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Message: <blockquote data-quote="KarinsDad" data-source="post: 7160681" data-attributes="member: 2011">While true, we should also take into account PC and DM actions to avoid this.Our PC Monk rarely fights against 4 attackers simultaneously. He rarely fights against 2 because with his mobility, he puts himself in situations to fight on the fringes of combat. But his +2 short sword is used twice per round and he also gets one or two attacks with his bonus action (i.e. if the Cleric casts Bless, she always includes the 4 attacks per round Monk). This is partially under the control of the PCs.Our PC Wild Shaped Druid and Barbarian go straight into the heart of combat and soak up a lot of attacks per round, neither one of them using a shield.Our PC Cleric with a shield tries to get in range of 3 or 4 attackers with Spirit Guardians up and using GreenFlame Blade to try to damage two foes if she hits (and with boosted Aid and Death Ward up to keep her alive), but the NPCs sometimes avoid her (other times, they swarm her, it all depends).So while what you say is technically true and sounds correct on paper, it is one of those things that tend to even out in the long run in actual game play. The PCs with shields (and often better armor) are sometimes avoided by the NPCs (i.e. the DM) looking for squishier prey.In my experience, it is difficult for the high AC shield Paladins and such to tank in 5E without taking the sentinel feat (and even with it). They just are not sticky enough to force the NPCs to hang around. As DM, I have on multiple occasions had an NPC leader order 3 or more foes around a plate mail and shield PC to go off and attack other PCs instead. The first NPC takes an OA and they then go hunt down a Rogue or Wizard or some such. Intelligent foes should try to avoid "the shield bonus of a PC gets used against multiple attacks per round" syndrome whenever appropriate. Unintelligent foes, not so much.If on the other hand, your DM just has the first 4 foes go attack the Paladin with Shield in the front row nearly every fight, then what you say here is more true. Our fights tend to be spread out a bit more than that (and at the moment, we only have one PC out of six with a shield).The utility of a shield is dependent on a lot more variables than the number of attacks per round that the monsters in a given encounter might be able to throw against it. On the other hand, I have seen a lot of plate and shield PCs go unconscious when a DM swarms then and the dice are hot. A shield can only help so much.The entire "lack of stickiness in 5E" concept is one of the reasons that I designed my current Barbarian/Wizard to use GWM. Not just to do a lot of damage (although that is the main reason), but also to encourage foes to attack my PC. My original design did use sword and board. But, a Barbarian with a shield and a one handed weapon is not enough of a threat to encourage NPCs to attack him instead of someone else. He's too tanky (and even moreso subconsciously by the DM who knows that the NPCs are only doing half damage).Agreed.</blockquote>

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