The document provides an overview of whips as weapons and tools. It discusses whip variants and sizes, history and usage, optional rules for combat, and includes sample tables for stats, feats, and prestige classes focused on whip mastery. The document is intended as a reference for players and DMs to better understand whips and incorporate them into their games.
3. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
The Whip
Welcome to second book of the E.N. Arsenal, a quickening as the whip narrows toward the end, until the
series of d20 'mini-sourcebooks' focusing on particular tip of the whip delivers enough force to shatter glass or slice
weapons and their roles in real-world history and in classic flesh or hide. A whip wielder with even just a few years of
d20 fantasy games. Each book concentrates on a single experience can strike flies off the backs of cattle without
weapon, describing not only the weapon itself, but those harming the cows, pluck lizards off the ground and slice them
who use it, its history, and variations on the theme. Each in half while mid-air, and snuff candles from across a room.
book in the series is rules-intensive and includes optional
rules throughout the text, often in sidebars. Some of these A whip is like a firehose of energy. The more narrow
rules work well independently, but a majority work best the opening for the water (or energy), the faster it comes
when all the optional rules are applied, as some detract from out. You swing the whip, throwing it forward, delivering a
the usefulness or usability of the weapon while others force from the handle of the whip toward its tip. Since the
enhance the weapon. whip tapers along its length, as the force gets closer to the
tip, the wave of the force decreases in height, so the wave-
The whip is perhaps the most common 'exotic' weapon length also decreases, meaning the energy is traveling faster
in Fantasy d20 in terms of its popularity, which spreads and faster as the whip gets narrower and narrower. By the
across many different groups. Heroes as diverse as Indiana time the energy reaches the whip's fall and cracker, the
Jones, Catwoman, and Zorro have wielded the whip, and it strand is so narrow that the energy is traveling faster than
is generally perceived as one of the most complicated the speed of sound, and the tip of the whip drives the air
weapons to master. However, many cruel villains carry the with such force that it creates the intimidating sonic boom.
whip as a tool of pain-giving and oppression. The whip is
renowned for its dynamic style, while also possessing a A whip's tip is not actually delivering more total force
unique quality among weapons - sex appeal. Certainly the than what you impart to it when you swing it, but because
whip is many things to many people, and the material in it is concentrated into a tiny area, the effect is damaging. It's
this book will build upon the many exotic appeals of this the difference between dropping a 5-pound barbell and a 5-
tricky, supple weapon. pound spike onto someone's foot. The damage is very local-
ized, but more critical.
This book focuses solely on the whip and those variant
weapons that can create a similar loud crack. Other Crafting a whip begins with a core strand, called the
weapons, such as the cat-o'-nine-tails and flogger, while belly of the whip. Normal whips often simply use a thick
flexible as a whip, are wielded more like flails, and are not strip of leather for the belly, or even a rope, but masterwork
included. whips have specially woven leather cords weighted with
lead that provide better control in high winds, and which
Statistics
help the whip last longer. Around the belly are interwoven
multiple thin strands of leather. There is usually no hard
piece in a whip, though the handle is somewhat stiffer than
A whip is a vaguely rope-like weapon ranging from 6 the rest the weapon. The whip ends in the fall - a long
to 12 feet long, wielded by either swinging it like a long light strand of leather that absorbs the brunt of the strike - and
flail, or by throwing it forward in a special fashion to cause the cracker or popper - the very tip of the whip, which actu-
its tip to crack. The whip wielder moves the whip in a way ally produces the trademark crack of a whip. A whip user
that creates a wave that runs down the weapon's length, will likely have to replace his whip's fall and cracker some-
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4. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
Table 1.1: Whip Statistics by Size Category
Whip Cost Damage Crit Range* Weight Type Hardness / HP
Tiny 1 gp 1 X2 10 ft. (+10 ft.), - Slashing 2/1
Small 1 gp 1d2 X2 15 ft. (+10 ft.) .5 lb Slashing 2/3
Medium 1 gp 1d3 X2 15 ft. (+10 ft.) 1 lb Slashing 2/5
Large 2 gp 1d4 X2 30 ft. (+20 ft.) 2 lb Slashing 2 / 10
Huge 4 gp 1d6 X2 45 ft. (+30 ft.) 4 lb Slashing 2 / 20
Gargantuan 8 gp 1d8 X2 60 ft. (+40 ft.) 8 lb Slashing 2 / 40
Colossal 16 gp 2d6 X2 90 ft. (+60 ft.) 16 lb Slashing 2 / 80
* An appropriately-sized whip triples a creature's natural reach. The above entries are typical reach for a humanoid crea-
ture of the appropriate size. The parenthetical entry is the exact amount the whip increases its wielder's reach, for pur-
poses of determining the reach of creatures using whips not sized for them.
what regularly, but this is a normal part of whip mainte- You can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your
nance, and does not weaken the whip itself. Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to
attack rolls with a whip sized for you, even though it isn't a
Different variations on whips exist around the world, light weapon.
even in the same culture, with different whips used for spe-
cial purposes. The standard whip is also known as the bull- A whip cannot be damaged by bludgeoning weapons,
whip. The stockwhip has a long, stiff handle, with the and so can only be sundered by slashing attacks. Unlike
length of the whip attached separately, though this does not wood, stone, or metal weapons, whips are not vulnerable to
change the whip's game statistics. Signal whips tend to be sonic attacks. Divide sonic damage by 4 before applying
shorter, between 3 and 6 ft., which makes them less useful hardness. This resistance only applies to standard whips
for combat, but more flexible for making rapid, complicated made from once-living material. Metal whips take normal
signals, and for performing tricks. Various other 'weapons' full damage from sonic attacks.
use ribbons that can be effective at entangling foes, but are
unable to injure.
