Trip Weapons?

[Noobooser]

I've never played Pathfinder before, and am working on my first character. I'm interested in wielding a flail, due to its ability to disarm/trip. My question though, is whether it allows you to make a disarm or trip attempt whenever you attack, or if you forego your attack in order to initiate said combat maneuver with the weapon?

For example, let's say I have two attacks per round (+6 Base Attack Bonus), wielding a flail would I be able to make two trip attempts (as part of the attack action)?

If it functions as a regular trip attempt without allowing you to still attack, what is the benefit of using such a weapon to trip, since a trip attempt normally takes the place of an attack action, thus giving up the option of doing damage for that attempt.

I apologize if this question seems silly, I just want to make sure I understand the rules properly before diving in.

 

[TanisFrey]

The trip will replace a single attack if you get more than one during a full attack. Yes, if you have a +6 BAB than you can make two trip attacks in a round.


If you move more than 5 feet than you can only make a single attack in that round.

 

[Dingo333]

a combat manuver replaces a normal attack, thus with a BAB +6 you can make 2 attacks, 2 combat manuvers or one of each.

A weapon with trip is one you can drop to avoid being tripped on a failed trip attempt

A weapon with disarm gives a +2 to disarm checks

f you wanna make a charater focused on tripping or disarming a whip is best, as you can whip anyone in 15ft and use dex on the bonus to hit with finesse a cleric or inquisitor of calistra will give you proficincy, and I would recomend on the whip once you get the gold/level to do it these abilities: brilliant energy, vicious and merciful. Brilliant will get the damage through armor which a normal whip cant, vicious will help with damage but beware the damage it will deal to you, and merciful is a nce bonus, and with heals, is really nice as heal spells and abilities heal an equal amount of nonletha and lethal

 

[Volaran]

a combat manuver replaces a normal attack, thus with a BAB +6 you can make 2 attacks, 2 combat manuvers or one of each.

Not always the case. Some designate that they are a standard action (bull rush, grapple, overrun, dirty trick, drag, reposition or steal) or part of a charge (bull rush and overrun).

The examples you gave (disarm and trip) can replace any attack, including iterative attacks, and attacks of opportunity. Since Noobooser is a new player, it may be best to make the distinction early on.

I do agree with Dingo's assessment of the whip as very useful for disarming and tripping, but you do give up the ability to threaten, and you draw attacks of opportunity if using it in melee. It would be advisable to keep a melee weapon present as well. The flail is a good one for a trip specialist, as the OP mentioned.

As Dingo 333 noted, the weapons designated as 'Trip' allow you to drop them to avoid being tripped if your attempt fails, but you can use the trip combat maneuvers without them.

 

[Kaisoku]

Normal trips are done without using a weapon. So you can be tripped in response (if you fail).

A trip weapon opens up the option of dropping the weapon if you fail at the trip (instead of being tripped yourself).

I believe it also qualifies as one of the following:

"Add any bonuses you currently have on attack rolls due to spells, feats, and other effects. These bonuses must be applicable to the weapon or attack used to perform the maneuver."

Which can really add to your trip attempts.

 

[Volaran]

It looks like Kaisoku is correct. Weapons with the Trip or Disarm qualities get to add extra bonuses to CMB for that purpose.

There is an excellent bit in the FAQ where Sean K Reynolds mentions this.

It even looks like that entry dates from this month, though the last update for the FAQ is showing as August of last year. Interesting...