Buying cold iron horse shoes

[Alex McGuire]

Recently a player asked me if he could get Cold Iron horseshoes for his horse.
A) What would such an item cost? (weight of magical horseshoes varies, so there is no consensus as what they would weigh)
B) Would it overcome DR/Cold iron?
C) Could it be done in PFS?

[Speaker for the Dead]

a) 2x the cost of regular horseshoes. The only horseshoes I can find listed are; Horseshoes Game; Price 5 sp; Weight 3 lbs. This game includes two iron stakes and four iron horseshoes. So I guess somewhere in the neighborhood of 10sp, or 1gp. That wouldn't include installation.

b) yes

c) don't know

[TGMaxMaxer]

A)I think the 1g is about right for the cost, based on the cost of the game listing.

B)It would overcome DR/cold iron.

C)If it's in print, which it is, then it's legal. I'd be hard pressed to find a GM who wouldn't allow it around here, but we have some pretty good GM's here.

[Gherrick]

Hmm, you could also make mithril horseshoes for DR/silver. Seems appropriate to make horseshoes of the zephyr with mithril.

[gourry187]

What's the damage of a horseshoe? Are they considered weapons?

If we use the monk as an example, putting things on your hands (brass knuckles, cestuss) change the damage done by their unarmed strikes which are considered natural attacks so putting shoes on a horse (which aren't weapons) should have no effect. Unless there is RAW to support it (this is the rules forum after all) I don't think it's legal.

[gourry187]

Doing a quick search, look at the horseshoes of crushing blows. They give files for special materials as well as grant enhancement bonuses.

Sorry no link.

[Samasboy1]

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/h-l/horse shoes-of-crushing-blows

Using this item as a guideline, treat a set of 4 horse shoes as a single one handed weapon weighing 4 pounds.

[Bizbag]

gourry187 wrote:

What's the damage of a horseshoe? Are they considered weapons?

If we use the monk as an example, putting things on your hands (brass knuckles, cestuss) change the damage done by their unarmed strikes which are considered natural attacks so putting shoes on a horse (which aren't weapons) should have no effect. Unless there is RAW to support it (this is the rules forum after all) I don't think it's legal.

The stats for Horses in the Bestiary assume it is one that can be ridden, which requires shoeing - horses are expected to carry loads, run faster than they might otherwise, and run on harder surfaces (even if not paved). I think, for the purposes of the game, a horseshoe is part of their natural Hoof attack, again, because a domesticated horse is not an exception, it's the base assumption.

In addition, a monk's attack is *not* a natural attack. It is an unarmed strike, with a class feature for higher damage and the benefits of the Improved Unarmed Strike feat (granted for free).

Samasboy1 wrote:

<snip>
Using this item as a guideline, treat a set of 4 horse shoes as a single one handed weapon weighing 4 pounds.

Unfortunately, that text only applies to shoes as it pertains to the pricing of that wondrous item, so the shoes aren't weapons per RAW. ("For purposes of pricing...")

I do think it's a fair ruling, though, so I'd allow it at my game. In fact, I'd likely go a step further and let them directly enchant the shoes as a weapon (if they were masterwork shoes, of course), adding flaming or whatever, because honestly, that sounds like fun, a horse with flaming hooves is badass, and it's not like it's game-breaking - if they want to spend gold on their mount instead of themselves, be my guest.

[Samasboy1]

Bizbag wrote:

Unfortunately, that text only applies to shoes as it pertains to the pricing of that wondrous item, so the shoes aren't weapons per RAW. ("For purposes of pricing...")

I did say, "Using this item as a guideline"

[Bizbag]

Samasboy1 wrote:

Bizbag wrote:

Unfortunately, that text only applies to shoes as it pertains to the pricing of that wondrous item, so the shoes aren't weapons per RAW. ("For purposes of pricing...")

I did say, "Using this item as a guideline"

Understood. That's why I agreed with you in the next paragraph :)

Strict RAW does matter to a number of posters, however, so I usually address both that and then what I think is fair.

[Lincoln Hills]

Interesting. Congratulate your player for me; this is a fine application of creative thinking for both better flavor and stronger mechanics. Here's my instinct:

A) Use the heaviest magical-horseshoe set as a baseline.
B) Probably. Note that "silvered" horseshoes would wear away under daily abuse, but cold iron (or adamant) would probably be OK for this.
C) I doubt it. The usual PFS rule seems to be: All things not permitted are forbidden.