About +1 Animated Tower Shields.

[Joker]

One of my characters has a +1 animated tower shield. Since the tower shield doesn't give an AC bonus but a cover bonus, what happens to the +1? Do I add it as a cover bonus or do I do nothing with it?


Thx in advance.

Tata.

 

[Darklone]

Nothing with it.

 

[Joker]

So there's no point in me raising the bonus to +2 or higher I suppose? Oh well.

While we're on the topic of magic animated tower shields and tower shields in general:

a.) Enhancements (i.e. Elemental resistances, spell turning, blinding etc etc.), do they still affect me if the shield is not in my hands?

b.) Can you have two people behind a tower shield and give them each one half cover?

Thx in advance.

Tata.

 

[kreynolds]

a.) Enhancements (i.e. Elemental resistances, spell turning, blinding etc etc.), do they still affect me if the shield is not in my hands?

I rule yes.

 

[Malin Genie]

Actually, there is some point in raising it to +2 - if it's +2 then +1 weapons (or creatures with X/+1 DR) can't damage it.

Also, if the shield is not wielded by the character, I would rule enhancements that affect 'the wielder' are not active.

 

[niteshade6]

I'd think by the rules the enhancements would still work even if it was animated. You can't have more then one shield protecting you anyway (even animated ones) so it's not unbalancing to allow this.

Adding extra pluses can be quite significant because any attack that misses you because of the shield damages the tower shield. If you add extra pluses at least they need bigger magic weapons to hurt it. Repairing magic items can be expensive.

Finaly remember that even though it's animated, it still provides cover both ways.

 

[Joker]

I don't think a shield is damaged if an attack misses me. I was under the impression that objects are invincible unless they are specifically targeted.

Of course, from a realistic standpoint everything would be damaged in a fireball, but then again realism isn't one of 3e's strongpoints .

I've rarely (as a player) had it that an enemy targeted our weapons/armor/shields, so beyond that there isn't much use for extra plusses. Bring on the enhancements .

Thx guys/girls/sexless aliens fur deine input.

Danke Schon.

Auf Wiedersehen.

 

[kreynolds]

I don't think a shield is damaged if an attack misses me.

A tower shield provides cover. See Striking the Cover Instead of a Missed Target on page 133 of the PH.

 

[dcollins]

Here we go again. In a personal email reply from a year-and-a-half ago, the Sage confirmed that magical tower shields do in fact benefit from an enhanced armor bonus:

Let's say someone has a +4 Tower Shield (as is possible via the magic item tables in the DMG, or perhaps through the "magic vestment" spell). Does the enhancement on this shield supply: (A) no AC improvement whatsoever, or (B) a +4 "armor" bonus, or (C) a +4 "cover" bonus beyond whatever's chosen naturally by the bearer (and if so, do opponents get the same enhanced protection)?

A +4 armor bonus for the user. It coes not apply to any cover bonus the shield grants.

 

[Joker]

Thank you kreynolds, you can tell I haven't really read the Phb yet, not that I ever will.

And woohoo. I get a +1 on my AC, I AM INVINCABLE.

Thanks everyone.