How can I increase my reach in Pathfinder?

Question

I know 3.5 had a slew of ways to increase reach, however in PF I've only found a couple. I'll be playing a tank build and would like as many ways to do this as possible. I know of the Lunge and Monkey Lunge feats, the Enlarge Person spell, reach weapons of course, and being a larger size category, but I can't seem to find anything else.

Approved material is any Paizo and most Dreamscarred Press (though DSP material still has to be run by the GM). 3.5 and other 3pp material is unlikely to be approved but it's not autobanned so if something increases reach but seems reasonably balanced it might be approved.

I will be playing an Oggr (Dreamscarred Press, Bloodforge) and my class is Inquisitor gestalted with a version of Sephyrus that has been approved with tweaks.

NOTE: Increasing threatened area is not increasing reach, though I do plan to take Combat Patrol and related feats as well.

Update: Still interested in answers to this with the above build or with the updated build. Updated build is a Half-Giant Sephyrus + Warder (Zweihander Sentinel) and I will likely take the first level in both Telekinetic Weaponmaster and Living Monolith later.

Answer 1

One highly effective method of increasing reach in Pathfinder, not yet mentioned, is the Cleric Subdomain Plant(Growth). This option is different from, and superior to, many other methods of increasing reach in Pathfinder. This domain option provides more than just Swift Action Enlarge Person. It also provides the character with tactically valuable on-demand extra 5' steps.

Enlarge (Su): As a swift action you can enlarge yourself for 1 round, as if you were the target of the enlarge person spell. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.

Replacement Domain Spells: 1st— enlarge person

Using the enlarge ability also provides the user with free virtual 5' steps!

I've played a Plant(Growth) Cleric in Pathfinder through 10 levels and can testify that it is extremely effective. In terms of reach, large size stacks with longarm. A Large biped wielding a reach weapon and buffed with longarm will have 25' reach and a ridiculous 60' diameter threat circle. The enlarge ability allows one to walk around normal-size yet swiftly become large if combat occurs.

The best part is the free virtual 5' step that comes from frequent starting and stopping of enlarge person. This is a tactical move that will make you smile every time you use it.

Getting Large: Your unbuffed longspear-armed PC can threaten 30' away with just a 5' step. Take a 5' step toward the foe, then swift Action enlarge person and choose to grow toward the foe. You now threaten the foe 20' away and still have your normal actions. It's as if you got an extra 5' step.

Getting Medium: Foes will quite reasonably feel threatened by the spear-wielding giant and may try to run in close en masse. Say foes survive your Attacks of Opportunity and move adjacent to you. When your turn comes around the first thing that happens is that enlarge person ends. Choose to shrink away from your attackers. They are no longer adjacent. It's as if you got an extra 5' step.

You can even 5' step away and swift enlarge person again, choosing to grow away, which leaves large you threatening foes who are now 15' away. You may full attack or safely cast a spell, yet foes will draw more AoOs if they want to close with you again. This works exceptionally well for area denial builds using a reach weapon. You can prevent foes from landing a Full Attack, yet you can always Full Attack.

Answer 2

The easiest way is the Long Arm spell, introduced in the Advanced Class Guide. It's a level 1 spell, available to a wide variety of classes, and with a decent duration, that adds a flat 5 feet to your reach. You can stack this with everything else.

Longarm Bracers provide an additional 5 feet, but they involve an action economy hit each round they're invoked, as well as a penalty to-hit if used with a manufactured weapon.

Swashbucklers also have access to the Blue Scarf token, though it costs a point of Panache that might be better used elsewhere.

Beyond that, as you've surmised, most of the methods available to increase your reach are going to involve mucking around with size, either by getting bigger yourself (Enlarge Person, Polymorph spells), or using bigger weapons (Reach weapons, especially feat-invested whips, can be very strong here for creating a large zone of control; remember, Reach is 10' by default, but it can be higher!)

Answer 3

Also, you can take the abberant bloodline as a sorceror or bloodrager. I've got a bloodrager who can cast enlarge person and long arm on himself. Combined with a lunge that's an area of 25' he can threaten with straight up punches. Not longspears, polearms, or whips. Just decking someone in the face like Monkey D. Luffy.

Answer 4

An additional way to increase your reach, usable with the other answers, would be to use a Lashing Shadowcraft Weapon :

On command, a lashing shadowcraft weapon can be extended as a swift action, increasing the weapon’s reach by 5 feet for 1 round. While extended, the wielder does not threaten adjacent creatures, or creatures up to 10 feet away if the weapon already has reach.

It however has its own drawbacks related to Shadowcraft Weapon, the main one beeing related to its shadow status:

The first time each round that a creature is hit with a shadowcraft weapon, that creature can attempt a Will saving throw to disbelieve (DC = 15 + twice the weapon’s enhancement bonus, if any). On a failed check, the weapon deals damage normally. On a successful save, all of the weapon’s attacks against that creature do minimum damage until the wielder’s next turn, and that creature gains a +4 bonus on subsequent saving throws to disbelieve the attacks of that wielder’s shadowcraft weapon.

Minimized damages if the opponent succeeds the will save is indeed a huge drawback. Depending on your build, using Attacks of Opportunity with Combat Maneuvers or other feats like Stand Still could however be a way to manage it.