fist, Unarmed Strike, Feat (Vicious Stomp), Human Bonus Feat (Fury’s Fall)
• Monk 2 - Bonus Feat (Combat Reflexes), Evasion
• Monk 3 - Fast Movement (+10), Maneuver Training, Maneuver Defense, Feat (Wolf Style)
• Monk 4 - Ki Pool (Magic), Reliable Maneuver, 1d8 unarmed damage, +1 AC
• Monk 5 - High Jump, Meditative Maneuver, Feat ( Armor Focus )
• Monk 6 - Bonus Feat (Greater Trip), Fast Movement (+20)
• Monk 7 - Ki Pool (Cold Iron/Silver), Wholeness of Body, Feat (Wolf Trip)
• Monk 8 - Ki Power, 1d10 unarmed damage, +2 AC
• Monk 9 - Improved Evasion, Fast Movement (+30), Feat (Wolf Savage)
• Monk 10 - Bonus Feat (Spring Attack), Ki Pool (Lawful)
• Monk 11 - Sweeping Maneuver, Feat (Poised Bearing)
• Monk 12 - Abundant Step, 2d6 unarmed damage, +3 AC, Fast movement (+40)

Key Equipment: Amulet of Mighty Fists, Belt of Physical Might or Impossible Action, Gauntlets of the Skilled Maneuver, Boots of Flying, Headband of Inspired Wisdom, Cloak of Resistance, Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone in Wayfinder, Brown Thorny Ioun Stone, Potion of Enlarge/Reduce Person

One of the greatest weaknesses of the monk is its general inability to hit its targets. Tripping maneuvers are a great solution to this. The Maneuver Master is capable of adding more raw ability scores to its CMB than any of the builds listed here, and it gains a bonus to its CMB with class levels in addition, making it capable of some remarkable combat maneuver rolls. Unlike the previous builds, Mr. Stomp engages in close melee, making Vicious Stomp possible and thus allowing for a greater number of attacks of opportunity than other builds. He can furthermore make use of the style feats. In this case, he’s opted to go for the Wolf Style, though the Brute style was tempting as well. Since he does not suffer the “doughnut hole” problem of reach builds, he has Enlarge Person cast on him permanently (outside of PFS) as soon as possible while carrying around potions of Reduce Person  as needed. This spares him the need for a dip into a spellcasting class. To deal with incorporeal creatures an Amulet of Mighty Fists with Ghost Touch is inexpensive enough.

In exchange for these benefits, Mr. Stomp is hit hard by the weaknesses of tripping tactics. He has no natural access to Poised and Imposing bearing, and since he loses most of his class abilities if he wears armor, taking Armor Focus to access them is a pure feat tax with no benefits whatsoever. If he opts to use the Belt of Impossible Action instead, he is robbed of the str and dex benefits of a normal stat belt, undoing much of the exceptional CMB lead he’d achieved over the other builds. He is not eligible for the Ace Trip feat chain nor can he use the Dragoncatch Guisarme. He is not naturally proficient with bows and must rely on a crossbow if he even wants to use the Plummeting enchantment. In general, he must rely on his normal attacks to deal with flying enemies. While a brutal damage-dealer, Mr. Stomp is the least versatile of the builds listed here.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Nick F. and “Locke” for your contributions to this guide. It would not be the same without your help. Nick in particular contributed several builds that influenced suggestions throughout this guide and may be added to the build section soon.

Thank you to the folks in this Reddit thread  for your suggestions as well.

If you liked this guide, feel free to check out my other work: One Thousand Years of Death: A Guide to the Unchained Rogue

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Space, reach, & threatened area templates, circle (5′ radius), cone (30′), line (30′), creature sizes.

This page includes examples of creature’s sizes, space they occupy, and various area-of-effect templates to aid you in visualizing combat and encounters.

Area of Effect Templates

Some spells affect an area. Sometimes a spell description specifies a specially defined area, but usually an area falls into one of the categories defined below.

Regardless of the shape of the area, you select the point where the spell originates, but otherwise you don’t control which creatures or objects the spell affects. The point of origin of a spell is always a grid intersection. When determining whether a given creature is within the area of a spell, count out the distance from the point of origin in squares just as you do when moving a character or when determining the range for a ranged attack. The only difference is that instead of counting from the center of one square to the center of the next, you count from intersection to intersection.