Most whips can simply be coiled when not in use, then
hung from a hook on a wall or on one's belt. Some more Opti onal Rules
bizarre whip variants, such as the whipsword, must be
stowed in sheathes to prevent their sharp edges from being
Size and Reach
a threat, but with a normal whip it is nearly impossible to The core rules provide few hints to how whips
hurt yourself by dropping or mishandling it. Whips can be sized for different creatures affect their wielder's reach,
very difficult to manage when in use, and many whip but as a guideline for this book, whips are assumed to
wielders cut themselves once or twice when first learning to triple their wielder's natural reach, or at least add 5 ft. If
use the weapon. the prospect of giants whirlwind attacking every crea-
ture within 60 ft. is inappropriate for your game, you can
A whip deals nonlethal damage. It deals no damage to whips just provide an extra 5 ft. beyond the normal dou-
any creature with an armour bonus of +1 or higher, or a nat- bling effect of reach weapons.
ural armour bonus of +3 or higher. The whip is a melee
weapon with a 15-foot reach, though you don't threaten the Whip Weapon Group
area into which you can make an attack. In addition, unlike
The Exotic Weapon Proficiency (whip) lets you
most other weapons with reach, you can use it against foes
wield not just the whip, but any of the whip-like
anywhere within your reach (including adjacent foes).
weapons detailed below. The basics of these weapons
Using a whip provokes an attack of opportunity.
are similar enough that knowledge of one lets you wield
any other proficiently. However, other feats that must
Because a whip can wrap around an enemy's leg or
be chosen for a specific weapon, such as Weapon Focus
other limb, you can make trip attacks with it. If you are
or Improved Critical, only apply to the specific weapon
tripped during your own trip attempt, you can drop the
chosen.
whip to avoid being tripped.
When using a whip, you get a +2 bonus on opposed
attack rolls made to disarm an opponent (including the roll
to keep from being disarmed if the attack fails).
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5. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
History Opti onal Rules
Whips as Weapons
The statistics for whips in the core rules are those
of standard bullwhips intended for herding cattle or
driving slaves. It would not be much of a leap to assume
that whips designed for combat would be designed better
to actually serve as weapons, or that those trained to use
whips in combat would know how to actually harm foes
with them.
This book assumes as a default that you will use
whips as presented in the core rules. However, you may
consider freely granting those proficient in whips the
Whip Strike feat, detailed later, which allows whips to
harm creatures in armour. It is certainly no more unlike-
ly that a whip could injure a warrior in plate armour than
a shuriken or unarmed punch could. Attacks this way
can be described as the whip striking with enough force
to bruise beneath the armour, or as the whip striking a
bit of exposed skin, or even as an exotic trick, such as
wrapping a foe's limb and pulling, injuring by straining
muscles and joints. Remember, a punch merely bruises;
a whip can slice flesh through leather.
In the real world, the whip has never been widely used
as a weapon. Compared to more traditional swords and Damage should still be nonlethal, however, due to
spears, the whip was simply inferior for the purposes of the difficulty of actually causing serious injury with a
harming enemies. In China and Japan, martial arts styles whip. A character can always take a -4 penalty to his
made use of a variety of chain or flail weapons, but even attack roll in order to deal real damage with a whip, or he
these cultures never adopted the whip as a common weapon. can wield a more dangerous weapon, such as a bladed
whip or whip sword.
Whips as Tools
Whips are useful tools for controlling people and
animals. If you wield a whip (even non-proficiently),
you gain a +2 bonus to Handle Animal checks to handle
an animal or push an animal. Also, though normally an
injured animal is harder to control (+2 DC), if you strike
an animal with a whip, the DC does not increase as long
as you still are armed with the whip. Creatures reared by
beating are typically cowed by the presence of the whip,
but are difficult to control without the threat of injury.
Throughout history, the whip has primarily been rele- Though whips do not threaten an area in combat,
gated to being a tool for driving animals - people as well as while armed with a whip you may use the Intimidate
livestock. A person wielding a whip can be fairly confident skill against any foe within reach of your whip, by crack-
that he won't seriously harm the creature he strikes, but the ing the whip menacingly. If you have dealt damage to
pain is sharp enough to keep the creature in line. The whip the creature with the whip, you gain a +2 bonus to this
is thus a symbol as much for ranchers as it is for slavers and Intimidate check.
torturers.
Some cultures use whips to send signals. The base
Listen DC to hear a whip crack is -5.
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6. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
The association of the whip with sex came about, in
the real world at least, as part of the social shift caused by
female empowerment in the last few decades of the 20th
century. While a few virile heroes such as Zorro or Indiana
Jones have wielded whips, such characters were typically
rugged men of the wilderness. In the modern urban culture,
the whip is much more strongly associated with female sex-
ual dominance, primarily due to its position as a toy for
sado-masochistic sex play.
Certainly the whip mixes
sexual symbols, combining a
long, vaguely phallic shape
with supple movement,
grace, and mystique. It is a
weapon that can cause harm
even if the wielder is not
very strong, a weapon that
can be associated with tradi-
tional roles of both men and
women.
Racial Preferences
The whip originated among humans as a tool for driv-
ing herds of animals. The elves took easily to the finesse
the whip required, and soon this common rancher's imple-
ment became an elvish weapon respected for its grace and
speed. Halflings and dwarves generally find little of inter-
est in this weapon, but many gnomes delight in the extreme
complexity of the whip's fighting style. Orcs, while in no
ways pioneers of the weapon, have taken certain cruel deri-
vations of it as their own, particularly the various bladed
whips. Dark elves, however, seem most well-suited to the
whip, their temperaments matched by the alternating sub-
tlety and flashing force of this supple weapon.
