Why so little love for the kusari-gama?

[Endarire]

Dungeon Master's Guide 144-145 has rules for a light, 1-handed version of the spiked chain.  It only does d6 damage compared to the spiked chain's 2d4, but you probably aren't using your chain for damage, either.

[dna1]

havent looked at it. but it sounds pretty badass.... but whats the bene's of having the 1 hand free? shield?.. umm what else?    im sure there is more options availible

some one more knowledge filled than my self should do like a pro's / con's list

[Endarire]

two.  Weapon.  Fighting.  Mind you, the Kusari-gama also functions as a spiked chain in most regards, meaning Shadow Blade works!

[Mixster]

Also because wielding a Kusari Gama in one hand makes no sense, no sense at all.

Please tell me how you'll do this with one hand.

It must have been a blunder on WotC's part, and I don't think any DM will allow you to use it like that, OA has much better rules for it.

[Sinfire Titan]

Light weapon=No Power Attack.

[Prime32]

Also because wielding a Kusari Gama in one hand makes no sense, no sense at all.

Please tell me how you'll do this with one hand.

It must have been a blunder on WotC's part, and I don't think any DM will allow you to use it like that, OA has much better rules for it.

Because kusari-gamas are often depicted innacurately, with someone holding it by the weight and spinning the sickle.

[ninjarabbit]

Because fully optimizing a kusari-gama build would be very feat intensive and MAD.

You'd need EWP, the 3 twf feats, combat expertise, improved trip, and probably weapon finesse. Improved disarm isn't worth it because it's a light weapon. So right there that's requiring 6 or 7 feats, 13+ int, and 19+ dex. And on top of that you'd need a secondary source of damage to make the twf worthwhile like sneak attack and multiple elemental weapon enchantments. Sure there's ways around that like swashbuckler, ranger, and wolf totem barbarian but it's a lot of work for not a significant payoff when you compare it to a typical spiked chain warrior.

[TheEndIsNear]

Because kusari-gamas are often depicted innacurately, with someone holding it by the weight and spinning the sickle.

That would be funny to see.

HAHA! (rips eye out)

GYAH!!!!!!!

[Agita]

Because kusari-gamas are often depicted innacurately, with someone holding it by the weight and spinning the sickle.

That would be funny to see.

HAHA! (rips eye out)

I... see what you did there.

Anyway, it may also have to do with the fact that the spinning sword from SoS takes more or less the same amount of work to optimize, but can be power attacked with (and does more base damage, for what it's worth).

[Lycanthromancer]

Also because wielding a Kusari Gama in one hand makes no sense, no sense at all.

Please tell me how you'll do this with one hand.

Like so.

Why shouldn't reality take a backseat to the Rule of Cool?

[Saeomon]

Why shouldn't reality take a backseat to the Rule of Cool?

I friggin' hate the Rule of Cool. *suppresses remainder of rant*

[altpersona]

dancing

gorillian arms

[Caelic]

Waitwaitwait...this is the same game system where the designers thought Dire Flails were a peachy-keen idea, and you expected them to know how a Kusari-Gama is realistically used?

[BruceLeeroy]

realistically....? Is this the DnD forums, or did I get lost on the way to Pun-Pun's house?

[Solo]

Why shouldn't reality take a backseat to the Rule of Cool?

I friggin' hate the Rule of Cool. *suppresses remainder of rant*

Go beyond the impossible, and kick reason to the curb!

[Saxony]

Gurren Lagann is showing up more and more.

That anime was so over the top. Worth many lulz; mostly the last half. It's on hulu.com if anyone wants a laugh.

[Sinfire Titan]

Gurren Lagann is showing up more and more.

That anime was so over the top. Worth many lulz; mostly the last half. It's on hulu.com if anyone wants a laugh.

I might just watch it.

[Echoes]

Gurren Lagann is showing up more and more.

That anime was so over the top. Worth many lulz; mostly the last half. It's on hulu.com if anyone wants a laugh.

Hell, the whole thing is worth it.

I love the fact that, despite being based entirely on Rule of Cool (seriously, you can do anything if you are hot-blooded and awesome enough), it's still internally consistent. They don't break the rules of their own universe, just ours.

[Prime32]

"Gurren Lagann"? Ew, dubs. Use the show's full title plz

[Saeomon]

Why shouldn't reality take a backseat to the Rule of Cool?

I friggin' hate the Rule of Cool. *suppresses remainder of rant*

Go beyond the impossible, and kick reason to the curb!

In retrospect, I should have looked up the common usage of the term. In my circles it has always meant that you had to pay out the nose in feats or skill points in order to do something relatively mundane simply because the designers of the game believe it to be "cool," and, therefore, arbitrarily limited its use.

See, e.g., real-world weapons that are labeled Exotic, and thus require a feat to be able to use properly, but which are A) functionally identical to many Simple or Martial weapons, and B) statistically inferior to many other Simple or Martial weapons, making the choice of taking them sub-par and thereby penalizing the person who wants their character to use that weapon for trying to up their character's "cool" factor.