Level Up (A5E) Adding buckler and tower shield to A5E?

[Horwath]

What about idea to have 3 shield sizes/categories?

buckler: +1 AC, requires light armor proficiency,
You cannot use buckler with Shield master or any similar feature that requires a shield.
You can use your off hand to hold items and cast spells with S/M componets or hold focuses and keep AC bonus.
You can attack with your off hand weapon or two handed weapon without penalties, but you lose bucklers AC bonus until the start of your next turn.

shield(standard 5E): +2 AC, requires medium armor proficiency

tower shield: +3 AC, requires heavy armor proficiency. -10 feet speed penalty. -5 penalty with 15+ strength.

 

[tetrasodium]

I'd do more thsn ten feet move penalty unless they add the old move hit back to heavy armor that made mounted combat worthwhile without needing to make it a power scaling problem like versions since.

 

[CubicsRube]

Yes to both except for one thing.

I hate the D&D ism that a buckler was strapped on the arm. It's not an arm guard. It's held in the hand and was used to punch as often as not. So i would assigned it as an offhand weapon, maybe 1d3 bludgeoning.

On the tower would be tempted to make it -10 with no strength exception. The dwarf ability would negate this, incentivising the heavily armed dwarf trope.

 

[CleverNickName]

I like it. (And I like @CubicsRube 's suggestion that it be a light bludgeoning weapon that grants a +1 to AC, and not a "shield.") The only change I'd suggest:

Instead of a penalty to speed, I'd just say that while you have a tower shield equipped, your speed becomes 20 ft. and cannot be increased. Nice and clean.

 

[CAFRedblade]

I'd keep all requiring Shield prof.
But for Buckler, add simply weapon prof. to utilize it as a weapon, give it the Light weapon property, d3 bludgeon damage works as noted above,
and it being only +1 AC.
Tower Shield should have the Heavy Armour property, Str requirement of 14 (low end of +2 range) and a +3 AC.
Both of those keep it within the default structure and compitibilty with regular 5E.

 

[Leatherhead]

Tower shield should be an action to have total cover imo. It would help a lot against ranged superiority.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Here is the houseruled buckler I've been using:

• Bucklers give +1 AC, but use a hand (so no focus, or holding other things; no proficiency is req. (so it can be used by wizards, sorcerers, and particularly rogues, etc.); those w/ shield proficiency can use a dagger, handaxe, lantern, cloak, etc. as a buckler.

That allows a number of traditional dueling styles that look cool, and become only marginally suboptimal.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Here is the houseruled buckler I've been using:

• Bucklers give +1 AC, but use a hand (so no focus, or holding other things; no proficiency is req. (so it can be used by wizards, sorcerers, and particularly rogues, etc.); those w/ shield proficiency can use a dagger, handaxe, lantern, cloak, etc. as a buckler.

That allows a number of traditional dueling styles that look cool, and become only marginally suboptimal.

I like your rule.
I would add the rule, that you can equip it as a bonus action. The weapons as buckler can be drawn as a free action anyway. This way, you can fire a bow and stow it and use a bonus action to equip the buckler to be ready for melee afterwards.

 

[Hecubus]

+1 buckler/small, and it’s a free proficiency for everyone. Use one handed enable cast spells.

medium/heavy shield +2. Proficiency can also add a +1 to AC it when you don’t attack or cast a spell that round and all you do is move.

full cover/tower shield. Proficiency gives +4 to AC when fighting with and gives an additional +1 when you don’t attack that round. Immunity to directional seen attacks such as
Arrows when not attacking or casting that round. Advantage on area effect/aimed spell saves