3.5 New feat, Two Shields

[powerdemon]

I'm trying to homebrew a feat or set of feats to allow characters to use two shields. I had the idea for a cleric a while back that didn't fight but used two shields. Either that or he would have used Imp. Shield bash. You get the point.

Anyway, I then found out that shield bonuses do NOT stack. After mulling it over for a couple months I decided to try and make a feat or two that would allow this eccentric fighting style.

Final feat



Double Shield Wielder [General, Fighter]
You are skilled at using two shields for both offense and defense.
Prerequisites: Shield proficiency, Improved Shield Bash, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Defense.
Benefits: You are able to use a shield as a traditional melee weapon, making iterative attacks as your base attack bonus dictates. You also gain the shield bonus to your AC from both shields. When using two shields, you may either make attacks from your primary hand, or you may attack with both shields per Two-Weapon Fighting rules.
The shield bonus granted from this feat replaces that of Two-Weapon Defense. This feat does not work with tower shields.
Normal: You cannot gain shield bonuses from two shields.

Our reasoning is that then it would require at least three feats and a Dex of 15. Getting two shield bonuses is no small thing and should not be too easy to get.

Thank you to everyone who pitched in. I really like the way it turned out, and one of my players is using it!

[SilentNight]

I've been wanting to play character like that for a while too. My suggestions, add two weapon fighting and two weapon defense to the prerequisites. Also, increase the penalties for fighting with two weapons and have the second shield only apply half its bonus. This might be overkill but it's a start.

[arguskos]

You could say that it grants you the AC bonus in the following fashion:

Highest of the two shields + half of the bonus from the other one.

Example: You have a +1 large steel shield and a small steel shield. The +1 grants you +3 AC, and the small grants +2. Using the feat, you'd get a total of +4 (the highest + half the other, so 3+1 or 4).

It's an idea. Just thought I'd toss it out there.

[ErrantX]

Double Shield Wielder [General, Fighter]
You are skilled at using two shields for both offense and defense.
Prerequisites: Shield proficiency, Improved Shield Bash, Two-Weapon Fighting.
Benefits: You are able to use a shield as traditional melee weapon, making iterative attacks as your base attack bonus would dictate. You also retain the shield bonus to your AC from both shields. When using two shields, you may either make attacks from your primary hand, or you may attack with both shields per Two-Weapon Fighting rules.
Normal: You cannot gain shield bonuses from two shields.

How's that? Give or take, of course.

-X

[powerdemon]

I like that, but I think the two weapon defense feat would round it out nicely.

Then it would replace the bonus from two weapon defense.


Double Shield Wielder [General, Fighter]
You are skilled at using two shields for both offense and defense.
Prerequisites: Shield proficiency, Improved Shield Bash, Two-Weapon Defense.
Benefits: You are able to use a shield as traditional melee weapon, making iterative attacks as your base attack bonus would dictate. You also retain the shield bonus to your AC from both shields. When using two shields, you may either make attacks from your primary hand, or you may attack with both shields per Two-Weapon Fighting rules.
The shield bonus granted from this feat replaces that of Two-Weapon Defense
Normal: You cannot gain shield bonuses from two shields.

My reasoning is that then it would require at least two feats and a Dex of 15. Getting two shield bonuses is no small thing and should not be too easy to get.

[ErrantX]

The only problem, is that Two-Weapon Defense requires Two-Weapon Fighting as a prereq.

So it would be Two Weapon Fighting, Two Weapon Defense, Improved Shield Bash as prereqs, in additional to shield proficiency. I like how it usurps Two Weapon Defense in this feat when using two shields.

If that's what you're looking for, by all means :) Glad I could help.

-X

[powerdemon]

Yeah I meant to say 3 feats. I think it looks good. Anyone else want to chime in?