I need help understanding how this works
Benefit: This small metal shield is worn strapped to your forearm. You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an offhand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so. This penalty stacks with those that may apply for fighting with your off hand and for fighting with two weapons. In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you lose the buckler’s Armor Class bonus until your next turn. You can cast a spell with somatic components using your shield arm, but you lose the buckler’s Armor Class bonus until your next turn. You can’t make a shield bash with a buckler.
So, if during my turn I attack with my 2h weapon with reach and buckler, I get -1 to attack and lose the Shield AC.
What about if I'm using Aid Another? My questions are:
- Do I lose the Shield AC if I use Aid Another with Bodyguard? I think so.
- What if I cast spells? Nothing forbids me of switching weapon to offhand, cast with main hand, and get weapon to main hand again. I think not.
From what I can gather, Aid Another will always work, even with benevolent. The only difference is that I will take a -1 to attack rolls to perform the Aid Another Action.
If I use the Aid Another Action, since I made an attack roll, I will lose the Shield AC, but nothing forbids me to keep giving it to my allies.
Casting spells works exactly as using a Light Shield, so if I cast a spell I won't lose the Shield AC
So, I ask this because I could either take Weapon Trick polearm to accept a -2 to all attacks, but being able to use a Shield, or just take a Buckler and lose the AC, yes, I will be more vulnerable, but I'm not the one doing damage, and I'll be always behind allies (frontline). In this case I take -1 to attacks
Your assessment is correct as far as I'm aware. Aid another in combat does use an attack roll, so yes you take the -1 and yes you lose the shield bonus to AC from the Buckler. To remedy this could find some way to gain a natural attack or get improved unarmed strike and simply use a headbutt, kick, etc. to avoid using your shield-arm and thus maintain the shield bonus and avoid the -1 to the attack roll for aid another (the same way using a one-handed weapon with the buckler would work).
Holding your 2H weapon in your shield-arm's hand while casting, then returning it to normal afterwards works.
Benevolent works fine, since it's entirely unrelated to your shield (Benevolent can only be placed on armor, not on shields. While there is some overlap in different magical abilities that can go on either, benevolent is strictly armor). And even if benevolent *could* go on shields, it's not relevant what your shield bonus is, only what the enhancement bonus of item it's on. So if you have a +1 Benevolent armor, you only add +1 to your normal aid another bonus (typically +2, making a total of +3).
If your group has allowed a homebrew for Benevolent on shields, it's the same thing. You're only adding on the enhancement bonus of the shield, not your shield bonus or any other additions.
For some reason I'd thought Benevolent applied to Shields. I don't really need a shield then, I was completely wrong. The only reason I could use it for is having more AC, but I'm using a Reach Bodyguard build, so no need for it then.
Natural attacks are a good way indeed but they lack reach, most of them at least, so it won't be a viable option for me.
It’s really just a balancing decision. It’s so that cheeky kids like me don’t run halfling with helpful alongside benevolent on a shield and armor and end up granting like a +7 to AC at level 10 just by expending an AoO.
Your best bet with bodyguard is to run a high high damage build. Otherwise they’re just going to ignore you either way. It’s better to build a character that says “target me, or else.” And then also run bodyguard. Max HP and damage will always outlive high armor.
I'm a support Oracle with succor.
This gives me +2 at around level 6 to Aid Another. If master allows it to stack with Helpful halfling trait, it's +6, if he doesn't, it's +4, I'm ok with it either way.With reach build and sharing a Teamwork feat with Spirit Guide Oracle Archetype up to 3+CHA times/day, I'm covered.
I only lose 1 level multiclass to fighter.