how does a tower shield work?

[niteshade6]

Fourecks is actualy right, however a few notes

1) There is a significant penalty for firing a crossbow with one hand
2) You need both hands to reload your crossbow
3) You could not get full cover, the most you could get would probably be 75%.

So you could probably take one crossbow shot at -4 to hit, and then you'd have to either drop the crossbow or the shield. Javelins on the other hand could work much better.

 

[Saepiroth]

Fourecks is actualy right, however a few notes

1) There is a significant penalty for firing a crossbow with one hand
2) You need both hands to reload your crossbow
3) You could not get full cover, the most you could get would probably be 75%.

So you could probably take one crossbow shot at -4 to hit, and then you'd have to either drop the crossbow or the shield. Javelins on the other hand could work much better.

you could also lock the shield in place like the mobile wall that it is, and only stand up to fire over the top.

or, you could hire a warrior/1 grunt to carry the thing for you while you stand behind and get covered.

 

[niteshade6]

Well the standard tower shield can't be locked in place, it doesn't have a base capable of supporting it or anything like that (look at the picture, it's just a really big shield). Certainly people have used mobile walls that the could hide and shoot behind in sieges before, but they aren't the kind of things you could carry around while adventuring.

 

[Saepiroth]

Well the standard tower shield can't be locked in place, it doesn't have a base capable of supporting it or anything like that (look at the picture, it's just a really big shield). Certainly people have used mobile walls that the could hide and shoot behind in sieges before, but they aren't the kind of things you could carry around while adventuring.

time to hire a mercenary, then.

 

[Feanor Starym]

I thought the cover that the opponent gets only applies to melee attacks. In other words, a person could use a tower shield very effectively to shoot a crossbow from behind it because he could get full cover and yet still pop off a bolt every round at his exposed enemy. However, if he takes the tower shield into melee, then whatever cover he gets, his opponent gets also.

What about if he uses a Lance in one hand (which is technically a medium sized reach weapon)?

 

[mseds99]

The repeating light crossbow and tower shield is a GREAT tactic for a ranged character. Of course the -4 to hit sucks because of the one handed shooting but I still played a cleric who went that way. He rarely took damage. We played that you got 3/4 from the tower shield when shooting around it (or in my case, over it). Next time, I'll get a crossbow slot built into the shield to get the 9/10's cover. hehe.

The tower shields do get wiped out pretty quickly though. Whenever a dragon came a'knockin, I'd hide behind my shield (100% cover)and start buffing myself. The shield lasted roughly 1 or two rounds, depending on the situation. We only counted damage to the shield when I hid completely (full cover) behind it. We didn't realize it, but according to some of the other posts, it seems like it was a house rule.

Overall, it worked very well, both from a player and a mechanical view.

Hope that helps.

 

[AuraSeer]

Well the standard tower shield can't be locked in place, it doesn't have a base capable of supporting it or anything like that

That's what Immovable Rods are for.

 

[Legildur]

We just used Immovable Rods to stop our barge drifting into half a dozen cloudkills.... But that is another story.

My question about tower shields is what about enchanted shields? What is the effective AC from a +1 tower shield?

Does it increase the cover bonus? Provide a deflection bonus? Or provide an enhanced armor bonus (shield)?

 

[Hypersmurf]

My question about tower shields is what about enchanted shields? What is the effective AC from a +1 tower shield?

Does it increase the cover bonus? Provide a deflection bonus? Or provide an enhanced armor bonus (shield)?

I'd say increased hardness and hit points, and the ability to receive special qualities.

-Hyp.

 

[niteshade6]

More importantly, I believe a +1 tower shield could only be damaged by +1 weapons. That's pretty important for something that takes damage alot.

If your DM allows one handed lance use (I certainly don't) then I'm pretty sure you'd get the same penalties with a tower shield as a non reach weapon.