Shield questions!


Rules Discussion


Hi everyone, it's me again for a whole new batch of questions. Shields up!

I haven't found in the rules the "strap a shield" and "unstrap a shield" actions, so I assume I just need one action to retrieve a shield and strap it, and it's a free action to let go a shield?

Can you etch runes on shield bosses and shield spikes?
If yes, how do they interact with a doubling ring (one way or another, can a doubling ring "enchant" shield spikes and can a doubling ring "enchant" the weapon in your other hand with the shield spikes runes).
How do they react to a shifting rune? Can I just change them into any other one-handed weapon, automatically removing them from the shield?

I think it makes a good number of questions!


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Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
SuperBidi wrote:
I haven't found in the rules the "strap a shield" and "unstrap a shield" actions, so I assume I just need one action to retrieve a shield and strap it, and it's a free action to let go a shield?

The rules only say "Your character must be wielding a shield in one hand to make use of it". The rules for wielding boil down to having an item in the appropriate number of hands, and using an interact action to draw it.

I find no compelling reason to assume you can't pick up and drop shields just like you could with a weapon, and that "strapping on a shield" is a flavor or RP decision (which makes sense given the existence of center grip shields).

SuperBidi wrote:
Can you etch runes on shield bosses and shield spikes?

The shield rules say: "A shield can’t have runes added to it. You can also buy and attach a shield boss or shield spikes to a shield to make it a more practical weapon. These can be found on Table 6–7. These work like other weapons and can even be etched with runes."

So, yes.

SuperBidi wrote:
If yes, how do they interact with a doubling ring (one way or another, can a doubling ring "enchant" shield spikes and can a doubling ring "enchant" the weapon in your other hand with the shield spikes runes).

Since spikes and bosses work like other weapons, it should work with doubling rings as normal.

SuperBidi wrote:
How do they react to a shifting rune? Can I just change them into any other one-handed weapon, automatically removing them from the shield?

I would say RAW, a shifted shield spike would turn into a different weapon and fall onto the ground, since you don't have a free hand to grab it, and the weapon lakes the "attached to shield" property.

In my games, I personally wouldn't mind letting a player turn their whole shield into a new weapon, since they're suppressing all the value of their shield for the duration, it's not overpowered.


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Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
SuperBidi wrote:
can a doubling ring "enchant" shield spikes

.

The 5th-level pregen Valeros makes use of this, his sword runes are doubled onto his shield boss, so definitely yes.


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SuperBidi wrote:
I haven't found in the rules the "strap a shield" and "unstrap a shield" actions, so I assume I just need one action to retrieve a shield and strap it, and it's a free action to let go a shield?

I can't find any rules for strapping a shield on, but unstrapping it is listed on table 6-2 (CRB p 273) as a one-handed interact action. That should be a single Action.


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Pathfinder Maps Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Actually it reads:

CRB p273 wrote:
Detach a shield or item strapped to you

We needn't argue whether or not a shield is strapped to you so that you have to unstrap it. Detaching a shield is an action. Detaching another item strapped to you (a backpack, satchel or scabbard?) is also an action.


I'm not sure on this, but it looks like spiked/bossed bucklers wouldn't always work with the doubling rings though as bucklers are strapped only and don't occupy the hand; unless you're using the spikes/boss as a weapon which do occupy the hand. That may require you putting a hand on the buckler as an interact though.


There is a difference in description between bucklers and larger shields. Bucklers say they are strapped, others don't (even if, at first, I would tend to assume it, but as they occupy a hand they may not need to be strapped).

Also, if there isn't a "strap" action, how many actions does it cost to strap my shield?

I think something's missing.


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SuperBidi wrote:

There is a difference in description between bucklers and larger shields. Bucklers say they are strapped, others don't (even if, at first, I would tend to assume it, but as they occupy a hand they may not need to be strapped).

Also, if there isn't a "strap" action, how many actions does it cost to strap my shield?

I think something's missing.

Bucklers are "strapped" because you can wield an item in the same hand without letting go of the buckler.


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Strill wrote:
SuperBidi wrote:

There is a difference in description between bucklers and larger shields. Bucklers say they are strapped, others don't (even if, at first, I would tend to assume it, but as they occupy a hand they may not need to be strapped).

Also, if there isn't a "strap" action, how many actions does it cost to strap my shield?

I think something's missing.

Bucklers are "strapped" because you can wield an item in the same hand without letting go of the buckler.

