how does a tower shield work?

[HomerJS]

Hi, im kinda new to DnD and i was wondering how tower shields work. i noticed it doesnt have an armor class by it in the PHB so does that mean you dont get an armor bonus from it? Well basiclly can any tell me how a tower shield works in combat?

 

[Saepiroth]

it provides "cover". see pages 132-133 of the PHB.

 

[niteshade6]

Well I know the first printing of the PHB doesn't actualy explain how a tower shield works at all. But basicaly every round you choose how much cover it gives and angle it like a shield spell. But remember that your enemies get the same cover bonus against you, and any attack that missed because of cover does damage to the tower shield.

Hopefuly 3.5 will simplify and explain the tower shield more.

 

[HomerJS]

thanks niteshade

 

[0-hr]

Hmm, I haven't ever heard of applying damage to the shield. Might be a house rule there.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Hmm, I haven't ever heard of applying damage to the shield. Might be a house rule there.

You know, he might actually be right. "Striking cover instead of target" rules exist, that go into detail about when an attack simply misses, and when it hits the cover instead.

There's no good reason that an attack those rules deem to hit the shield shouldn't cause damage to the shield if they beat its hardness.

I never thought about it before.

-Hyp.

 

[niteshade6]

Right, it's not a house rule, but it is sort of hidden in the rules, and only applies to tower shields not any other kind of shield (except possibly for dancing shields which were in one of the builder books and also provided cover). If you strike at an enemy and miss, you do damage to the cover instead. This means at high levels you can blast through a tower shield pretty quickly, although giving one a magic bonus can make this much harder.

 

[fba827]

With any group I have had the privledge of gaming with, I must say Tower Shields have ALWAYS been such a point of confusion (that, and grapple rules)...

Nothing much to add here just saying "yeah, I know what you mean" )

 

[DDK]

I thought the cover that the opponent gets only applies to melee attacks. In other words, a person could use a tower shield very effectively to shoot a crossbow from behind it because he could get full cover and yet still pop off a bolt every round at his exposed enemy. However, if he takes the tower shield into melee, then whatever cover he gets, his opponent gets also.

 

[CRGreathouse]

a person could use a tower shield very effectively to shoot a crossbow from behind it because he could get full cover and yet still pop off a bolt every round at his exposed enemy

Surely you jest!