How can Tower shields be abused?

[Berk]

Anyone who thinks they aren't broken should be made to don plate armor, carry bows and weapons, and a 45-pount hunk of plywood around. I don't think they would have the same opinion afterward...

Since you brought up real life I figured I'd chime in again. =o)

Actually plate armor isn't as heavy as the PHB says it is. Tower shields aren't as heavy as the PHB says their are. Are they heavy, yes. But plate doesn't weigh 50lbs and neither does a tower shield. Besides, with the even distribution of plate you aren't feeling any more then 7lbs of it on each limb and such. It's like carrying a 50lb backpack, except easier since all the weight isn't on your back.

Also most people that did wear plate and carry tower shields were of average strength. They didn't have no 14+ strength scores. Some might have but nowhere near a few.

I also think that most people when they think of tower shields think of mantlets, the things on wheels that were used to protect riflemen from musket fire.

 

[kigmatzomat]

He is likely thinking of the mantlet [sp] they were moreor less wood or iron walls on rollers.

Yep, that's it. One of my books, and I can't remember if it's 3e/d20 or something else entirely, had a picture of one of those as a tower shield. I've been using that notion ever since and it works quite well with the "Tower shield = cover" rule. I know not everyone sees it as that, which is why I prefaced my first post with "to me a tower shield is a portable wall of heavy plywood with an appropriate brace or shape to stand on it's own."

 

[Celebrim]

The problem is that while a tower shield weighs a good deal less than 45 pounds, a mantlet weighs a good deal more than 45 pounds. The idea of someone carrying around a mantelet is a little silly.

Now, if a high level wizard wants to animate a mantelet, that's a different story.

When I think of free standing tower shield, I think of a pavise or similar shield. However, even such a shield would only be free standing on reasonably soft turf. You can't stick a pavise into a stone floor.

 

[niteshade6]

"Yep, that's it. One of my books, and I can't remember if it's 3e/d20 or something else entirely, had a picture of one of those as a tower shield. I've been using that notion ever since and it works quite well with the "Tower shield = cover" rule. I know not everyone sees it as that, which is why I prefaced my first post with "to me a tower shield is a portable wall of heavy plywood with an appropriate brace or shape to stand on it's own."

Fair enough, but you should remember that by the official rules that is not the case. You'd need something seperate from a tower shield to do that.

 

[drnuncheon]

Also most people that did wear plate and carry tower shields were of average strength. They didn't have no 14+ strength scores. Some might have but nowhere near a few.

The Cult of Low Stats is spreading here from GURPS, I see...

I disagree. I think that most people who were running around in platemail and carrying tower shields probably had a higher than average strength, simply because they were running around in platemail and carrying tower shields. Going around with that much weight on your body on a regular basis is going to make you stronger.

Remember that the average of 10 is across the population - men, women, warriors, craftspeople, etc. A 12-14 strength for the "average knight" is hardly out of the question when you consider that they train years for such things.

J

 

[SevenSir]

Freestanding Shield

Actualy no it cannot. Nothing in the rules say it's freestanding, and if you look at the picture, it is quite clear that it is not a free standing object, and has no base whatsoever.

He is likely thinking of the mantlet [sp] they were moreor less wood or iron walls on rollers.

The picture of the Tower Shield in Ch.7 of the PHB shows a curved shield, concave toward the bearer. The bottom edge is parallel to the ground, so if the floor were even, you could easily put it down and leave it. It would be freestanding, although it would be knocked over pretty easily if anything struck high above the floor.

The FAQ says to have the player determine which way it is facing once per round, which I treat as a free action, usable once per round. If a player were standing still, not running around and had a hand free, I'd allow him to rotate the standing shield without having to pick it up again.