« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2010, 01:52:29 AM » |
[/size]5. Shield Feats
Back in OD&D and AD&D melee attacks where centred on a very strict range of numbers, so a +1 bonus was fairly useful. Also you didn't get half again your strength bonus in damage for wielding a two handed sword and there was no power attack so you wheren't giving up much in the way of damage. Things changed in 3.0, a small bonus to AC isn't really worth much any more and using a weapon in one hand puts you at a disadvantage at damage output.
For a feat to be good it has to do more than just give +1 to AC. It has to give you a new option that you didn't have before or make a bad option usable.
Bad Feats[/size]
These feats are just a waste of everyone's time.
Exotic Shield Proficiency [RS 139] - Optionally a Fighter can trade his tower shield proficiency for an exotic shield proficiency. The exotic shields kind of suck, but a fighter could switch tower shield proficency for an extreme shield for a small bonus to AC for no cost.
Shielded Axe [RS 144] - If you full attack with a waraxe and a handaxe you can keep your buckler's AC and don't take the -1 penalty on attacks. Way more situational than improved buckler defense. The style it locks you into is suboptimal to plain THF.
Shield of Thought [RE 113] - If you can create a mind blade, you can create a mind light shield. Allows you to conjure a 5 gold item, whoop.
Turtle Dart [RS 145] - Oh boy, I think this could be the worst feat in 3.5. You need an exotic armour proficiency, an exotic shield or tower shield proficiency and weapon focus (shortsword). Its benefit is: you do not provoke an attack for moving away from any enemy you've attacked in a round. So it lets you make a withdraw action as a move action.
AC feats[/size]
Remember when I mentioned that for a feat to be good it has to do more than give a plus to AC. Attacks against your regular AC usually just do hit point damage, the really damaging effects like negative levels or ability damage come in the form of rays or touch attacks, so having a high touch AC becomes very important in latter levels. Feats like Parrying Shield effectively give up to +7 touch AC, trading a feat for 1 AC is bad, 2 is just a bit less worse, but trading it for 7 touch AC can actually be good, so feats like Parrying shield aren't listed here. Also listed are the variations of forming a shield wall, in play this isn't a good option because PCs will have different initiatives and are more effective flanking an opponent. None of these are really worth a feat, but they are more useful than Turtle Dart.
Focused Shield [RS 140] - A psionically focused character gets +1 AC
Phalanx Fighting [CW 103] - You get +1 AC when using a shield and light weapon, an extra +2 AC if you standing beside another character using this feat.
Shieldmate [MH 28] & Improved Shieldmate [MH 27] - You can give near by allies +1 shield AC, +2 if using a tower shield. Improved Shieldmate increases these bonuses by 1.
Shield Wall [HB 99] - If you are standing beside an ally with a shield you get +2 AC.
Average Feats
If you are going to be using a shield these feats aren't horrible choices, these are average for shield feats, so they may be sub-par in general.
Block Arrow [HB 96] - Once per round block a ranged weapon attack that you are aware of, automatically. Useful if your DM likes archers.
Divine Shield [CW 106] - Lose a turning attempt, add charisma to shield modifier for 1/2 your level in rounds. This gives you something to do with your turning attempts when the undead aren't afoot. Better for a Paladin then a Cleric.
Improved Shield Bash [SRD] - You can bash with a shield while retaining its shield bonus to your Armor Class.
Shielded Casting [RS 144] - Don't provoke if casting in combat with a shield. Not just automatically make the roll to cast defensively, you don't need to cast defensively at all. This is for when your DM thinks he's clever for giving all the King's guards the feat Mage Slayer.
Shield Expert [SF 9] - 3.0 version of improved shield bash.
Shielded Manifesting [RS 144] - Don't provoke if manifesting in combat with a shield. Same deal as Shielded Casting.
Shield Proficiency [SRD] - Gain proficiency with bucklers, small shields, and heavy shields. You've probably got this already or are going to get it when you dip into a martial class.
Shield Sling [PH2 82] - You can throw a shield, do damage and initiate a ranged trip attempt. Nothing is stopping you from throwing more than one shield per round, just make sure they have augment crystals of returning so they come back. I don't know how useful a ranged tripper would be, but a throwing build that gets free trip attempts sounds like it could work.
Tower Shield Proficiency [SRD] - Being able to bring your own cover can be useful. I'd want to be doing something pretty clever with it though before spending a feat on it.
Good Feats [/size]
These feats can be the corner stone to a semi-effective build. Unlike feats like power attack that are a good choice for any melee build these feats will only work in a specialized build.
Active Shield Defense [PH2 71] - Any penalty to attack from from fighting defensively or using combat expertise doesn't apply to attacks of opportunity. Synergizes best with Robilar's gambit or any other reliable form of generating AoOs.
Agile Shield Fighter [PH2 74] - Lets you TWF with a shield with only a -2 penalty. Requires Improved Shield Bash and Shield Specialization, but doesn't require any dexterity. If you really want to be able to shield bash this lets you do it in addition to your regular attacks.
