I put spiked armor on my T-Rex. What happens?

[Inlaa]

Let's say we have a Tyrannosaurus animal companion. Somehow it has become proficient in Armor Spikes, which is a martial proficiency - perhaps through an Ioun stone? It's wearing armor that has armor spikes. Presumably, we can put armor spikes on Masterwork Studded Leather Armor, so it should work fine so long as we grab the Light Armor Proficiency feat.

Firstly, does my T-Rex get to full attack with its spiked armor, bringing to bear 22+2=24 STR with those armor spikes for damage?

Secondly, does my T-rex get to use its bite as a secondary attack? If so, does it get to do 2x STR as usual due to Powerful Bite?

Powerful Bite (Ex) wrote:

A tyrannosaurus applies twice its Strength modifier to bite damage.

I ask this partly because a spiky T-rex animal companion mount getting full iterative attacks is badass and partly because I'm tempted to find out if I can convince my GM to let me play an Awakened T-Rex, Allosaurus, or Velociraptor.. (Yeah, right.)

[avr]

If the studded leather is masterwork you won't need the light armor prof. feat. ACP 0 = no problems.

1) Yes, it can do that.
2) Yes, and RAW yes too. Personally I'd reduce it to 1 or 1.5 * Str because that ability was written without the idea that a T. rex might use its bite as a secondary attack.

[Firebug]

Ask your GM (unless PFS). In general, animal companions will not use weapons, they will always choose to use their natural attacks instead. From the Monkey See, Monkey Do? An FAQ on Intelligent Animals

Quote from FAQ:

"Another aspect of intelligent animals is tool use. There are a number of feats that convey an understanding and the proper use of weapons and armor. Generally speaking, these feats are off-limits to animals, but when their intelligence reaches 3, the rules state that they can use any feat that they are physically capable of using. Some people take this to mean that they can equip their animal companion in chainmail and arm him with a greatsword given the correct feats. While you could interpret the rules in this way, the "capable of use" clause is very important. Most weapons require thumbs to use properly, and even then, few animals would choose to use an artificial weapon in place of the natural weapons that have served them all their life. It's what they were born with, after all, and virtually no amount of training will change that. In the end, the GM should feel free to restrict such choices if he feels that they take away from the feel of his campaign. The rules themselves are left a little vague to give the GM the latitude to make the call that's right for his campaign."

1) No manufactured weapons (PFS), or Ask-Your-GM™.
2) Not to get into this subject again, but if you were able to use weapons (see 1), you would have a Secondary Natural Attack (so -5 to attack) that does get 2x Str modifier to damage. (Getting into that argument again, I would argue that it gets 1:1 Power Attack increment, because it is explicitly a Secondary Natural Attack, regardless of the Strength Multiplier added)

However, armor spikes also deal damage on a successful grapple check. The level 7 adjustment for a Tyrannosaurus Animal Companion has Grab on its bite attack.

I am unclear if this is merely "extra damage" (just an extra 1d6 for medium creatures) or if it gets your strength modifier as well.

[John Compton]

Thread title wrote:

I put spiked armor on my T-Rex. What happens?

It looks awesome that's what.

But yeah, I'm in the "no manufactured weapons" camp.

[Drahliana Moonrunner]

You discover that your T-Rex is actually a wildshaped druid who got lost in the part, your action causes him to violete his druidic oaths, and he changes back into a human with a biting fetish.

[MageHunter]

I think a sentient T-Rex could pull it off. I'd allow it.

[Inlaa]

Yeah, the Grab ability is partly why I started eyeballing the armor spikes in the first place. I figured that at the least it could be used to augment its Grabs. Then I started wondering about iteratives...

So, general consensus:

1 - Ask your GM. It works RAW, but it won't fly in PFS.
2 - You can use the Powerful Bite for 2x damage in this case, but it only deals .5x Power Attack because it's a secondary natural attack. Whether it'd gain 2x Power Attack if it were a primary is irrelevant to this discussion; secondary attack, .5x Power Attack, end of story.
2.2 - If, however, you're using the Bite as a primary natural attack and using spikes for extra damage, that's a whole 'nother thread and we're not arguing about that here. Seriously, there's a thread somewhere.
3 - You can add Armor Spikes' damage automatically when grappling someone, but we can't determine if it's supposed to add STR in this case. It's also unsure if you can add power attack.

All this sound right?

John Compton wrote:

Thread title wrote:

I put spiked armor on my T-Rex. What happens?

It looks awesome that's what.

Yeah pmuch.

[Vidmaster7]

James Jacobs comments on his new BLING.

[Apraham Lincoln]

If you going off-grid anyway for armour spikes, Scale Spikes will solve the weapon and armour proficiencies

[Inlaa]

Apraham Lincoln wrote:

If you going off-grid anyway for armour spikes, Scale Spikes will solve the weapon and armour proficiencies

Oooo. Could those have permanency cast on them? It looks like they could.

[Apraham Lincoln]

Inlaa wrote:

Apraham Lincoln wrote:

If you going off-grid anyway for armour spikes, Scale Spikes will solve the weapon and armour proficiencies

Oooo. Could those have permanency cast on them? It looks like they could.

If you playing a druid for the AC then you get the greater version at 5th level for 1hr/L and enhancements as gravy. Sadly it only comes online at 10th for a ranger. Get a wand maybe, or a potion if you can convince you t-rex to drink it

[zainale]

nothing the spike armor is too small and meant for a humanoid form.
(that's my asinine rule Nazi's answer)
but if you meant spiked barding that would be a different answer.