Why do Skirnir get Tower Shield Proficiency...

[RtrnofdMax]

...when they can't bond a tower shield?

[blackbloodtroll]

So they have options.

[Grick]

blackbloodtroll wrote:

So they have options.

Weird ones.

Tower Shield + bonded Light Shield. Bash with light, tower for AC.

Tower Shield + bonded Buckler. Cast with buckler hand, don't ever bash. Maybe wield normal weapon in buckler hand. Don't plan on being able to hit anything.

The downside is you only benefit from magic on one of them, since you've only got one shield magic item slot.

Arcane Bond (Su): "At 1st level, a skirnir gains a shield (except for a tower shield) as an arcane bond item. This is identical to the wizard class ability, but the skirnir may only bond with a shield, not a familiar or other item."

I think you could just buy a tower shield then bond with it. You can't get one for free, but your bond is only limited to shields.

I'm not sure if that's RAI or a loophole. I'm inclined to think loophole.

[Big Lemon]

The RAW doesn't explicitly say you canot bond with a tower shield, just that you dont gain one for free.

[LazarX]

I'm going to assume that there is a mistake in the write up and guess that Skirinir were NOT intended to have tower shield proficiency. One for the FAQ markers I think.

[blackbloodtroll]

I don't see why they could not bond with a Tower Shield.

[Grick]

LazarX wrote:

I'm going to assume that there is a mistake in the write up and guess that Skirinir were NOT intended to have tower shield proficiency.

I think it's cool to give them the option to make a defensive skirnir that doesn't bash in exchange for better defense. The only part I think might be unintended is making a new bond with a tower shield, not the proficiency.

[Choon]

Why not bond with a tower shield? It's not ideally useful because you can't bash, but why is bonding with one be such a bad thing?

Forgive me if I'm just missing something obvious.

[LazarX]

Choon wrote:

Why not bond with a tower shield? It's not ideally useful because you can't bash, but why is bonding with one be such a bad thing?

Forgive me if I'm just missing something obvious.

The Tower Shield seems to have intended as a benie for fighters. Maguses simply aren't the combat exemplars the fighter class is, so that's why I'm sure the inclusion of Tower Shield proficiency was a mistake, given that just putting in standard shield proficiency is an upgrade for the class.

[ProfPotts]

The Skirnir may not be able to form an Arcane Bond with a tower shield, but they can still enhance one with their Arcane Pool, and the Shield Pool class feature actually works better with a tower shield (the bonus to concentration checks part anyway). So I imagine it's just more options for them, like BBT suggests above.

[Michael Sayre]

ProfPotts wrote:

The Skirnir may not be able to form an Arcane Bond with a tower shield, but they can still enhance one with their Arcane Pool, and the Shield Pool class feature actually works better with a tower shield (the bonus to concentration checks part anyway). So I imagine it's just more options for them, like BBT suggests above.

It also really doesn't look like they're prohibited from bonding with one, just that they don't get to start with one. So there's probably plenty of utility you could get out of it.

[RtrnofdMax]

So you could pay 200 gold plus the cost of a masterwork tower shield to bond to it at first level? Those rules are for a bonded weapon and they apply to it being lost or destroyed, not you simply getting tired of it.

I guess I can see the wording allowing you to get one later, but why restrict you in the first place? I thought for a second that it might be cost, but that's not it. A Masterwork Tower Shield is only 180GP which is cheaper than any masterwork weapon that could be bonded.