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7. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
Whip Variants
The traditional bullwhip is the basis for many Ribbon Staff
tools designed as weapons more than as equipment for driv- A ribbon staff is a double weapon, one end a quarterstaff,
ing animals. While a standard whip is relatively ineffectu- the other a whip. A wielder proficient in either weapon can
al in harming a person, many of the variants below can use the appropriate end proficiently. The whip end is actu-
maim and kill just as easily as any sword. Others empha- ally a weighted ribbon one or two inches across, which can-
size the less aggressive aspects of the whip, ignoring injury not deal damage, but which can be used just as a whip in all
in favour of utility. other ways. The quarterstaff end of the ribbon staff can be
used as a normal quarterstaff, except that the staff itself
Bladed Whip cannot be used as a double weapon; the weight of the ribbon
This weapon is constructed much like a whip, only that the is such that only one end of the staff can be used in combat.
plaited strands of the whip also include several specially A wielder can use both the ribbon and the staff end
designed metal strips with slashing edges, and that the fall simultaneously, taking the normal penalties associated with
consists of either a blade or sharpened chain segments. two-weapon fighting. A wielder can also use just one end of
Alternately, a bladed whip might be covered in spikes, the weapon at a time, even switching between attacks in a
thorns, or other jagged edges. Unlike a normal whip, a blad- full attack.
ed whip deals real damage, but it can still not harm creatures Weapon Ribbon Staff
with an armour bonus of +1 or higher, or a natural armour Cost 1 gp
bonus of +3 or higher. A bladed whip has hardness 3. In all Damage (s/m) -/- and 1d4 / 1d6
/
other ways, a bladed whip is just like a normal whip. Critical 20/x2
Weapon Bladed Whip Weight 4 lb
Cost 25 gp Type Slashing
Damage (s/m) 1d4 / 1d6
Critical 19-20/x2
2
Weight 3 lb
Signal Whip
Type Slashing A signal whip works exactly like a whip, except that it pro-
vides only normal reach (10 ft. for Small and Medium crea-
tures), but it grants the wielder a +2 bonus to checks for
Longwhip trick shots and on maneuvers with the Third Hand feat. In
Some characters may wish to wield ridiculously long whips. all other ways, a signal whip is just like a normal whip.
Rather than using an alternate version of the whip that pro-
vides greater reach, instead simply have the character use a Weapon Signal Whip
whip sized for a larger creature. The Mighty Grip feat, Cost 1 gp
detailed below, allows a character to use such a weapon. Damage (s/m) 1/1d2
Critical 20/x2
Weight 1 lb
Type Slashing
Table 2.1: Whip Variants
Weapon Cost Damage Critical Weight Type Special
Bladed Whip 25 gp 1d6 19-20 / x2 3 lb Slashing Lethal Damage
Ribbon Staff 5 gp - /1d6 x2 4 lb - / Bludgeoning Double Weapon
Signal Whip 2 gp 1d2 x2 1 lb Slashing Trick Shot Bonus
Thornstar 25 gp 1d8 x2 8 lb Slashing/Bludgeoning/Piercing Lethal Damage
Whipsword 400 gp 1d8 19-20 / x2 6 lb Slashing Sword and/or Whip
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8. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
Thornstar
The thornstar is a cross between a bladed whip and a spiked
Craftsmanship
flail. The length of the cord is leather and metal like a blad- Though most whips involve no metalwork at all, their
ed whip, but the weapon ends with a spiked ball. Because of crafting is by no means simple. The crafting of a whip
its multifaceted construction, a thornstar deals real damage, requires properly braiding and aligning many strands of
and can be used to deal any combination of slashing, bludg- leather, which first must be measured, cut, cured, and
eoning, or piercing damage, though it cannot deal slashing weighted. The number of strands used to create the whip
damage against creatures with an armour bonus of +1 or has some effect on the weapon's quality, but there is little
higher, or a natural armour bonus of +3 or higher. It can be noticeable difference between one with eight strands and
used for trip and disarm attempts, but not for the feat Third one with sixteen.
Hand, or any feats that have it as a prerequisite. A thorn-
star has hardness 3. In all other ways, a thornstar is just like The basic techniques for crafting whips have not much
a normal whip. changed over centuries, though unlike many historical
Weapon Thornstar weapons, the construction of quality whips has been
Cost 25 gp improved slightly in recent years. While there is no drive
Damage (s/m) 1d6 / 1d8 to make more efficient swords today, whips are used often
Critical 20/x2 enough that attention is still given them.
Weight 8 lb Today in the real world, kangaroo leather is common-
Type Slashing, Bludgeoning, Piercing ly touted as the optimal choice for whip craftsmanship, and
the most well-made whips are weighted with carefully-dis-
Whipsword tributed lead to aid in controlling the whip in strong winds.
This weapon normally resembles a plain longsword, though In a fantasy setting, however, many more exotic materials
its blade actually consists of multiple segments that can and craftsmanship techniques are available. Strands of
detach from each other. A metal cord links the segments mithral might be interwoven within the leather, and the
and the hilt of the sword, running through the center of tanned sinews of dragons might be stronger than any hide.
each segment, allowing the whipsword to function as either Variants of whips with blades demand the craftsman be
a longsword or a unique whip-like weapon. By activating a skilled in both leatherworking and metalworking, except in
special mechanism on the weapon, you can switch between rare cases of mysterious metals that are as flexible as
sword and whip form as a move action. If you are profi- leather. Integrating metal components with once-living
cient in longswords or whips, you can use the whipsword material might be even more taxing of a weaponmaker's
proficiently when it is in the appropriate form. skill than any mere blade could be.
Because the weapon is somewhat less flexible than a
normal whip, the wielder suffers a -2 penalty to special Crafting what one would consider a
maneuvers that require finesse, like tripping, disarming, 'masterwork' whip would simply involve
and using the abilities of the Third Hand feat. This cancels using the highest quality leather, taking
out the normal +2 bonus to disarming with a whip. greater care with the braiding, and
Characters cannot use the Weapon Finesse with being certain to weigh and
whipswords. balance the whip to
Regardless of what form the weapon is in, it deals make it effective at
damage as a longsword. Normally, warriors will keep the all distances.
weapon in sword form for better defense, only switching to
whip form when they need longer reach and do not worry
about attacks of opportunity.
Unlike a normal whip, a whipsword deals real damage,
and more importantly it can harm creatures regardless of
their armour or natural armour bonus. A whipsword has
hardness 10 and 5 hit points. In whip form, its hardness is
reduced to 5 because the vulnerable linking cord is exposed.
In sword form it can be harmed by bludgeoning weapons
and is vulnerable to sonic attacks, but not in whip form.
