Shield Spell

[Crothian]

That's what you get for trusting a (illegal?) pdf from the net. I'd suggest buying the book or using the SRD so you can play along with the other kids.

 

[rhammer2]

I believe that my addition should be inserted, making this the same as the Sage's last ruling about the spell.

It says it P 251 PHB. I checked the corrections and clarifications and it hasn't changed.

Shield
Abjuration [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level (D)
Shield creates an invisible, mobile disk of force that hovers in front of you. It negates magic missile attacks directed at you. The
disk also intercepts attacks, providing a +7 cover bonus to to AC. Despite this bonus a shield spell does [NOT] provide actual cover and does not negate attacks of opportunity against you.
The disk protects you only against magic missiles and attacks from one direction. You designate half the battlefield (with yourself on the dividing line) as being blocked by the shield. The other half is not. You can change the defensive direction of the shield (that is, rotate the dividing line) once as a free action on each of your turns.

 

[drowdude]

The PDF is visual scan of a the PHB. On page 2 it says "Second Printing November 2000. Changes in this printing supersede previous printings of this book."
I suspect that all second printings would contain that wording. I'll try finding a second printing at a store and see what it says. Why do I have it? Because I can. 1 laptop is far more portable than 16 books.

I have a 1st printing and a 2nd printing of the PHB. Neither say that. The PDF was obviously edited by someone who thought there was "official" errata on the Shield spell.

 

[CRGreathouse]

I have a 1st printing and a 2nd printing of the PHB. Neither say that. The PDF was obviously edited by someone who thought there was "official" errata on the Shield spell.

Edited by someone willing to repaginate the PH?

 

[gnfnrf]

Edited by someone willing to repaginate the PH?

Assuming everyone adding to this discussion is neither lying nor mistaken, apparently.

Weird it may be, but there appears to be no other explanation.

--
gnfnrf

 

[Mahali]

It's not illegal because I own the books.
I won't say it's impossible to edit the pdf but it's damn near. I had to change it to black and white, reduce the size and quality severely to meet the size limit.
I'm wondering where this one came from. Maybe a print run not released or a change in mid printing?
SRD has the same text of my first print run copy.
I just checked a 1/2 dozen pages and they're all the same with my book. Only diference is that in the pdf above the "visit our website at.." on page 2 it says Second Printing... and it doesn't have the "Based on The original.." after the other contributions before WotC PO Boxes.

 

[Darklone]

PHB

Don't ask me why but my PHB says the same. No clue where those different PHB things come from, but I still stick with the sage who says: no protection against AoOs from shield spells.

Btw: Who said shield spells help casters to participate in close quarter combat? Ever heard of 5ft steps around the shield? That killed two casters in my group.

Well I have to admit: 1 caster was killed that way by an enemy fighter. The other one was killed by a rogue who tumbled 10ft around the shield through the mages friends to flank that mage. lvl4 sorcerer flanked by a fighter lvl2 (who had to hit through the shield) and a rogue lvl3 (who didn't have the shield hindering his attack... plus flank ... plus 2D6 sneak attack damage... rolled max...)

 

[Uller]

Re: PHB

Btw: Who said shield spells help casters to participate in close quarter combat? Ever heard of 5ft steps around the shield? That killed two casters in my group.

1) I don't think I said "close quarters". I said it allows them to participate(i.e. They don't go hide if they can't cast a useful spell)...they can throw darts or sling stone.

2). When it does come to close quarters combat, not all(or even most) opponents in a typcial campaign are going to be savvy enough to step around a shield spell. Certainly most humanoids will be(depending on how common Arcane caster are) will know to try to circle around them, but Beasts, animals, constructs, mindless undead, etc. should not be smart enough to try to step past the shield.

3) If an arcane caster w/ a shield spell chooses to enter melee with someone who might know how to step past a shield, it isn't that difficult to position himself and his shield spell to make it impossible.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

I give the protection from AoO. A disk of force would to me seem to give cover. I don't think it is too powerful considering the duration, and the class that gets it.

Also I could just never buy into the sages explanation that made the shield spell a infinite plane of force that existed only when somoene attacked the mage, instead of the description of a invisible disk of force.

Also I'm not sure someone could 5' step around the disk. It is invisible so they wont no exactly where it is, the disk will be likely blocking at least some of the diaganal movement needed to step past it, so it seems to me a 5' step very likely wouldn't be enough to get around the disk.

 

[drowdude]

Bottom line.... the SRD as well as both printings of the PHB have the same description for the Shield spell. Mahali's PDF is irrelevent.

There is no official errata for the Shield spell.

The Sage says that it doesnt prevent AoOs but his advice on this is, as yet, unofficial. Thus it is up to each individual DM to decide whether or not to heed it.

I dont