Animated Shields

[Omegaxicor]

I was looking at the "Animated" enhancement and I was curious 1) Can you make an Animated Tower Shield (I assume so because it doesn't say you can't) and 2) Why do you still take the penalties associated with wielding a shield when you aren't, is it just for balance? (I don't see a reason why you would otherwise)

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

1) yup.
2) other than for mechanical balance, I don't know. If I were your DM and you asked nicely, I'd handwave the proficiency, spell failure and armor check penalties. For the cost of a +2, you should get something cool.

 

[Omegaxicor]

Thanks, I agree but wasn't sure if there was an obvious reason I was missing (it has happened before)

 

[delericho]

Yeah, the bit about keeping the penalties is purely about balance. Personally, I would keep them in - even as a +2 effect, animated is quite powerful - not in and of itself, but because it allows the use of a two-handed weapon as well as a shield, and the two-handed weapons (especially with Power Attack) are really quite potent in 3.x.

Well, as potent as melee combatants get, I suppose...

 

[VariSami]

Yeah, the bit about keeping the penalties is purely about balance. Personally, I would keep them in - even as a +2 effect, animated is quite powerful - not in and of itself, but because it allows the use of a two-handed weapon as well as a shield, and the two-handed weapons (especially with Power Attack) are really quite potent in 3.x.

Well, as potent as melee combatants get, I suppose...

Or because it allows a Wizard to have a Tower Shield float around him for a min. +5 Shield bonus without spell failure?

Personally, I would remove the penalties simply because they would make no sense on a floating shield. For example, how does it restrict your hand gestures to cause a spell failure chance?

 

[Nezkrul]

Perhaps from a flavor point of view you are wielding it mentally, telling it where to go to best protect you while it floats around your body, and it doesn't float very far from you or it would be easy to just swing around it, so it literally floats within arms reach of your body to protect you... it still gets in the way and takes concentration to wield.

Consequently, flails in my games ignore non-force related shield bonuses to armor class (swing around)

 

[PureGoldx58]

I use mine as an umbrella.


1) Yes you can, because it doesn't say you can't.

2) It doesn't say it doesn't, therefore...I'd ask your DM with a big pizza in your hand.