Tower Shields - Game this evening - how do they work

[JamesS]

one of my players is going to experiment with using a tower shield. i've never seen these used and am a bit confused about how they work

the SRD says

"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.
When employing a tower shield in combat, you take a –2 penalty on attack rolls because of the shield's encumbrance."

what if anything can you do while using a tower shield for total cover? you can't attack but does that mean you can't cast any spells, or just no attack spells? can you retrieve potions and drink them? how far can you move?

another thing I'm struggling with is the intercation with the lack of facing in 3.5. Total cover means total cover from all directions in 3.5 and suggests a PC may be actively rotating the tower shield against attacks from any and all directions. but how does that make sense if for example a PC is flanked?

any help, pointers to official rulings would be great

 

[Thanee]

With total cover they surely mean to duck behind the shield, set on the ground. Unfortunately, there is no action for it, as far as I know.

I would use a move action to "set down the tower shield". Seems appropriate.
Also a move action to make it ready for normal use again...
Or in other words... use the ready or loose a shield action as a guideline.

You wouldn't be able to do anything, which need line of sight (or both hands, as one is used to hold the shield), if the line of sight would go through the shield (see below). Anything else seems fine, like spellcasting, drinking a potion, etc.

About the facing, while there is no facing, there are directions.

I would just declare one border of your square to be covered by the shield. You have total cover against all attacks, which go through that border only.

To measure this, use the rules for cover... if ALL lines drawn from the chosen corner (see cover rules) go through that border (or touch it), you would have total cover. If ANY ONE line goes through that border, you have normal cover (but the shield's bonus does NOT apply, as you cannot move it - only important for magical shields).

Well, that's how I'd do it intuitively.

Bye
Thanee

 

[JamesS]

thanks

OK i'll say it's a move action to set down a tower shield or make it ready for normal use again (but not one that can be combined with a move if you have bab +1 or higher)

OK choose a border, any action which requires line of sight can't be done if the line of sight goes through the shield. you get total cover against attacks going through the border.

tower shields seem a bit vulnerable to opponents moving round the shield to attack you from the side - when you don't even get the normal shield bonus. or is that not a problem because the total cover option is only meant to make sense against ranged atatcks.

 

[kjenks]

There's a major rewrite of the tower shield rules in the Main 3.5e FAQ. You should consider both versions (PH and FAQ) and discuss the rules with your players.

 

[Thanee]

Yeah, check the FAQ also... maybe it clears up things without the need to think up your own rules, like I did above, basically.

OK i'll say it's a move action to set down a tower shield or make it ready for normal use again (but not one that can be combined with a move if you have bab +1 or higher)

That's a given anyways... the "draw a weapon for free" part only applies if you use a move action to actually move.

Bye
Thanee