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I was reading the description for Quickdraw Shield on page 179 of the APG and the wording caught my eye. It says:
"This light shield is specially crafted with a series of straps to allow a character proficient in shields to ready or stow it on his or her back quickly and easily." It continues at the bottom by saying: "If you have the Quick Draw feat, you may don or put away a quickdraw shield as a free action"
I take that to mean I can don (ready) my light quickdraw shield as a free action with the Quick Draw feat. Am I reading that right? If so, whats stopping me from wielding my one-handed weapon in both hands for my attacks and when I'm done attacking, pulling out my shield and readying it as a free action?
Just a thought,
Matt
I was reading the description for Quickdraw Shield on page 179 of the APG and the wording caught my eye. It says:
"This light shield is specially crafted with a series of straps to allow a character proficient in shields to ready or stow it on his or her back quickly and easily." It continues at the bottom by saying: "If you have the Quick Draw feat, you may don or put away a quickdraw shield as a free action"
I take that to mean I can don (ready) my light quickdraw shield as a free action with the Quick Draw feat. Am I reading that right? If so, whats stopping me from wielding my one-handed weapon in both hands for my attacks and when I'm done attacking, pulling out my shield and readying it as a free action?
Just a thought,
Matt
It appears to be legal by RAW. It seems gimmicky, but it works.
Round 1: Full attack, Pull out the shield get the AC.Round 2: Put the shield away, Full Attack.
Rinse Repeat.
I have seen experienced sword fighters do this in real life. Generally they wear the shield loosely on their back. If they need it (such as when getting attacked by multiple foes) they will quickly sling it around to their front into their waiting hand. I've even seen a guy swing it around FROM his hand to his back to successfully parry a new opponent who was attempting to stab him from behind.
I would let a character either ready or stow the shield as a free action each turn, but not both in the same turn.
I would let a character either ready or stow the shield as a free action each turn, but not both in the same turn.
It would not be in the same turn. You can do it once per round and still get the benefit of the damage, and the AC.
But you lose the AC once every 2nd round, no?
But you lose the AC once every 2nd round, no?
Yeah. Somehow I missed that the first time around.
I'm not sure that "put away" is intended to mean putting it in your back, it may just be unstrapping the shield (then you can use a free action to drop it, or a standard action to store it).
Quickdraw usually helps when drawing stuff, not when shething weapons and the like.
In any case you can use that tactic the first round, if you can put the shield in your back too as a free action then you can do it every round because you can do multiple free actions.
You *can* have multiple free actions, but it is subject to DM discretion.
So in other words, no freakin way after they see what you're trying to pull!
I'd still allow it tho. Purely because it *can* be done realistically.
I'm not sure that "put away" is intended to mean putting it in your back, it may just be unstrapping the shield (then you can use a free action to drop it, or a standard action to store it).
Quickdraw usually helps when drawing stuff, not when shething weapons and the like.
In any case you can use that tactic the first round, if you can put the shield in your back too as a free action then you can do it every round because you can do multiple free actions.
That is a DM call. You can't quick draw as many weapons as you want as an example. I don't think many DM's will let you simulate an animated shield that easily. '
I personally would not allow it in the same round (which is, attack with two-handed, then defend and benefit from the Shield).
Why? Because of this Core item:
"Buckler: This small metal shield is worn strapped to your forearm. (...) In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn."
Now, if a buckler (which is always strapped on the forearm, no matter what) cannot allow a character to benefit in the same round from a THW and a Shield bonus, I would dare to say that not even a Quickdraw Light Shield should.
Just my 2c.
You can do it with two handed weapons too (attack with greatsword/longspear, then don the shield and carry the weapon in the other hand), but you can't make AoOs with the weapon after donning the shield.
You can take your AoOs by bashing with the light shield.
I personally would not allow it in the same round (which is, attack with two-handed, then defend and benefit from the Shield).
Why? Because of this Core item:
"Buckler: This small metal shield is worn strapped to your forearm. (...) In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn."
Now, if a buckler (which is always strapped on the forearm, no matter what) cannot allow a character to benefit in the same round from a THW and a Shield bonus, I would dare to say that not even a Quickdraw Light Shield should.
Just my 2c.
You make a good point. Still, I would let my players do what the OP describes.
If usually putting the shield in your back is storing an item (as there isn't an specific action to store the shield), which provokes an AoO, would putting away a quickdraw shield provoke an AoO?
I suppose it would, wouldn't it?
I don't see an issue. It really isn't broken in anyway. He needs a feat and he isn't getting much for it. On top of that it makes the character unique. His character would have a very strange fighting style that if done right the other players are going to remember. And that's the kind of thing we want to limit the least.