You can count diagonally across a square, but remember that every second diagonal counts as 2 squares of distance. If the far edge of a square is within the spell’s area, anything within that square is within the spell’s area. If the spell’s area only touches the near edge of a square, however, anything within that square is unaffected by the spell.

See Aiming a Spell for full details.

As is the normal with most area of effects, the caster or source of the effect must select an intersection of squares as the center of the effect. In the circle templates below the intersection is indicated.

Reach & Diagonals

I’m confused about reach and diagonals. I heard somewhere online that you don’t threaten the second diagonal with a 10-foot reach but that you somehow get an attack of opportunity when opponents move out of that square, but the Rules Reference Cards show that you do threaten the second diagonal. Which one is correct?

The cards are correct. As an exception to the way that diagonals normally work, a creature with 10 feet of reach threatens the second diagonal. These changes will be reflected in the next errata.

Are spell and other area of effects 2d (as in, they affect a flat grid only) or are they 3d (as in, they affect cubes and spheres)?

Just because things are normally expressed on a flat grid doesn’t mean they’re actually flat. Any effect with a radius affects a sphere, not a circle. A cone is a 3d area. A line is a line, not a plane.

Areas of Effect and Larger Creatures

Source AP91

The rules often assume that creatures are Medium or Small. In the case of a handful of spells or effects with areas that feature a “radius emanation centered on you” such as antimagic field , aura of doom , and zone of silence , as well as some of the spells presented in this section, this can result in an area that is effectively useless when coming from a Large or larger caster. As an optional rule, when a creature casts an emanation or burst spell with the text “centered on you,” treat the creature’s entire space as the spell’s point of origin, and measure the spell’s area or effect from the edge of the creature’s space. For instance, an antimagic field cast by a fire giant would extend 10 feet beyond his space (effectively increasing the emanation’s radius by 5 feet).

In the cone templates below “C” is the caster of the spell or the origination point of the effect. If “C” is replaced with (c) that indicates that the caster may choose one of the (c) positions.

A line-shaped spell shoots away from you in a line in the direction you designate. It starts from any corner of your square and extends to the limit of its range or until it strikes a barrier that blocks line of effect. A line-shaped spell affects all creatures in squares through which the line passes.

In the line templates below “C” is the caster of the spell or the origination point of the effect.

A creature’s size comes up frequently. Here is some of the more commonly required information. Below this table are several diagrams showing a creatures space, reach, and reach wielding weapons.

1 A creatures size modifier applies to its attacks and Armor Class. 2 A creatures special size modifier applies to it’s Combat Maneuver Bonus (CMB) and Combat Maneuver Defense (CMD). 3 These values are typical for creatures of the indicated size. Some exceptions exist. 4 A different size modifier applies to Fly and Stealth skill checks a creature makes.

* Individual creatures vary from this value as appropriate.

Space and Reach Templates. Copyright 2014 d20pfsrd.com Publishing; Created by John Reyst

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Tripping in Pathfinder: How to Trip and Fall for Fun/Profit

Brother Anthony had been studying the path of the monk for many years. Over time, he had learned the importance of surprise.

As he watched the fighter across from him, he noted the smug look on the man’s face, so sure that he could easily defeat his adversary. But Brother Anthony was ready.

He stepped forward, grabbed the man’s tunic with his free hand, struck out with his leg, and sent the fighter sprawling to the ground.

This is just one example of how to trip an opponent in Pathfinder, but there are other ways to do it.

In this post, we’ll cover tripping opponents, tripping with weapons, and how to get the most out of the trip action.

Table of Contents

Mechanics of the Trip Action

Requirements

You have at least one hand free. Your target can’t be more than one size larger than you. 

You try to knock a creature to the ground. Attempt an Athletics check against the target’s Reflex DC.

Critical Success: The target falls and lands prone and takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage.

Success: The target falls and lands prone.

Critical Failure: You lose your balance and fall and land prone.

Source : Core Rulebook , pg. 243

How to Trip Opponents in Pathfinder

There are a few things to keep in mind when making a trip attempt. 

You must either have a free hand or something to trip your target with. This can be a weapon with the trip trait or possibly another object.

You also need to be able to reach your opponent. This means that if they are standing behind a wall or other obstacle, you won’t be able to trip them. 

