Axes and Shields

[GrimJester]

This new character I'm making is going to duel wield an axe and shield I've given him the shield expert feat so i still get the ac from it i was wondering what the best axe and shield to use whether its exotic or the material its made of or anything

[MesiDoomstalker]

Adamentine Battleaxe and Mithril Light Shield or Buckler as preference. Anything else won't be worth the feat.

[Darrin]

This new character I'm making is going to duel wield an axe and shield I've given him the shield expert feat so i still get the ac from it i was wondering what the best axe and shield to use whether its exotic or the material its made of or anything

What sourcebooks are available? What level and what kind of budget are you looking at?

For level 1, try a dwarf fighter 1 (or crusader 1) with dwarven waraxe and trade your tower shield proficiency for extreme shield proficiency (+3 shield bonus, Races of Stone).

[Tokuhara]

My 2c:

Dwarves get the Waraxe for free, so if you, say, play a Dwarf and go:

Dwarven Waraxe & Heavy Shield

[Provengreil]

Ok. first, please use a bit of punctuation, it'll help with coherency.

Next off, we're gonna need more information to help you. telling you to get a nine lives stealer and a +3 animated tower shield when it turns out you're level 3 will help no one, so we need the levels your'e starting at and, if possible, a full list of allowed sources.


As a general optimization rule, however, Shields remove more than half of your damage output, but only reduce a small amount of incoming damage. drop the board, and grab a 2 hander. use power attack for double returns on top of strength and a half and a bigger base damage die, and already you're likely to do better without even using any cheese or optmization tricks.

for some numbers, here's 16 strength at level 5:

one handed axe, max power attack: 1d8+8= 12.5
greataxe + full power attack : 1d12 +14= 20.5

with one feat and a weapon change, you're doing more Strength damage with a 2 hander than your entire attack damage with a 1 hander.

[GrimJester]

I've already have a 2-handed weapon fighter, I'm doing this character for more flavor. The DM hasn't told us what level we are starting at, because he hasn't decided yet. As for sources they can be from any 3.5 book out there nothing from dragon magazine though because we can't find a complete collection of them for references. The axe and shield also don't have to be for starting but something to work up to. This campaign is also going to be taking place in extreme cold he's using the Frostburn book as his main source, so anything that can help through there for any equipment.

[Leon]

Wah its not optimal wah. So what the question is for what is a Good Axe/Shield Combo.

Best axe is a Adamatine Waraxe (Dwarves get it free with any Martial weapon proficient class as its a Racial Weapon) second to that is the Battle Axe at the slight difference of a d8 to a d10 better choice if you don't want to be a Dwarf (but Dwarves Rock!)

Best Shield for combat is a Heavy Spiked Shield enchanted with Bashing.

I cannot find my Races of Stone so can't check up on the Exotic shields but if you want to Dual wield with a shield i'd suggest the Agile Shield Fighter feat from PHB2 (requires Imp Shield Bash and Shield Spec) to give the best reduction in combat modifiers with out the intensive line of TWF feats.
Also good are the Slam/Charge feats from Complete Warrior.


Adamantine i suggest for the durability and sundering capability unless you need alternate material for a specific reason. The Metaline weapon enchantment can cover all metal weapon types for your situational needs.

[Provengreil]

OK then.

If you're gonna use a shield, you may want to consider combat expertise instead of power attack. the damage returns on PA while holding a shield are fairly low, but +5 AC (there's a trait that makes this 6) added to the shield bonus you already have above a more "normal" AC could be worth it.

Other feats to look at are the PHB2's shield focus and shield ward feats. focus give +1 AC while holding any shield, and shield ward allows you to add all shield and shield enhancement modifiers to your touch AC, which'll really screw up any of those nasty ray wizards or the like. all of these suggestions are fighter feats, so you could mix 2 levels of fighter into your build to get some of them.

from frostburn in particular, there is the exotic weapon ice axe, which can deal damage as well as providing a circumstance bonus on climb checks. There's also the blue ice material, which has similar properties to mithral but also adds +1 damage when using slashing weapons, which axes are. you could also craft shields out of normal ice with just a couple ranks for pretty much no cost if you're starting early, and in a proper frostfell campaign they won't melt.

[darkdragoon]

The dwarven buckler-axe is basically a handaxe with a buckler duct-taped onto it.

But otherwise, yeah, you're a Dwarf, make use of that racial weapon proficiency and heavy shield.

[Tokuhara]

So hang on...

