Shielding an archer

[lord_banus]

I purchaced a computer game called Robin Hood the other day and I found it interresting that when the sherrifs men were attacking they usually had a guy with a big shield kneeling down in front of an archer. Seemed like a pretty good tactic for some cannon fodder mosters like orcs and kobolds but I was wondering how people would handle it.

My thought was to have the shield guy do full defense and apply it to both characters.

Any thoughts?

 

[gfunk]

Well, assuming that the meat shield was kneeling down in front of the archer, I would give the shooter one-half cover (+2 AC). If I was feeling particularly generous, I might raise it to three-quarters cover (+3 AC).

Also, you might want to consider an animated shield.

 

[melkoriii]

Well, assuming that the meat shield was kneeling down in front of the archer, I would give the shooter one-half cover (+2 AC). If I was feeling particularly generous, I might raise it to three-quarters cover (+3 AC).

Also, you might want to consider an animated shield.

FYI 1/2 cover is +4 AC and 3/4 cover us +7 AC.

 

[Saepiroth]

Also, you might want to consider an animated shield.

that reminds me of a question i've always meant to ask... what is the difference between a Dancing shield and an Animated shield? it seems that the Dancing one lasts a limited time yet has a higher magical bonus equivalent.

 

[gfunk]

FYI 1/2 cover is +4 AC and 3/4 cover us +7 AC.

Oops, my bad. I was probably thinking of reflex save bonuses.

 

[gfunk]

that reminds me of a question i've always meant to ask... what is the difference between a Dancing shield and an Animated shield? it seems that the Dancing one lasts a limited time yet has a higher magical bonus equivalent.

AFAIK, there is no such thing as a dancing shield. Maybe you're thinking of dancing weapons?

 

[Victim]

It's in Sword and Fist.

Proper coordination between the shield guy and archer could give the archer total cover except when shooting.

 

[Saepiroth]

AFAIK, there is no such thing as a dancing shield. Maybe you're thinking of dancing weapons?

page 75, sword and fist.

the benefit of the thing seems miniscule, when you can always just go for Animated.

 

[Dash Dannigan]

Heh, why pay all that gold for a magic item when you can pay a mere few silvers to sum poor smuck to kneel down with a shield in front of you.

A person kneeling with a shield in front of a person would provide one-quarter cover (equivalent to a 3ft wall, a +2 cover bonus). The person in front would be unable to move since they are there to provide cover for another (if they moved the shot might hit the person behind them). So no dex mod to AC. Also a full defense provides a +4 dodge bonus so a person trying to provide cover for another would be unable to use full defense without allowing a chance for the person behind them to be hit.

Incidentally, this would be a great dirty tactic for evil NPCs to use against a good party of PCs


edit-added full defense commentary.

 

[CRGreathouse]

If he's in the way, he'll grant the archer a cover bonus. The shield will help the cover-er to not get hit himself!

Edit: Sorry, I missed your other thread on this...