Shields nerfed in D&D?

[Thanee]

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that the D&D rules dramatically underestimate the effectiveness of shields?

Yep, I agree with that. Shields are way too weak in D&D, compared to the protection they offer realistically.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Mouseferatu]

In dnd, don't look for realism, look at the mechanical balance between THF, Sword/Board, and TWF...these are the mainstayes of the game.

If you feel that sword/board is weak compared to the other styles than that's something, if not though it should not be increased.

I agree. Realism alone isn't sufficient reason for buffing the shield.

However, the combat styles aren't equal. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that, when it comes to heavy fighter types, I've seen 10 times more two-handed weapon-fighters than sword-and-boarders. The one or two points of AC just doesn't equal out to the extra damage one can deal with a big honkin' blade.

 

[Alzrius]

Anyone who is unsatisfied with shields in D&D should go out and buy Knights of the Dinner Table #100. It has an article for 3.5 D&D, "With Your Shield On It," that offers several new feats for expanded shield use. It really fills in the gaps, and even has narrative fiction to demonstrate the feats. It also has a few new shield magic enhancements, as well as a new exotic weapon, the bladed shield. It's an article equal to anything that was ever in Dragon.

 

[Thunhus]

It becomes less of a problem at high level, when they become another platform to put "+4" in front of.

Thats the main reason to have a shield. +5 large shield grants +7 shield bonus to AC and cost only 25000gp.

Thunhus

 

[The Edge]

It can be surprising how useful a big sheet of hard stuff is at keeping big lumps of hard stuff of soft little you. Haveing a friend that I would frankly call insane, I was once invited to his place for a 'war game' against his brother. Little did I know that I would have to be defending my self from hurled rocks (from those sport catapults used for rats) and a home made flail with giant nails stuck through. I hate flails .
I quickly learned to respect the home made shield they let me have; made of thick coregated plastic stuff, a small tire and some foam, nothing was more important. I was just glad it was my team that had the nail tiped arrows.

(Sounds damn weird I know, but its all true. He was a strange friend, from a strange family. What mother lets their sons dig a trench in the garden (abandoned field) and swing leathal flails at each other; but gets angry about a spec of mud on the floor and swearing?)

Shields are deadly important (especialy in war), but I understand the technical neede to ballence the fighting styles, unless your campain specificaly wants to remove that ballence. I reckon feats are good though, and would like to see a sheild foucus in core books.

 

[Felnar]

over in the house rules forum i have a thread going which dicusses ways to make shields "better"
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=155851

i'd appreciate comments
and any ideas / open-source material you have for improving them

thanks,
Felnar

 

[replicant2]

In dnd, don't look for realism, look at the mechanical balance between THF, Sword/Board, and TWF...these are the mainstayes of the game.

If you feel that sword/board is weak compared to the other styles than that's something, if not though it should not be increased.

Thanks for expressing this, I think this is what I was really after in my first post. D&D 3.0 and 3.5 are heavily skewed towards fighters wielding two-handed weapons that dish out big damage, rather than those who (sensibly) use a shield and a one-handed weapon.

Shield feats that compensate for this sound like a great idea. Someone mentioned writing an article for Dragon. I'd welcome that, so get to it! I have only the core rulebooks and that's what our campaign uses, so if there are existing rules, I apologize.

 

[ken-ichi]

The problem is that by using feats to make the shield a worthwhile alternative to using a two-handed weapon is that the character has that many fewer feats to spend on actually dealing some damage, where the 2-H fighter is picking up feats to even further boost his damage output.

 

[billd91]

I agree that shields have been way under-valued compared to reality since the beginning of D&D for determining AC.

The one saving factor of the shield is, once it is enchanted, you can get a pretty buff AC by having a good one along with good magical armor. Trouble is, that benefit disappears when dealing with touch attacks just like armor bonuses.

What we've houseruled at my table is shield bonuses apply against touch attacks. I like the idea of making sure the touch attacker actually gets a bodily touch against the target and not just something he's holding. I also like the idea of a character blocking a ray with his shield by using it as cover.

It's may not give the shield enough of a bump to make it more attractive than power attack makes being a 2-handed weapon user, but I like it.

 

[Morrus]

At the risk of seeming opportunistic, I'd suggest that this book might be useful:

E.N. Armoury - Shields -- " The Armoury continues with a complete book about shields. This 32-page PDF contains everything you need to optimize your shield-bearing warrior. This volume includes a brief history of shields, a collection of new shield variants (including the thrown discus shield, great shell shields, and locking shields), new shield-making materials and crafting techniques.

For the skilled shieldsman, a collection of new shield-oriented feats are presented, along with five shield-oriented prestige classes

* The Faithwarden - sworn to defend their church and faith.
* The Knight Herald - who goes forth under the banner of truce to represent the interests of his liege.
* The Ramshield Berserker - shieldgnawing fast and aggressive warriors of the Ramshield mountains.
* The Shieldmage - masters of protection and defensive magics.
* and the Tower Legionnaire - stalwart warriors and warrior-spellcasters who are masters of the tower shield.

The volume is rounded out by a pair of spells, five magic & psionic shield properties, four specific magic & psionic shields, a new alchemical item, and Belisar, the deity of shields, along with his domains of Community and Shields."