Keep in mind that some creatures are immune to being tripped. If your target is more than one size larger than you, you can’t trip them.

Also, if you trip a creature while they’re flying or climbing, they will suffer a fall as a result. Please note that a swimming creature can’t be knocked prone.

Reasons to Trip an Enemy 

One of the best reasons to trip your opponent is to knock them down. This can have a number of benefits.

First, it allows your teammates to attack. This is especially useful if you have a weapon with the reach trait, as you can attack them from further away.

Second, it can create distance between you and your opponent. A well-timed trip can give you the space you need to back away if they are getting too close for comfort.

Another common use for trip is to control the battlefield. By knocking opponents prone, you can force a more advantageous situation, especially when facing multiple opponents.

Even knocking just one combatant prone can turn the tide of a fight in your favor.

Being Knocked Prone

When you trip an NPC, they fall to the ground. While prone, a creature is flat-footed and takes a -2 circumstance penalty to attack rolls. 

The only actions you can take while prone are the crawl or stand actions. You can also take cover against ranged attacks while prone, but your character will still be flat-footed . 

Once a character stands, the prone condition ends. However, standing up provokes an attack of opportunity. 

If you have an ally or multiple allies who can perform attacks of opportunity, surrounding and tripping an enemy can be a very effective strategy. When an opponent stands up, players with attacks of opportunity have a chance to do immense damage. 

Weapons That Use the Trip Trait

Several weapons have the trip trait. This means that they can be used to make trip attempts. The most common weapon with the trip trait is the bo staff. Other common weapons include the scythe, flail, and guisarme.

As mentioned before, using a weapon to trip your opponents can be a great way to control the battlefield. It can also set up an advantageous situation for you or your allies.

For example, if you have a character with the reach trait attacking an opponent who is knocked prone, they can do so without fear of retaliation. This can be a great way to take down tough opponents.

The trip trait uses the weapon’s reach. It also adds the weapon’s item bonus to attack rolls. Players who attempt to trip an opponent with a weapon and critically fail can drop the weapon to take the effects of a failure instead of a critical failure.  

We discuss a few of the best weapons with the trip trait below.

Made with thick leather, the whip is typically braided. This weapon is usually nonlethal but slashes enemies painfully and can be used from a distance. 

It’s a great choice for players who want to disarm or trip an opponent instead of eliminating them. And at only 1 sp, it’s also easily affordable for most characters.

This monk weapon is ideal for tripping opponents. The staff is long and slender with plenty of reach, which allows you to sweep the legs out from under an enemy. 

It’s also well-balanced and tapered at both ends. This versatile weapon is traditionally used in martial arts, and it works well as both a defensive and offensive weapon.

Temple Sword

An uncommon martial weapon designed for monks and other guardians of religious sites, the temple sword features a deadly, crescent-shaped blade. The blade’s crescent shape is perfect for hooking an opponent’s ankle or boot to trip them up. 

The pommels and blades of these swords often include holes designed to accommodate holy trinkets, like bells, that religious fighters can use during meditation or prayer.

This machete-like uncommon martial weapon has an imposing appearance with an inward curving blade and no crossguard at the hilt. 

The blade of a kukri is foot-long, giving bearers lots of reach. The cruel curve of the blade also makes this weapon suitable for tripping.

Traditionally, scythes are farming tools used to harvest grain. However, the scythe also functions as a deadly weapon in Pathfinder 2e, and its long wooden handle is excellent for tripping opponents. 

The wicked, curved blade at the handle’s end can also be slipped around an enemy’s lower legs or ankles. With a bit of practice, you can learn to sweep your enemies off their feet quickly.

Horsechopper

Another uncommon martial weapon, this unique blade was invented by goblins to slay horses in battle efficiently. Its long shaft offers good reach and ends in a blade with an intimidating hook, which means goblins can spear or slash cavalry horses from afar on the battlefield. 

The blade of a horsechopper can be used to trip fast-moving horses, taking the animal and its rider down. The handle and hooked blade of this weapon work excellently for tripping opponents. 

A flail is a weapon that consists of a handle attached to a weight by means of a chain. The weight can be anything from a spiked ball to an actual metal flail head. Regardless of the weight, all flails can be used to make trip attempts.

Any character trained in martial weapons can use a flail. Because it only takes one hand to operate a flail, they are traditionally paired with a shield. 

