|
If I was making a character with a kite shield (in the original Norman style rather than the heater-shaped shields often called "kite shields" in video games), what shield would I use to represent it?
2e no longer distinguishes between "light" and "heavy" shields. Given the relative size of a kite shield, I'm not sure if they'd count as "Wooden Shields" or "Tower Shields." I tend to associate tower shields with the pavise, but on the other hand, the new Fortress Shield from Treasure Vault may be a more accurate representation of it (even though you can't stand it up on its own to take cover behind it while reloading a crossbow).
What do you fine folks think? How do I accurately map historical shields onto 2e's rules?
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
What do you fine folks think? How do I accurately map historical shields onto 2e's rules?
Step 1) Purchase a Steel Shield.
Step 2) Declare that it is a kite shield.
You can do the same with a wooden shield, but reading your link, I get the impression that they were fairly durable. The hide shield is also pretty close too I think, and would be appropriate if your kite shield was made of stretched animal hide, parchment, or hardened leather.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
How do I accurately map historical shields onto 2e's rules?
I don't think you do. The game glosses over things for the sake of playability and it's not meant to be historically accurate. So, I'll go along with Ravingdork and suggest you pick a shield [basic shields "come in a variety of shapes and sizes"] you like from the game, cross off the game name and add whatever historical name you wish on it and done. So both a kite shield and a heater could be a wood or hide shield and a pavise can be a tower or a fortress shield.