Weapon Whipsword
Cost 400 gp
Damage 1d6 / 1d8
Critical 19-20/x2
2
Weight 6 lb
Type Slashing
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9. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
There are other ways to improve a weapon. Of all the Dweomerflesh
weapons of all the armouries of the world, only whips are Dweomerflesh whips can be made from the hide of any
primarily made from pieces of animals, and so those with creature with damage reduction x/magic, including most
access to leather from exotic or magical creatures can outsiders and dragons. Dweomerflesh whips bypass dam-
attempt to craft whips that possess the traits of these crea- age reduction as if they were magic weapons.
tures. These whips cost an additional 800 gp, and are auto-
Additionally, particularly devoted whip craftsmen matically considered to be masterwork.
know how to use choice parts of a creature's hide to improve
a whip's strength, durability, and agility. These compo- Feyhart Leather
nents must be added during the creation of the whip, much Made from the hide of deer of the realm of the faeries, fey-
like creating a masterwork weapon. hart leather bypasses the damage reduction of creatures as if
it were made of cold iron, thus allowing it to harm fey crea-
Durability - Craft DC 18, 100 gp value tures with ease.
A whip with this enhancement has 2 extra hit Feyhart leather has hardness 5 and twice as
points. This enhancement can be applied up to 5 times many hit points as normal leather.
through repeated treating of the leather and subtle Whips made of feyhart leather cost
reinforcement weak sections, to bring the final hit twice as much as their normal counter-
points up by +10. parts. Also, any magical enhancements
cost an additional 2,000 gp.
Hardened - Craft DC 20, 150 gp value
While normal whips can be used to crack Moonhair
bottles and slice flesh, they are vulnerable to
Woven from strands of the victims of
sundering. Special crafting techniques
lycanthropes whose hair has bleached in
enable whips to yield to blows rather than be
the moonlight, cords of moonhair, properly
damaged by them. This enhancement
plaited, can be used to create whips of pale
increases the hardness of the weapon by +2,
blue. These whips bypass damage reduction as
and can be applied twice for a final hard-
if they were made of silver.
ness of +4.
Moonhair whips cost an extra 90 gp.
Reduced Weight - Craft DC 20, vari-
able value Roper Oil
This enhancement reduces the Made of the blended juices of roper
weapon's weight by half, though such is strands and the flesh of mimics, this
barely worthwhile except for metal whips. alchemical oil is a variant of a tanglefoot
The market value depends on the amount bag. It can be thrown to as a normal tan-
of material used. Multiply the item's hit glefoot bag, but roper oil can also be
points by 10 to determine the market value applied to a whip as a standard action,
in gold pieces. making the whip sticky for one minute
thereafter. Any successful attack or touch
Displacerhide attack adheres the whip to whatever sur-
face it struck. A Strength check (DC 15) is
Whips crafted from the leather of beasts
required to pull free from the whip.
with displacement abilities share those crea-
The wielder can drag objects closer;
tures' displacement ability. Attacks targeting
light objects can be moved easily, heavier
the whip have a 50% miss chance as if the
objects can only be dragged 5 or 10 ft. per
whip had total concealment. True seeing
round. The wielder can also make an opposed Strength
reveals its true location.
check to drag a creature on the far end of the rope closer,
Additionally, the wielder of a displacerhide
which is resolved like a reverse bull rush. The other crea-
whip can benefit from the Hidden Strike feat,
ture may attempt the same thing, but the wielder can choose
detailed in the Fighting and Feats section, below.
to release the whip instead of being pulled.
Displacerhide whips cost an additional 4000
One application of roper oil costs 100 gp.
gp, and are automatically considered to be master-
work.
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10. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
Fighting & Feats
Tactics, Tricks & Bullrushing
It is not possible to bull rush with a whip, but a large
Techniques enough creature can use the Awesome Blow feat to drive
creatures away with its whip, since a whip is a melee
Unique among weapons, the whip is rather ineffective weapon.
at injuring foes. Whips are best utilized with special tech-
niques to frustrate your opponents, and they are particular- Disarming
ly useful for grasping objects from a distance, and for creat- The whip grants its wielder a +2 bonus to both make
ing signals that can be heard at a distance." and resist disarm attempts. The game master may allow
you to cause a weapon you disarm with your whip to fall to
Attacking the ground anywhere between you and your foe. If you
A standard whip is not the most effective weapon for intend to attempt a lot of disarming with your whip, but no
dealing damage. It is at its most useful against humanoid tripping, it is a safe bet to use a locked gauntlet, giving you
foes, and practically useless against huge monsters. With a further +10 bonus to resist disarm attempts. Standard
some of the feats presented below, some of these drawbacks locked gauntlets, however, give the user a -10 penalty to var-
can be overcome, but a whip simply is no match even for a ious trick shots below, as well as uses of the Third Hand
normal dagger if you just want to injure a foe. A warrior feat. A locked gauntlet made specially for a whip does not
that specializes in a whip will most likely need to take one have this penalty, but cannot be used for other types of
of the two following paths. weapons.
First, and most common, is the whip as a utility A locked gauntlet is also useful because you can always
weapon, excellent for weakening foes by disarming, trip- strike with the gauntlet hand if your foes get too close for
ping, or simply taking pot shots at foes who happen to be your whip to be effective. You cannot use the gauntlet for
within reach. The whip will usually not be used to actually attacks of opportunity if you used your whip as a weapon
harm the foe, but if it is, it will be most effective when com- the same round, but it is still a useful option to have avail-
bined with sneak attacks. A ranger/rogue, wielding a pair able.
of whips, can trip numerous mooks, deal a bit of damage
with bonus attacks from Improved Trip, and clear the way Grappling
for stronger warriors to reach the main foe. Such a warrior With the proper feats, a whip can be used to grapple a
will want to remain mobile, never letting enemies get with- foe, albeit at a great penalty.
in melee range.
Power Attacks
Alternately, a warrior could attempt to eke out every Though many overlook the fact, a whip is a one-hand-
possible bit of damage for his whip. Because the whip itself ed melee weapon, and thus is eligible for use with the Power
deals minimal damage, magic enhancements such as flam- Attack feat. Combined with Great Cleave, a whip is a
ing, bane, or holy are precious. Great Cleave or Whirlwind handy back-up weapon for a high-level fighter who is faced
Attack take greatest advantage of the whip's reach for pur- with numerous weak foes.
poses of dealing damage. This option is best for larger war-
riors, and if you can get a mage ally to enlarge you, your
whip's reach will improve dramatically.
