help with a prestige class...

[Jesus_marley]

I am trying to design a PrC that would utilize 2 shields in lieu of a weapon. I know that you normally cannot use two shields and have the bonuses stack but that would be a unique ability for this PrC.

The trade off is that the prereqs would require a fairly high BAB (at least +7), it would be best suited towards fighter type characters, and the focus would be on very strong defence, very low offence, with some finesse like moves.

One possible ability I can see, for example would be (tentatively) Deflect Blow. When fighting multiple adjacent enemies in melee, once per round, you may attempt to deflect the successful attack of an enemy. Make an opposed strength check (or maybe Dex). If successful the attack is deflected into an enemy adjacent to your attacker. The new target must be adjacent to both you and your attacker for this manuever to be successful. Damage is rolled normally and is applied to the new target. DR, etc. of the new target still applies. If you fail the opposed check you take damage as normal and may not attempt to deflect any more attacks that round.

Do you think this may have potential?

 

[Crothian]

everythign has potential, and this is no exception

Feat requirement ideas: 2 weapon fighting, improved shield bash, shield prof, 2 weapon defense, weapon focus shield

 

[Crothian]

another thing the class can do, is forbid the use of any other weapons except for a shield

 

[Wilphe]

Hmm, some kind of benefit to adjacent allies - perhaps like the Phalanx fighting feat?

What are you trying to achieve here - is the idea to stand there and take the blows whilst the archers and spellcasters in the rear do the damage?

 

[Storyteller01]

PLOTS & POISON!!!

Me and my OGL sources...


Seriously, this book did this for drow, sort of. Instead of a PrC, they included it as a two stage martial arts style called Mithiral Carapace, similar to those found in Oriental adventures. They probably did this because of the slew of feats intro'd in this book (why make a PrC when the fighter can get the bennies regardless).

The feats includes Two weapons fighting, dual shield weilding, shield bash, deflect arrows, combat reflexes, etc. One of the arts bennies had been the conversion of a shield's magical defense enhancement to that of offense as well. It has a VERY nice piece of artwork showing a fully armored drow fighting with two Medium shields...

The book is 3.0, but easy enough to convert over. You may also find folks around here who have it. Even as an OGL source, it had great fluff for drow (and everyone loves the drow )

 

[Sigurd]

If you want something a little closer to combat as it actually occurred, you might have a class specializing in Tower Shield and weapon trapping. Formation fighting often has a shieldwall to stop advances and pole arms behind them to attack. A good shieldwall character that focused on defense and dissabling weapons would be very handy.

Something that could perhaps absorb the blow of a spiked chain and help get enough force to pull the wielder down.

You might have some magic training that increases the weight and fatigue of blows against this PRC.

S

 

[Jesus_marley]

What are you trying to achieve here - is the idea to stand there and take the blows whilst the archers and spellcasters in the rear do the damage?

well, sort of but not entirely. I had an idea of a defensive, frontline, finesse fighter. Basically, the focus is on deflecting attacks, with a chance of turning the attack against the attacker. It's all about momentum and the redirection of it. The character still fights but in a different way.

Crothian: I was thinking more along the lines of while still able to use other weapons, the "shield fighter" CHOOSES to use only shields. Perhaps it is a choice or vow to no longer directly draw blood. Regardless, once on the path of a "shield fighter", using other weapons would result in an XP penalty or something similar. I see this as primarily a flavour thing. Wouldn't work in all campaigns but would be a nice change from the norm.

 

[Nyaricus]

hmmm, a very interesting and original idea. since i always have good ideas, her are a few

i have a D20 book called From Stone To Steel, and in its' Far East section, it talks about many things, and what is relevant here is the Wudan Movement. in this time period, the martial arts areas were developed greatly (not the hand-to-hand combat term as we now know it, but the expertise of arms, armour, and warfare in general) and there is a bit (on page 143) that talks about Shield Combat, and how this was infact very influential at the time.

heres the excerp regarding Shield Combat, "the shield was often used as a primary weapon during the wudan period. used to block and to attack, this style favors diversions, deflecting attacks, and striking with stunning blows. imagine a dance where theshiled shifts from arm to arm, blocking blows, pushing away an attacker, and then being used, one or two handed, to buffet an attacker into submission."

maybe a bit of research is required here, but at least now you have something to look for, which may help inspire you to make a very original PrC

 

[Pure Puppet]

You might want to check this out:

http://www.livejournal.com/community/add_creations/8340.html#cutid1

It's from a Livejournal community I'm a member of. If you like it, you could ask the guy who made it if you could use it.

If not, well, it at least gives you a place to stand, I guess.

 

[Runesong42]

OMFG!

This thread brings me back to AD&D2. As soon as we had discovered the "formula" for creating new classes, we all got to work. One guy made a class called "the Blockader". His job was to stand there and take hits, or "blockade", for wizards. He had d12 HP, could wear all armor, use all shields, but had a rogue's attack progression. One of his special abilities was the ability to strike twice a round with his shield bash, once a day. My GOD that was a funny character...

Thanks for dredging up that memory for me.