Simply this.

And because are strapped with a free hand possibility, you don't need to drop them as you can do with Normal shields, which require the use of the hand the whole time.

Verdant Wheel

SuperBidi wrote:
I haven't found in the rules the "strap a shield" and "unstrap a shield" actions, so I assume I just need one action to retrieve a shield and strap it, and it's a free action to let go a shield?

Since this thread was made, there has been an errata / clarification about Worn, Held, and Stowed items.

My questions:

QS) How many Interact actions for a Shield to moved from Worn to Held?

QB) How many Interact actions for a Buckler to moved from Worn to Held?

Most GMs have ruled that this requires One (1) Interact Action. But some GMs quote this Wielding Items Table to interpret "Detach a shield or item strapped to you" to mean Two (2) Interact Actions: One to retrieve it, another to "strap" it.

What do people think? Are Shield and Bucklers the same? 1 or 2?

Cheers!

Liberty's Edge

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1) A Buckler is a Shield. It just has a special ability that allows you to raise it while holding something in the Buckler's hand that is not a weapon. So, except for that, anything that applies to Shields applies to a Buckler.

2) Going from Worn to Held requires only 1 Interact action for a shield, just as for any other object.

The part about "Detach a shield or item strapped to you" taking an Interact action is there to make a difference with the "Drop an item to the ground" line just preceding it. Because dropping is a free action (Release) while detaching your held shield takes one action.

Sczarni

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rainzax wrote:
How many Interact actions for a Shield to be moved from Worn to Held?

One.

rainzax wrote:
How many Interact actions for a Buckler to be moved from Worn to Held?

None. A buckler isn't held. It's "strapped to your forearm". If anything, a buckler should always be classified as "worn".

rainzax wrote:
some GMs quote the Wielding Items Table to interpret "Detach a shield or item strapped to you" to mean Two (2) Interact Actions: One to retrieve it, another to "strap" it.

I've been encountering this in Society games, recently, too, and it makes me a bit grumpy.

For wooden, steel and tower shields there is zero support for requiring two actions.

For bucklers, though, I will admit it's less clear. It could be zero (always worn), one (strapping it to your forearm), or two (retrieving it, then strapping it).

Liberty's Edge

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Sorry, but "Your character must be wielding a shield in one hand to make use of it, and it grants its bonus to AC only if they use an action to Raise a Shield."

And a buckler is a shield. It follows the exact same rules, except for its specific mechanics. And the description is never a part of the mechanics.


I think you two are both right, depends the circumstance.

Nefreet is saying that once you have a buckler equipped, you will be always wielding it providing that the forearm is attached to has the hand free.

The Raven Black is probably referring to helding a buckler ( in the hand ), which would require an interact action ( as any other shield ) to be wield.

Sczarni

The Raven Black wrote:
And the description is never a part of the mechanics.

Unclear.

Paizo typically formats player options as [flavorful description] followed by [mechanical rules text].

But the Buckler has three distinct sentences.

The first is clearly flavor. I read the second and third as being rules text.

You might be right that the second sentence is also flavor, but since it's the only other reference to a shield being "strapped" in the Core Rulebook, I think that's a weaker argument.

Verdant Wheel

This is all very helpful.

I had not thought of "1 action to unstrap" as simply meaning to supercede "free action to release" (directly preceding it on table), rather than to indicate a reverse-engineering with implications for the number of actions to transition from Worn to Held.

That will be my rebuttal - thanks!

Horizon Hunters

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The only shield you wear is a Buckler. All other shields are held. The existence of this feat proves as much. You are able to draw a shield in the exact same way as a weapon (an interact action) so it must be a held item.


Cordell Kintner wrote:
The only shield you wear is a Buckler. All other shields are held. The existence of this feat proves as much. You are able to draw a shield in the exact same way as a weapon (an interact action) so it must be a held item.

One of the best feats ever!

Sczarni

Thank you for finding that. That really helps with the discussion.

Liberty's Edge

Cordell Kintner wrote:
The only shield you wear is a Buckler. All other shields are held. The existence of this feat proves as much. You are able to draw a shield in the exact same way as a weapon (an interact action) so it must be a held item.

The feat does not imply that Buckler is worn rather than held though. In fact it applies to any shield, including a buckler.

What am I missing here?

Sczarni

You're missing the text that tells us "A buckler is strapped to your forearm", which is followed immediately by text describing what that means for holding other items.