For extra damage, try using a war flail. Bigger and heavier than its smaller cousin, the war flail takes two hands to use and packs a hefty punch. 

The sickle is a simple melee weapon with a curved blade. It can be used to make trip attempts, as well as to harvest crops.

Don’t let its simple design fool you. A sickle can be extremely deadly, especially in the hands of a talented fighter.  

The guisarme is a polearm with a curved blade at the end. This long weapon can reach and trip opponents from a distance. It’s also an excellent weapon for dismounting horseback riders, making it a good choice when facing mounted opponents. 

The guisarme can also be used to disarm enemies or catch their weapons. 

Strategies for Using the Trip Trait

When using a weapon with the trip trait, you need to be aware of your surroundings and your opponent’s weaknesses. If obstacles surround your target, try to position yourself so that you can take advantage of this instead of letting it deter your attack. 

With the right positioning, you may be able to add damage to the attack. For example, you may be able to trip and knock your enemy down while they’re standing over a pit of spikes or a pool of acid.

You can also attempt to trip an opponent defensively, forcing your enemy into a prone position without incurring damage yourself. One of the best things about tripping an opponent with a long weapon is that you don’t have to get very close to an attacker to act, so you’re distanced from potential retaliation.

Tripping Out

Pathfinder tripping can be a fun and profitable way to take down your enemies. When using a weapon with the trip trait, be aware of your surroundings and use them to your advantage.

Position yourself to capitalize on your opponent’s weaknesses and add extra damage to the attack. You can also attempt to trip an opponent defensively.

With the right approach, you can take down your enemies without taking any damage yourself. So get out there and start tripping!

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Rules index | gm screen | player's guide, movement in encounters, grid movement, size, space, and reach, table 9-1: size and reach, move actions that trigger reactions, moving through a creature's space, prone and incapacitated creatures, creatures of different sizes, forced movement, difficult terrain, hazardous terrain, narrow surfaces, uneven ground, cover and large creatures, special circumstances, three-dimensional combat.

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• Community Use

I decided to give a Trip specialist a shot. They are indeed brutal. Almost nothing is immune to being knocked prone. Prone only provides a bonus against ranged attacks if you take cover while prone. Reflex saves are usually the lowest on many creatures.

I want to make sure I'm running this right in regards to flying creatures because knocking them out of the air seems pretty powerful.

The questions:

If you trip a flying creature, they are knocked to the ground prone if they are less than 500 feet up?

They can use the Arrest a Fall reaction to prevent themselves from taking any damage when falling, but are still knocked prone? Or they land without going prone because they don't take damage? Tripping doesn't require damage, but going prone when falling does. What rule applies? Trip or not taking damage when falling?

Even flying creatures must take an action to right themselves before taking other actions after being knocked prone? They can't fly off from the prone position?

Is anything immune to being knocked prone? From what I'm seeing everything can be tripped. Is that true? It trip the most powerful maneuver in PF2? The God Maneuver?

Swarms are immune to the prone I am sure their must be few other monsters who are as well.

I believe you only land prone from a fall if you take damage. If the flier successfully arrests their fall they will land gently, taking no damage, and not be prone. However they will be on the ground.

I vaguely remember something about swimming creatures not being able to be knocked prone, but I can't find it currently.

It's in the Prone condition .

Also, I think the interpretation that you only get a bonus to defense while prone if you take an action might be incorrect.

You're lying on the ground. You are flat-footed and take a –2 circumstance penalty to attack rolls. The only move actions you can use while you're prone are Crawl and Stand. Standing up ends the prone condition. You can Take Cover while prone to hunker down and gain greater cover against ranged attacks, even if you don't have an object to get behind, gaining a +4 circumstance bonus to AC against ranged attacks (but you remain flat-footed). If you would be knocked prone while you're Climbing or Flying, you fall (see Falling for the rules on falling). You can't be knocked prone when Swimming.

Take cover says:

You press yourself against a wall or duck behind an obstacle to take better advantage of cover. If you would have standard cover, you instead gain greater cover, which provides a +4 circumstance bonus to AC; to Reflex saves against area effects; and to Stealth checks to Hide, Sneak, or otherwise avoid detection. Otherwise, you gain the benefits of standard cover (a +2 circumstance bonus instead). This lasts until you move from your current space, use an attack action, become unconscious, or end this effect as a free action.

