D&D 5E Shield Variants for a greek setting

[Unwise]

Just a side note, to encourage the use of spears in a Greek campaign. In the past, I have allowed anybody with a 2-handed spear or polearm to use their reaction to attack somebody that comes in range, like Polearm Mastery. If they do so, they give up their action next turn. It means that charging into a wall of spearmen can be scary, you might not live to get your attack off. If you do, they are in trouble next turn. A rule like that, combined with a Fighting Style and Feat built around spears could see them become used more.

To encourage the use of the gladius, clubs and spears, one could opt for the common houserule of not much caring what weapon somebody is using. Simple skilled people do d6, Martial do d8, or Two-handed do d10/2d6. Adjusting for properties of course. A spear in the hands of a warrior should be as good as a longsword, d8 versatile. The same spear in the hands of a simple weapon using chump is just d6.

 

[Vicaring]

Have you considered introducing rules for body-shields? That is, those shields that were so big they had to hang from a strap around the neck/shoulder? Ajax, I believe, is described as having one in the Iliad, as is Hector? maybe. Pics:



You can clearly see the shoulder strap (also called a guige? IIRC) in both illustrations. Also, apparently warriors proficient in using that sort of shield could wield a long spear two-handed at the same time.

It'd be incredibly heavy. The author of the site I took the images from suggests in the neighborhood of 10kg (22lbs) for the shield on the left. Compare that to the 6 lbs from the shield in the PHB.

Some rules might be: AC +2, can use Spears (or polearms?) with the versatile property two-handed, and likewise can use spears/polearms with the two-handed property; cannot use the Dash action while wielding.

Anyway, just some thoughts.

 

[General Duf]

I am familiar with the should belts, but as far as I knew they were used on early tower shields (on the left), because they hadn't found a way to a fix handles yet, but they are certainly valid options none the less. The image on the right is more or less a large hoplon. But Body shields, I think I will definitely add those.

From a mythology standpoint, I believe Ajax's shield was large due in part to his great physical stature. I don't remember mention of Hector's shield, but its been a while since I read the Illiad, and I am only part way through Herodotus's Histories.

 

[Horwath]

Light shield; +1 AC, you can hold a weapon and fight with shield hand. In any turn that you make attack with your shield hand you don't get AC bonus. You can freely cast or hold an item(torch, lantern, spell focus) and keep AC bonus. Does not get benefit from any shield feats or features. Needs light armor proficiency.

Medium shield; standard +2 AC shield.

heavy shield; +3 AC, -5ft movement, stealth penalty, can use only light weapons without disadvantage penalty. need heavy armor proficiency.


phalanx fighting style; while having medium or heavy shield equiped that you are proficient you gain +1 shield bonus to AC.

If you're next to a person using a medium or heavy shield you both gain +1 bonus to AC.
If you're next to two persons that have this style and shield equiped you gain +2 bonus to AC instead.


Heavy shield master feat;
+1 to str or con, remove all penalties for using heavy shield.

 

[Tony Vargas]

My intent was that the PCs would be Achilles in the making

Though, presumably, not dipped in the river Styx...

not necessarily subject to fighting in the standard phalanx (unless they really wanted to do so). I totally dig the idea of making some formations, and will mull on the things suggested.

Sure, a genuine phalanx wouldn't be something you'd use in a typical D&D skirmish-scale combat. But, if you're exploring dungeons, holding narrow passes, or fighting individual monsters, you'll be able to squeeze out some of the same benefits any time you can deprive enemies of the opportunity to get around the defense provided by a larger shield.

I was trying to create some new items that would allow people to specialize in their particular area better. The heavy unwieldy hoplon would be favored by the 'sword-and-board' types, while the pelte would be favored by the ranged characters (or as someone suggested, casters). Definitely some new things to consider.

I'd never heard about the pleta being so fragile, before. Peltasts were the archetypal skirmisher, though, so it makes sense to encourage their tactics whether it was significant or not.

You could let the pelta work like the old-school, apocryphal D&D 'buckler' that left the wearer's hand free. Or, at least, free for certain purposes, like loading a sling or carrying a torch, additional weapons or whatever.

Just a side note, to encourage the use of spears in a Greek campaign. In the past, I have allowed anybody with a 2-handed spear or polearm to use their reaction to attack somebody that comes in range, like Polearm Mastery. If they do so, they give up their action next turn.

Longspear & shield (hoplon/argive/&c) is something to consider. It could be that the shield (not a tiny D&D 'buckler') was worn on a shoulder and forearm strap, leaving the hand free (one interpretation of descriptions of the Macedonian phalanx which used the extremely long sarissa), or that the long spear was simply used one-handed, much like a lance (as hoplites were depicted - the hoplite doru was 10'+ long and used to attack from the second rank).

 

[General Duf]

Peltasts were skirmishers and in some cases very poor. For a large portion of Greek history people provided their own equipment, and we can't have someone poorly equipped on the front lines of a phalanx.

I am also making rather arbitrary distinctions about what constitutes a particular variety of shield, mostly for the purposes of consistency. I am sure there are sturdier wooden varieties of pelte but it was a flavor thing.

 

[TheLoneRanger1979]

Peltasts were originally light troops recruited from the poor classes, but as time progressed, the term came to signify troops armed in certain way. So professional soldiers and even elite guards came to be known and armed as peltasts. They wore smaller and lighter shields then the average hoplite, but i doubt they would be fragile or poorly made. These peltasts had the best equipment possible, they just fought in a more mobile manner then usual (throwing javelins before charging and fighting with swords or axes instead of spears).

BTW, have you considered distinguishing shield by initiative bonus/penalty aside from AC as well?

 

[General Duf]

I was planning to stick with the poor peltasts for my setting, but a fair point.

I had not considered adding initiative '+/-'. Generally, I'd think if someone were going with a dexterous character they wouldn't be using a shield that gave them minuses (likely disadvantage as was suggested earlier) with regard to dex checks/skills.

At some point I am gonna have to print these out and sort through them and give everyone a big old thank you for their input.