D&D 5E Shield Attacks and AC Bonus

[Yunru]

A shield is not used like a mace either. So I don’t know what your going on about

So you don't use both as a weapon by slamming a sharp edge into someone?

 

[FrogReaver]

So you don't use both as a weapon by slamming a sharp edge into someone?

You usually slam the head of the mace into someone. You usually slam the edge of the shield into someone. It’s a different arm motion to attack with them. The only thing similar is the force.

 

[Satyrn]

You usually slam the head of the mace into someone. You usually slam the edge of the shield into someone. It’s a different arm motion to attack with them. The only thing similar is the force.

Huh. "These two things deliver a similar force" seems like the ultimate argument in favor of them dealing the same damage. It's weird that you're dismissing this resemblence as insignificant.

 

[Mistwell]

I was discussing to figure out where the ruling for >1d4 shield attacks came from. Turns out it’s a house rule which is fine. Some of my favorite rules are house rules. But the reason this was important was because the justification was dressing up the house rule to make it almost seem like it was a ruling from the rules instead of a house rule.

Now that we have crossed this bridge I don’t mine to discuss the >1d4 shield attack house rule.

I agree with him that the portion of the shield you're hitting the foe with most closely resembles a hit from a club. I think I am the fourth or fifth person in this thread who agrees with him that's one reasonable judgement call. So you calling his decision outlandish? Consider the possibility it's your view that's outside the mainstream on this one.

 

[Ganymede81]

Huh. "These two things deliver a similar force" seems like the ultimate argument in favor of them dealing the same damage. It's weird that you're dismissing this resemblence as insignificant.

This is an excellent argument for treating a club as an improvised mace and giving it a 1d6 damage die.

Edit: Why not an improvised warhammer for a 1d8 damage die? A warhammer even weighs two pounds like a club.

 

[Satyrn]

Table legs too!

 

[Satyrn]

This is an excellent argument for treating a club as an improvised mace and giving it a 1d6 damage die.

I laughed cause I thought you were joking. If you were seriously trying to counter me, I'll point out that somewhere in the posts above, someone explained how a mace was essentially a club improved to deliver it's force more effectively. Using that explanation, a club not improved in this way does not resemble a mace in the force it delivers.

And further, I'd argue that a club that was improved this way simply cannot resemble a mace; it is a mace.

 

[Ristamar]

FWIW, medium-sized shields did not do much damage in 3.x (d3 for light, d4 for heavy or spiked light, d6 for spiked heavy).

I'd be more inclined to use a standard/conservative improvised damage die for a standard shield given the damage precedence combined with the fact that the 5e lizardfolk spiked shield attack bash does d6 piercing damage.

 

[Ganymede81]

I laughed cause I thought you were joking. If you were seriously trying to counter me, I'll point out that somewhere in the posts above, someone explained how a mace was essentially a club improved to deliver it's force more effectively. Using that explanation, a club not improved in this way does not resemble a mace in the force it delivers.

I mean, I do agree. Maces, clubs, warhammers, shields: they're all distinct things. They're all just different.

 

[FrogReaver]

This may have been touched on earlier.

For those that believe attacking with a shield is like attacking with a mace, does the duelist fight style apply?