It's a bit obtuse, but I think there is potentially a case that being prone grants you some sort of bonus (or at least should) but it's not explicitly spelled out.

However, I would find it odd that you can take an action to take cover and get greater cover while prone with no object protecting you, but you wouldn't have at least light cover from being prone with no object protecting you. Not impossible (mechanically), just very odd.

Oh, and it appears that cover doesn't only apply to ranged attacks. It's simply a circumstance bonus to AC. I see no stipulation that it's only to ranged attacks the way prone worked in PF1.

Being prone makes you flat-footed, which gives a -2 penalty to AC against both melee and ranged attacks.

If you are prone out in the middle of an empty room, then you don't have cover. Being prone does not by itself give you cover against ranged attacks. Or melee attacks.

If you are prone, you can spend an action on Take Cover to get the +4 bonus against ranged attacks even if you don't have cover. You are still flat-footed and take the -2 penalty from that though. So that means that for ranged attacks you will have a net +2 bonus to AC if the only things affecting you are being flat-footed and taking cover. You will still be at -2 AC for melee attacks.

So Trip is still better than say [i]Earthbind[/b] at bringing something to the ground, even if it arrests it's fall preventing damage.

It is a lot more powerful than it was in PF1 from what I recall and a lot easier to do. Monks with Flurry of Maneuvers are nasty trippers.

I did find incorporeal creatures can't be tripped unless you have maybe a ghost touch rune to physically interact with an incorporeal creature.

As I understand it Take Cover requires an action even if you are prone to gain the cover bonus.

Deriven Firelion wrote: So Trip is still better than say [i]Earthbind[/b] at bringing something to the ground, even if it arrests it's fall preventing damage.

The way I've been running it is that as long as the weapon or specific unarmed attack has the rune and the action's trait, it can work. So in AV my monk that has Ghost Touch hand wraps and an attack with the Grapple trait can Grapple a ghost, but he can't Trip a ghost since he has no attacks with the Trip trait.

However, tripping a ghost brings up other questions, since most ghosts only have a fly speed...

breithauptclan wrote: Deriven Firelion wrote: So Trip is still better than say [i]Earthbind[/b] at bringing something to the ground, even if it arrests it's fall preventing damage.

There may also be the Extending rune. I think that RAW that only works for Strike, not Trip attacks with a flail for example. But I could see that being a reasonable houserule to allow.

Sure. But now you have to actually plan and build for that. It isn't just a standard Trip action that anybody has available.

You can also be human and go the Unconventional Weaponry route [Shoanti use bolas, derro use aklys].

Deriven Firelion wrote: I did find incorporeal creatures can't be tripped unless you have maybe a ghost touch rune to physically interact with an incorporeal creature.

Trip does indeed seem like a God Maneuver in PF2. It's super effective against almost anything and fairly easy to build up. Not sure I love Trip being this powerful myself, but we'll see how it goes.

I was referencing the argument that Ghosts only have a flying speed means they fall through the ground if they don't Fly on their turn. It's not an argument I particularly like, but it's out there.

Also please no one start arguing this here. It was just a reference.

My group is well aware of the effectiveness of tripping enemies, but yet still prefers most of the time to just do a damaging attack. Most trips are done via using assurance as a third action when done. I have not seen in my personal experience with any group I have played trip being abused or feeling too powerful.

Monks move real fast. As far as I know the bonus to movement for ground movement translates to flying which uses their ground movement to set the speed. It says add the movement bonus to your speed. Not sure the specifics of how that interacts with a variety of rules. With the base fly spell, they can cruise up to a flying creature and crush it to the ground fairly easy.

But when all you say is:

No, Earthbind is not the only, or arguably even the best possible option for bringing a flying creature down to the ground.

But for a level 5 party that finds out that they are going to be going up against a flying enemy tomorrow, having the Druid prepare Earthbind in the morning could be a lot easier and faster than running back to town to get a bola or six.

Deriven Firelion wrote: Monks move real fast. As far as I know the bonus to movement for ground movement translates to flying which uses their ground movement to set the speed. It says add the movement bonus to your speed. Not sure the specifics of how that interacts with a variety of rules. With the base fly spell, they can cruise up to a flying creature and crush it to the ground fairly easy.

