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How to balance the shield spell?
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<blockquote data-quote="Clint_L" data-source="post: 9028157" data-attributes="member: 7035894"><p>No, he's right, though it's true that the value of shield goes down the closer you get to the mob's maximum to hit roll. Yet even in that situation, the goblin is now four times less likely to hit...though why you would even bother with casting shield against a goblin when your AC is 17 is a bit confusing, unless there are a ton of goblins. (It goes from hitting on4/20=1 in 5 attacks, to only hitting on 1 in twenty attacks).</p><p></p><p>That ancient red dragon has +17 to hit. So let's say that paladin now has a base AC of 23, since it looks like he's using a 2-hand weapon, but he's got some magical gear and such. Normally, the dragon would need a 6+ to hit, so now it needs an 11 - it's hitting half the time instead of three quarters.</p><p></p><p>Edit: or let's use that wizard.</p><p></p><p>At level 1 they're probably AC 11, so a goblin hits them on an 8+, 13+ with shield. Pretty good improvement. The ancient red dragon hits them on a 2+, shield or not.</p><p></p><p>I think what you were actually suggesting was that shield should not be as useful on a level 1 wizard vs. a goblin as it is on a level 20 wizard vs. an ancient red dragon. But that doesn't work either. Shield is much better in the first scenario unless your level 20 wizard is incredibly geared out for AC (i.e. has an AC of 25 before shield). However, shield is about as good on a level 1 wizard vs. a young blue dragon as it is on a level 20 wizard vs. an ancient red dragon...which doesn't seem terribly out of line.</p><p></p><p>+5 doesn't mean anything out of context.</p><p></p><p>Going back to the paladin taking a multi-class just to get shield spell, if this is so amazing, then why isn't everyone doing it? I argue that there are better things you can multi-class for with a paladin, and of course multi-classing is itself not without cost. Using a shield spell costs the paladin offence and potential opportunity attacks. It could be great in the right situation but it's not a no-brainer, and that's why folks are not rushing out to build paladins that can do it.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Clint_L, post: 9028157, member: 7035894"] No, he's right, though it's true that the value of shield goes down the closer you get to the mob's maximum to hit roll. Yet even in that situation, the goblin is now four times less likely to hit...though why you would even bother with casting shield against a goblin when your AC is 17 is a bit confusing, unless there are a ton of goblins. (It goes from hitting on4/20=1 in 5 attacks, to only hitting on 1 in twenty attacks). That ancient red dragon has +17 to hit. So let's say that paladin now has a base AC of 23, since it looks like he's using a 2-hand weapon, but he's got some magical gear and such. Normally, the dragon would need a 6+ to hit, so now it needs an 11 - it's hitting half the time instead of three quarters. Edit: or let's use that wizard. At level 1 they're probably AC 11, so a goblin hits them on an 8+, 13+ with shield. Pretty good improvement. The ancient red dragon hits them on a 2+, shield or not. I think what you were actually suggesting was that shield should not be as useful on a level 1 wizard vs. a goblin as it is on a level 20 wizard vs. an ancient red dragon. But that doesn't work either. Shield is much better in the first scenario unless your level 20 wizard is incredibly geared out for AC (i.e. has an AC of 25 before shield). However, shield is about as good on a level 1 wizard vs. a young blue dragon as it is on a level 20 wizard vs. an ancient red dragon...which doesn't seem terribly out of line. +5 doesn't mean anything out of context. Going back to the paladin taking a multi-class just to get shield spell, if this is so amazing, then why isn't everyone doing it? I argue that there are better things you can multi-class for with a paladin, and of course multi-classing is itself not without cost. Using a shield spell costs the paladin offence and potential opportunity attacks. It could be great in the right situation but it's not a no-brainer, and that's why folks are not rushing out to build paladins that can do it. [/QUOTE]
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