Epinephrine
2009-08-17, 11:05 AM
Looking for a way to make shields valuable and worth using; if you are using a shield you've given up on both paired weapon fighting as well as 2H fighting, but the benefit is pretty minor.
Shield Deflection (General, Fighter)
Prerequisites: BAB +11, Improved Shield Bash
Benefit: On your turn, before rolling any attacks you make, you may choose not to take an attack you are entitled to take with your shield. At any time before your next turn you may opt to attempt to deflect an attack directed at you. The decision to attempt to deflect the blow must be taken after the attack is declared, but before the attack is rolled. To deflect the attack, makes an attack roll using the BAB of the attack you chose to forego during your previous action, adding your strength (or with a light shield and Weapon Finesse, your Dexterity) and the shield's AC bonus to the roll in place of your normal attack modifiers. Ignore any penalty normally associated with two weapon fighting when making a roll to deflect a blow (if attacks are made with either the shield or main weapon apply the penalty normally to those attacks).
Synergy: If you also possess the Shieldmate feat, you may attempt to deflect blows aimed at an ally who would benefit from the Shieldmate feat this round, at a -2 to your roll. If you also have the feat Improved Shieldmate, the attempt may be made with no penalty to the roll.
Normal: Without this feat, shields do not offer the ability to deflect blows, only a bonus to AC.
Thoughts? I deliberately phrased it so that you could use this on a standard action by choosing not to attack (run up, threaten the opponent, but decide not to attack and instead focus on defense).
One could also take a move action and ready a shield bash if someone were to close with you and attack you, and then decide to not take that attack and instead deflect the blow, I think - which allows for falling back and defending.
Shield Deflection (General, Fighter)
Prerequisites: BAB +11, Improved Shield Bash
Benefit: On your turn, before rolling any attacks you make, you may choose not to take an attack you are entitled to take with your shield. At any time before your next turn you may opt to attempt to deflect an attack directed at you. The decision to attempt to deflect the blow must be taken after the attack is declared, but before the attack is rolled. To deflect the attack, makes an attack roll using the BAB of the attack you chose to forego during your previous action, adding your strength (or with a light shield and Weapon Finesse, your Dexterity) and the shield's AC bonus to the roll in place of your normal attack modifiers. Ignore any penalty normally associated with two weapon fighting when making a roll to deflect a blow (if attacks are made with either the shield or main weapon apply the penalty normally to those attacks).
Synergy: If you also possess the Shieldmate feat, you may attempt to deflect blows aimed at an ally who would benefit from the Shieldmate feat this round, at a -2 to your roll. If you also have the feat Improved Shieldmate, the attempt may be made with no penalty to the roll.
Normal: Without this feat, shields do not offer the ability to deflect blows, only a bonus to AC.
Thoughts? I deliberately phrased it so that you could use this on a standard action by choosing not to attack (run up, threaten the opponent, but decide not to attack and instead focus on defense).
One could also take a move action and ready a shield bash if someone were to close with you and attack you, and then decide to not take that attack and instead deflect the blow, I think - which allows for falling back and defending.