D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5] Tower Shield usefull?

[Baumi]

The Tower Shield got changed between 3.0 and 3.5, so that it now give you a +4 to AC but -2 to hit, has a max. Dex modifier and weights a ton.

Isn't that a bit week? You even need a feat for it, except the fighter.

But I'm sure I'm overlooking something and I hope someone can give me some tips and uses for it ...

 

[Liquidsabre]

A Tower Shield can be used for the listed bonus OR for total cover.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

It's often worth it for fighters who can afford to take a few penalties to hit but don't have the int for combat expertise and for fighters who can afford to take big penalties to hit and want to combat expertise to get their AC as high as possible. It's also pretty useful for advancing under fire from archers (total cover).

 

[Creamsteak]

I love the tower shield in 3.5. Before, it was awkward to use, at least to the point where most of my group just stuck with large shields and a flat +2 bonus. Now it's at least a set bonus for most circumstances.

It's pretty inferior unless you have a level in fighter, though. Trading a feat for an awkward shield just doesn't seem all that useful. Against archers, you don't need the proficiency since your just using the defensive capacity and trying to close to a better position (where you would probably drop the tower shield in favor of fighting without a penalty).

The tower shield works best for a mounted character (since you can really optimize for heavy armor), or when your playing a fighter that doesn't use combat expertise or power attack.

 

[Baumi]

Cool ... I haven't seen that you can use it as full cover, but with it they do rock!

 

[Darklone]

Cool ... I haven't seen that you can use it as full cover, but with it they do rock!

Against archers, yes, against rock throwing giants or magic, no.

 

[Shin Okada]

Tower Shield is the best friend of Clerics who mainly cast spells. They are not proficient in it but it doesn't matter much when they don't attack.

 

[Kaleon Moonshae]

My female wizard has the ledership feat and half-ogre cohort who carries a huge tower shield with a pointed base. He just uses his strength to ram the sucker in the ground (if it is soft enough, Str check) and gives her a place to hide and cast spells while he protects her from incoming melee attackers. You want to see a power combo, wow. Of course we are in a campaign that tends towards the difficult so it doesn't overbalance anything much, basically just keeps the girl from getting fried. He rarely uses it in combat, however, since it impedes him too much.

 

[uzagi_akimbo]

The tower shield works best for a mounted character (since you can really optimize for heavy armor), or when your playing a fighter that doesn't use combat expertise or power attack.

A Tower Shield on a horse/wardog/Axebeak/riding-lizard ? Yikes - if you want to get an idea how big these things are, start thinking roman legion shields - or riot shields and the movile assault barriers used by SWAT teams. It is as tall as you are !
If your GM lets you use that monster of a board (the size and shape of a crofter's door, and likely as massive ) while mounted, feel VERY LUCKY. If he lets you use it without penalty to AC, attack, and/or ride skill, feel free to send an intense prayer of thanks to the entity of your religious orientation for the timely miracle.

Of course, the rules stay silent on such problems (as they usually do) , but that is the point where common sense kicks in.

 

[Darklone]

A Tower Shield on a horse/wardog/Axebeak/riding-lizard ? Yikes - if you want to get an idea how big these things are, start thinking roman legion shields - or riot shields and the movile assault barriers used by SWAT teams. It is as tall as you are !

It's worse, the typical roman legion shield as most people think it was is simply a large D&D shield. A tower shield is one of those big things people used for sieges to hide archers behind and move it forward step by step.