Heavy Shield + Buckler-Axe= Dual-weilded shield mayhem?

[Alefiend]

Shielded Axe weapon style feat from Races of Stone might be worth it for people who want an axe in each hand but still get a buckler's defense and enchantments. YMMV.

[Gwendol]

Considering classes you might want to have some levels of cleric in there, at least to get access to some spells like divine power, divine favor, and Ice Axe, which will help overcome the shortcomings of the axe and shield style in the damage department. Ice axe (cleric level 3) attacks against touch AC which may come in handy at times, especially against creatures vulnerable to cold damage.

[Gullintanni]

Considering classes you might want to have some levels of cleric in there, at least to get access to some spells like divine power, divine favor, and Ice Axe, which will help overcome the shortcomings of the axe and shield style in the damage department. Ice axe (cleric level 3) attacks against touch AC which may come in handy at times, especially against creatures vulnerable to cold damage.

Keep in mind that even though you don't get strength to damage with Ice Axe, you CAN power attack with it.

[big teej]

This new character I'm making is going to duel wield an axe and shield I've given him the shield expert feat so i still get the ac from it i was wondering what the best axe and shield to use whether its exotic or the material its made of or anything

is this a dwarf?

hopefully so, because I'm going to recommend

the dwarven Axe-buckler

it's a buckler! it's an axe! IT'S BOTH!!

[Hiro Protagonest]

Adamentine Battleaxe and Mithril Light Shield or Buckler as preference. Anything else won't be worth the feat.

What does mithral do to a light shield? Mwk ones already have ACP -0.

[MesiDoomstalker]

What does mithral do to a light shield? Mwk ones already have ACP -0.

Nothing really. But you can never have too little weight.

[nedz]

Shielded Axe weapon style feat from Races of Stone might be worth it for people who want an axe in each hand but still get a buckler's defense and enchantments. YMMV.

Its good for TWF, but Improved Buckler Defense is strictly better.
IBD has exactly the same effect as Shielded Axe except that it doesn't have the specific weapon restrictions. However if you were going to use the War Axe and Hand Axe already, perhaps because you took a level of Dwarven fighter, then it probably won't matter.

There is still the issue of getting damage output with TWF, but thats another question.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Its good for TWF, but Improved Buckler Defense is strictly better.
IBD has exactly the same effect as Shielded Axe except that it doesn't have the specific weapon restrictions. However if you were going to use the War Axe and Hand Axe already, perhaps because you took a level of Dwarven fighter, then it probably won't matter.

*facepalm*

IBD isn't better because of weapon versatility, it's better because you still keep the bonus to AC.

[Alefiend]

*facepalm*

IBD isn't better because of weapon versatility, it's better because you still keep the bonus to AC.

You keep it with Shielded Axe, too.

When you make a full attack with your dwarven
waraxe in your main hand and your handaxe in your off
hand, you can still gain the shield bonus for a buckler
strapped to your off hand. In addition you do not take the
usual –1 penalty to attack rolls when using a buckler.

[Hiro Protagonest]

You keep it with Shielded Axe, too.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/6/67064/1977608-epic_facepalm_when_you_just_know_you_messed_up_dem .jpg

That line is talking about when using a buckler with a handaxe and battleaxe with a buckler. There's no buckler-axe.

Edit: Oh you were talking about using it with that feat.

[Alefiend]

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/6/67064/1977608-epic_facepalm_when_you_just_know_you_messed_up_dem .jpg

That line is talking about when using a buckler with a handaxe and battleaxe with a buckler. There's no buckler-axe.

Edit: Oh you were talking about using it with that feat.

I thought we were talking about IBD vs. Shielded Axe. My mistake. Though I feel that only an utter jerk of a GM would rule out the buckler-axe for use with that feat.

[nedz]

Erm, the feats are almost identical.
Shielded axe specifies War Axe/Hand Axe and you don't take a -1 to hit with the Hand Axe.
Both allow you to add the bucklers AC.

[Hiro Protagonest]

I thought we were talking about buckler-axe.

[nedz]

The OP asked about options for Axes and Sheilds.
The Buckler Axe is one option, but there are others.

[Amphetryon]

Dwarven Waraxe and Buckler-Axe gets my vote, as well. You get some versatility out of your flavor choices, at any rate.

[nedz]

Buckler-Axe is cool, until you want to enchant it.
+1 Keen, Flaming buckler is just +2 AC
+1 Fortified Axe is just +1
Best keep your options open really.