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<blockquote data-quote="Tony Vargas" data-source="post: 6779968" data-attributes="member: 996">D&amp;D has always given shield short shrift, but you could easily shift the focus from armor to shields or to formations.In 5e, you have three kinds of armor, one kind of shield almost as an afterthought, and nothing about formations, at all.&nbsp; You could change that to formation being the primary thing, followed by shield use, with armor as the afterthought.&nbsp; Formation&nbsp;&nbsp; Alone&nbsp; (no allies adjacent / enemies can attack from any direction / ranged attackers have you surrounded)&nbsp; None: 10+DEX Bonus&nbsp; Pelta:&nbsp; 11 + DEX Bonus&nbsp; Boetian/Aspis/Hoplon:&nbsp; 12 + DEX bonus&nbsp; Back-to-Back (at least one adjacent ally / enemies can attack from flank but not directly behind / includes 1-on-1 'in the round' / ranged attackers have you in a crossfire )&nbsp; None: 11+DEX Bonus up to +3&nbsp; Pelta:&nbsp; 12 + DEX Bonus up to +2&nbsp; Boetian:&nbsp; 14 + DEX Bonus up to +2&nbsp; Aspis/Hoplon:&nbsp; 15 + DEX bonus up to +2&nbsp; Phalanx&nbsp; (at least two allies adjacent / enemies can only attack from directly in front / ranged attackers are distant &amp; not spread out )&nbsp; None:&nbsp; 13&nbsp; Pelta:&nbsp;&nbsp; 15&nbsp; Beotian:&nbsp; 16&nbsp; Aspis/Hoplon:&nbsp; 18&nbsp; &nbsp; Armor:&nbsp; +2&nbsp; (Disadvantage for Stealth)&nbsp; STR 13+To be in a formation, you either need to have one or two allies adjacent, or have blocking terrain, or just not have enemies all around you.&nbsp; For instance, if you're in an actual phalanx, but you're on the furthermost right edge of it, you can be attacked from your right, and would only have the 'back to back' AC when an enemy flanks you that way (something phalanxes were quite vulnerable to).&nbsp; Similarly, if you're fighting a single opponent and both are free to move, you can circle eachother but probably never attack from directly behind, so, get the 'Back to Back' AC, in spite of being alone.&nbsp; Conversely, if you're in a narrow corridor with only one enemy in front of you, you may get the phalanx AC even without adjacent allies.One of the oddities of D&amp;D is that while most things - save DCs, save bonuses, attack rolls, etc - rely on level, AC is based mainly on armor, proficiency doesn't come into it.&nbsp; The above assumes you want the range of ACs to remain about the same in spite of being in a setting with 'lower tech' armor.&nbsp; Instead of the highest ACs being dependent on acquiring the most expensive armor, they're dependent on staying in the most favorable formation or using terrain to limit the attacker's options.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Tony Vargas, post: 6779968, member: 996"] D&D has always given shield short shrift, but you could easily shift the focus from armor to shields or to formations. In 5e, you have three kinds of armor, one kind of shield almost as an afterthought, and nothing about formations, at all. You could change that to formation being the primary thing, followed by shield use, with armor as the afterthought. Formation Alone (no allies adjacent / enemies can attack from any direction / ranged attackers have you surrounded) None: 10+DEX Bonus Pelta: 11 + DEX Bonus Boetian/Aspis/Hoplon: 12 + DEX bonus Back-to-Back (at least one adjacent ally / enemies can attack from flank but not directly behind / includes 1-on-1 'in the round' / ranged attackers have you in a crossfire ) None: 11+DEX Bonus up to +3 Pelta: 12 + DEX Bonus up to +2 Boetian: 14 + DEX Bonus up to +2 Aspis/Hoplon: 15 + DEX bonus up to +2 Phalanx (at least two allies adjacent / enemies can only attack from directly in front / ranged attackers are distant & not spread out ) None: 13 Pelta: 15 Beotian: 16 Aspis/Hoplon: 18 Armor: +2 (Disadvantage for Stealth) STR 13+ To be in a formation, you either need to have one or two allies adjacent, or have blocking terrain, or just not have enemies all around you. For instance, if you're in an actual phalanx, but you're on the furthermost right edge of it, you can be attacked from your right, and would only have the 'back to back' AC when an enemy flanks you that way (something phalanxes were quite vulnerable to). Similarly, if you're fighting a single opponent and both are free to move, you can circle eachother but probably never attack from directly behind, so, get the 'Back to Back' AC, in spite of being alone. Conversely, if you're in a narrow corridor with only one enemy in front of you, you may get the phalanx AC even without adjacent allies. One of the oddities of D&D is that while most things - save DCs, save bonuses, attack rolls, etc - rely on level, AC is based mainly on armor, proficiency doesn't come into it. The above assumes you want the range of ACs to remain about the same in spite of being in a setting with 'lower tech' armor. Instead of the highest ACs being dependent on acquiring the most expensive armor, they're dependent on staying in the most favorable formation or using terrain to limit the attacker's options. [/QUOTE]

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