Please Rate Improved Shield Bash

[smetzger]

Hey Smetzger!

Maybe you should get our lovable mods to thumbtack a "Poll Compilitation Thread" to the top of the board. It would be nice to have a consistent place to see these results.

What a turnaround from when I first started doing this.

6.56 after 34 votes.

BTW I just got Mongoose's Ultimate Feats book :/

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

BTW I just got Mongoose's Ultimate Feats book :/

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!
<runs screaming>

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Not sure if you are talking about shield charge or improved shield bash. There is nothing stopping someone from making a full attack against the person they improved shield bashed. First, the don't have to use the feat. Second, until you get more than two attacks, the issue is moot as you can take a 5' step (notice yours doesn't provoke an AoO) and get in the second attack. Moreover, a shield bash does not prevent you from attacking others within your threat range. Finally, there is always monkey grip for use with a reach weapon so that you can still threaten the opponent.

And, what's more, you may take a five foot step in the middle of a full attack actions. So, Mr. Dual wielder shield and bastard sword fighter at level 6+ can do the following:
Full round attack:
Primary: attack with bastard sword
Secondary: Shield bash Bull rush opponent
Attack of opportunity: bastard sword
5 foot step to follow opponent: Secondary attack: bastard sword.

If he's level 8 and has Improved TWF, he can add the following to it:
Secondary off hand attack: shield bash again. Bull rush opponent again.

At even higher levels, you may miss out on a few attacks (although there's no rule that says you have to make your secondary off hand attack before your tertiary primary hand attack, so you could hit him for the fourth time with your bastard sword before the final shield bash) however, at that point, you're probably pushing him into a blade barrier. . . .

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

And, what's more, you may take a five foot step in the middle of a full attack actions. So, Mr. Dual wielder shield and bastard sword fighter at level 6+ can do the following:
Full round attack:
Primary: attack with bastard sword
Secondary: Shield bash Bull rush opponent
Attack of opportunity: bastard sword
5 foot step to follow opponent: Secondary attack: bastard sword.

It is not exactly crystal clear, but my interpretation of Improved Shield Bash would be that you do not get an AoO for successfully moving you opponent.

Take a look at Bull Rush Results (PHB, page 137, second paragraph): "... (Note: The defender provokes AoOs if he is moved. So do you, if you move with him. The two of you do not provoke AoOs from each other as a result of this movement.)

Nevertheless, playing AoOs is a great exploit of this feat. Fellow PCs standing next to you or strategically placed with reach weapons can reap the AoOs. With good teamwork, I think you could easily average 2-3 extra attacks per combat for the guys in the white hats. That is probably a lot better than you would be able to do with Expert Tactician.

The downside relative to ET, is that you have a bit less control with ISB. A PC designed around ET can consistently get the effect against targets of their choosing. A bash is rarely going to succeed against the most dangerous foes.

On the plus side, there are some good tactical uses of moving an opponent for its own sake, e.g. denying the full attack to the opponent by taking a 5' step back.

 

[Gaiden]

I took "this movement" to mean the movement done by both you and the defender. If you are not moving, I don't think that text would apply.