The obvious implication being that a buckler itself is not held.

Sczarni

If you get in the habit of ignoring additional information like that, then you begin experiencing problems with other rules interactions, like treating Fists as weapons, just because they're listed on the Weapons table, even though there is clarifying text telling us that they aren't actually weapons.


The Raven Black wrote:
Cordell Kintner wrote:
The only shield you wear is a Buckler. All other shields are held. The existence of this feat proves as much. You are able to draw a shield in the exact same way as a weapon (an interact action) so it must be a held item.

The feat does not imply that Buckler is worn rather than held though. In fact it applies to any shield, including a buckler.

What am I missing here?

I don't think Cordell Kintner is saying that Second Shield proves that bucklers are worn. That is already proven by the text that Nefreet cites. I think Cordell Kintner is using Second Shield to show that other shields are not strapped.

I could be wrong. I'm having trouble parsing the references.

And I have the same issue you have about Second Shield working with bucklers. It seems to me that the plain language of Second Shield makes it work with bucklers. Perhaps they are typically strapped on, but also can be used when held? Or does Second Shield let you strap them on instantly?

Horizon Hunters

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Yea, I'm saying by default Shields are a held item. Bucklers overwrite that by saying they are worn not held.

I would still allow someone to hold a buckler, though it would take up your hand as normal so it's not very efficient.

Verdant Wheel

Jumping back into this interesting debate!

The "Shields" question is settled for me personally.

Now I'm wondering more about Bucklers!

Buckler is Worn
If a buckler which can be readily used with the Raise a Shield action is considered Worn, that means it can be Worn two different ways. The first would be "strapped" onto a forearm (or "wielded"). The second would be in the same way you can "wear" a potion, backup weapon, or scroll.

Having two different states of "Worn" creates confusion here.

Buckler is Held
If a buckler which can be readily used with the Raise a Shield action is considered Held, it would follow that it would count as "0" hands (with the added clause of not being able to wield a weapon in that hand. But a potion or scroll? fair game! Free hand for tools? Also fair game!).

What creates confusion for me here is that the Shields table - unlike the Weapons table - lacks a "Hands" column.

...

I am inclined to lean with the latter interpretation, at least at this point of the debate.


Gisher wrote:
I think Cordell Kintner is using Second Shield to show that other shields are not strapped.

That doesn't actually prove that as the feat allows you to use improvised shields. Nothing implies that a pulled shield is used in the proper way with the feat as a dinner platter could be used just as well: as you can use things in an improvised way, you might be not be holding the shield as you would if you didn't use the feat. All it proves is what actions it is to pull our a shield or pick one up: nothing in mentioned on what's needed to wield it [held vs worn].

Just look at the Table 6-2: Changing Equipment

"Draw or put away a worn item, or pick up an item" is already a listed Interact action so nothing in the feat is new ground [drawing a worn item] other than the action type needed.

Horizon Hunters

graystone wrote:
Gisher wrote:
I think Cordell Kintner is using Second Shield to show that other shields are not strapped.

That doesn't actually prove that as the feat allows you to use improvised shields. Nothing implies that a pulled shield is used in the proper way with the feat as a dinner platter could be used just as well: as you can use things in an improvised way, you might be not be holding the shield as you would if you didn't use the feat. All it proves is what actions it is to pull our a shield or pick one up: nothing in mentioned on what's needed to wield it [held vs worn].

Just look at the Table 6-2: Changing Equipment

"Draw or put away a worn item, or pick up an item" is already a listed Interact action so nothing in the feat is new ground [drawing a worn item] other than the action type needed.

The feat only shows that you don't have to strap shields on normally. The only shield that mentions that is the buckler, so logically that means normal shields are held in your hand.

Anyone can use an improvised shield if they wanted to, they just wouldn't have as good stats. The feat is just making it clear that it's not only normal shields that can be drawn with this feat.

While I was saying a buckler is worn, I guess I should have said "strapped". If you want to use a buckler it must be strapped to your forearm, and you have to follow all the rules in the buckler entry. It's not in the "Worn" state while strapped to your arm, it's in the "Held" state, but you can still use your hand for stuff. It also requires an action to strap or unstrap it from your arm as mentioned earlier in this thread.

Throuought history, strapping shields to your arm was actually quite rare. It was more common to hold shields with a handle at the center of the shield, which allows for more mobile use of the shield, and the use of bosses is more efficient since it's like punching at that point.

