Armor check penalty and proficiency

[mostholy2]

Is there any penalty for using a shield with no armor check penalty (MW buckler, or darkwood buckler or shield) for a character who doesn't have proficiency with shields (i.e. rogues)?

As there is no armor check penalty, no subsequent non-proficiency penalty should be assessed for any actions the rogue does.

For casters there would still be an issue with arcane spell failure, but rogues wouldn't have that problem.

 

[Infiniti2000]

You are spot on, mostholy2.

 

[mostholy2]

Wow! That's totally brutal. I wonder if my DM will let my rogue use a darkwood large shield? I was using thrown weapons anyways, so I only really need one hand until my character develops TWF skills later.

Darkwood shields are way cheap for the extra +2 AC bonus compared to the enchanted +1 mithral shirt I was considering getting.

 

[nittanytbone]

For casters there would still be an issue with arcane spell failure, but rogues wouldn't have that problem.

Not with your Mithril Bucklers, standard equipment for any caster of 5th level or above