Blood-Spiked Charger [PH2 92, Tactical] - If you are using spiked armour and a spiked shield you can charge and make an attack with both while doing additional damage. This attack should allow you to benefit from shield slam and shield charge. Other uses of this feat can give you a bonus to attack if your opponent hits a certain AC range, or make a single attack and do extra strength damage, which should also work with shield slam.
Inlindl School [DrU 56 Style] - Requires Combat Expertise, Shield Proficiency and Weapon Finesse. You can give up your shield AC to gain half of it as an attack bonus with any light weapon you wield. With a +5 shield that's +3 to hit for one feat, which isn't horrible. You could use a buckler and TWF or TWF with a light shield, it may be useful for a Drowish Rogue.
Improved Buckler Defense [CW 100] - You can attack with an off-hand weapon while retaining a buckler's shield bonus to your Armor Class. So it lets you use a shield and go about your business with only a middling -1 penalty to attacks that use your off hand.
Parrying Shield [LoM 181] - Add shield AC to Touch AC. Regular AC is nice, but having a good Touch AC is really nice.
Shield Charge [CW 105] - Make a charging attack with a shield and get a free trip in addition to doing damage. Not as useful as the feat improved trip, but still gives some synergy. Fun with pounce.
Shield Slam [CW 105] - Make a full attack or charge, if you hit your opponent has to make a fortitude save vs 10+1/2 level+str or be dazed for 1 round. The save DC is pretty good, and very few things are immune to daze. Should work with Shield charge to leave your opponents prone and dazed after a charge.
Shield Specialization [PH2 82] - Gives +1 AC from a certain type of shield. Not good in and of it self, but is a gateway to a lot of the better shield feats.
Shield Ward [PH2 82] - Gain shield AC to touch AC and as a bonus against trip/overrun/disarm/etc. This is better than parrying shield if your DM like unconventional attacks, otherwise its requirement of shield specialization makes it a worse choice.
6.Equipment
Regular Shields: these are all found in the PHB/SRD. They're pretty obvious.
Buckler - Give +1 AC but leaves your hand completely free. If any attacks with a bucklered will have a -1 penalty. Light Shield - Gives +1 AC, but it lets you use your hand to an extent. You can carry a torch for example. Heavy Shield - Gives +2 AC, although you can't use your shield hand for anything other than carrying a shield. Tower Shield - Gives +4 AC, -2 on attacks and has a massive -10 armour check penalty. You can use it to provide cover, and if you're clevel that's really helpful, but it doesn't provide cover from spells.
Generally Bucklers and Heavy Shields are the only ones to see much play, it depends on whether you need a hand free or one extra AC more.
Exotic Shields: Remember that all these shields require an extra feat to use, so you've got to ask yourself, is it worth it? Fighters can trade their Tower Shield Proficiency for an Exotic Shield Proficiency, so if one of these really catches your eye and you're dipping fighter already you don't need to spend a feat.
Dwarven Buckler-Axe - A buckler that can be used to deal 1d6 slashing. I wonder if there is actually a use for this, as opposed to just carrying a handaxe and a buckler? Extreme Shield - +3 AC, -4 ACP, no shield bash. I might consider taking this instead of a tower shield, a feycrafted mithtral version should have no ACP and no arcane spell failure, so it can be a bit better than a heavy shield. Gnomish Battle Cloak - Basically a light shield that grants +4 on disarm checks. Rider's Shield - Grants shield's AC bonus to mount. Maybe useful for a Halfling Paladin, most medium or larger creatures will find they can't ride their mounts that often. Shield Gauntlet - A heavy shield with a guantlet welded on, allowing you to use your shield hand to cast. I'd prefer the feat Somatic Weaponry over this, but again if you're dipping fighter you can get this for free. Tortoise Blade - Basically a spiked light shield, but does 1d6 damage on an attack. The increase in damage die is not worth the feat.
Magical Shield Enchantments
Animated [SRD] - For a +2 bonus you can animate your shield and it will fly around you, protecting you in combat but not requiring you to actually hold it. At higher levels I expect it's quite popular as it's a way to trade gold for more AC. It also lets you use other useful enhancements like Fortification without adding it to your armour. The only potential downside is that armour check and arcane spell failure still applies from a shield, but at the level you can get this buying a mithral shield shouldn't be a problem.
Defending [SRD] - This is for spiked shields. You enchant the spikes with parrying (+1 Bonus) then you can turn their bonus to hit into a bonus to AC. At lower levels a trick like this isn't worth the effort, but at higher levels you'll begin to run out of new sources of AC so these can be worth it.
Fortification [SRD] - At higher levels savvy players can deduce the number of rounds they can stay in combat from the rate at which they are taking damage. Critical hits messes those calculations up and can quickly turn the party tank into a party corpse. If you are going to be the Tank at higher levels you need to get the tools to do the job, Heavy Fortification, on a shield or on armour is one of those.
Gleaming - Makes you harder to hit, which is why you're using a shield in the first place.
