Shields are described as being strapped to the arm of the bearer; does this render them immune to disarming? Presumably strapping it to your forearm would be more secure than attaching it via weapon cords, right?
Bucklers and light shields are not held in the hand, so they can't be disarmed.
Heavy shields and tower shields are gripped, so they can be disarmed. You wouldn't drop them (you can't drop a heavy shield if you wanted to without taking it off first) but you would loose your shield bonus until you spend a move action to ready the shield again.
I'd probably treat shields that were strapped to the forearm as having weapon cords for rules purposes. Easy to handle that way, while still making it possible for someone to rip it off the arm with enough of an effort.
"Shield, Heavy; Wooden or Steel: You strap a shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand. A heavy shield is so heavy that you can't use your shield hand for anything else."
"Shield, Light; Wooden or Steel: You strap a shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand. A light shield's weight lets you carry other items in that hand, although you cannot use weapons with it."
"Shield, Tower: This massive wooden shield is nearly as tall as you are. In most situations, it provides the indicated shield bonus to your AC. As a standard action, however, you can use a tower shield to grant you total cover until the beginning of your next turn. When using a tower shield in this way, you must choose one edge of your space. That edge is treated as a solid wall for attacks targeting you only. You gain total cover for attacks that pass through this edge and no cover for attacks that do not pass through this edge (see Combat). The shield does not, however, provide cover against targeted spells; a spellcaster can cast a spell on you by targeting the shield you are holding. You cannot bash with a tower shield, nor can you use your shield hand for anything else.
When employing a tower shield in combat, you take a –2 penalty on attack rolls because of the shield's encumbrance."
"Disarm ...
If your attack is successful, your target drops one item it is carrying of your choice (even if the item is wielded with two hands). If your attack exceeds the CMD of the target by 10 or more, the target drops the items it is carrying in both hands (maximum two items if the target has more than two hands)."
"Don: ... Readying (strapping on) a shield is only a move action."
Heavy and Light Shields are described as being strapped across the arm and gripped, which means that while attended, they are also worn items. You can only disarm items that are carried, not worn. Tower Shields must also have straps (how else would you Ready it?). The description for buckler doesn't prohibit the overriding move-action donning, and must qualify as a worn item as well.
It would appear that shields are all strapped on (worn) items and therefore immune to Disarm checks.
Not Sunder though.
As a worn item, is it then subject to the steal manuever?
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If you're using a shield (as opposed to carrying it), you're *wearing* it, you're not simply carrying it in your hand.
Disarm text: "If your attack is successful, your target drops one item it is carrying of your choice..."
Thus, you can't disarm someone of a shield they're wearing.
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Heavy shields and tower shields are gripped, so they can be disarmed. You wouldn't drop them (you can't drop a heavy shield if you wanted to without taking it off first) but you would loose your shield bonus until you spend a move action to ready the shield again.
According to what?
Btw, here's some designer commentary on the subject:
If you're using a shield (as opposed to carrying it), you're *wearing* it, you're not simply carrying it in your hand.
Disarm text: "If your attack is successful, your target drops one item it is carrying of your choice..."
Thus, you can't disarm someone of a shield they're wearing.
Note that he makes no distinction between different types of shields.
As for the Steal maneuver, it lists some categories of difficulty, with some items using the normal CMB rules, some being Steal-able at CMD+5, and some being impossible to take. Shields are not listed as any of the examples, so GMs will have to make their own decisions. My guess is either the CMD+5 category or the "can't do it" category for shields.
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So now the person two-weapon fighting with shields cannot be disarmed?
Time to start sundering.
Now if only there were some way for your weapons to be immune to that maneuver, too...
Oh wait, that's right, there is: be a monk and punch people over and over. Can't have your weapons disarmed OR sundered. Must be pretty overpowered, amirite? ;)
Weapon cords and locked gauntlets help resist disarming for any weapon.
For the TWF shield user, are they readying the shield or just drawing it? I thought that the usual use was just holding the shield and using it that way, not fully readying their shields.
For the TWF shield user, are they readying the shield or just drawing it? I thought that the usual use was just holding the shield and using it that way, not fully readying their shields.
Ready or Drop a Shield: "Strapping a shield to your arm to gain its shield bonus to your AC, or unstrapping and dropping a shield so you can use your shield hand for another purpose, requires a move action."
The poorly worded "Ready a Shield" action just means strapping it to your arm so you can use it. You need to do that in order to get the AC bonus, or to bash someone with it. Otherwise it's just an item you're carrying in your hand, like a rock or book or pie.
That doesn't have anything to do with the Ready action, which lets you prepare to take an action later, after your turn is over but before your next one has begun.
While the rules don't say you must Ready(strap) the shield in order to bash with it, it's implied by the AC loss which you couldn't otherwise lose if the shield wasn't readied(strapped).
For the TWF shield user, are they readying the shield or just drawing it? I thought that the usual use was just holding the shield and using it that way, not fully readying their shields.Ready or Drop a Shield: "Strapping a shield to your arm to gain its shield bonus to your AC, or unstrapping and dropping a shield so you can use your shield hand for another purpose, requires a move action."
The poorly worded "Ready a Shield" action just means strapping it to your arm so you can use it. You need to do that in order to get the AC bonus, or to bash someone with it. Otherwise it's just an item you're carrying in your hand, like a rock or book or pie.
That doesn't have anything to do with the Ready action, which lets you prepare to take an action later, after your turn is over but before your next one has begun.
While the rules don't say you must Ready(strap) the shield in order to bash with it, it's implied by the AC loss which you couldn't otherwise lose if the shield wasn't readied(strapped).
Hmmm... I guess this makes me wonder how some PCs can two-hand a single shield, then. Would it be strapped to one arm, but you grasp it with the other two make a two-handed shield bash? Seems really awkward.
This is just the info I was hoping to get. I was starting to lose faith in my "shield bashing fighter" concept (single shield, striking with two-handed grip on the shield) as the damage just seemed worse than shield/sword, but being immune to disarm makes it somewhat justifiable, in addition to just being cool/fun.
So now the person two-weapon fighting with shields cannot be disarmed?
Time to start sundering.
Now if only there were some way for your weapons to be immune to that maneuver, too...
Oh wait, that's right, there is: be a monk and punch people over and over. Can't have your weapons disarmed OR sundered. Must be pretty overpowered, amirite? ;)
My monk's unarmed strikes got sundered pretty hard in "The Refuge of Time."
