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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DanmarLOK" data-source="post: 5013115" data-attributes="member: 71480">Since we're offering opinions, as the DM, I'd certainly allow a player to drop a shield to the ground as a free action.  The standard action to stow or equip/unstow a shield I would rate primarily as a way to prevent cheese.  I'd also offer as an opinion that it seems it's not so much the 'equip' portion that costs the standard as it is the detaching the shield from whatever you're using to keep from falling off your person as you're moving in an active manner whether it's a snap hook that grabs the handle or straps that tie it on.  This would take time to undo and typically require a bit of contortion on your part as generally the shields are carried on the back out of the way.  That I can see taking a standard action to deploy.Certainly not all shields have a strap, just a handle. I fail to see how it would take a standard action to 'equip' a shield you've just picked up from the ground, you'd presumably pick it up by the handle what more do you have to do with it at that point?I think the safest thing to do is say "It's for balance reasons to avoid the character from dropping his shield at his feet (free), swinging with two hands (damage bonus), picking up the shield (minor), 'equipping it' (free, minor, move) to gain the AC boost while the other creatures take their turns.  Later rinse repeat. The only way to stop that (other than the DM going "Oh really, that's what you're doing in the middle of a fight.  Really.  Going to ask for the bungee cord strap next?") is by making it require a standard action to 'equip' a shield, even one you're already holding in your hands.  That's the only way to elminate a RAW cheesiness that's a directly a result of the combat abstraction of "I take my turn, you take your turn." that the DnD system uses. FWIW, I'd be more inclined to eliminate a player that tried to take advantage of such a thing than make it a standard action to equip a shield his character was holding.  But I can see, understand and appreciate the developer's need and desire to eliminate loopholes that some percentage of the players might take advantage of especially with DM's that are primarily RAW rather than RAI either by personality or inexperience or for whatever reason.</blockquote>

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