Shield Master Feat with Viking Archetype

[Wyzzer]

Hi all.

I'm currently playing a fighter with the Viking archetype from the People of the North book.

I've built him to pretty decent at shield bashing, but I wanted to get some clarification on the Shield Master feat, when mixed with the Viking's Shield Defense abilities.

The Shield Master feat says that a shield's enhancement bonuses are added to a shield bash's attack and damage rolls.

The Viking's Shield Defense ability allows a shield's bonus to AC to increase by +1 at 3rd, 7th, 11th, and 15th level.

Now my questions:

1. What really is considered a shield's enhancement bonus? Is it a magical shield's bonus to AC? Is it the base bonus to AC (The +1 for a light shield and a +2 for a heavy shield)? Is it a combination of the two?

2. If the enhancement bonus is only the magical bonuses on a magical shield, wouldn't this feat be rendered useless if the character didn't have a magic shield?

3. The Viking's Shield Defense ability increases the bonus to shields ever few levels. Is this considered an enhancement bonus? Would this be taken into account when determining the Shield Master bonuses to attacks and damage?

My 11th-level Viking is using a light wooden shield of bashing +1 (effectively a +2 item since 'bashing' is +1 to the item). The shield alone grants a +2 to AC, and the Viking's Shield Defense ability increases the protection of the shield to +5.

That being said, I'm trying to figure out if my bonuses to attack and damage with the Shield Master feat would be:

+1 (because it's a light shield and it's bonus to AC is +1)
+1 (because it's a shield +1)
+2 (because it's a shield +1 with 'bashing' so an additional +1)
+2 (because it's a light shield (+1 to AC), +1 magical bonus to AC)
+3 (because it's a light shield (+1 to AC), +2 magical item (+1 in additional to +1 for being 'bashing'))
+5 (because that's the shield's overall bonuses to AC)

You get the idea...

Anyone can enlighten me on how this actually works? I couldn't really find any concrete details on the feat and Viking ability working together.

Thanks!

[Under A Bleeding Sun]

1) The shields +'s to enhancement are the bonuses. So if you have a +2 light fortification shield you get a +2 to attack and damage.

2) Correct

3) Nope and Nope.

Remember, weapons are the most expensive thing to enchant in the game, while armor bonuses are half the price. This feat allows you to make a +5 enchanted weapon and shield for the low price of 25k. Nothing to scoff at. Usually a weapon alone is 50k, and this also defends you.

[Krodjin]

Wyzzer wrote:

Hi all.

2. If the enhancement bonus is only the magical bonuses on a magical shield, wouldn't this feat be rendered useless if the character didn't have a magic shield?

No. The feat does more than just allow you to use the shields enhancement bonus to attack & damage.

Shield Master also wrote:

Benefit: You do not suffer any penalties on attack rolls made with a shield while you are wielding another weapon.

I take that to mean you do not suffer any TWF penalties with your shield... Some people believe it means any & all penalties (such as Power Attack) are eliminated by the feat... For some people the part about the "enhancement bonus" is just gravy. The meat & potatoes is the part I've quoted here.