Animated Tower Shield

[Malificent]

Assuming it is possible (and I see no reason why it couldn't be), how exactly would this work in practice? What amount of cover could it provide to a fighter in melee combat?

Also, since a tower shield only provides cover, does the +1 bonus that you have to give it to animate it add to AC? Or is it just ignored?

Mali

 

[CRGreathouse]

Assuming it is possible (and I see no reason why it couldn't be), how exactly would this work in practice? What amount of cover could it provide to a fighter in melee combat?

Also, since a tower shield only provides cover, does the +1 bonus that you have to give it to animate it add to AC? Or is it just ignored?

It would work normally; generally 1/2; no; no. The enhancement bonus would increase its own hardness and hit points.

 

[Joren]

In what instances would you permit a character to obtain more than a 50% cover bonus from an animated tower shield?

If fighting more than one opponent, could the character direct the tower shield to give him full cover against one or more opponents, but not against the one the character is fighting?

I don't have my DMG in front of me, so this might be answered by the description of "animated," but how "animated" is the shield? Does it move of its own volition? Do you have to direct it? Does it remain in "front" of you without being able to be directed?

Obviously, none of these questions really matter when you're animating a regular shield, since those give nice & easy armor bonuses... but when you animate a tower shield, you have trickier questions because the shield provides a cover bonus. This necessitates an analysis of where, when, and how much you can direct or control the amount of cover.

 

[dcollins]

Also, since a tower shield only provides cover, does the +1 bonus that you have to give it to animate it add to AC? Or is it just ignored?

The enchantment provides an armor bonus (not additional cover) to the user of the magic tower shield. An old reply from the Sage:

> 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.