Armor spikes and squares question.

[MindSculptor]

I am creating a lockdown RKV Crusader Paladin tank. I was recommended to don armor spikes so that I could threaten adjacent squares but I do not see how they allow me to do that in their description now... Can anyone shed light on this? Now remember I am VERY new to D&D. If you use too many short words or acronyms you may lose me quick... Real quick. Haha Thanks for any help I may receive.

[ArcturusV]

Basically the idea is that armor spikes give you a melee ranged weapon. Thus because you got a goofy spike on your shoulder or something, you are allowed by the rules to "shoulder check" anyone who is adjacent to you. Technically by the rules this isn't an Unarmed Strike, as it's using a Manufactured Weapon (The spike). If it was an unarmed strike (Like a kick), and you didn't have Improved Unarmed Strike, you wouldn't threaten those adjacent squares. But since it is a manufactured weapon, you threaten any square that it can attack (the 8 next to you).

This is useful if you pick up a reach weapon, as reach weapons often say "But can't attack enemies adjacent to you". Thus you use Armor Spikes in conjuction with something like the Guisarme (Which lets you make trip attacks), which can attack enemies 10 feet away but not adjacent to you.

This means you can trip with the Guisarme anyone 10 feet away. And if someone does manage to close to 5 feet away with them you can shoulder check them with your spike of doom. Instead of just having to say "Oh crap!" and 5 foot step away.

Also important as if you're tripping, the enemy standing up provokes an attack of opportunity. But they can choose to "stand up" in any square adjacent to where they were knocked on their ass.

So what the enemy WANTS to do is, you trip them at 10 feet away. They "stand up" 5 feet away, within your polearm's reach, so you can't attack them for standing up. But the spike lets you say "Hell no!" and shoulder check them for the free attack.

So they're forced to either take the Attack of Opportunity to close to melee against you, or they have to back off and stand up 15 feet away. At which point they accomplished nothing with their turn.

[erikun]

The description of Armor Spikes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/armor.htm#armorSpikes) states that they are a martial weapon, and that you may make regular melee attacks with your armor spikes. They are considered light martial weapons in this case, rather than unarmed attacks, although the table doesn't give a damage value for them.

Most people tend to just assume that the Spiked Gauntlets (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm#weaponDescriptions) are intended to be what you use when attacking with armor spikes, and indeed, armor would gauntlets would logically put spikes on the gauntlets as well. Note that spiked gauntlets are always considered armed attacks, rather than unarmed.

[Captnq]

Not knowing your build, I would Buy Spiked Armor, then razored armor (yes, you can have both on your armor) then buy a horned helmet. This will give you two weapons with a reach of 5 feet and one weapon with a read of 0. (You can only attack someone if you are in the same square with a horned helmet.)

Then buy a Spring Loaded gauntlet, masterwork. Add the required +1 EB and then add quick-loading (+1 WSA). Then you can store up to 100 spikes in your gloves in an extra-dimensional space so if you need to, you can shoot as many spikes out of your glove as you need to, should you find yourself needing to tag someone with 1d4 damage.

Make your second gauntlet a locked gauntlet, so as to give yourself a +10 to avoid being disarmed.

If you have the gold, drop 1,000 gp on an oil chamber and load it with some sort of magical oil. Like, oil of cure moderate wounds or something. Swift action healing is awesome and you can mount it inside your armor.

And it would not hurt to spend 40 gp and pick up yourself a pair of knee blades, in case you are ever captured, you can knee someone in the balls for 1d6 piercing.

A what the heck, drop another 8 gp and buy two boot blades as well. Never know when you are going to need to cut your way out of something with your feet.

[KillianHawkeye]

The description of Armor Spikes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/armor.htm#armorSpikes) states that they are a martial weapon, and that you may make regular melee attacks with your armor spikes. They are considered light martial weapons in this case, rather than unarmed attacks, although the table doesn't give a damage value for them.

Most people tend to just assume that the Spiked Gauntlets (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm#weaponDescriptions) are intended to be what you use when attacking with armor spikes, and indeed, armor would gauntlets would logically put spikes on the gauntlets as well. Note that spiked gauntlets are always considered armed attacks, rather than unarmed.

Actually, the damage values for spiked armor and spiked shield are listed on the weapons table, not the armor table. Spiked armor deals 1d6 piercing damage (or 1d4 for Small creatures).

[Keld Denar]

For pure control, especially with Imp Trip or Standstill, you are still best off spending the feat for EWP: Spiked Chain. You don't get PA damage on Armor Spikes/Spiked Gauntlets because they are light, so your odds of getting a respectably high Standstill DC is tough, and Armor Spikes aren't tripping weapons so you lose the ability to use those features effectively when foes are inside of your Guisarme circle.