Parrying [SRD] - Another option for a spiked shield. A parrying weapon (the spikes) give +1 AC and a +1 bonus to saves for a cost of 8000 GP.
Reflection [SRD] - Once per day reflect a targeted spell cast on you back on the caster. +5 bonus. This is an uncapped version of spell catching, except you can't hold onto the spell. Since it works on every level of spell this shouldn't every become obsolete.
Resilient [FoW 118] - You can trade your shield's enhancement bonus into a bonus on saves as an immediate action. As AC becomes less important with level, saves become more important. This lets your shield make a difference at higher levels. +1 bonus.
Shield of Mercy [MIC 21] - Turn the damage from a smite attempt into healing.
Soulfire [BoED 112] - Permanent deathward you say? It's a +4 bonus, so it's expensive but it could be worth it.
Spell Catching [FoW 118] - You can negate a spell targeting you once per day, up to 3rd level. Not only that but your shield stores the spell for you to use later. +2 bonus, and it can't be put on a buckler. If you can get this when level 3 spells are level appropriate than it is awesome, but if you are facing a 9th level caster you'll probably won't see spells 3rd level or lower.
Spell Catching, Greater [FoW 118] - Works as Spell Catching but works on up to 6th level spells. +4 bonus. Spells at levels 4-6 remain proportionally more useful at higher levels in my experience, so this enhancement should remain viable for a long while.
Time Buttress [MiC 15] - For 1 round per day you become immune to all attacks, spells and powers. The downside is that it's a +5 bonus and it takes a standard action to activate. Some potential, but probably couldn't be used reliably.
Variable [MiC 15] - For a swift action you can resize your shield into a buckler, light, heavy or tower shield. It's a +1 bonus, I've used it on characters who've had to switch between sword and board and archery, and the ability to grant yourself cover without lugging around a tower shield is nice. Definitely not for every character, but if you find yourself switching between weapons frequently it could be handy.
Wight Hide [MiC 23] - This is a specific shield, if used to shield bash the target must make a DC 14 fortitude save or gain a negative level. This could be really good if you have some way of lowering your enemy's saves like a Hex Blade's curse, but even if your foe has a strong fortitude save a full attack with this shield has a 20% chance of having the effect go off.
Remember you can enchant your shield as a weapon as well. You can also have spikes added to your shield for extra bashing damage.
Shield Crystals
These enhancements come in at a fixed cost, you can only use one at a time but you can swap between several crystals.
Clasp of Energy Protection [MiC 24] - Gain resistance to an element in increments of 5,10 and 15. Prices run 500, 1500, 3000 GP, cheap enough that you can get them early on but they only absorb a limited amount per day. Situationally useful.
Crystal of Bent Sight [MiC 25] - This protects you from creatures with a gaze attack, which is admitedly very situational, but for 500 GP combined with the fact you can remove and attach crystals as a move option this definitely should find a spot on your utility belt.
Crystal of Arrow Deflection [MiC 25] - If you are going to be facing archers then these crystals are a steal. The greater crystal lets you deflect arrows once a round and gives you +5 AC versus any other ranged weapon attacks and only for 5,000 GP. * This bonus to AC is actually untyped, so it should apply versus rays and ranged touch attacks, which makes it a steal. *
Remember that if you are shield bashing then your shield is also a weapon and can use weapon augment crystals.
[/size]Useful Spells
Brambles [SpC] - This second level Cleric/Druid spell lets you add your level as bonus damage to a wooden weapon, if you're a fan of shield bashing this can help. Its biggest downside is its duration, only rounds per level.
Magic Vestment [SRD] - This gives up to a +5 enhancement bonus to a suit of armour or a shield. The most popular trick with this spell is to make your shield +1, stack on a bunch of abilities, then this spell puts your AC bonus back to where it should be.
Magic Weapon, Greater [SRD] - Instead of paying for +5 defending spikes on your shield you can just pay for +1 defending spikes and make up the difference with this spell. Even if you don't use shield spikes you can still cast this on your shield and get it as a benefit to bash.
Mighty Wallop, Greater [RD 115] - This makes your bludgeoning melee weapon due damage as it where 1 size per 4 caster levels larger. It also lasts hours per level, so if you're planning on doing a lot of shield bashing make friends with your local Sorcerer or Wizard.
Spikes [SpC] - Does everything Brambles does but your weapon gets a +2 bonus for attacks and its threat range is doubled. 3rd level Cleric/Druid spell with a duration in rounds.
Books Referenced: BoED - Book of Exalted Deeds DMG2 - Dungeon Master's Guide II DrU - Drow of the Underdark FoW - Forge of War, an Eberron suppliment HB - Heroes of Battle MiC - Magic Item Compendium PH2 - Player's Handbook 2 RD - Races of the Dragon RE - Races of Eberron RS - Races of Stone SF - Sword and Fist, the 3.0 guide to Fighters and Monks SpC - Spell Compendium SRD - System Reference Document, found at d20srd.org
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