2 Handed 2 Weapon Fighting @ DBAxe 3.P

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I know if you have a Buckler Equipped you take a -1 penalty to Attacks. Using A Dwarven Warpike and a Dwarven Buckler Axe, can you 2 weapon fight with both? Assuming yes, do you get 1&1/2 Str mod to damage with the Guisarme and 1/2 Str mod to damage with the DBA? Taking Improved Buckler Defense should preserve my AC as well, right?

How would Armor Spikes interact with this setup? Spiked Gauntlets?

If no, You can still attack with the Dwarven Buckler Axe if the enemy is within 5 feet without 2Wp fighting and can even attack with it on iterative attacks (or even the primary), Switching back & forth if you like as long as you have the attacks available, correct?

It just gets complicated & I'd like to get it clarified.

[Darrin]

I know if you have a Buckler Equipped you take a -1 penalty to Attacks. Using A Dwarven Warpike and a Dwarven Buckler Axe, can you 2 weapon fight with both?


It's not clear to me from the description if the Dwarven Buckler Axe also incurs an additional -1 penalty to attacks from the buckler description in the PHB. By a strict RAW reading, I'm inclined to say the -1 attack penalty only applies to the buckler described in the PHB. If the designers had intended it to apply to the Dwarven Buckler Axe, then they should have mentioned it in the description. Since the Buckler Axe was clearly designed to be used as a weapon, I don't see much point in assigning a -1 penalty to something it was designed to do.

However, if your DM is inclined to insist on the -1 penalty for attacking with the arm wearing the buckler, then taking the Shielded Axe style feat will get rid of it (you do not need to wield a waraxe/handaxe for the buckler text to apply). Unfortunately, you need four prereq feats to qualify for Shielded Axe, so you're better off just taking Weapon Focus: Dwarven Buckler Axe + Weapon Focus: Dwarven Warpike and be done with it.

Anyway, to answer your question about Warpike/Buckler Axe combo: Yes, I believe this works. However, the text on the Buckler Axe does not really state whether or not it leaves your hand free to grip other weapons. I assume that's what was intended, hence the name "buckler", otherwise why call it that? But yes, if it works like a standard buckler, you can attack with a two-handed weapon, and then use the Buckler Axe as an "offhand" weapon. Again, the rules don't state whether your hand has to be free to attack with the Buckler Axe, but even if that were so, it's generally accepted that you can "let go", change your grip, or regrip a two-handed weapon as a free action.



Assuming yes, do you get 1&1/2 Str mod to damage with the Guisarme and 1/2 Str mod to damage with the DBA?


Yes.



Taking Improved Buckler Defense should preserve my AC as well, right?


Yes.

I was going to say Improved Shield Bash would do the same thing, but that doesn't work. Attacking with a Dwarven Buckler Axe is not a "shield bash".



How would Armor Spikes interact with this setup? Spiked Gauntlets?


Once you've chosen an offhand weapon, you can't change your offhand to a different weapon during the attack routine. If you're wearing armor spikes, spiked gauntlets, and a dwarven buckler axe, you have to choose one when you make your first offhand attack, and stick with it for the rest of the round. If you choose the buckler axe, the armor spikes or spiked gauntlet would still be available as primary weapons.



If no, You can still attack with the Dwarven Buckler Axe if the enemy is within 5 feet without 2Wp fighting and can even attack with it on iterative attacks (or even the primary), Switching back & forth if you like as long as you have the attacks available, correct?


There's still some debate about whether your can switch primaries between attacks, but my understanding of the rules is that you can. If you're not using the TWF rules and have multiple iterative attacks, you can attack with your warpike, switch to your buckler axe for a closer target, and then switch to another primary weapon if you are so inclined. You only have an offhand attack when you choose to use the TWF rules to gain an extra attack.

At least, that's how I interpret the rules. Others (notably Gwendol) disagree.