Building Bucklers!

[Imperialus]

If used defensively, I'd have a buckler give a reflex bonus alone rather than an AC bonus.

That can be enchanted to provide one...

Interesting.

Ok... How about this for two different bucklers.

Swordsman's Buckler
Class: Superior (Rangers Fighters and Rogues have proficiency)
Damage: 1d4
Price: 5GP
Weight: 2 lb
Group: Mace
Properties: Off hand, Light Can be enchanted as a shield or a weapon. If it is enchanted as a shield it provides an AC bonus, otherwise none.

Archer's Buckler
Shield Bonus: 0 (a buckler only provides the wearers reflex bonus)
Minimum Enchant: 0
Check: 0
Speed: 0
Price: 3 GP
An Archer's Buckler can be enchanted as a shield. A light weapon or other item can be carried in the left hand. Any weapons that require two hands can also be wielded. If the off hand is used (logic rules) then the shield does not provide the AC bonus.

Now that I look at it though, why wouldn't you use the Archer's Bucker and a dagger in place of the Swordsmans Buckler? It does have an additional use for archery focused characters as well since they can use a bow but still have a shield if something ugly gets close.

 

[keterys]

Archers really don't need a buckler.

Anyhow, this should be in the other forum, but how about just 'Bucklers are light shields that allow use of the hand for any action, but give a -1 to all attacks'. Then just move on.

You can add a feat to make it equal, but no better, than two-weapon defense with two weapons.

 

[Gort]

Archers really don't need a buckler.

And yet, in reality, they wore them.

Anyone know how you might recreate the Scottish Highlander fighting style? That is to say, claymore wielded in the right hand, buckler on the left arm, with a dirk (dagger) wielded in the left hand?

Sounds like a configuration that should be able to take advantage of both the two-weapon fighting and two-weapon defense feats, with weapon proficiency bastard sword to emulate the claymore.

 

[Imperialus]

That's what I would do.

I'd almost suggest that since the scottish bucklers were bigger than a typical buckler probably about 9-12" in diameter as opposed to 6 or so make it a light shield that still allows freedom of movement in the off hand but otherwise acts just like a light shield. Any attack rolls where you use TWF suffer a -1 penalty. If you're using it defensively, you're golden.

As for the claymore itself... I'd suggest that it is available in two varieties. Either the large two handed claymore which uses greatsword stats or a smaller basket hilt claymore which uses longsword stats. The 'bastard sword' was more a continental invention.

 

[Liebot]

Here's my solution. Be a ranger, take two weapon fighting, and two weapon defense. Now, wield a spiked light shield in one hand, consider it a buckler, it does d6 damage. So now, effectively you're simulating a shield with two weapon defense even though it's still a weapon. This may not be what you're looking for, but it simulates the effect without introducing any new weapons or rules. I plan to do this for a ranger when I play one.

 

[mach1.9pants]

For the mechanical stat for a 'fighting' buckler, I would use +2 to AC vs one enemy (designate as a free action, a bit like 3E dodge but actually quite good) but nothing to reflex. have to take a feat to use it as a weapon, 1d4 light blade for your spike.

 

[Drakard]

Yeah, i was trying to do the same. I was going to make a quick running Ranger with TWD, and I was trying to find a way to use the buckler like fighting style. What I did was just grabbed a Light Shield, and then when i wanted to use it as an offhand weapon i would use the misc- weapon dmg. that was applied to say bar stools and chairs. Which i think would of only put it at 1d4, but plus my Dex if i was using a skill.

This way when i used powers that only did one attack I had the ac bonus. That was my attempt at a buckler style fighter with the guidelines layed out by the PH. I like the idea of one actually being implemented.

One idea i'd like to see is this. The warforge can mount a shield to his arm, or normal people can use a light shield but still use the hand for minor actions. What i'd like is that in those situations if you want to grab your sword and use its Versitility you dont have to free action drop your shield. However but by doing so you lose the AC bonus from your shield. This way you can use some of the fighter abilities a bit more effectively without having to free action drop your shield and then minor action pick it up the next round. (Which i guess isnt to to big a deal...)

 

[pinbot]

If used defensively, I'd have a buckler give a reflex bonus alone rather than an AC bonus.

Heh, I'd do the opposite. The reflex bonus seems to be about the sort of cover you get from a shield. A buckler doesn't really give you any cover to speak of--but since you can hold it out from your body it blocks about as many lines of attack as as a larger shield held closer in. So I'd give it same AC as a standard shield, but no reflex.

 

[Aristotle]

The OP has it about right with no shield bonus. A light shield has to be better than a buckler. I dislike new weapons that require extra rules (the OP's writeup does not which is why I like it) but I guess I'd be okay with buckler's having the ability to provide a shield bonus once per encounter (until the start of your next turn). Or you could give it the shield bonus of a light shield with a paragon tier feat (i.e. Buckler Mastery).

 

[Nifft]

Heh, I'd do the opposite. The reflex bonus seems to be about the sort of cover you get from a shield. A buckler doesn't really give you any cover to speak of--but since you can hold it out from your body it blocks about as many lines of attack as as a larger shield held closer in. So I'd give it same AC as a standard shield, but no reflex.

Same here. Perhaps even just AC vs. melee, and have it stack with TWF/TWD (as said above). That way a guy with a buckler and two feats would be better at blocking swords than a guy with just a light shield, but would be worse at blocking fireballs / magic missiles / Penetrating Strike, etc.

Cheers, -- N