Spiked armor

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Spiked armor is one of a few variants of armor used in medieval times.

[edit] Overview

Though an armor, it is also a dangerous weapon. It is an addition that is normally put on plate armor. These spikes serve as a useful defense against close-ranged combat, especially against unarmored foes, as the spikes can easily poke through flesh. Anyone close enough to a spiked combatant is at risk of being wounded. Sometimes an individual wearing this kind of armor would use the armor itself as their main weapon, rather than using a more conventional weapon.

As useful as it seems at first, this armor has its disadvantages. Any nearby friends or bystanders are at risk of being injured by the armor. Adding spikes adds some weight (of course the weight is quite insignificant.) The spikes can also catch on things like trees or even corpses if the spikes are made long enough. Even worse, trying to put on the armor may be difficult, as one could quite easily injure oneself. The armor could also hinder one's flexibility, as these spikes could occasionally cause the wear to prick himself.

The development of spiked armor has also led to the need for longer ranged weapons, due to the dangers in close-ranged combat.