As I have seen recently on the forums, concider abcenses of rules intentional, not accidental. The reason Bucklers are the only shield that's mentioned to be strapped to you is because it is the only shield that can be strapped to you.

Sczarni

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And, who knows, maybe another shield in a future publication will also require being strapped. Maybe a Klar or something. And then these rules will have been future proofed.

Sczarni

rainzax wrote:
Having two different states of "Worn" creates confusion here.

"Strapped" already exists as a state of a-wear-ness.

*ducks from all of the rotten fruit*

We know this because it's an Interact action to remove an item or shield that is strapped to you.

Verdant Wheel

Follow Up Question then, since "Strapped" seems to be a legitimate game state (for Bucklers specifically, maybe future shield-type items...)

You can Release a Shield as a free action.
You can Release a Buckler as a single (Interact) action (to "unstrap") + free action.

Q) If a PC is hit and progresses to Dying, do they drop their Shield?
Q) If a PC is hit and progresses to Dying, do they drop their Buckler?

If the answer to those questions is different, why? Source?

=)


Cordell Kintner wrote:
The feat only shows that you don't have to strap shields on normally.

No, it shows that you don't have to with the feat: that doesn't mean it's a general rule. The feat also allows you to use a helmet for a shield using the exact same action: that doesn't mean that a helmet isn't normally worn.

Cordell Kintner wrote:
Anyone can use an improvised shield if they wanted to, they just wouldn't have as good stats.

They can? Raise Shield requires a shield so how does this work? Now a DM might allow you to use one, but is there anywhere in the rules other than that feat that talks about them?

Cordell Kintner wrote:
While I was saying a buckler is worn, I guess I should have said "strapped".

*shrug* They are used interchangeably.

Sczarni

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rainzax wrote:

1) If a PC is hit and progresses to Dying, do they drop their Shield?

2) If a PC is hit and progresses to Dying, do they drop their Buckler?

If the answer to those questions is different, why? Source?

A shield is held, and a buckler is worn.

If you go unconscious, you generally drop everything held, and keep everything worn.

Would be odd to get KO'd and have your pants fall off...

That being said, I am more inclined to "throw a bone" to shield users and say they don't drop their shield, because tanking is already rough enough, and having to spend your three waking actions to stand, interact, interact might mean you just get KO'd again immediately.

But that's just me being kind; I wouldn't expect another GM to rule the same way.

Sczarni

Similarly, a Gauntlet is worn, and a Shortsword is held; the former stays on when you go unconscious, and the latter drops to the ground.

Horizon Hunters

graystone wrote:
No, it shows that you don't have to with the feat: that doesn't mean it's a general rule.

Please cite the general rule stating all shields need to be strapped on.

Oh right, you can't because there is none.

The general rule is that items need to be held to be used unless otherwise stated, and the only shield that overwrites that is the buckler. The Second Shield feat only further reinforces the rule that shields do not need to be strapped on.


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Cordell Kintner wrote:
Please cite the general rule stating all shields need to be strapped on.

Why would I need to? All the 'proof' you have is what happens when you use the feat: this in NO way proves that that s what happens when you d not use the feat.

Cordell Kintner wrote:
Oh right, you can't because there is none.

How can you prove the text in the feat is a general rule? Oh right, you can't... :P

Cordell Kintner wrote:
The general rule is that items need to be held to be used unless otherwise stated, and the only shield that overwrites that is the buckler.

The listing in Changing Equipment is "Detach a shield or item strapped to you" NOT "Detach a buckler or item strapped to you". Well look there... Note how it's different from the "Draw or put away a worn item, or pick up an item" that is used for weapons and other items. Seems like more of a general rule that picking text out of a feat that doesn't present itself as a general rule.

Cordell Kintner wrote:
The Second Shield feat only further reinforces the rule that shields do not need to be strapped on.

The only thing Second Shield shoes is what happens when you use Second Shield. Changing Equipment CLEARLY makes it a different action to change your shield vs changing your weapons or items.

EDIT: I did find an instance of a normal shield mentioning strapped: Shield of the Unified Legion lists "Usage strapped to 1 hand" and it's a "high-grade orichalcum shield". Not 100% proof but it has at least as much weight as a single feat...

