Shield Spikes

[Christian]

I don't have my PH here, but I don't recall anything clearer than what's in the SRD ...

Shield Bash Attacks: An opponent can be bashed with a shield, using it as an off-hand weapon. A Medium-size character deals 1d4 points of damage (X2 crit) with a large shield or 1d3 (X2 crit) with a small one. (The tower shield cannot be used to perform the bash action.) A Small character deals 1d3 points of damage (X2 crit) with a large shield or 1d2 (X2 crit) with a small one. Used this way, the shield is a martial bludgeoning weapon. For purposes of attack penalties, treat a shield as a light weapon. If the shield is used as a weapon, lose its AC bonus until the character's next action (usually until the next round).

So far, so good. But then:

Shield Spikes: These spikes turn a shield into a martial piercing weapon that deals 1d6 points of damage (X2 crit) no matter whether the shield is small or large. Buckler or tower shields cannot have shield spikes.

Does it matter whether the character is Small or Medium? If not, does the spiked shield still count as a light weapon? And if so, isn't this the ultimate off-hand weapon for a Small Ranger or other two-weapon fighter?

 

[Delgar]

It doesn't actually say, but it's assuming that the wielder is medium sized. Therefore a small sized varient should be only 1d4 damage.

The ultimate small sized, light weapon is armor spikes. They can count as either a regular or off-hand weapon, and using them doesn't cause you to loose your shield bonus!

My Halfling Rogue in Living Greyhawk TWF with a dagger and armor spikes. He doesn't do a lot of damage but he just looks viscious!

Delgar

 

[Mahali]

Shields are always light weapons.

Shield Spikes are d6 piercing martial weapon.

 

[RigaMortus]

I'm having trouble envisioning this...

A Ranger with a longsword in one hand, small wooden shield (no spikes) in the other, and wearing armor spikes. How does one make an off-hand attack using the armor spikes? How is that supposed to look? Is it a shoulder block? Are you throwing your chest against the opponent as if you were in a mosh pit? I can't quite picture it w/o it looking silly...

 

[bebo]

simple have the ranger watch lots of gay porn videos then have go fight some toher guy when he has spikes on

that wont be pretty

 

[Darklone]

This smells.... regenerative.

 

[Rel]

I'm having trouble envisioning this...

A Ranger with a longsword in one hand, small wooden shield (no spikes) in the other, and wearing armor spikes. How does one make an off-hand attack using the armor spikes? How is that supposed to look? Is it a shoulder block? Are you throwing your chest against the opponent as if you were in a mosh pit? I can't quite picture it w/o it looking silly...

I can think of several ways.

Kicking with a spike on the toe of a boot.
Kneeing the opponent with a spike extending from the top of a shin greave.
Elbow spike from either arm.
Punching with a spike extending from an arm greave.
Your shoulder block idea.

 

[Christian]

Shields are always light weapons.

Shield Spikes are d6 piercing martial weapon.

Yes, that seems to be what it says ... But I think Delgar's interpretation makes more sense. Like any other piece of armor, the spiked shield for a Small character will weigh half as much as one for a Medium character, so the damage should be sized down as well. I think I'll go with that ...