Armor Spikes: Unpractical?

[Dannyalcatraz]

As was pointed out by werk, natural armor spikes have millions of years worth of design testing- they do keep predators large enough to eat you from eating you...

at least, easily.

Anklyosaurs, Puffer fish of various kinds, Urchins, and Porcupines all had their predators with specialized tactics for getting past their defenses...but MOST predators just don't mess with them unless absolutely, desperately hungry.

And yes, it is a size dependent defense. As the predator grows larger in comparison to the spikey prey, the less the spikes of the prey matter.

 

[Nifft]

why did she make the knight give such an obviously foul oath?

Er, I think that's more the dying curse of the dragon, and her telling him how to avoid that curse.

But I could be wrong.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Varianor Abroad]

I've seen pictures of armor worn by woodcutters from the Sunderbahn(sp?) where tigers kill and eat an unknown but rather high number of people yearly, or used to not more than twenty years ago. They were breastplates with spikes about 3 inches long on the back all the way up to the shoulders and a spiked guard over the neck. That seems a fairly good example.

Linky? Image? Please?

I think armor spikes are fine. Even though my PC while wearing them once, um, fell upon another party member. It made grappling cool. Aside from falling on the other party member.

 

[Numion]

Excellent thread, even if I say so myself. I've heard enough from this ENW grognard squad who would just bash anything 3E without thinking it through. Nice to see that majority of people can analyze things with some sense of logic, without just staring through rose-colored glasses.

Not everything new is bad, and we should never resort to short-circuited thinking.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I don't think most people have problems with armor having spikes. A lot of gaming art depicts the spikes so big that they are a danger to the wearer, or puts them in locations that would drastically hamper movement. That tends to be what people have problems with.

If Redgar raised his arm too quickly, he'd drive the spikes on his shoulder through his ear and into his brain.

Pretty sure nothing in nature does that as a species.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Excellent thread, even if I say so myself. I've heard enough from this ENW grognard squad who would just bash anything 3E without thinking it through. Nice to see that majority of people can analyze things with some sense of logic, without just staring through rose-colored glasses.

Not everything new is bad, and we should never resort to short-circuited thinking.

But painting all complaints about the current art style with a broad brush that reduces those complaining to idiots, that's A-OK!

 

[Numion]

If Redgar raised his arm too quickly, he'd drive the spikes on his shoulder through his ear and into his brain.

Yes, and you should never run with scissors. Doesn't make scissors impractical. You'll just know how to use them.

Pretty sure nothing in nature does that as a species.

What's your point? Humans should never try anything nature can't do by itself? Well, we'd still be living caves if we lived like that.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Yes, and you should never run with scissors. Doesn't make scissors impractical. You'll just know how to use them.

So, in the case of Redgar, he has to take off his armor before climbing a ladder, fighting something that flies or runs on the ceiling or before moving through tight spaces.

That doesn't sound practical to me.

 

[Numion]

But painting all complaints about the current art style with a broad brush that reduces those complaining to idiots, that's A-OK!

Nawh mayne, just saying that 7 years of edition wars never produced an argument against armor spikes that went beyond "that's not what we've seen in medieval times".

News for ya bub, D&D is not like medieval times. We should think beyond "D&D == medieval with magic" set of mind. Humanity has always been excellent in tooling right tools for the right job. Why would they be left behind in this instance, where armor spikes would clearly give them advantage in combat? Because it goes against 1E art? Please..

 

[Klaus]

Linky? Image? Please?

I think armor spikes are fine. Even though my PC while wearing them once, um, fell upon another party member. It made grappling cool. Aside from falling on the other party member.

No image, but here's something from Wikipedia (no mention of spikes):

The locals and government officials take certain precautions to prevent attacks, although few of them work. Local fishermen will say prayers and perform rituals to the forest goddess, Bonbibi, before setting out on expeditions. Invocations to the tiger god Daskin Ray (pronounced "DOCK-shin ROY") are also considered a necessity by the local populace for safe passage throughout the Sundarbans area. Fishermen and bushmen make facial masks to wear on the back of their heads, because tigers always attack from behind. This worked for a short time, but the tigers quickly realized it was a hoax, and the attacks continued. Government officials wear stiff pads that rise up the back of the neck, similar to the pads of an American football player. This is to prevent the tigers from biting into the spine, which is their favoured attack method.