Horizon Hunters

graystone wrote:
How can you prove the text in the feat is a general rule? Oh right, you can't... :P

The Shield rules contain the following lines:

"Your character must be wielding a shield in one hand to make use of it"
"Most shields must be held in one hand, so you can’t hold anything with that hand and Raise a Shield. A buckler, however, doesn’t take up your hand, so you can Raise a Shield with a buckler if the hand is free"
The rules say nothing about needing to strap on your shield. All we can see from the rules is that you can strap it on if you want, but it's not a requirement to use them. The only requirement is that you are holding it in one hand.

History also backs up not strapping shields on your arm. Historically it was very uncommon, and usually only done when the user also needed their hand free, like if they were riding a mount.


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Cordell Kintner wrote:
"Your character must be wielding a shield in one hand to make use of it"

Nothing there suggests anything about strapped: holding and strapped aren't exclusive.

Cordell Kintner wrote:
"Most shields must be held in one hand, so you can’t hold anything with that hand and Raise a Shield. A buckler, however, doesn’t take up your hand, so you can Raise a Shield with a buckler if the hand is free"

This just says that a bucklers aren't held. This has no relevance on whether a normal shield is strapped.

Cordell Kintner wrote:
The rules say nothing about needing to strap on your shield.

No, the ones you quotes say nothing. Changing Equipment does though as it says a shield is attached/strapped.

Cordell Kintner wrote:
All we can see from the rules is that you can strap it on if you want, but it's not a requirement to use them. The only requirement is that you are holding it in one hand.

No, it shows in the actions: there is no need for Changing Equipment to be worded as it is if it only applies to bucklers.

Cordell Kintner wrote:
History also backs up not strapping shields on your arm. Historically it was very uncommon, and usually only done when the user also needed their hand free, like if they were riding a mount.

*shrug* history and games rules have diverged widely for many, many years now. Heck, basic physics and the game world have done so to. These kinds of arguments don't mean anything to me.

Now, I have no real dog in this fight, as I really don't care as it doesn't really impact much. I jumped in just because there was a claimed Second Shield as proof and IMO it doesn't prove anything outside what the feat does. As to the rest, I see multiple places that talk about shield in general being strapped and the rest is about holding or wielding but those don't mean much: for instance, you have to hold/wield a gauntlet and that's worn but it doesn't go into any details about that either. So I wouldn't mind if a Dm said shields where strapped or not, but I'd disagree it clearly states or even implies that shields aren't strapped in the rules.


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FWIW graystone, I'm having the same issues that you are. I'm not sure how shields work, but I am sure that the rules are confusing.

Horizon Hunters

graystone wrote:

No, the ones you quotes say nothing. Changing Equipment does though as it says a shield is attached/strapped.

...

No, it shows in the actions: there is no need for Changing Equipment to be worded as it is if it only applies to bucklers.

You keep citing the rule in "Changing Equipment" as the end all be all on shields. Don't you think that if shields were reqired to be strapped on it would be mentioned in the Shield rules? This is a common issue when multiple writers are writing rules, one will write a rule and another will cite that rule, then the rule will be changed and the citation will not be updated.

As such, all that rule says is that IF a shield is strapped to you, it takes one action to remove. It does not mean ALL shields MUST be strapped on. It can go both ways, you can strap a shield on to ensure it doesn't fall off, or you can simply hold it.

Also, extra credit: How many actions is it to strap a shield to your arm?


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Cordell Kintner wrote:
You keep citing the rule in "Changing Equipment" as the end all be all on shields. Don't you think that if shields were reqired to be strapped on it would be mentioned in the Shield rules?

I cite the rule as it's relevant: I don't see a rule on the other side. As to where? Ideally, it should be in shields, but it's not like it's the only rule that's not where you would think they would be.

Cordell Kintner wrote:
This is a common issue when multiple writers are writing rules, one will write a rule and another will cite that rule, then the rule will be changed and the citation will not be updated.

Sure, but there is no way to know which is the update then. Maybe the Change Equipment is the update and the wording in the equipment section wasn't.

Cordell Kintner wrote:
As such, all that rule says is that IF a shield is strapped to you, it takes one action to remove.

Where is there any if? Change Equipment only gives a SINGLE action for dropping shields: detaching it. It specifically goes out of it's way to separate this from simply picking up or dropping an item/weapon.

Cordell Kintner wrote:
It does not mean ALL shields MUST be strapped on. It can go both ways, you can strap a shield on to ensure it doesn't fall off, or you can simply hold it.