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11. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
Sunder Two-Weapon Fighting
The low damage-dealing abilities of whips make them You may wish to keep a secondary weapon in your off
nearly useless for purposes of sundering. hand as a defense against foes who get too close for your
whip to be used effectively. While there is no penalty asso-
ciated with simply holding a weapon in your free hand, you
Trick Shots cannot use that weapon to makes attack of opportunity
If you are proficient in whips, you can use a whip to unless you declare you are intending to use it as a weapon
manipulate objects at a distance. Each such attempt for that round.
requires an attack roll against the touch AC of the target.
Allies may forgo their Dexterity bonus to AC to make it For instance, Quillathe typically wields a whip in her
easier for you to grab them. The maximum range for such right hand, a rapier in her left. If she chose, she could treat
an action is your reach with the whip. the rapier as not readied for a round. If she did, she would
be unable to use the rapier to make attacks of opportunity
-You can wrap your whip around a protrusion or until her next round, but she would also not take penalties
object as a standard action. The grip of the whip is firm for fighting with two weapons. If she chose to keep the
enough for you to use it as a rope to climb or swing on, or rapier readied as a weapon, she would take penalties to her
to let you drag the grabbed object. If done as part of a move attacks with the whip, even if no one ever came within
action to assist you in a jump, you can swing and add an range of the rapier.
extra 20 feet to your jump, and add 5 feet to a high jump that
terminates at the end of the swing, assuming a well-posi- Wielding two whips simultaneously is possible, and
tioned object to swing from. You can release the grabbed has all the associated penalties appropriate for wielding two
item as a free action. one-handed weapons.
-You can make a melee attack as part of your swing on
a whip (with another weapon than the whip, obviously),
resolving the attempt as a charge attack, gaining a +1 bonus
The Calamity Symphony
to your attack for higher ground. Alternately, you may This legendary and epic whip technique requires a
attempt a bull rush or trip attempt, gaining a +1 bonus to whip-wielder have the epic feat Self-Opportunist and both
your Strength check for every 5 feet you swing (to a maxi- a Strength and Dexterity score of 25 or higher, as well as the
mum of 20 feet). A trip attempt in this manner is more akin feats Greater Melee Lash, Improved Awesome Blow,
to a bull rush, except that you knock your foe down instead Improved Combat Reflexes, and Snagging Trip. She must
of back. If you fail and are tripped, you fall to the ground, also be Large size or larger, or else somehow be able to qual-
but suffer no other special penalty. ify for the Awesome Blow feat while smaller. It is practi-
-You can use your whip to arrest yourself from falling cally impossible to use this technique against an equally-
as a reaction by wrapping the whip around a protrusion or a skilled foe, but against those less-experienced it is devastat-
creature. Doing this uses up an attack of opportunity for ing.
the round, so if you have already used all of yours for the
round, you cannot use this ability. Make an attack roll (AC The whip-wielder first uses Awesome Blow to drive
20, or the touch AC of an unwilling target if that is higher), her foe away 10 ft. Because of Self-Opportunist the whip-
and if you succeed and the object is at least twice as heavy wielder is able to take two attacks of opportunity. She uses
as you, you automatically stop your fall. If you instead use one as a normal attack, and the other to trip the foe and drag
your whip to try to grab a creature, that creature makes a him closer with Snagging Trip, which incurs another attack
Strength check to arrest your fall (DC 10 if you are a light of opportunity. She uses this attack of opportunity to again
load for it, DC 15 for a medium load, or DC 20 for a heavy drive the foe around with Awesome Blow, and repeats the
load). If you are heavier than that, both you and the crea- cycle. As long as she can keep on hitting, there is no limit
ture you grabbed fall together. to the number of attacks she can make.
-You can use your whip to arrest the fall of another
creature, or a falling object. This functions as above with
grabbing a creature, except that you make the Strength
check to hold the weight of the falling creature.
Tripping
One of the most effective tactics with a whip is to trip
a foe, though typically you'll need a secondary weapon to
injure your fallen foe.
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Table 3.1: Whip Feats
General Feats Prerequisite Benefit
Clinch Attack Dex 13, Improved Unarmed Strike, Grab a foe and strike while he's at your mercy.
Improved Grapple, BAB+6
Summon Suffering Clinch Attack, Exotic Weapon Inflict pain with a special whip throw.
Proficiency (whip), Melee Lash, BAB+11
Dancing Strike Dex 13, Dodge One-weapon defensive fighting style.
Deafening Crack Exotic Weapon Proficiency (whip), Deafen with your whip crack.
Intimidate 4 ranks
Glutton for Punishment - DR 2 against nonlethal damage, bonuses when
you're injured a little.
Greater Disarm Dex 13, Int 13, Combat Expertise, Bonus attack after disarming a foe.
Improved Disarm
Hidden Strike Int 13, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint as a free action when attacking from conceal-
Feint ment.
Melee Lash Dex 15, Exotic Weapon Proficiency Threaten 5 ft. with a whip, can attack in melee with
(whip), BAB+1 no attack of opportunity.
Improved Melee Lash Dex 17, Melee Lash, BAB+6 Threaten 10 ft. with a whip.
Greater Melee Lash Dex 19, Improved Melee Lash, BAB+11 Threaten 15 ft. with a whip.
Mighty Grip Str 13, BAB+1 Wield over-sized weapons
Mighty Strike Str 19, Power Attack, BAB+13 You are treated as a size larger for special maneuvers
One Free Hand Int 13, Combat Expertise +1 to attack when using a single one-handed weapon
Snagging Trip Int 13, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip Drag a tripped foe toward you.
Strike Around Combat Expertise, BAB+4 Negate some of the benefits of shields.
Style Focus Dex 15, proficiency with chosen weapons, Variant of Weapon Focus for unmatched weapons
Two-Weapon Fighting, BAB+1 used with two-weapon fighting. +1 bonus on attack
rolls with chosen weapons.
Style Specialization Style Focus, fighter level 4th +2 bonus on damage rolls with chosen weapons.
Greater Style Focus Style Focus, fighter level 8th +2 bonus on attack rolls with chosen weapons.
