Shield Bashing

[the Jester]

Can someone reference me the page number in the PH where it discusses shield bashes? I can't seem to find it. Thanks!

 

[diaglo]

From the SRD, under Equipment:

Shield, Heavy, Wooden or Steel: You strap a shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand. A heavy shield is so heavy that you can't use your shield hand for anything else.
Wooden or Steel: Wooden and steel shields offer the same basic protection, though they respond differently to special attacks.
Shield Bash Attacks: You can bash an opponent with a heavy shield, using it as an off-hand weapon. See Table: Weapons for the damage dealt by a shield bash. Used this way, a heavy shield is a martial bludgeoning weapon. For the purpose of penalties on attack rolls, treat a heavy shield as a one-handed weapon. If you use your shield as a weapon, you lose its AC bonus until your next action (usually until the next round). An enhancement bonus on a shield does not improve the effectiveness of a shield bash made with it, but the shield can be made into a magic weapon in its own right.

edit: my guess it is in the same place in the PHB. look up shield under equipment.

 

[the Jester]

Found it, they're actually listed on the weapons tables now!

Thanks for the help...

 

[Hypersmurf]

Now, if someone uses a shield bash as his only attack in a round, what Str modifier does he apply?

-Hyp.

 

[the Jester]

Don't you go gettin' sassy with me, there, blue boy!!

 

[Hypersmurf]

Don't you go gettin' sassy with me, there, blue boy!!

Serious question.

-Hyp.

 

[Caliban]

Now, if someone uses a shield bash as his only attack in a round, what Str modifier does he apply?

-Hyp.

Since you use it as an off-hand weapon, 1/2 str bonus.

The real question is can you use a shield a primary hand weapon?

By the strict rules, the answer is "No" since it specifically states that you use it as an off-hand weapon.

Reasonably, you can choose to equip your sword in your off-hand and your shield in your "on-hand".

Realistically, fighters never did this for a reason. Shields shouldn't be better weapons than swords.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The real question is can you use a shield a primary hand weapon?

By the strict rules, the answer is "No" since it specifically states that you use it as an off-hand weapon.

You can use armor spikes as either a primary attack or an off-hand attack. So, "off-hand attack" doesn't necessarily mean "a weapon held in the off hand".

You could hold your shield in your primary hand... but bashing with it would still be using it "as an off-hand weapon".

The 1/2 Str bonus to damage applies to weapons "held in the off hand".

If you make an attack with an off-hand weapon held in your primary hand, does it still take the damage hit?

-Hyp.

 

[Darklone]

Hmm. Shields are listed as weapons, I see no problem to allow to use them as main weapons. Actually my Roman style soldiers with heavy shields and shortswords fight that way

Shields are balanced by the lower damage, just don't allow these silly enchantments.

 

[DM_Matt]

I am opposed to shield bashing of all sorts. Shields are people, too after all.