Monk with a shield?

[Eccles]

I posted recently about a player who's gone a bit nuts for saving throws. He's made a Ftr2/Mnk1/Pal6 character whose lowest save is +16.

His plan is to wear no armour, but carry a magical large steel shield.

The question is, does the shield count as wearing armour for the purposes of AC bonus for Wisdom, AC bonus for class and level, favorable multiple unarmed attacks per round, and heightened movement?

And if so, is it medium or heavy armour, thus disrupting Evasion?

 

[cerberus2112]

Assuming 3E

Since shields provide an armor bonus, I'd rule that they count as armor, and you can't combine them with a monk's AC bonuses (he could choose which to use on a round to round basis, however, if sya he had a cool magical shield that was good as a bashing weapon and also better than his class' AC bonus). However, clearly a shield is neither medium nor heavy armor, and does not prevent the use of Evasion.

 

[Eccles]

It seems I misspoke. The turn of phrase for evasion states:

"Evasion can only be used if the monk is wearing light armor or no armor"

Does this make the slightest bit of difference?

 

[Gilwen]

I posted recently about a player who's gone a bit nuts for saving throws. He's made a Ftr2/Mnk1/Pal6 character whose lowest save is +16.

His plan is to wear no armour, but carry a magical large steel shield.

The question is, does the shield count as wearing armour for the purposes of AC bonus for Wisdom, AC bonus for class and level, favorable multiple unarmed attacks per round, and heightened movement?

And if so, is it medium or heavy armour, thus disrupting Evasion?

Since the AC bonus is a preternatural awareness I would probably allow the AC bonuses with a shield (yes I know this brings up the issue of then why does normal armor negate the bonuses...that's another thread and mostly likely the movement bonus but not the favorable attacks. Furthermore ALL of the monks special abilities would be subject to the arcane spell failure associated with armor.

Bryan

 

[Artoomis]

There are two schools of thought on this:

1. (My view - and the original view of WotC as expressed in a "Gamestoppers" sidebar in the first 3e Dragon) The language of the monk class can be read to seperate armor and shields into two different items. Thus a monk can use a shield at no penalty.

2. (Sage's view) Armor includes shields.

Note that this WILL change in 3e. The monk description may change, and shields will NOT be armor, they will provide a seperate shield bonus.

 

[dcollins]

The question is, does the shield count as wearing armour for the purposes of AC bonus for Wisdom, AC bonus for class and level, favorable multiple unarmed attacks per round, and heightened movement?

Shields are armor. The Sage addressed the issue of Monks with shields, confirming they lose their abilities from them. Documentation here: http://homepage.mac.com/guyf/DnD/Sage/MonkShield.html

 

[Sejs]

The way I look at it:

-Does it provide a bonus to Ac by virtue of it being a Big Material Thing you interpose between you and the bad guy? (Shield = true)

-Is it a piece of equipment, rather than a feature of the area: ie, not an overturned table you crouch behind, or a door you close. (Shield = true)

-Does it have Arcane Spell Failure % and/or an Armor Check Penality for it's use? (Shield = true)

If all three, above, are true then it interferes with a monk's abilities.

 

[JChung2003]

Do shields negate a monk's evasion ability?

If so, then does a buckler affect a ranger's ability to wield two weapons? I ask this, because not wearing light or no armor affects both abilities.

A ranger can wield two weapons and equip a buckler, though he suffers a -1 penalty to attack rolls with his offhand weapon because of the added weight of the buckler and he does not get the buckler's AC bonus for the rest of a round in which he used his off-hand weapon.

 

[dcollins]

Do shields negate a monk's evasion ability?

If so, then does a buckler affect a ranger's ability to wield two weapons? I ask this, because not wearing light or no armor affects both abilities.

Distinction:
- Monks are said to lose their abilities when "wearing armor" (PHB p. 39) -- that is, any armor.
- Rangers are said to lose their virtual feats when wearing "medium or heavy armor" (PHB p. 45).

 

[Artoomis]

Distinction:
- Monks are said to lose their abilities when "wearing armor" (PHB p. 39) -- that is, any armor.
- Rangers are said to lose their virtual feats when wearing "medium or heavy armor" (PHB p. 45).

The distinction is legitimate.

Nonetheless, the rule "by the book" could be read either way (previous lengthy arguments attest to that fact).

The Sage does feel that shields are armor, at least in this context.

3.5e? Good question. Both the monk and shields are undergoing changes, so who knows? Playtesters know, I suppose.