Earthbind could still be useful for a lower level party.

Trip wasn't this powerful in PF1. It was a decent option, but it's a god maneuver in PF2 if you build for it. It slants battles toward the PCs in nearly every single fight, especially boss encounters where you destroy them. It's better than slow for much lower resource cost. Force the enemy to use an action to stand up while flat-footing them at the same time and stacks with slow for a completely useless enemy built of a skill you can build up to legendary. It's far more brutal than I recall in PF1. Sort of like the PF2 version of grappling, which was super harsh in PF1.

Sort of like the PF2 version of grappling, which was super harsh in PF1.

If they Escape, they have not only wasted an action, they have progressed MAP.

If they don't Escape, they have a 20% chance of losing any manipulate action they make. I don't think that affects Strike though. But it certainly affects a lot of ranged weapons being reloaded and most spellcasting.

Remember, monsters should be tripping too. :-) It's one of the overlooked flaws of ignoring Dex in heavy armor. IMO heavily armored PCs should be landing on their backs more often, especially if minions have trouble hitting you (or have AoOs) & if they have good Athletics of course (which most do).

PF1 did have some brutal trip builds, and standing up robbed enemies of their full attack while provoking to everybody. Or stay down and die. And that penalty stacked well while in PF2 it's on a list of sources for flat-footed which would be redundant together. The main hurdle was the investment needed, though there were shortcuts around that. I GMed an early PF1 Monk who'd had to invest normally (need decent Int & several feats) and he'd open by tripping everyone around him, which was often a death sentence as his Combat Reflexes hit at full BAB. I breathed a sigh of relief whenever a PFS boss couldn't be tripped! He could solo tank for a whole party of backrow PCs by tying up the enemies w/ tripping. In PF2, enemies can stand and still have movement to deliver their main attack against a backrow PC. Though yeah, PF2 backrow PCs might be surprisingly good at Trip too!

ETA: The fact Trip now works vs. flyers and enemies w/o legs (or w/ tons of legs) does make it more universally applicable in PF2, so that's an upgrade too.

Castilliano wrote: Remember, monsters should be tripping too. :-) It's one of the overlooked flaws of ignoring Dex in heavy armor. IMO heavily armored PCs should be landing on their backs more often, especially if minions have trouble hitting you (or have AoOs) & if they have good Athletics of course (which most do).

gesalt wrote: Castilliano wrote: Remember, monsters should be tripping too. :-) It's one of the overlooked flaws of ignoring Dex in heavy armor. IMO heavily armored PCs should be landing on their backs more often, especially if minions have trouble hitting you (or have AoOs) & if they have good Athletics of course (which most do).

xNellynelx wrote: Bulwark is on reflex saves, not reflex DC.

And at best Bulwark would apply to the critical success DC where trip causes damage, but not the regular success DC that only causes a non-damaging condition. And since having the standard DC and critical success DC be more than 10 points apart is a houserule, that probably doesn't work by RAW either.

Arrest a Fall says you take no damage on a success. It doesn't say anything about changing whether you would become prone or not. Falling Damage does it for sure, but a creature falling from a Trip is falling and receiving the prone condition from the Trip.

I'd argue that a flier knocked prone using Trip falls prone no matter what, but might mitigate their damage from the fall itself.

Claxon wrote: I believe you only land prone from a fall if you take damage. If the flier successfully arrests their fall they will land gently, taking no damage, and not be prone. However they will be on the ground.

If a flier successfully arrest their fall (easy check, but maybe you get lucky and they've already used their reaction) then they wont take any damage and will land on their feat.

ShieldLawrence wrote: Claxon wrote: I believe you only land prone from a fall if you take damage. If the flier successfully arrests their fall they will land gently, taking no damage, and not be prone. However they will be on the ground.

Hence why arresting the fall doesn't make you no longer knocked prone, it just prevents fall damage.

If you would be knocked prone while you're Climbing or Flying, you fall (see Falling for the rules on falling).

Success You fall gently, taking no damage from the fall.

If you were falling and you avoided the damage, do you avoid the Prone condition from falling? Yes.

If you received the Prone condition from an effect such as Trip, can you arrest a fall to avoid that Prone condition from that condition? No, not even if you were falling.

The Prone condition from the Trip should stand, since Arrest a Fall doesn't address Prone conditions; it only addresses falling damage (which can cause Prone itself).

