D&D 4E Does 4E still really hate shields?

[Quartz]

If you look at the Shield feats, you need Wis 15. WTF?

I mean, you're a fighter. your prime stat is Str, and your next best stat is probably Dex, or Cha for paladins. Those are two good stats (16 and 14). And being a fighter you need a good Con for Healing Surges. That's a third. How is a fighter to get to Wis 15? The feats already cost a precious feat slot, so why the high prerequisite? Even putting a 13 in your starting score and getting the feat at Epic levels is difficult enough.

Of course, it's fine if you're a Cleric.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Fighters benefit from a high wisdom, it is their secondary or tertiary statistics. They get a bonus to Opportunity Attacks based on Wisdom.

Furthermore, it's only one shield feat. Proficiency and Specialization, and Shield Push do not require wisdom.

Shield Distraction is clearly aimed at Fighters that want to benefit from their Wisdom bonus.

 

[frankthedm]

If you look at the Shield feats, you need Wis 15. WTF?

? Say what?


Shield Proficiency (Heavy) Str 15, Shield Proficiency (Light) Proficiency with heavy shields
Shield Proficiency (Light) Str 13 Proficiency with light shields
Shield Push Fighter,

Shield Specialization Dex 15, Shield Proficiency (Heavy or Light)

 

[ppaladin123]

If you look at the Shield feats, you need Wis 15. WTF?

I mean, you're a fighter. your prime stat is Str, and your next best stat is probably Dex, or Cha for paladins. Those are two good stats (16 and 14). And being a fighter you need a good Con for Healing Surges. That's a third. How is a fighter to get to Wis 15? The feats already cost a precious feat slot, so why the high prerequisite? Even putting a 13 in your starting score and getting the feat at Epic levels is difficult enough.

Of course, it's fine if you're a Cleric.

The fighter needs decent wisdom anyway since his combat superiority class feature is based off of it...wisdom makes him extra sticky. There is also a paragon path (pit fighter) that rewards high wisdom. It is pretty easy to start with 15 (or 16) wisdom and still have at least a 16 in Str and a 14 in dex. A constitution score of more than 13-14 is really unnecessary if you use a shield since 1. you'll get hit less because of the shield, and 2. hammer rhythm and other con-based fighter feats (like potent challenge) are generally geared toward two-handed weapon specialists (i.e. no shield).

 

[Ravingdork]

If you look at the Shield feats, you need Wis 15. WTF?

I mean, you're a fighter. your prime stat is Str, and your next best stat is probably Dex, or Cha for paladins. Those are two good stats (16 and 14). And being a fighter you need a good Con for Healing Surges. That's a third. How is a fighter to get to Wis 15? The feats already cost a precious feat slot, so why the high prerequisite? Even putting a 13 in your starting score and getting the feat at Epic levels is difficult enough.

Of course, it's fine if you're a Cleric.

Don't fighters start with shield proficiency?

 

[Quartz]

? Say what?

Distracting Shield.

 

[Chen_93]

It is odd that this feat has this requirement, but then again its a pretty weak feat. Shield push is a lot better being that it can frequently negate attacks entirely (and with Gauntlets of the Ram essentially negate a shift too).

 

[MrMyth]

Note that what the feat does is give an additional benefit to the Combat Challenge feature, one that is already tied into the use of Wisdom. I see nothing strange or unfair about the requirement.

 

[Nifft]

4e loves shields.
They're a very good choice for Fighters and Paladins, and IMHO it's the ones who don't use shields that have to justify their choice.

Not everyone needs Distracting Shield.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Gort]

So the gist of this thread is, "Does 4e hate shields because one particularly lame feat needs wisdom?"

This is a silly thread.