Greater Style Greater Style Focus, fighter level 12th +4 bonus on damage rolls with chosen weapons.
Specialization
Third Hand Dex 13, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (whip), Use whip like a third hand.
Weapon Finesse, Use Rope 4 ranks
Ranged Grapple Third Hand Grapple or entangle with a whip.
Whip Strike Exotic Weapon Proficiency (whip) Harm armoured foes with whips.
Whipsword Shift Exotic Weapon Proficiency (whip), Martial Switch from whip to sword form as swift action.
Weapon Proficiency (longsword)
Epic Feats
Improved Awesome BlowStr 25, Awesome, Improved Bull Rush, Use awesome blow with every attack.
Power Attack, size Large or larger
Self-Opportunist Dex 25, Combat Reflexes Make attacks of opportunity when you force a foe to
move.
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13. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
Feats whip's reach. You can make attacks of opportunity with the
whip within that area.
Throughout this section, feats that fighters can select Normal: A whip has 15-ft. reach, but does not threat-
using one of their class bonus feats are marked as [Fighter] en that area.
feats. Other classes may still select these feats as normal.
Feats that provide new options for whips work likewise for Greater Disarm [Fighter]
other whip-like weapons. You can strike a foe after disarming him.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Int 13, Combat Expertise,
Clinch Attack [Fighter] Improved Disarm.
Benefit: When a character with this feat successfully
You can grab a foe and strike him while he’s under
disarms a foe in melee combat, he gets an immediate, extra
your control.
melee attack against the creature disarmed as if the charac-
Prerequisite: Dex 13, Improved Grapple, Improved
ter had not used an attack on the disarm attempt.
Unarmed Strike, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: While grappling, if you attack your opponent
you can use one-handed weapons, and you do not suffer a - Hidden Strike [Fighter]
4 penalty to your attack roll. You take excellent advantage of being unseen in com-
bat.
Dancing Strike [Fighter] Prerequisites: Int 13, Combat Expertise, Improved
Feint.
Your one-handed fighting style is mobile enough that
Benefit: Whenever your opponent has a miss chance
your attacks aid your defense.
against you from concealment, you can make a Bluff check
Prerequisite: Dex 13, Dodge.
to feint in combat as a free action once for each attack you
Benefit: When wielding a single weapon, if you have
make, instead of as a move action.
a hand free that is not holding anything, attacking, or using
Remember that if you also suffer a miss chance
a shield, you gain a +1 dodge bonus to your AC. When you
because of concealment when attacking your foe, you can-
are fighting defensively or using the total defense action,
not get extra damage dice from sneak attack.
this bonus increases to +2.
Special: A character with this feat wielding a displac-
erhide whip can always feint as a free action once per attack,
Deafening Crack [Fighter] unless his opponent can see through the whip's displace-
You can deafen with the crack of your whip. ment effect.
Prerequisite: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (whip),
Intimidate 4 ranks. Improved Awesome Blow [Epic]
Benefit: You may choose to have attacks with your
You can make several awesome blows per round.
whip deliver a crack loud enough to deafen the target. In
Prerequisite: Str 25, Awesome, Improved Bull Rush,
place of an attack, you can make a ranged touch attack
Power Attack, size Large or larger.
against the target, and if you hit you deal no damage, but the
Benefit: You can make an Awesome Blow as part of a
target must make a Fortitude save (DC 10) or be deafened
normal attack, instead of as a standard action.
for one round. You may take a penalty to this attack roll up
to your base attack bonus and add an equal amount to the
DC to resist the deafening. Improved Melee Lash [Fighter]
You threaten a larger area around you with a whip.
Glutton for Punishment [General] Prerequisite: Dex 17, Melee Lash, Exotic Weapon
Proficiency (whip), base attack bonus +6.
You like pain.
Benefit: When armed with a whip or other whip-like
Benefit: You gain damage reduction 2/- against non-
weapon, you threaten an area around you equal to twice
lethal damage. Whenever you do take nonlethal damage, if
your normal unarmed reach. You can make attacks of
you do not have any lethal damage, you gain a +2 morale
opportunity with the whip within that area.
bonus to attack rolls and a -2 penalty to AC for one round.
Normal: A whip has 15-ft. reach, but does not threat-
en that area.
Greater Melee Lash [Fighter]
Your whip dances around you, keeping all foes at bay. Melee Lash [Fighter]
Prerequisite: Dex 19, Melee Lash, Exotic Weapon
You threaten the area around you with a whip.
Proficiency (whip), Improved Melee Lash, base attack
Prerequisite: Dex 15, Exotic Weapon Proficiency
bonus +11.
(whip), base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: When armed with a whip or other whip-like
Benefit: When armed with a whip or other whip-like
weapon, you threaten an area around you equal to the
weapon, you threaten an area around you equal to your nor-
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14. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
mal unarmed reach. You can make attacks of opportunity Ranged Grapple [Fighter]
with the whip within that area. Additionally, you don't You can use a whip to grapple targets from a distance.
incur attacks of opportunity by using a whip in combat, or Prerequisite: Dex 13, Exotic Weapon Proficiency
by any other use of a whip, such as with the Third Hand (whip), Third Hand, Weapon Finesse, Use Rope 4 ranks.
feat. Benefit: Whenever you strike a foe with your whip, in
Normal: A whip has 15-ft. reach, but does not threat- addition to dealing damage you may choose to entangle that
en that area. Using a whip provokes an attack of opportu- foe, as if you had struck with a whip. An entangled creature
nity, just as if you had used a ranged weapon. moves at half speed, cannot run or charge, and takes a -2
penalty to attack rolls and a -4 penalty to its effective
Mighty Grip [Fighter] Dexterity score. An entangled character who attempts to
You can easily wield weapons sized for creatures larg- cast a spell must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + the
er than you. spell's level) or lose the spell. If succeed in controlling the
Prerequisite: Str 13, base attack bonus +1. whip by making an opposed Strength check while holding
Benefit: Choose a one-handed or two-handed weapon it, the entangled creature can move only within the limits
you are proficient in. You may wield the chosen weapon that the whip allows.
sized for a creature one size category larger than you with You can only entangle creatures within one size cate-
the normal -2 penalty, but with its normal grip. For gory of you. While using your whip to entangle a creature,
instance, a small creature could wield a medium greatsword you cannot use your whip as a weapon.
as a two-handed weapon with a -2 penalty, and a medium You can also use your whip to actually grapple a foe,
creature could wield a large whip as a one-handed weapon though it is difficult. As an attack action you may attempt
with a -2 penalty. to make a ranged grapple with a whip or whip-like weapon.
