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larsdangly · 05-26-2019, 09:08 AM

The language concerning off handed weapons, spike shields and the main-gauche (as well as various paired weapons like net and trident) are quite confusing, particularly if you mix and match them. But a good common sense guide applies here: if a rules interpretation seems too good to be true then it is not a good interpretation.

My ruling in this case is that the spike shield is just a small shield that an be used to attack as an off handed weapon, making it closely similar to the maine-gauche (the differences being that the maine gauche does 1 point more damage but provides no protection against missiles, whereas a spike shield does protect vs. missiles). I only give the 2 point protection for using an off handed weapon as a shield if you actually know Two Weapons talent and if that weapon is not already a shield.

Two ambiguities of this sort that do concern me a bit are:

- It seems that if you might with a main-gauche or spike shield in the off hand that you retain their protective value on the same turn you use them to attack

- And, when you use one of these two things to deliver an off handed attack, you do not incur a penalty to attack with your main weapon.

Thus, the extra attack is always to your benefit and should be attempted every turn. These are the rulings I follow, but I'm not confident about them because the rules suggest them but don't clearly state them.

Also note that there are several paired weapons that can be used without Two Weapons talent but follow their own rules.

05-26-2019, 09:08 AM	#3
larsdangly Join Date: Dec 2017	Re: Two Weapons + Spike Shield? The language concerning off handed weapons, spike shields and the main-gauche (as well as various paired weapons like net and trident) are quite confusing, particularly if you mix and match them. But a good common sense guide applies here: if a rules interpretation seems too good to be true then it is not a good interpretation. My ruling in this case is that the spike shield is just a small shield that an be used to attack as an off handed weapon, making it closely similar to the maine-gauche (the differences being that the maine gauche does 1 point more damage but provides no protection against missiles, whereas a spike shield does protect vs. missiles). I only give the 2 point protection for using an off handed weapon as a shield if you actually know Two Weapons talent and if that weapon is not already a shield. Two ambiguities of this sort that do concern me a bit are: - It seems that if you might with a main-gauche or spike shield in the off hand that you retain their protective value on the same turn you use them to attack - And, when you use one of these two things to deliver an off handed attack, you do not incur a penalty to attack with your main weapon. Thus, the extra attack is always to your benefit and should be attempted every turn. These are the rulings I follow, but I'm not confident about them because the rules suggest them but don't clearly state them. Also note that there are several paired weapons that can be used without Two Weapons talent but follow their own rules.