Shields and Touch attacks

[Crothian]

This is something I should know, but I don't. Do shileds help with AC agaisnt a touch attack? I know armor does not, but I can understand if shields would be a special case.

 

[Grazzt]

This is something I should know, but I don't. Do shileds help with AC agaisnt a touch attack? I know armor does not, but I can understand if shields would be a special case.

I would say no since a shield grants an armor bonus and a creature's touch AC does not include an armor bonus.

 

[mikebr99]

Touch Attack
Touch attacks come in two types: melee touch attacks and ranged touch attacks. A combatant can score critical hits with either
type of attack. A combatant's opponent's AC against a touch attack does not include any armor bonus, shield bonus, or natural
armor bonus. The target's size modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any) all apply normally.

For simplicity I'll copy and paste...

 

[Sigma]

I agree with Grazzt.

But don't take my word for it, the SRD spells it out for us.

Touch Attack

Touch attacks come in two types: melee touch attacks and ranged touch attacks. A combatant can score critical hits with either type of attack. A combatant's opponent's AC against a touch attack does not include any armor bonus, shield bonus, or natural armor bonus. The target's size modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any) all apply normally.

Cute how they call it a shield bonus here and yet refer to it as an armor bonus everywhere else. But oh well.

 

[Sigma]

Doh! mikebr99 beat me to the punch. Probably cause I harassed him with the SRD in my reincarnation thread.

 

[prodawg]

No, regular shields do not grant bonus against touch attacks. However, shield the spell and tower shields do because they provide "cover" like bonus to AC. The ghost touch enchantment will also work against incorporeal creatures, which is a touch attack.

 

[mikebr99]

Doh! mikebr99 beat me to the punch. Probably cause I harassed him with the SRD in my reincarnation thread.

LOL...

 

[Crothian]

Thanks guys, I owe you.

 

[Lord Ben]

I'd remain flexible. If Evil Cleric #1 casts harm and misses a normal touch against the PC and the PC specifically says that he wants to use his shield to bash away the hand of the touch spell I'd give a bonus, but I'd never do it for an NPC. He's also have to be waiting for a touch attack and specifically say it.

I'm also pretty lenient when something like that makes sense and would be cool. My players are also mainly newbies so if they put more thought into their actions then simply game mechanics I reward that. Some people like to be strictly by the rules, but I'll bend for a cool action scene (never break though).

 

[Tony Vargas]

However, shield the spell and tower shields do because they provide "cover" like bonus to AC.

Shield spells, yes. The PH, though, specifically says that Tower Shields don't help vs touch attacks (maybe, it was, specifically, rays) - I guess because you're touching the shield, so touching the shield counts as touching you.