Normal: In addition to incurring a -2 penalty, using a This works much like a normal grapple, except that you
weapon sized for a larger creature increases the weapon may try to grapple any creature within reach of your whip,
from light to one-handed, or from one-handed to two-hand- and your grapple check is modified any bonuses that would
ed. Creatures cannot use larger two-handed weapons. normally apply to attacks with your whip. Because you are
Special: You may take this feat multiple times, each effectively using only one limb to control your foe, you suf-
time applying it to a different weapon. fer a -20 penalty to your grapple check, but you are
not considered grappled. Improved Grapple
Mighty Strike [Fighter] provides a +4 bonus to ranged grapple
You strike as if you are a larger crea- checks, both to make and to resist them.
ture. Once grappling, your whip can do
Prerequisite: Str 19, Power Attack, almost anything you yourself could do in a
base attack bonus +13. grapple, except that it cannot pry a well-
Benefit: For the purposes of secured item from a pinned foe. If your
Strength-based special attacks, such as whip is pinned, you are disarmed. If the
bull rushing, overrunning, and tripping target succeeds a grapple check to move
(but not grappling), you are considered a while grappled, and moves beyond your
size category larger. This typically grants a whip's reach, you are moved unless you let go of
+4 bonus to the appropriate checks. the whip. If you succeed a grapple check to move
Additionally, you may qualify for feats as if you were your opponent, you can force him to move anywhere with-
a size category larger, so that, for instance, a human with in your whip's reach. If you make a grapple check to 'dam-
Str 25, Improved Bull Rush, and Power Attack could take age your opponent,' you do the type of damage appropriate
the Awesome Blow feat, which is normally available only to to the whip (including being unable to injure armoured foes
Large or larger creatures. for traditional whips).
This feat does not allow you to use weapons that are
larger than normal. Self-Opportunist [Epic]
You can strike your foes multiple times as they move
One Free Hand [Fighter] around you, even if you are responsible for moving them.
You have a flexible and adaptive one-handed fighting Prerequisite: Dex 25, Combat Reflexes.
style that utilizes your free hand for balance and oppor- Benefit: You can make attacks of opportunity on a
tunism. creature when you force it to move through your threatened
Prerequisite: Int 13, Combat Expertise. area, taking one attack of opportunity for every 5 ft. the
Benefit: When fighting with a single weapon, if you creature is moved. Thus you could bull rush a creature 5 ft.
have a hand free that is not holding anything, attacking, or and take an attack of opportunity against it to deliver an
using a shield, you gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls with Awesome Blow (if you have the feat), knocking the crea-
that single weapon. ture in another direction, gaining other attacks of opportu-
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15. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
nity against the creature. Summon Suffering [Fighter]
Normal: When you move a creature through your When grappling a foe, you can inflict overwhelming
own threatened area you cannot makes attacks of opportu- pain by striking and strangling them with your whip.
nity against that creature. Prerequisite: Dex 13, Clinch Attack, Exotic Weapon
Proficiency (whip), Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed
Snagging Trip [Fighter] Strike, Melee Lash, base attack bonus +11.
You can drag closer foes that you trip. Benefit: Whenever you use the Clinch Attack feat to
Prerequisite: Int 13, Combat Expertise, Improved attack a foe with a whip or whip-like weapon, at the end of
Trip. your action your opponent must make a Fortitude save (DC
Benefit: Whenever you trip a foe with a weapon that 10 + damage you dealt him this round with whip attacks) or
has reach, instead of gaining the extra attack with Improved suffer wracking pains that impose a -4 penalty on attack
Trip you may drag your opponent up to 10 ft. toward you. rolls, skill checks, and ability checks for one round.
You must drag in a straight line, so you cannot pull your
opponent around you, though you can drag them into your Third Hand [Fighter]
own area. You can wield your whip like a third hand.
You can even use this ability on creatures that don't Prerequisite: Dex 13, Exotic Weapon Proficiency
need legs to move, or on flying opponents to pull them to (whip), Weapon Finesse, Use Rope 4 ranks.
the ground. Benefit: You can use your whip for a variety of
Normal: A tripped foe falls in his own square. actions beyond those normally possible with a whip. You
Tripping a flyer makes the flyer stall. can retrieve an unattended object anywhere within range,
and deposit it anywhere within range, as a standard action,
Strike Around [Fighter] though the item cannot weigh more than what is half a light
You can attack around the guards of shields. load for your Strength. If you want to throw the grabbed
Prerequisite: Combat Expertise, base attack bonus +4. object as a weapon, you can make an attack with it, with a -
Benefit: While using a chain-based or highly flexible 4 penalty for being an improvised weapon (even if you
weapon such as a spiked chain, nunchaku, whip, or flail, you throw what would normally be a real weapon, like a dag-
can wrap the weapon over or around a shield. This reduces ger). You do not gain bonuses to this attack from feats or
any shield bonus your opponent may have to his AC by abilities that enhance your skill with a whip.
half. Alternately, you may actively strike the shield and If you successfully disarm a weapon with your whip,
wrap your weapon around it. This completely negates the and that weapon's weight is within the above limit, you can
AC bonus of the shield, but also only deals one-half the nor- have it land anywhere within your whip's range, instead of
mal damage for the weapon. just at the creature's feet.
When armed with a whip, you are considered to have
Style Focus [Fighter] a free hand for the purposes of the feat Deflect Arrows.
Choose a particular combat style that involves two Normal: Whips can only perform crude manipula-
weapons, such as longsword and shortsword, or trident and tions.
net. You are especially good at this fighting style.
