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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Campbell" data-source="post: 7786720" data-attributes="member: 16586">It provides a +2 Circumstance bonus to AC until the start of your next turn so it works against subsequent attacks as well or attacks from other assailants. It also enables the Shield Block reaction which with a Steel Shield will reduce the incoming damage of a single strike by 5, but might damage the shield. Generally speaking it is either competing with movement, Feint, Demoralize, or a third strike at a -10 penalty which brings a typical fighter's attack bonus down to -1 so it would hit the Orc Warrior on an 17 or better for 1d8+4 so around 2.125 average damage.It is possible that the orc might opt to take his chances with a softer target. If there is one adjacent to it the fighter has made a tactical error. He should have done a better job isolating the ogre.If the fighter has the orc isolated it needs to either spend an action to Step and move 5 feet or attempt to move away and trigger the Fighter's Attack of Opportunity reaction, a strike at his full attack bonus. If the fighter scores a critical hit that move action is wasted.Probably the most dangerous action the ogre could take in this circumstance would be to trip the fighter who only has a Reflex DC of 16 and knock the fighter prone which pretty much negates the bonus from the shield. However this would eat into its Multiple Attack Penalty so would need to hit an AC of 18 at a +2 bonus and is still susceptible to the shield block reaction. Still the fighter's AC would be lower to other attacks as well and standing from prone could provoke the Orc Warrior's Attack of Opportunity, but this only has a 55% chance of being successful and a 5% chance the orc warrior could end up being the one prone.The Raise A Shield action is not meant to be a sure thing, like most things in the game there is risk involved. The calculus changes based on the fiction and game resources used. There are absolutely scenarios where you should not raise your shield and possible to make the wrong call. That's part of the skill of playing the game.</blockquote>

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