Drone Melee Weapon Arm Uses

[Scottybobotti]

If my drone has two melee weapon arms can I put a battleglove on one, but still use both to use a pike? Also, if I want to use a swift action to take one hand off the pike and attempt a grapple maneuver with the battleglove hand; is that allowable?

[Pantshandshake]

Well, battlegloves let you use the hand to do other stuff while wearing the glove, so yes, I think you can do that.

[Raxmei]

I say no on this. Drone weapon arms are fixed mounts that take an hour to change out. Putting a battleglove on the weapon mount gives you a boxing glove on a stick, not a fully functional articulated hand. Manipulator arms are a separate mod.

[Scottybobotti]

So are you saying a drone needs manipulator arms to grapple? Drones take a -4 to attack with manipulator arms. Even with the feat improved grapple the -4 makes it almost impossible for a combat drone to grapple. The grapple description says you only need one free hand to attempt this maneuver. Are drones not supposed to be able to grapple?

[Raxmei]

A drone could grapple using a weapon with the grapple property. Those don't require a free hand. Otherwise I'd expect them to be terrible at it.