Tower shield and Improved Cover

[Waldham]

Hello,
Is it possible to obtain improved cover with a tower shield ?
And if yes, how ?

Thanks for your future answer.

[SwiftyKun]

Waldham wrote:

Hello,

Is it possible to obtain improved cover with a tower shield ?
And if yes, how ?

Thanks for your future answer.

You can spend a standard action to plant your tower shield onto the ground and grant yourself total cover in the direction the tower shield is facing. Were you looking for improved cover specifically?

[Murdock Mudeater]

Waldham wrote:

Hello,

Is it possible to obtain improved cover with a tower shield ?
And if yes, how ?

Thanks for your future answer.

Not while equipping the tower shield. The rules it has regarding it's effects while equipped are well defined. Either total cover or +4 shield to AC, but it doesn't offer alternate cover options.

The example of improved cover is an arrow slit, or a similar level of visability while protected in all other areas by something hard. In this respect, you could use a tower shield (or a similar plank of wood) to create a stationary barrier with a small opening, like an arrow slit.

For example, if you had two tower shields, half-way buried in the ground, vertically, both shields adjacent, but not touching, so as to leave a narrow gap between the two shields facing the same direction. You could then, while prone, claim improved cover and shoot your crossbow or firearm through the opening. It would have to be prone, since while half buried, they wouldn't have your full height.

You couldn't be physically holding the towershields, they'd have to be stationary objects, essentially a wall, with a narrow opening for you to see and shoot from.

I suppose you might be able to suspend them in place with magic, too, but I'm not certain which spells would apply - it would likely be easier to create an actual wall with arrow slits, via magic.

[Murdock Mudeater]

Found another option, which is somewhat related.

The Equipment Trick (Shield) has the "Little Wall" ability that allows a character with 5 ranks of escape artist to use a shield to gain Cover (instead of dodge bonuses) while using the Total Defense action. Not improved cover, but still, Cover.

I will note that as written, this one only applies to Light and Heavy Shields, not bucklers or tower shields or any of the other shield options. It does mention a GM option to allow these with other shields, but that's up to the GM.

I'd have to reseach it, but I think you can upgrade Cover to Improved Cover with other class abilities/spells, though none come to mind off-hand. Still, not a towershield option, but feels like a step in the desired direction.