Yes.
As with any weapon you can use it as your main attack or your only attack. You can also use it as an off hand attack while attacking with another weapon.
Some will probably argue that the line about shield-bashing as an off hand attack means it can only be used as an off hand attack. But that makes little sense, and it was addressed in 3.5 and was said that it could be used as a primary attack. And that language comes straight from 3.5 anyways.
Plus, it makes little conceptual sense to say that you can attack with a shield if and only if you attack with another weapon first. What, getting bashed with a shield doesn't hurt as long as somebody doesn't try to stab you first? Or that you can attack with a chair, or an iron pot, or some other improvised 'weapon' but not with a shield? That just doesn't make sense.
Yes.
As with any weapon you can use it as your main attack or your only attack. You can also use it as an off hand attack while attacking with another weapon.
Some will probably argue that the line about shield-bashing as an off hand attack means it can only be used as an off hand attack. But that makes little sense, and it was addressed in 3.5 and was said that it could be used as a primary attack. And that language comes straight from 3.5 anyways.
Plus, it makes little conceptual sense to say that you can attack with a shield if and only if you attack with another weapon first. What, getting bashed with a shield doesn't hurt as long as somebody doesn't try to stab you first? Or that you can attack with a chair, or an iron pot, or some other improvised 'weapon' but not with a shield? That just doesn't make sense.
+1
the only reason they even point out that it counts as an off hand attack is in regards to your str adding to it.
So, if I were to use the shield as a primary weapon, would I lose the AC bonus provided by the shield?
Without Imp shield bash? Yes.
Did this for an All-Orc one off. The idea was to bash the first enemy with my shield then take his weapon to kill his buddies :) Spiked shield, Power Attack, 2 handed (hvy shield only), it worked pretty well over all.
Had a guy in our group do this. Fighter/Monk. TWF with Heavy Adamanitne Shield and fist. High acrobatics. Called himself Steve Rogers. Weird kid.
I want to make a stalwart defender that dual wields two heavy shields.
Had a guy in our group do this. Fighter/Monk. TWF with Heavy Adamanitne Shield and fist. High acrobatics. Called himself Steve Rogers. Weird kid.
Steve Rogers was the alter ego of Captain America for those who might not know.
I really love that Pathfinder made shields better. Also, they made critical hits and sneak attacks better. So, overall, more combat strategies are viable. The two things I'd like to see tweaked up a bit are something to make single strikes more damaging (Vital Strike was a good first attempt, but got nerfed down by rulings.) and some slightly better Rogue Training attack add-ons.
Had a guy in our group do this. Fighter/Monk. TWF with Heavy Adamanitne Shield and fist. High acrobatics. Called himself Steve Rogers. Weird kid.Steve Rogers was the alter ego of Captain America for those who might not know.
Reminds me of a bard I once played. He went by the name of Ian Hawkwind and was wildly irreverant when speaking to archmages and even gods (FR campaign...). He also spoke of former adventuring companions such as Nelson Peart (a skilled warrior-poet who fought with a pair of maces), Ronald James Deus (a conjurer noted for the pronounced somatic components of his spells), and Lita Fordragon (a runaway from Shadowdale).
If you use a shield as your primary weapon, can you enchant it without adding shield spikes first?
If you have a throwing shield, can you make it a +1 Returning Throwing Shield?
Had a guy in our group do this. Fighter/Monk. TWF with Heavy Adamanitne Shield and fist. High acrobatics. Called himself Steve Rogers. Weird kid.Steve Rogers was the alter ego of Captain America for those who might not know.
I really love that Pathfinder made shields better. Also, they made critical hits and sneak attacks better. So, overall, more combat strategies are viable. The two things I'd like to see tweaked up a bit are something to make single strikes more damaging (Vital Strike was a good first attempt, but got nerfed down by rulings.) and some slightly better Rogue Training attack add-ons.
Query: How did PF make shields better. I haven't noticed anything that differentiates them in any way from 3.5, except perhaps the feat that allows a free bull rush after a shield bash. I remember that being in Sword and Fist in 3.0, though...
Edit: Incidentally, I built a shield bashing character in 3.5 heavily based on Captain America. I called him Roget Steverson, AKA Captain Vierge.
If you use a shield as your primary weapon, can you enchant it without adding shield spikes first?
Yes. You can still do bludgeoning damage.
If you have a throwing shield, can you make it a +1 Returning Throwing Shield?
Yep. It would cost a pretty penny but you could. In total a +3 shield. MW, +1 enchantment, +1 to make it a Throwing item, +1 to make it Returning.
Keep in mind that you have to enchant it separately as armor and a weapon.
To give it a +1 attack and damage you'd have to give it a +1 enhancement bonus as a weapon, but that by itself won't increase its armor bonus any. You'd also have to enchant that separately as a +1 armor enhancement bonus.
Giving it a +1 armor enhancement bonus won't make it hid harder or better as a weapon. And giving it weapon enhancement bonuses won't give higher AC.
You can of course do both, but the costs are separate and can add up fast.