Prerequisite: Dex 15, proficiency with the selected Whip Strike [Fighter]
weapons, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +1. Your whip can wound even armoured foes.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls with Prerequisite: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (whip).
your chosen weapon or weapons, but only when you are Benefit: You can damage creatures with your whip
using the specific chosen fighting style. Thus if you choose regardless of the creature's armour or natural armour bonus.
whip and rapier, you only gain this bonus if you are armed You may choose to do nonlethal damage without penalty.
with both those weapons. If you are only wielding one of
them you gain no bonus. You do not actually have to attack Whipsword Shift [Fighter]
with both weapons to gain the bonus; you simply must be You can switch between whip and sword forms of a
armed with both. whipsword easily.
This bonus does not stack with the similar bonus from Prerequisite: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (whip),
Weapon Focus. Martial Weapon Proficiency (longsword).
Special: To accompany this feat are the feats Style Benefit: You can switch between whip and sword
Specialization, Greater Style Focus, and Greater Style form of a whipsword as a swift action once per round,
Specialization, which are identical to the appropriate feats instead of a move action.
of the Weapon Focus chain, except that they apply to a pair
of weapons instead of a single weapon. For space reasons
these feats are not fully detailed here.
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16. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
Whip
Prestige Classes
There are many ways to master the whip. Four Class Skills
paths are presented below. The Thunderchild's class skills (and the key ability for
each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha),
Thunderchild
Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Use Rope
(Dex). See Chapter 4: Skills in the Player's Handbook for
skill descriptions.
Tales tell of a reclusive hermit who lives in the Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Stormset Mountains, a master of the whip who practices a
stunning fighting style in the great thunderstorms that roll Class Features
across the mountain range. This hermit has been known to All of the following are class features of the
train those who respect the whip, tailoring the training to Thunderchild prestige class.
let each student develop the style that best suits his
strengths. The hermit's training is arduous, but those who Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Thunderchild
come down from his mountain home carry with them a gains no additional weapon or armour proficiencies.
power in their fighting style to match the storms of the
highest peaks. Thunderstrike (Ex): A Thunderchild's whip deals
+1d6 sonic damage on a successful hit.
Requirements
To qualify to become a thunderchild (Tdc), a charac- Whip Mastery: The Thunderchild gains a +1 bonus to
ter must fulfill all the following criteria. attacks made with whips and whip-like weapons. At 5th
Base Attack Bonus: +5. level this bonus increases to +2, and then increases again at
Feats: Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (whip), 9th level to +3. Additionally, the Thunderchild qualifies for
Weapon Focus (whip), Whip Strike. feats in the Weapon Focus chain as if his Thunderchild lev-
Climb: 4 ranks. els were fighter levels, though he must choose a whip-like
Craft (leatherwork): 8 ranks. weapon for these feats. Thus, a Fighter 5/Thunderchild 7
Survival: 4 ranks. could take Greater Weapon Specialization (whip).
Hit Die: d8. Stormwalker (Ex): At 2nd level, the Thunderchild
gains sonic resistance 5. Additionally, he is treated as one
Table 4.1: Thunderchild Level Advancement
Class Attack Fort Ref Will
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special
1 +0 +2 +0 +0 Thunderstrike, whip mastery (+1)
2 +1 +3 +0 +0 Stormwalker 5, bonus feat
3 +2 +3 +1 +1 Diehard
4 +3 +4 +1 +1 Bonus feat
5 +3 +4 +1 +1 Thunderburst, whip mastery (+2)
6 +4 +5 +2 +2 Bonus feat
7 +5 +5 +2 +2 Stormwalker 10
8 +6 +6 +2 +2 Bonus feat
9 +6 +6 +3 +3 Whip mastery (+3)
10 +7 +7 +3 +3 Rolling thunder, bonus feat
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17. E.N. Arsenal - Whip
size category larger for purposes of resisting strong winds.
At 7th level this improves to sonic resistance 10, and two Nailo-Shalanth
Whip-Duelist
effective size categories larger.
Bonus Feat: At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, the
Thunderchild gains a bonus feat. He must fulfill the pre- Of the many prominent schools for duelists, the
requisites for the feat. He may choose from the following Nailo-Shalanth (Elvish for 'Nightbreeze Form') is the only
list. Combat Expertise, Deafening Crack, Greater Melee one to specialize in the whip as a tool for battling multiple
Lash, Improved Melee Lash, Improved Disarm, Improved humanoid foes. Armed primarily with a bladed whip, and
Trip, Melee Lash, Ranged Grapple, Snagging Trip, Strike carrying a rapier as a back-up weapon, members of the
Around, Third Hand, Weapon Finesse. Nailo-Shalanth school strike like the wind, and vanish into
the night.
Diehard: At 3rd level, the Thunderchild gains Diehard
as a bonus feat.
Thunderburst (Ex): At 5th level, the Thunderchild's
thunderstrike ability improves. In addition to the +1d6
damage the weapon normally deals, on a
critical hit the whip deals an additional
+1d8 sonic damage, and the target
struck must succeed a Fortitude
save (DC 14) or be deafened per-
manently.
Rolling Thunder (Ex):
At 10th level, the
Thunderchild is capable of
creating a thundering crash of
sound around him. As a full-
round action, a Thunderchild armed Requirements
with a whip or whip-like weapon may To qualify to become a
have every creature and object within Nailo-Shalanth Whip-Duelist
15 ft. of him take 1d6 points of sonic (NSW), a character must fulfill all the
damage. following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +5.
Feats: Dodge, Exotic Weapon
Proficiency (whip), Martial
Weapon Proficiency (rapier),
Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse.
Hide: 4 ranks.
Move Silently: 4 ranks.
Hit Die: d8.
Table 4.2: Nailo-Shalanth Whip-Duelist Level Advancement
Class Attack Fort Ref Will
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special
1 +0 +0 +2 +0 Nightbreeze form, whip mastery (+1)
2 +1 +0 +3 +0 Whisperstrike
3 +2 +1 +3 +1
4 +3 +1 +4 +1
5 +3 +1 +4 +1 Whip mastery (+2)
6 +4 +2 +5 +2
7 +5 +2 +5 +2
8 +5 +3 +6 +2
9 +6 +3 +6 +3 Whip mastery (+3)
10 +7 +3 +7 +3 Whisperstrike II
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