The replacement part comes from these first three words.

So it is: if you would be knocked prone while flying, you fall instead of actually getting the prone condition.

Also, if you get tripped while high enough that you don't hit the ground, you certainly wouldn't be prone then.

A benefit of Earthbind is that it can force something to stay on the ground.

Also I vote for the interpretation that can be used to allow Dragons to drop 500ft if they Arrest a Fall after Dropping Prone to just nuke a party.

relevant rule:

Whenever a rule mentions your Speed without specifying a type, it’s referring to your land Speed.

There are ways to fly that have their speed based on your land speed though.

The natural reading is they fall and can arrest the fall if knocked prone while flying. It's still very powerful to be able to knock creatures to the ground in melee range without expending a spell slot.

I looked over Earthbind. It isn't a bad spell. Even on a success the creature ends up 120 feet lower to the ground, which can be enough for your party to close and hammer for a round depending on initiative order.

The natural reading is they fall and can arrest the fall if knocked prone while flying. It's still very powerful to be able to knock creatures to the ground in melee range without expending a spell slot. I looked over Earthbind. It isn't a bad spell. Even on a success the creature ends up 120 feet lower to the ground, which can be enough for your party to close and hammer for a round depending on initiative order.

I’m a big fan of the spell.

Cordell Kintner wrote: Deriven Firelion wrote: I did find incorporeal creatures can't be tripped unless you have maybe a ghost touch rune to physically interact with an incorporeal creature.

https://paizo.com/threads/rzs43oz4?Pathfinder-2e-lament#47

I think breithauptclan's reading is correct. Additionally supported by the first line of Prone, "You're lying on the ground.", which you can't possibly be doing while midair.

The only weird interaction with that is that flying 5 feet or less in the air now gives you trip protection, because if you get tripped, you don't fall far enough to take damage and actually go prone. I don't mind it though, gives at least a minor boon to fly over airwalk.

I think breithauptclan's reading is correct. Additionally supported by the first line of Prone, "You're lying on the ground.", which you can't possibly be doing while midair. The only weird interaction with that is that flying 5 feet or less in the air now gives you trip protection, because if you get tripped, you don't fall far enough to take damage and actually go prone. I don't mind it though, gives at least a minor boon to fly over airwalk.

If they're flying 5' above the ground, they're losing the major defensive advantage of flying. While that may or may not be relevant depending on timing & their attack options, they're still beholden to moving each round to maintain that. So a fine tactic for flying skirmishers (i.e. most Air Elementals or the Vrock & Gargoyle which seem built tactically to hover above their enemies), but that seems fitting it'd be difficult to pin them down.

You can also do it with Cat Fall and now you get the cake and eat it, too.

The Barbarian/Magus goes again and knocks them down. Rinse repeat. They commonly crit-succeed as well for that measly 1d6 damage, because as noted: Reflex is often the lowest defense.

It's become standard to the point where the Barbarian *always* does this sequence if he's next to the target, and if not, he just runs towards them first.

Yeah I've found that most monsters are better off just staying on the ground once they've been tripped and flanked. Granting all of your opponents an additional 0-MAP Strike per round is just too devastating. I think I wouldn't mind there being some generic Acrobatics rider action to avoid reactions from movement, with Kip Up and Mobility being the upgraded versions that just work automatically/faster.

Nimble Crawl negates offguard while prone at expert acrobatics.

I guess this would be a good time to bring up the Finesse weapon trait.

You can use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls using this melee weapon. You still use your Strength modifier when calculating damage.

Last I saw from poking around, the most solid ruling centered on whether or not a Trip is considered to be an attack roll.

You can use this weapon to Trip with the Athletics skill even if you don't have a free hand. This uses the weapon's reach (if different from your own) and adds the weapon's item bonus to attack rolls as an item bonus to the Athletics check. If you critically fail a check to Trip using the weapon, you can drop the weapon to take the effects of a failure instead of a critical failure.

---------------

I think the "Trip is the god maneuver" / "Trip is mechanically too good/outside the norm/ect" is an agreeable take.

I also want to bring PF2E's general encounter structure into the mix. Fights where the PCs outnumber the enemies are very common. And, Paizo balanced the math by making outnumbered monsters do more damage with greater + to hit, when IMO giving those monsters more actions at base (and with altered MAP progression) would have been the best way to preserve system balance.

