As I said in my earlier thread, I've adapted for my campaign a rule from an old RPG of my childhood—Lands of Legend—regarding shield use.
In 3.5 (and in Pathfinder RPG), strapping a shield only adds a number in your AC. In all my games, I've noticed that players were quite willing not to use a shield simpky because it didn't really gave something valuable to them. That's when my childhood games came back. After a bit of tinkering, I've come up with a rule that dynamically use the shield during combat.
RULE : SHIELD USE
Every shield in the game has a Deflection value which is given as a different die for each shield. Thus, if the wearer of the shield is hit in combat (even in the case of a critical hit), he rolls the corresponding die and, if he gets a 1, the shield blocked the attack. In fact, all the damage that he would have taken is instead applied to the shield (critical hits simply do their damage, if you use the Critical Hit Deck), much like the Sunder rule. In fact, you can almost take this roll as a Sacrifice Sunder (you sacrifice your shield in the attack, but you live to see another round).
Shield: Deflection Die/Hardness/HP
Buckler: 1d8/10/5
Light Shield (wooden): 1d6/5/7
Light Shield (steel): 1d6/10/10
Heavy Shield (wooden): 1d4/5/15
Heavy Shield (steel): 1d4/10/20
Tower Shield: 1d2/5/20
Of course, you don't add the shield's AC bonus to your character's total AC anymore, but all other numbers still apply. The only excpetions are magical shields: their magical bonus is added to the AC, since it is an Enchantment bonus to AC.
What do you think of this rule? Could it make it to Pathfinder? I'm waiting for your comments! :)
humm nice but adds complexity and more rolls may slow down combat a bit but could be fun may have to test this .
humm nice but adds complexity and more rolls may slow down combat a bit but could be fun may have to test this .
It really adds only one roll (the deflection roll), but I admit the rule is a bit complex. Maybe the brave folks at Paizo could come up with something flashier and quickier to use? :)
An alternative I've thought of was to arbitrarily say that a wooden shield would break only if it blocked a critical hit, while a steel shield would be able to resist three such attacks before breaking. This way, blocking a normal attack wouldn't "hurt" the shield… But I find this arbitrary decision a bit simplistic… :)
I really like this idea, I'll start playtesting it ASAP!
It's more in line how I see armor work and it might finally lead to durability of items become an aspect to think about.
I'll post my experience with it here once I've given them a thorough test.
yes that works too shield do need something.
Really, there is no reason to use a shield in D&D, since you're better fighting 2-handed (either with 2 weapons or a two-handed weapon) as the numbers now stand.
That's exactly why shields should have more gaming spotlight! ;)
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I'd like to add something I thought of from my Deft Shield thread regarding shield bashes:
Is there any way to make a change that bucklers can be used for shield bashes? I understand the probable reasoning (too small for an effective bash, just like a tower shield is too big and unwieldy), but bucklers were in fact used in just this way as a "metal fist".
I would say make it equivalent to a metal gauntlet, but that's the same as a light shield bash, so it would probably require redoing all of the shield damage. Rather than increasing the damage by 1 die for shield spikes, increase all shield damage by one die, and simply add a +1 damage modifier for shield spikes.
It would look like the following:
Gauntlet 1d2/1d3
Buckler not allowed
Light shield 1d2/1d3
Light spiked shield 1d3/1d4
Heavy shield 1d3/1d4
Heavy spiked shield 1d4/1d6
Gauntlet 1d2/1d3
Buckler 1d2/1d3
Light shield 1d3/1d4
Light spiked shield 1d3+1/1d4+1
Heavy shield 1d4/1d6
Heavy spiked shield 1d4+1/1d6+1
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For the sake of Compatibility, I'd be happy just to see the basic Shield bonuses double to +2, +4 and +8.
Really, there is no reason to use a shield in D&D, since you're better fighting 2-handed (either with 2 weapons or a two-handed weapon) as the numbers now stand.
I was thinking that Fighters should get free (and other shield-users, like Paladins be able to select as a Class Option or purchase as a Feat for less martial shield-users like Clerics) some sort of Shield Optimization skill.
When a Fighter (or other class) with Shield Optimization is using a Shield, they get the following bonus;
Light Shield or Buckler - +1 Dodge bonus to AC.
Hvy Shield - +2 Dodge bonus to AC.
Tower Shield - +3 Dodge bonus to AC.
An option to 'Shield-Block' could also be added to Combat Options that allows a Shield user to make a BAB roll to try and get his shield in the way of an attack. This is contested against the BAB of the attacker, and if successful, the Shield takes the damage rather than the wielder. Limit it to once / round as an Immediate Action.
A similar Parry Combat Option could be added to the game as well, but Parrying might eat up your Attack Action for the round. Unlike normal attack rolls, the modifiers from Combat Expertise, Fighting Defensively or Total Defense might be reversed for a Parry action.