Threatening with a shield

[Shane_Leahy]

Does a character with a shield threaten the area around him? It is a weapon, regardless if it is spiked or not.

If a character does not have a weapon and only has a shield, and an opponent does an activity that would trigger an AoO, does the character get to take it with the shield?

I never really thought about it before. My gut feeling says yes, why not.

 

[pawsplay]

I think a shield is only a weapon when you bash with it. If you can wield a shield without losing its bonus from a feat, that makes it more interesting.

 

[XCorvis]

I'd agree with pawsplay. While you are getting an AC bonus from the shield, you don't threaten with it, unless you have that one feat that says you can bash and keep your shield bonus, in which case I'd say you threaten with it all the time. But for most folks, it's either a shield or a weapon. It can't be both at the same time.

 

[Tetsubo]

I have this image of an unarmed fighter type holding a shield:

"Careful, I've got a SHIELD and I'm not afraid to use it!"

 

[pawsplay]

Captain America... America still needs your help!

 

[Moon-Lancer]

goofy from kingdom hearts?... ug.

 

[BASHMAN]

If a character does not have a weapon and only has a shield, and an opponent does an activity that would trigger an AoO, does the character get to take it with the shield?.

Yes, they definitely do. A shield is treated as a light weapon, wheather it is spiked or not. However, unless they have the Improved Shield Bash feat, they lose the Shield's bonus to AC if they do so. Therefore, they may chose not to take the AOO, just to perserve their AC.

However, someone with Improved Shield Bash will ALWAYS do so, as there is no penalty other than waisting their AOO for the round when they wanted to use it against someone else.

 

[Dross]

Yes, they definitely do. A shield is treated as a light weapon, wheather it is spiked or not. However, unless they have the Improved Shield Bash feat, they lose the Shield's bonus to AC if they do so. Therefore, they may chose not to take the AOO, just to perserve their AC.

However, someone with Improved Shield Bash will ALWAYS do so, as there is no penalty other than waisting their AOO for the round when they wanted to use it against someone else.

I guess it depends on:
Is a shield treated as a weapon ONLY when you decide to use it in a bash?

(SRD: You can bash an opponent with a heavy shield, using it as an off-hand weapon. ....See Table: ...... Used this way, a heavy shield is a martial bludgeoning weapon).

Until you decide to bash with the sheild, is it considered a weapon? You are using it to protect yourself not attack others. If it isn't considered a weapon then you don't threaten with it, thus no AoO. If you declare that you want to use the sheild as a weapon (sans ISB) you don't get the AC bonus, but do threaten.

I'm with Pawsplay and Co, you only threaten if you declare you want to use the sheild as a weapon beforehand (and it becomes a mute point with ISB).

 

[BASHMAN]

Until you decide to bash with the sheild, is it considered a weapon? You are using it to protect yourself not attack others. If it isn't considered a weapon then you don't threaten with it, thus no AoO. If you declare that you want to use the sheild as a weapon (sans ISB) you don't get the AC bonus, but do threaten.

Then deciding to BASH with a shield should be treated as an immediate action that does not incur AOOs, meaning that when you have the opportunity to AOO with a shield, you have the option to do so. Deciding to attack with your shield should not be limited to your own turn-- you can decide to lose its shield bonus to AC if you want to take advantage of an AOO-- but the AC loss should be for a full round, not just until your next turn. That way, if the orc goes on 10 and you go on 9, and the orc incurs AOO, and you shield bash him, you don't immediately get your AC bonus back as you use your move action to draw a weapon and attack with it as a standard. You would get your AC bonus back on 10 of the following round. I think this would be a fair way to do it.

Of course, a person with improved shield bash should ALWAYS threaten with their shield. Otherwise, the DM is breaking their character concept. It is hard enough to make a Spartan with the crappy shortspear from 3.5, to make my bashing shield totally impotent as well would be too much!

 

[Infiniti2000]

Hey, why stop at shields? The wizard holding a wand can use said wand as an improvised weapon. Thus, he threatens with it, right? In fact, holding any (reasonable) object would fall into the same category. You don't even have to use the weapon, you can always trip instead instead.