I don't see how it can go both ways. The ONLY way to drop a shield is to detach it: remember it doesn't say buckler but shield.

Cordell Kintner wrote:
Also, extra credit: How many actions is it to strap a shield to your arm?

"Some abilities require you to wield an item, typically a weapon. You're wielding an item any time you're holding it in the number of hands needed to use it effectively. When wielding an item, you're not just carrying it around—you're ready to use it. Other abilities might require you to be wearing the item, to be holding it, or simply to have it."

Picking up an item to wield, hold or wear is the same "Draw or put away a worn item, or pick up an item" unless it gives a different time frame like armor. So picking up a torch to hold, pick up a sword to wield or pick up a gauntlet to wear are all the same action. The difference is in the drop/remove action where you're required to take an action to detach the shield.

Liberty's Edge

It is only the descriptive part of the buckler that says it is typically strapped to your forearm. Thankfully, this is quite in line with the text saying that you cannot just release (free action) a shield. Note that this is true for any shield and not just the buckler. Note that all rules that apply to shields apply to a buckler unless specifically noted. To me, the only specificity of the buckler is that you can raise it even when holding something with that hand. I do not see any rule element that specifies that it is worn or held differently from other shields, and no rule saying it can be raised when only worn. It has to be held so that it can be raised, just like any other shield.

Sczarni

The Raven Black wrote:
It is only the descriptive part of the buckler that says it is typically strapped to your forearm.

Did you miss my reply earlier?

Sentence #1: This very small shield is a favorite of duelists and quick, lightly armored warriors.
Sentence #2: It’s typically made of steel and strapped to your forearm.
Sentence #3: You can Raise a Shield with your buckler as long as you have that hand free or are holding a light object that’s not a weapon in that hand.

#1 is definitely descriptive. #3 is definitely rules text.

But #2 sure seems like rules text, too. Describing materials certainly has mechanical repercussions, and this sentence is only the second place in the Core Rulebook referring to a shield being "strapped", so saying it's "descriptive" is a bit of a stretch.

And #3's rules text sure seems like a streamline piggy back off of #2.

Sczarni

The Raven Black wrote:
Thankfully, this is quite in line with the text saying that you cannot just release (free action) a shield.

This isn't true, either.

The action you're referring to is THIS, "Detach a shield or item strapped to you".

It seems that you are inferring from this action that all shields are strapped, but as we have explained in this thread, the Core Rulebook only makes mention of Bucklers being strapped.

Other shields are held.

If a future publication describes another type of shield as being strapped on, then that action would apply to that shield, as well. We call this "future proofing".

Horizon Hunters

Yea they seem to think that an example action is enough to inffer a very important rule that is not mentioned anywhere else in the book.

graystone wrote:
Picking up an item to wield, hold or wear is the same "Draw or put away a worn item, or pick up an item" unless it gives a different time frame like armor. So picking up a torch to hold, pick up a sword to wield or pick up a gauntlet to wear are all the same action. The difference is in the drop/remove action where you're required to take an action to detach the shield.

So drawing and strapping the shield to your arm is a single action, but it takes one action and a free action to drop it? Does it only take one action to detach then stow it? Why would it take longer to get rid of an item than it is to draw it in the first place?

The Black Raven wrote:
Thankfully, this is quite in line with the text saying that you cannot just release (free action) a shield.

The rule is if a shield is strapped to you it takes one action to detach it. It doesn't say anywhere that you must detach any shield you are wielding. Do you guys not understand what the example actions are explaining? It also says it takes an action to detach an item strapped to you, does that mean all items must be strapped to you? No of course not, that would be silly!

Horizon Hunters

I also went and looked at the specific shields Graystone mentioned earlier. Every single non buckler shield says "Usage: held in one hand" except for a level 20 shield from Age of Ashes. Is it not reasonable that the AP had a typo, like the Rhoka Sword that was discussed in a recenent thread? AP items should hardly be taken as examples for core rules, as the AP authors didn't write the rules themselves, but they can change them for their respective books.

Verdant Wheel

Ok next question. Two situations.

Q1) A shield-wielding warrior is knocked unconscious, dropping their weapon. Do they also drop their shield?

Q2) A buckler-wearing warrior is knocked unconscious. dropping their weapon. Do they also drop their buckler?

My best guess:

A1) Yes
A2) No

Reasoning: Because the Shield is Held, but the Buckler is Worn!

Sczarni

Correct.

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