As the subject line asks, does the fighter's armor mastery class ability also reduce the armor check penalty for shields? They are on the armor table, so they must be considered armor too, right?
I'll assume you mean armor training, as it does what you describe.
In the description, is says armor, and only armor. It makes no mention of shields, as armor mastery does. The rules for a given skill have to specify between armor and shields, since they are handled radically different.So no, you don't get any ACP off of shields, and the max you can remove from your character is however much is on the armor alone. The shield ACP is not affected in any way. Sorry.
But they are on the armor table. Does that not mean they are another form of armor? Are you so certain that there is absolutely no room in the written rules for other interpretations?
So mneh!! :)
Alright then.
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Well given that a masterwork light wooden or steel shield as well as a dark wood heavy shield are all very affordable and lack any ACP, I'm assuming your looking at reducing what a tower shield does?
It'd be up to your DM of course as they're the final arbitrator, but I'd personally say no simply because it's already very easy not to have any ACP to really worry about. A masterwork heavy steel shield is only a -1.
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this got me to thinking... so here is the class ability from the PRD for common reference.
Armor Training (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a fighter learns to be more maneuverable while wearing armor. Whenever he is wearing armor, he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 (to a minimum of 0) and increases the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by his armor by 1. Every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, and 15th), these bonuses increase by +1 each time, to a maximum –4 reduction of the armor check penalty and a +4 increase of the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed.
In addition, a fighter can also move at his normal speed while wearing medium armor. At 7th level, a fighter can move at his normal speed while wearing heavy armor.
On the PRD the chart is listed as Armor and Shields. All shields are grouped together under a Shields heading. IF shields were part of armor then I would expect light shields to be under Light Armor and heavy shields to be under Heavy Armor. Additionally Armor grants an Armor Bonus and Shields grant a Shield Bonus. Also, if shields were armor I would expect to only see Armor Spikes and not another entry for Shield Spikes.
Also under the description for Armor Check Penalty it says
Armor Check Penalty: Any armor heavier than leather, as well as any shield, hurts a character's ability to use Dexterity- and Strength-based skills. An armor check penalty applies to all Dexterity- and Strength-based skill checks. A character's encumbrance may also incur an armor check penalty.
The bolded part tells me that shields and armor are not the same thing.
So, trying as hard as I might to find a way to allow shields to fall under Armor Training, I just can't find a way to do so.
Sorry, I would say no to allowing Armor Training to work on Shields... wish it did really I do... but I can't see a way to make it happen.
Thanks for the clarification everyone! I guess the only way to get rid of heavy shield armor check penalties is to have them made out of darkwood/mithral. Seems kind of limiting, but I think I can make do.