Tower Shield

[Paul Grogan]

One of my players has chosen a tower shield for "something different". I'm a little unclear on how this works. Setting it in place to get full cover from it - is this an action?
Also, it says if you do this you have to give up your attacks. Does this mean it is a standard action to set it up and hold it - I guess not.

Also, what can you do whilst getting total cover from the shield? Do you still get a full turn as normal. And apart from attacks - what else can you do? Cast spells?

 

[Baumi]

The text mentions only that you have to give up your attacks, not that it takes an action. I think you can still move freely, go into total defense, drink a potion, etc... as long as you don't attack.

The Towershield might not even suck as much as I thought.

Hmmm there seems to be a follow up question from me: The text mentions that you can use the tower shield as total cover INSTEAD of the shield bonus ... do you really loose the shield bonus? Normally it wouldn't matter because touch spells ignore shields and other attacks cannot attack you anyway but there is a PHII Feat that let you use the Shield Bonus against Touch Attacks...

 

[hong]

The text mentions only that you have to give up your attacks, not that it takes an action. I think you can still move freely, go into total defense, drink a potion, etc... as long as you don't attack.

The Towershield might not even suck as much as I thought.

Hmmm there seems to be a follow up question from me: The text mentions that you can use the tower shield as total cover INSTEAD of the shield bonus ... do you really loose the shield bonus? Normally it wouldn't matter because touch spells ignore shields and other attacks cannot attack you anyway but there is a PHII Feat that let you use the Shield Bonus against Touch Attacks...

It wouldn't matter, because you have total cover, so your opponent can't touch you.

 

[Baumi]

No, it explicitly states that it does not help against targeted spells because you can simply target the shield.

 

[hong]

Huh. Well, that just shows you how often I've used tower shields.... But in any case, it still doesn't matter because cover bonus to AC counts against touch attacks. Your touch AC is your normal AC less armor, shield and natural armor bonuses. (Technically p.141 of the PHB says only that size, Dex and deflection mods count for touch AC, but the glossary implies that everything counts except armor/shield/nat armor.)

 

[Legildur]

No, it explicitly states that it does not help against targeted spells because you can simply target the shield.

That's different to spells that require an attack roll.

 

[werk]

Hmmm there seems to be a follow up question from me: The text mentions that you can use the tower shield as total cover INSTEAD of the shield bonus ...

Due to lack of facing, if you have total cover, noone can attack you, so you won't need that AC.

 

[Bryntryst]

Due to lack of facing, if you have total cover, noone can attack you, so you won't need that AC.

You can still be targetted by touch spells, thus validating Baumi's question. Having a shield-toting tank myself with Shield Ward in an RPGA sanctioned game, I would say about 90% of the DMs I've had allowed the bonus to my touch AC, solely because targetted spells are really the only thing that can hit you, save AoEs. The other 10% changed their mind after this was explained.

 

[werk]

You can still be targetted by touch spells, thus validating Baumi's question.

"You can automatically touch one friend or use the spell on yourself, but to touch an opponent, you must succeed on an attack roll."

"You can’t make an attack against a target that has total cover. "

How's that again?

 

[Bryntryst]

Shield, Tower: This massive wooden shield is nearly as tall as you are. In most situations, it provides the indicated shield bonus to your AC. However, you can instead use it as total cover, though you must give up your attacks to do so. The shield does not, however, provide cover against targeted spells; a spellcaster can cast a spell on you by targeting the shield you are holding. You cannot bash with a tower shield, nor can you use your shield hand for anything else.

Emphasis mine. Like that.