How does Shield work in 3 dimensions?

[reapersaurus]

If you have an attacker raining "fire from above", do you only have the option of blocking the sky with the shield (leaving any ground attack unblocked), or can you 'tilt' the shield, blocking a direction of the ground and most of the sky?

in other words, simplistic "half the battlefield", or advanced, 3-dimensional "half the battlefield".

 

[AuraSeer]

The spell description doesn't state that it's limited to two dimensions, so it does work in three dimensions.

Technically, you could specify an arbitrary vector along which to orient the shield, and protect from any 50% of the three-space in which you're fighting. Practically though, it's sensible to limit it to orientations that can be exactly specified on the map.

If your chosen angle requires advanced calculus or computer simulations to figure out whether a given attacker is affected, your DM is free to disallow it. (And also to pelt you with his heaviest, pointiest d10. )

 

[Aluvial]

I like (and use) the description in the FAQ... Basically (if you use a grid and minis) you can pick any one of the four sides... OR use a stair-step method for diagonals... the shield effect moves away on zig-zag... I use the same method for 3 dimensions... It can cover the top of the cube or stair step away....

Aluvial

 

[Steverooo]

Elven Advice:

Since the Shield spell description says that it is cast in front of you, no. It manifests in the direction you are facing. If you were lying down when you cast it, okay.

It also says that you can move it from round to round, however, so you could move it overhead. Whether or not you can lean backwards and cast it at a 45 degree angle or not is up to the GM.

Here's an interesting question: Can you cast five Shield spells, blocking left, right, back, front, and above (or six, and add below)?

Go not unto the Elves for advice, for they will say both no and yes.

 

[AuraSeer]

Re: Elven Advice:

Since the Shield spell description says that it is cast in front of you, no. It manifests in the direction you are facing.

Facing? There's no such thing. For game purposes, the term "front" is meaningless.

Here's an interesting question: Can you cast five Shield spells, blocking left, right, back, front, and above (or six, and add below)?

No no no, a thousand times no.
This is in the FAQ.

 

[LokiDR]

I've had lots of problems in the past with one flying mage above the party, orienting the shield down. Because not everything in D&D flies, I now rule shield to stay a vertical disk, ie: you do get cover from part of the sky but not all of it.

In a grid system, you get cover if the flying attacker would have been covered had they been on the ground they are directly over. This prevents most cheesy flying tricks and still makes shield useful vs flying oppents.

I will be glad when 3.5 comes out to fix this. 4 AC from all directions, just the way it was in times past. Still good, and much less confusing.

 

[Hypersmurf]

4 AC from all directions, just the way it was in times past.

Times past?

I'm looking here at AC 2 vs hand-hurled missiles, AC 3 vs small device-propelled missiles, and AC 4 vs all other forms of attack... providing they originate from in front of the caster, where the shield can move to interpose itself properly.

-Hyp.

 

[AuraSeer]

Perhaps by "times past" he means the day when d20 Modern was released.

 

[Darklone]

Hah, youngsters!

 

[dcollins]

The spell description doesn't state that it's limited to two dimensions, so it does work in three dimensions.

Technically, you could specify an arbitrary vector along which to orient the shield...

This has been argued before, but... I disagree with the foregoing. The fact that it doesn't state it's good for 3D means there is no reason to presume that it is.

The spell does explicitly state that it's "in front of you". The language about "half the battlefield" must presume a battlemap-type combat field in 2D. The Sage's expansion and graphics for these rules in Dragon magazine make no exception for position the shield above the caster.