making shields better?

[Shin Okada]

I think you missed the part where it states under Animated Shield that you still suffer all penalties as if you were wielding the shield. Though you can still use a 2-handed weapon, it means when swinging said weapon you would still have any penalties to attack.

Unless using a tower shield, fighters never suffer penalties to attacks as they are proficient in shields.

 

[VanRichten]

Unless using a tower shield, fighters never suffer penalties to attacks as they are proficient in shields.

Its not a matter of proficiency. It is the fact that you when you normally wear a shield you cannot use a weapon in that arm, except in the case of a buckler in which you can. However it states under buckler that when weilding a weapon you lose the AC bonus if you use that weapon and you get a penalty to attack.

Under the effect Animated Shield this penalty still applies. Though you have the advantage of keeping your AC bonus and being able to use 2 weapons for one 2 handed weapon you still suffer the penalties to attack and you also suffer any armor check penalties.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Its not a matter of proficiency. It is the fact that you when you normally wear a shield you cannot use a weapon in that arm, except in the case of a buckler in which you can. However it states under buckler that when weilding a weapon you lose the AC bonus if you use that weapon and you get a penalty to attack.

This is why I mentioned Improved Buckler Defense, to remove the loss of shield AC when attacking. I also purposely chose to name it and not animated shield, because unlike animated shield, IBD is available at level 1. As far as fighting with a 2H weapon go, they both accomplish the same thing.

Under the effect Animated Shield this penalty still applies. Though you have the advantage of keeping your AC bonus and being able to use 2 weapons for one 2 handed weapon you still suffer the penalties to attack and you also suffer any armor check penalties.

What? Only tower shields give penalties to attack (and bucklers if using that hand to attack, but in this case, you aren't). Yes, you still suffer armor check penalty and ASF%, but warriors don't care about the latter and the only way the former affects attack rolls is if you're not proficient with the shield, which warrior classes would be.

 

[aboyd]

I think this:

Shield Slam

Makes shields useful. Find someone particularly tough, and start dazing them. They will be unable to act for a round (and the daze can be repeated, if you'd like to keep them out of action for many rounds). It helps even the odds.

 

[Runestar]

Its not a matter of proficiency. It is the fact that you when you normally wear a shield you cannot use a weapon in that arm, except in the case of a buckler in which you can. However it states under buckler that when weilding a weapon you lose the AC bonus if you use that weapon and you get a penalty to attack.

The whole point of an animated shield is exactly that you free up the arm normally used to wield a shield. Thus, that hand can now be used to wield a 2-handed weapon with no penalties whatsoever. I don't see how any other interpretation can be made.