I have read many posts about using a spiked gauntlet(s) with a pole arm to threaten adjacent squares. My question is, would I still be able to threaten adjacent squares as an archer who uses a bow?
[RPG] threaten adjacent squares while using spiked gauntlets and a bow
equipmentopportunity-attackpathfinder-1eranged-attackweapons
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- [RPG] full-attack with a Two-Handed Weapon and then attack with a Spiked Gauntlet off-hand
- [RPG] swap weapons and change the grip when using two-weapon fighting
Best Answer
Yes, you can, if that hand is free.
Releasing your grip off a weapon is a Free Action, according to this FAQ item:
And this is exactly the tactic used with two-handed weapons and spiked gauntlets, so you can threaten adjacent squares instead of threatening two squares away and have all adjacent squares as dead zones, while it is not your turn.
Releasing your off-hand from your two-handed weapon (be it a spear or a bow) will allow you to use that hand for attacks of opportunity with the weapon on that hand (say, a spiked gauntlet). This is no different from attacking with a bow normally for a round, then using Quick Draw to grab a dagger and be armed until your next turn.
However, if you are using your two-handed weapon, you cannot use your off-hand weapon (a gauntlet) on attacks of opportunity before first spending a free action to release it. Like when using the Greater Trip feat using a two-handed weapon, tripping your opponent, then attempt to use an off-hand weapon to deliver the attack of opportunity.
So, the tactic usually goes like this:
But honestly, this is no different from using your bow as an improvised blunt weapon while it's not your turn, as long as you also spend a free action changing your grip.
When asked if you can attack with a spiked gauntlet while also attacking with a one-handed weapon on the same hand, James Jacobs (Paizo's Creative Director) answered this:
What about the controversial FAQ about using off-hand attacks on the same turn as attacking with a two-handed weapon?
This FAQ Item caused a lot of confusion when it says:
Here it says you cannot make off-hand attacks while attacking with a two-handed weapon on the same round, which leads to many other FAQs (like the ones I mentioned previously) to be wrong. The confusion caused by it can be seen on several threads at paizo.com (#1, #2, #3, etc).
But to put it simply, that FAQ would lead to many situations where you could not use any hand that already made an attack on that round, which is not what the rules actually say, as you can obtain several attacks with the same hand (like iteratives).
That FAQ was addressing a specific situation, attempting to use an off-hand weapon (spikes) to two-weapon fight while already using a two-handed weapon, and shouldn't be considered outside of that scenario or the entire combat chapter falls apart.
An alternative to avoid all this confusion is wearing a Dwarven Boulder Helmet, which allows an extra attack with your head and not your hands, and it makes no mention of working as an off-hand attack, unlike spiked gauntlets or armor spikes.