Level Up (A5E) Planting Tower Shields

[W'rkncacnter]

I mean, this is a simplification and a game, but tower shields were used in melee, and especially in close formation fighting. Enemies were not running around you to stab in the back because your back was covered by someone else.

i mean, yeah, but how often do you get to see such formations in dnd(-likes)?

The rules for tower shield also say "and advantage on saving throws made to resist being shoved or knocked prone and while you remain behind". If the shield is not held but barely standing, there's no reason why a character should gain advantage on those saves,

i mean...even if the shield is "barely standing", it's still in the way. i'd assume that's why.

but I agree with you that the "while you remain behind" confuses things quite a bit (and should be rephrased as "while you hold it")

...unless holding it while it's planted isn't the intent. but either way yeah, this should be clarified.

This advantage of not being easily pushed or knocked prone remains very useful in 1 vs 1, when the close formation combat advantage is no longer present and one could "run around you".

i mean...if they can run around you and swing at your back then not really? because why bother pushing you or knocking you prone when your back is exposed to them anyway? also getting around you would negate that anyway (...like it would do in game, actually).

Finally, to add to confusion, I don't see why unplanting a shield should require a bonus action and could not be just another "object interaction", of which there's one free per turn.

i guess maybe so you can plant and unplant a shield on the same turn? but then that just raises the question of why would you ever do that. and you could do that anyway with two object interactions, it's just that one would take your action. yeah, i dunno, you're right, that's really weird.

Maybe "while you remain behind it" refers to the general rules of cover, implying that you plant the shield in a certain direction and when enemies move around it, you no longer get the cover benefits. Not necessarily that you can choose to not remain behind it? But even then, it would make no sense that you would still get a shield bonus to AC. That would be a valid argument for not wielding it anymore. But then you skip the doff action by using an item interaction (free), and indeed planting it somewhere where the ground will not hold it upright for you is weird to imagine as well.

So maybe planting the shield changes the bonus from +2 AC shield bonus to the cover bonus? If that is the case, planting the shield is rarely beneficial, since giving up the omnidirectional benefits of the shield for directional cover and shove and prone bonuses is a bit of a sidegrade. Especially since there are quite a few options for ranged attackers to ignore cover altogether. Especially especially since the shield is bulky and slows you down a lot (unless Dwarf).

...yeah, i give up, i'm just gonna hope one of the writers pops in and helps us sort out what's going on because i'm just lost now.

 

[thuter]

i guess maybe so you can plant and unplant a shield on the same turn? but then that just raises the question of why would you ever do that. and you could do that anyway with two object interactions, it's just that one would take your action. yeah, i dunno, you're right, that's really weird.

One very good reason would be to do it the other way around: Shoot with a crossbow (bad example due to available hands and "wielding") throw a spear, unplant the shield, move to a more advantageous position, plant it again.

 

[lichmaster]

i mean, yeah, but how often do you get to see such formations in dnd(-likes)?

Not very often, but I think LU is trying to make combat a bit more tactical, especially with positioning. I can totally see a group being surrounded by mobs and a bigger threat, with the tank facing the bigger threat by planting the shield while the other members protect his sides.

i mean...even if the shield is "barely standing", it's still in the way. i'd assume that's why.

Sure, but then I could get in front of it, use an object interaction to pull it towards me or steal it, and then push/knockdown or attack the enemy without cover AND without shield, with no issues and without spending anything from an action economy pov to remove the advantage.

i mean...if they can run around you and swing at your back then not really? because why bother pushing you or knocking you prone when your back is exposed to them anyway? also getting around you would negate that anyway (...like it would do in game, actually).

The advantage is situational, but is there. I remember we survived a very tough battle in Rime of the Frostmaiden by having my paladin going in total defense at a narrow door. The mobs could have tried to push him over and it would have been a TPK, but in that situation having advantage str vs being pushed or knocked down would have been super useful.