IMO, it's this 3 action economy for monsters too, but choosing not give them more actions in an environment where spells, effects, and actions cost the same, is a big chunk of kryptonite. Once one really understands those consequences, it is perhaps a little too informative in terms of tactical decision-making.

Not balancing the # of actions for monsters intended to be worth multiple PCs means that anytime the PC side has more actions than the enemy side, all action-related effects are massively multiplied in value.

Trip is already amazing in a 1v1 PC v NPC. Versus single boss monsters? that -2 or even -3 to the chances of success does NOT compensate for how nuts of a cost-benefit that Trip attempt is.

No, DEX can't be used. That was a question once upon a time, but was settled after the 1st or 2nd round of CRB errata changed the "attack roll" definition, some years ago.

As far as I understand it, you don't get the off-guard benefit when you stand up. They swing against your full AC with a no MAP attack. Not great, but better than the alternative:

1. -2 for all your attacks

2. Off-guard against everyone doing anything.

3. Still setting off reaction attacks using any ability with manipulate while off-guard risking getting them disrupted by improving crit chances.

4. Not being able to move or use any move based ability.

Staying on the ground is worse the vast majority of the time. I tried doing the fight from the ground and it turned out worse for the monster staying down, especially if your group is particularly smart and moves out of range of attacks between hammering, especially a class like a monk who can move in and out flurrying with two attacks and picking up Mobility with rogue archetype moving in and out of range while hammering leaving someone like a champion, barb, or fighter the only target in range for easy focused healing.

Trip in a group is brutal game over ability against most bosses.

Bluemagetim wrote: Nimble Crawl negates offguard while prone at expert acrobatics.

yellowpete wrote: Yeah I've found that most monsters are better off just staying on the ground once they've been tripped and flanked. Granting all of your opponents an additional 0-MAP Strike per round is just too devastating. I think I wouldn't mind there being some generic Acrobatics rider action to avoid reactions from movement, with Kip Up and Mobility being the upgraded versions that just work automatically/faster.

The strategy I've seen being most effective is not just to trip, but to also redundantly flank the creature (because why not, you were gonna walk up anyways). That way, it is still off-guard to both Reactive Strikes it takes from standing up, making that the worse option for it (imo; no math done).

Trip.H wrote: IMO, it's this 3 action economy for monsters too, but choosing not give them more actions in an environment where spells, effects, and actions cost the same, is a big chunk of kryptonite. Once one really understands those consequences, it is perhaps a little too informative in terms of tactical decision-making.

A creature that can do a 2-action activity in 1 action as a special characteristic means that getting one action taken by a PC is twice the loss.

If said foe instead had 1 or 2 extra actions each turn, that alone mitigates the impact of loosing actions.

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Big and Little Creatures in Combat

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Table: Creature Size and Scale

Creatures smaller than Small or larger than Medium have special rules relating to position.

Tiny, Diminutive, and Fine Creatures : Very small creatures take up less than 1 square of space. This means that more than one such creature can fit into a single square. A Tiny creature typically occupies a space only 2-1/2 feet across, so four can fit into a single square. 25 Diminutive creatures or 100 Fine creatures can fit into a single square. Creatures that take up less than 1 square of space typically have a natural reach of 0 feet, meaning they can't reach into adjacent squares. They must enter an opponent's square to attack in melee. This provokes an attack of opportunity from the opponent. You can attack into your own square if you need to, so you can attack such creatures normally. Since they have no natural reach, they do not threaten the squares around them. You can move past them without provoking attacks of opportunity. They also can't flank an enemy.

Large, Huge, Gargantuan, and Colossal Creatures : Very large creatures take up more than 1 square.

Creatures that take up more than 1 square typically have a natural reach of 10 feet or more, meaning that they can reach targets even if they aren't in adjacent squares.

Unlike when someone uses a reach weapon, a creature with greater than normal natural reach (more than 5 feet) still threatens squares adjacent to it. A creature with greater than normal natural reach usually gets an attack of opportunity against you if you approach it, because you must enter and move within the range of its reach before you can attack it. This attack of opportunity is not provoked if you take a 5-foot step.

Large or larger creatures using reach weapons can strike up to double their natural reach but can't strike at their natural reach or less.

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