|
Buckler: This small metal shield is worn strapped to your forearm. You can use a bow or crossbow without penalty while carrying it. You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so. This penalty stacks with those that may apply for fighting with your off hand and for fighting with two weapons. In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn. You can cast a spell with somatic components using your shield arm, but you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn. You can't make a shield bash with a buckler.
If I have my buckler under my heavy shield, my attack roll with the shield is +4 (1 BAB + 4 Dex - 1 Buckler)? Even though the Buckler has no ACP?
While the rules don't explicitly forbid it, I wouldn't expect a lot of PFS GMs to allow you to wear a shield over a buckler. At best, expect 'table variation' on this. If you are allowed to do this, you will take the -1 to hit (per the Buckler rules) with your bash attack (also, don't forget the two weapon fighting penalties if you are using your morning star as well).
If I have my buckler under my morningstar, my attack roll with the shield is +5 (1 BAB + 4 Dex)?
No, you would take the -1 for having the buckler. The rules are written under the assumption that you equip the buckler on your offhand, but putting it on your main hand doesn't allow you to ignore the penalty. Furthermore, equipping a buckler on your main hand basically means you will never get its AC bonus (as you lose the bonus if you attack with that hand) outside of when you are surprised (or otherwise not attacking for a round) and don't have your heavy shield equipped.
If I have my buckler on and attack with my bow, my attack roll is +6? (1 BAB + 4 Dex + 1 Enhancement)
Correct. Note that you will lose the AC bonus until your next round, as you are using your 'shield arm' to attack.
Is there a way to remove the penalty when TWF'ing with a buckler?
Hopefully, no: Bucklers are ridiculously good as they are. Personally, I am not aware of any way around this penalty, but I'm not up-to-speed on a lot of supplements.
If I have my buckler under my heavy shield, my attack roll with the shield is +4 (1 BAB + 4 Dex - 1 Buckler)? Even though the Buckler has no ACP?
If you are using your buckler arm to attack with a shield then you aren't getting any benefits from the buckler. All the buckler does is cost you a -1 on your attack rolls. That's assuming that you could somehow have two shields strapped to the same arm.
If I have my buckler under my morningstar, my attack roll with the shield is +5 (1 BAB + 4 Dex)?
You don't wear a buckler "under" a morningstar. If you mean you are going to wear the buckler on the same arm you are using to wield your morningstar then see above.
If I have my buckler on and attack with my bow, my attack roll is +6? (1 BAB + 4 Dex + 1 Enhancement)
You don't suffer an attack penalty for wearing a buckler while using a bow, but you also aren't getting any benefits from it.
Since the buckler isn't doing any good in any of these case - it's actually hurting you in most - I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish.
Mostly for low level combat versatility. If I am not bashing with the shield its just an extra +1 AC, and I can draw it free as a move action if I have +1 BAB. It is a weapon as much as it is a defensive item.
I am completely baffled.
How are you strapping two shields onto the same arm?
How are you strapping a heavy shield onto your arm as part of a move action? Even a quickdraw, light shield takes a swift in addition to being part of a move action. Donning a heavy shield requires a move action all by itself.
What is the point of the buckler? You are never getting any benefits from it. All it does is add penalties.
What do you mean when you say you are wearing the buckler "under" your morningstar while attacking with your shield?
Your trait lets you treat a heavy shield as a light weapon, but are you also proficient with heavy shields as armor? If not then you will take penalties when using it to defend.
You are basically asking to wield a dagger and a long sword in one hand simultaneously so that you have a light weapon ready to attack with on the off chance you get grappled. Shields are slightly more convoluted than that because they can be used as a shield or as a weapon but I don't think it was ever intended that you use a buckler and a small or large shield in the same hand at the same time. While I know of nothing RAW explicitly forbidding this, I doubt you will find many people on board with your scheme.
Okay, I think I understand better now. I thought maybe you were able to do these things because you were using some shield-wielding archetype that I was unfamiliar with.
So shields are confusing because they are armor and in some cases can also be weapons. There are lots and lots of threads on shields because of this. So you are not alone in struggling with this issue. I'll try to help flesh out the basics.
The first issue is proficiency. You seem to be a Swashbuckler, but they do not have proficiency with light or heavy shields. So I'm not sure how you were able to take Improved Shield Bash. The answer to that might clear up some other issues.
This is the point of me getting clarification. Can I draw a heavy shield as part of a move action, like drawing a weapon?
The three types of shields you are talking about - bucklers, light shields, and heavy shields - all need to be strapped to your forearm in order to be used. All three require their own move action to don. There are quickdraw shields that are specifically designed to let you don them as part of a move action (plus a swift action), but the normal shield types can't do this.
Can I wield a heavy shield with the same hand that wears a buckler?
As Taja said, there isn't any specific rule against it, but I can't imagine any GM letting this happen. If you already have a shield strapped to your arm, I don't see how you could strap another one around the first. I also don't see the point in doing so. You would gain nothing except penalties.
I can wear a buckler at no penalty while wielding a bow. I gain no AC, but take no penalty. If I then drop that bow, draw a weapon (morningstar) and engage in melee, I get +1 AC for wearing a buckler on my off arm.
Yes. That is exactly correct. Because you have a +1 BAB, you can draw that morningstar with a free action as part of a regular move action. So you can draw it as you move toward your foes.
But since you have the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, you can actually draw two light or one-handed weapons as part of a regular move action. So you could, for example, draw the morningstar and a dagger at the same time. Now each round you can choose to use your buckler for defense or dagger for more offense. I think this approach gets you almost everything you were trying to get with the heavy shield. Since you can't bash with a buckler, you could switch Improved Shield Bash with something like Dodge. +1 AC for the buckler and +1 AC for dodge with get you the +2 you would have gotten for the heavy shield. Plus Dodge is a prerequisite for a lot of other feats.
If I then ready my heavy shield onto the arm wearing a buckler, I increase the AC by 1, to 2 shield bonus AC. I only take a penalty when shield-bashing with the now heavy shield.
As I said earlier, I don't see how you can strap both to the same arm, and I don't see why you would want to.
Does that make things less baffling? I may be wrong that I can draw a shield like a weapon. If so, it is good to clear it up now.
I am now less baffled :)
The quickdraw light shield plus the Quick Draw feat lets you go from using a bow to using a light shield and weapon with just free actions. It's by far the easiest way to switch from archer to melee with a shield that you can bash with. You can also use a Quick Draw shield to defend when it's not your turn, then put it away to shoot a bow on your turn, then put it back on again.