A
Anonymous
Guest
OK, several things wrong with the pike, and we're going to try to fix them here.
First and foremost, the pick is not able to be set for charge, which of course is the ONLY reason it was ever invented, or effectively used. So...
Pike, deals double damage when using a ready action to set for charge.
Second, AP needs some work, since the average pikeman with a Str of 14 can't even penetrate a horse's natural DR not to mention any kind of barding or plate armour. But let's not go overboard. So...
Pike has it's AP increased to 3, and is doubled when set for charge.
Before, a rider on horseback charging a pike wielder, had it made. Say rider in breastplate, mail, and helm, Warhorse unarmoured. With readying an action for charge here is what would happen. Assume standard Warhorse, and human opponents of equal level.
1) Horse and rider get to 20' from pike wielder, pike wielder takes attack, hits, does not penetrate DR of 6, does 1d10+4 points of damage, average is 8, horse takes 2 hp has 22 left.
2) Horse and rider get to 15' from pike wielder, pike wielder takes AoO, hits and whalla another net 2 hp of damage.
(Even with one crit the horse lives on average, two crits seals its doom.)
3) Horse and rider move to 10' away, pike wielder out of AoO's and even if had combat reflexes could only attack rider at -4 penalty for cover.
4) Horse and rider get adjacent to pike wielder and slaughter him in a round or two.
Only a pike wall of 3 or more has any noticable effect on a single rider. This is pretty much exact opposite of the 3:1 attacker ratio needed to win a defended position.
First and foremost, the pick is not able to be set for charge, which of course is the ONLY reason it was ever invented, or effectively used. So...
Pike, deals double damage when using a ready action to set for charge.
Second, AP needs some work, since the average pikeman with a Str of 14 can't even penetrate a horse's natural DR not to mention any kind of barding or plate armour. But let's not go overboard. So...
Pike has it's AP increased to 3, and is doubled when set for charge.
Before, a rider on horseback charging a pike wielder, had it made. Say rider in breastplate, mail, and helm, Warhorse unarmoured. With readying an action for charge here is what would happen. Assume standard Warhorse, and human opponents of equal level.
1) Horse and rider get to 20' from pike wielder, pike wielder takes attack, hits, does not penetrate DR of 6, does 1d10+4 points of damage, average is 8, horse takes 2 hp has 22 left.
2) Horse and rider get to 15' from pike wielder, pike wielder takes AoO, hits and whalla another net 2 hp of damage.
(Even with one crit the horse lives on average, two crits seals its doom.)
3) Horse and rider move to 10' away, pike wielder out of AoO's and even if had combat reflexes could only attack rider at -4 penalty for cover.
4) Horse and rider get adjacent to pike wielder and slaughter him in a round or two.
Only a pike wall of 3 or more has any noticable effect on a single rider. This is pretty much exact opposite of the 3:1 attacker ratio needed to win a defended position.