tomBitonti
Hero
Hi,
Can anyone summarize the 3.0 edition tower shield rules?
I created a 3.5 character who uses a tower shield, and found that:
* You can use the shield to grant yourself total cover, but lose all attacks.
* The shield otherwise grants a +4 shield bonus to AC.
* You have -2 to attacks because of the encumberance of the shield.
I have read elsewhere that changing the shield to grant cover is a standard action (because that will cause you to lose all of your attacks).
After reviewing the rules, my group is at a loss as to how to rule on the shield.
As written, the shifting the shield to grant total cover is not-directional. Nor does it take a standard action.
What I am remembering (but I'm not sure from where) is that placing the shield was a standard action, and that it provided total cover along a single facing.
I very much don't remember that using the shield for cover lost you all of your attacks. Although, attacking in the direction in which you have cover was assumed to be prevented (because the cover worked in both directions). Does losing your attacks mean that you don't threaten anymore?
A strange feature of the stated rule is that the shield doesn't provide cover to anyone else. People can shoot through you, but not at you.
I'm thinking that the standard action and facing rules were added later?
Any summary of the 3.0 and/or the final 3.5 version of the rules would be very helpful (or a pointer to online rules). I have the 3.5 rules (from the PHB) on-hand, but not any later clarifications.
Thx!
Can anyone summarize the 3.0 edition tower shield rules?
I created a 3.5 character who uses a tower shield, and found that:
* You can use the shield to grant yourself total cover, but lose all attacks.
* The shield otherwise grants a +4 shield bonus to AC.
* You have -2 to attacks because of the encumberance of the shield.
I have read elsewhere that changing the shield to grant cover is a standard action (because that will cause you to lose all of your attacks).
After reviewing the rules, my group is at a loss as to how to rule on the shield.
As written, the shifting the shield to grant total cover is not-directional. Nor does it take a standard action.
What I am remembering (but I'm not sure from where) is that placing the shield was a standard action, and that it provided total cover along a single facing.
I very much don't remember that using the shield for cover lost you all of your attacks. Although, attacking in the direction in which you have cover was assumed to be prevented (because the cover worked in both directions). Does losing your attacks mean that you don't threaten anymore?
A strange feature of the stated rule is that the shield doesn't provide cover to anyone else. People can shoot through you, but not at you.
I'm thinking that the standard action and facing rules were added later?
Any summary of the 3.0 and/or the final 3.5 version of the rules would be very helpful (or a pointer to online rules). I have the 3.5 rules (from the PHB) on-hand, but not any later clarifications.
Thx!
