D&D 5E What AC would you give an ogre zombie covered in tower shields?

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UngeheuerLich

Legend

• May 11, 2017

• #11

AC 20 is not unreasonable if you comvine the andwers above:
All bit 1 shield are considefed plate armor. The last 1 is a shield. So 18+2 is AC 20.

Maybe, you can also just start at AC 20. And after certain conditions, I would propose a miss by 1 or 2 will not damage the ogre but instead a shield is cut lose. And AC is reduced by 2 each time that happens.

PCs could also cut a hield half lose to give the zombie disadvantage for a round or so because it hinders him.

That is what I would do if I had time to think about it

 

Last edited: May 11, 2017

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Satyrn

First Post

• May 11, 2017

• #12

My first thought upon reading the thread title was "I'd say 20."

That probably means you were wrong to give it an AC 20.

 

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hastur_nz

First Post

• May 11, 2017

• #13

While there are some good answers here, you haven't really described what this creature really is; we are all guessing.

For example, what is a "tower shield", there's no such thing in 5e rules. Is the creature wearing large shields, as some kind of armour (in which case decide its equivalent e.g. scale mail), or is it literally taking cover under humungous shields (in which case maybe it has some level of cover)? Is it actively using a shield on one arm, in addition to maybe wearing some like armour?

Answer these questions, then a final AC is pretty easy to estimate.

 

rgoodbb

Adventurer

• May 11, 2017

• #14

hastur_nz said:

For example, what is a "tower shield", there's no such thing in 5e rules. Is the creature wearing large shields,

Click to expand...

Fire Giant Dreadnoughts in VOLO's GUIDE TO MONSTERS

 

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Mirtek

Hero

• May 11, 2017

• #15

der_kluge said:

Well that certainly makes no sense, whatsoever!

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Actually it makes perfect sense. If he's just wearing Tower shields as armor, you're always only hitting one shield. Unless they are also stacked at least two layers deep, each hit only has to overcome a single shield, with all other shields he's wearing not mattering at all.

 

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Lanliss

Explorer

• May 11, 2017

• #16

Mirtek said:

Actually it makes perfect sense. If he's just wearing Tower shields as armor, you're always only hitting one shield. Unless they are also stacked at least two layers deep, each hit only has to overcome a single shield, with all other shields he's wearing not mattering at all.

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they factor into the narrative, as a series of blows glances off the shields surrounding the zombie much like if he were a Knight of yore in gleaming full plate.

By your logic, an enemy in full plate should only get the AC benefit of the single plate you hit, and not any of the rest of his armor.

 

jgsugden

Legend

• May 11, 2017

• #17

It seems like you wanted to give the PCS a lumbering foe with a high AC. You talk about it like it was intended to be a tough foe, so I think we can safely assume the party is low level (1 or 2). I'd look to high AC foes of CR 3 or 4 for a guide and end up with a 17 AC. That would be a CR 4 in my book with that AC... although it would have a bit of a glass jaw with some weak saves.

 

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CheezyRamen

First Post

• May 11, 2017

• #18

UngeheuerLich said:

AC 20 is not unreasonable if you comvine the andwers above:
All bit 1 shield are considefed plate armor. The last 1 is a shield. So 18+2 is AC 20.

Maybe, you can also just start at AC 20. And after certain conditions, I would propose a miss by 1 or 2 will not damage the ogre but instead a shield is cut lose. And AC is reduced by 2 each time that happens.

PCs could also cut a hield half lose to give the zombie disadvantage for a round or so because it hinders him.

That is what I would do if I had time to think about it

Click to expand...

Laughter aside this seems to be the most fair/logical. Laughter at the idea of a zogre running around dressed in tower shields. But erm yeah, I wouldnt cross blades with such a beast.

 

rgoodbb

Adventurer

• May 11, 2017

• #19

CheezyRamen said:

Laughter aside this seems to be the most fair/logical. Laughter at the idea of a zogre running around dressed in tower shields. But erm yeah, I wouldnt cross blades with such a beast.

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Wouldn't and quite literally couldn't (unless there are more appendages we are unaware of). No more appendages please this thing is messed up enough

 

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thethain

First Post

• May 11, 2017

• #20

Keep in mind the Fire Giant Dreadnaught listed above is AC 21. It is holding two shields which are literally thicker than some castle gates.

I would probably rule that the tower-shield armor is something akin to splint mail. As I highly doubt the placements were are careful and practiced to give the coverage possible by plate armor (A huge part of the cost of plate armor is the fact to be really effective and not restrict movement, it needs to be custom fitted to the person), further, I doubt the zombie is attempting to use one of the shields AS a shield (as in actively blocking with it) so I would not give it a +2 bonus for using a shield. So in total AC17. As for why it lowered in between encountered, you can say some of the shields were knocked off while it was fleeing.