So one of my players posed an interesting idea/question:
He is a paladin with the catch of guard feat. He is thinking about taking a lvl of fighter for the tower shield prof (and the extra feat).
Could he use the tower shield as an improvised weapon?
He does not have two weapon fighting, nor will he ever get it because of abysmal dexterity. So any attempt at doing a sword/tower shield-combo will have all the minuses as usual.Only the imrovised penalty would be removed, per the normal use of catch of guard. Correct?
This is for a home game, and I'm not looking for ways to turn him down (it sounds cool, so I approve) I'm more looking for thoughts and suggestions on how to rule it:
What damage dice would a tower shield have?
Could you add shield spikes to it to increase the damage dice?
Would allowing the use of feats like improved shield bash and similiar be overpowered? (I think some of those rely on twf, is that right? Any ways around that?)
Btw: He is thinking about the holy vindicator prc in the long run. Any obvious pitfalls with such a combo?
Thanks for any thoughts on the manner!
only way you can shield bash with a tower shield at current is with 3.5 content.
I'd rule that a improvised tower shield as a greatclub like weapon, 2 handed and bludgeon damage, but it would keep the 20/x2 crit threat for being improvised. This is coming from the equipment section.
Improvised Weapons: Sometimes objects not crafted to be weapons nonetheless see use in combat. Because such objects are not designed for this use, any creature that uses an improvised weapon in combat is considered to be nonproficient with it and takes a –4 penalty on attack rolls made with that object. To determine the size category and appropriate damage for an improvised weapon, compare its relative size and damage potential to the weapon list to find a reasonable match. An improvised weapon scores a threat on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a critical hit. An improvised thrown weapon has a range increment of 10 feet.
I fought with a tower shield in the SCA for ten years. It is totally bashable, but the size and wield style are unrelated. When a tower is center bossed, meaning gripped with one hand in the center where a hard steel bowl protects amd envelops the shield hand, and not strapped to the arm, lunging out with it provides a gauntlet or spiked gauntlet affect. Because there is so much material adjacent to the central gauntlet, you do not lose cover against the target but do become vulnerable to all others. In my experience it is not cleavable, however.
Here again I am unsure how reality fits into pathfinder, but this may help a thinking GM make a ruling in a home game.
Realism aside, I wouldn't allow using it as an improvised weapon while it's being worn as a shield. If the character two-hands the thing and clobbers someone, that's more like it, and something akin to a greatclub or heavy mace in damage.
he cant shield bash with it, but he can wield it as an improvised two-handed weapon. Similarly to a reenforced table.
Have you ever tried to pick up a table in one hand and then try to hit someone with it? Its Not hard because you're not strong enough but because physics make that kind of thing very hard.
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Also, the physics on a tower shield in game are nothing like a real life tower shield I used in the SCA. In game, the thing is a mobile wall that weight 40 pounds. The real life version is more like 7 pounds and maneuverable. The only way I'd allow someone to use the 40 lb monstrosity as an improvised weapon is if they made a dc 20 str check before each attack. If you fail, no attack this round, and you lose the AC bonus.