Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Biota 10-10-06, 07:36 PM	In looking at the DND Main FAQ from WOTC's site it looks like Armor Spikes can be used with two weapon fighting (twf) as the 'off hand' weapon. FAQ p.31 says: "When you fight with more than one weapon, you gain an extra attack. ... Armor spikes are a light weapon that can be used as the extra weapon." A few questions: 1. Do the FAQ rulings apply to LG? I believe the errata on polymorph is out. I must be missing something in the LGCS on this. 2. Can you use a greatsword and armor spikes to attack in the same round as a two weapon option? The FAQ seems to indicate that you can here: When using armor spikes along with a two-handed weapon, it is usually best to use the two-handed weapon as your primary attack and the armor spikes as the off-hand weapon. You can use the armor spikes as the primary weapon and the two-handed weapon as the off-hand attack, but when you do so, you don’t get the benefit of using a light weapon in your off hand. 3. Can Jimmy the fighter use twf with a 1h weapon and armor spikes while benefitting from the AC bonus from a buckler in the same round? The buckler entry in the SRD says: You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a -1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so. Technically Jimmy could use knee or head to attack with the armor spikes, so he wouldn't be using his shield arm. 3a. What if Jimmy has Improved Buckler Defense (from Complete Warrior), can he benefit from the buckler now? 4. Bobby the Barbarian is wielding a two handed 10' only reach weapon like a glaive and armor with armor spikes. A monster which was 5' away from Bobby at the start of the round moves 10' around Bobby but not through any square threatened by his glaive. Can Bobby take an attack of opportunity (AoO) with his armor spikes?
SgtHulka 10-10-06, 08:38 PM	Great questions. Personally, my answer to all of the above questions would be "yes", but I'm equally interested in hearing from more experienced judges on this.
Iswald 10-10-06, 10:50 PM	Yes to everything, but you don't need improved buckler defense if you are using spiked armor and a one handed weapon. Unless, for some odd reason, you are wielding your weapon on the same side as the buckler. Maybe you lost an arm and haven't had it regenerated.
SgtHulka 10-11-06, 04:56 PM	How much does it cost to add armor spikes to adamantine or mithril armor? I looked in the faq but couldn't find this. As far as I can tell there are a few possibilities: Possibility 1: Must pay +10 gold pieces, spikes are automatically considered mithril and masterwork or adamantine and masterwork, respectively. Possibility 2: May pay +10 gold pieces, or +310 gold pieces if masterwork. Spikes are not considered the same material as the armor (basic steel spikes). Possibility 3: Must pay +5,000 gold pieces for Mithril (500 g.p. per pound) or +3,010 gold pieces for Adamantine (cost of a light weapon). Possibility 3 seems the most likely, but also seems a bit absurd...a 30 lb. mithril breastplate would cost less than 10 lb. armor spikes added to it.
Jay_Ibero_911 10-11-06, 10:45 PM	My understanding is that you can't ADD spikes to armor, they must be part of the armor at creation...just my interpretation....
Iswald 10-11-06, 10:51 PM	I have no idea, but I would say that number 3 is the proper way to handle it. But, you may be able to have the spikes made of a different material than the armor. The cost of making armor is typically less than the cost of making weapons.
Biota 10-11-06, 11:17 PM	My understanding is that you can't ADD spikes to armor, they must be part of the armor at creation...just my interpretation.... Why no AOOs with armor spikes? Don't get me wrong it seems really cheesy to me, I'm just trying to understand what the right ruling is.
SgtHulka 10-12-06, 09:23 AM	My understanding is that you can't ADD spikes to armor, they must be part of the armor at creation...just my interpretation.... You are correct; I should have made that more clear in my post. I was referring to having access to mithril or adamantine, and using it to buy a set of spiked armor. Which is why it's important...you only gain access to special materials once in a while, when you do you want to maximize it, since you can't add spikes at a later date. Biota, according to the FAQ you can make Attacks of Opportunity with spiked armor. Jay Ibero said a-d-d, add, as in craft spikes onto armor, not a-o-o, aoo, as in attack of opportunity.
clannagh 10-21-06, 11:20 PM	Whilst as a GM i am happy in my games to go along with the general consensus that you cannot add spikes to existing armor .. I must say from a RAW point of view i do NOT actually agree with this interpretation as the PHB specifically states you can ADD spikes to armor in the wording of the description and does not say "at the time of original purchase". Unless this is a specific LG restriction I have never understood the reasoning banning it, especially considering real spikes often were added later and replaced when damaged. Not that it matters much, as I said I am happy to go along with the masses on this one and ban my players from upgrading spikes.
SgtHulka 10-24-06, 02:44 PM	Well, this doesn't definitively answer your question, clannagh, but it does suggest you may be right... ...I dug up this old Infinite Monkeys thread where the concensus of opinion seemed to be that armor spikes were totally seperate from the armor they were place on, and therefore could be made of a different material (so if you have mithril armor you need not pay for mithril armor spikes): http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Infinite_Monkeys/message/6268