Bashin with a shield: rules help

[brutticusforce]

I posted this on Wotc previous ed boards, but i dont think they are too interested in helping me with a rules call. So, Gitp, can i get some help?

Im playing a sword and board pally in a low optimized Ravenloft game. I know its suboptimal, but this game is more fun/ rp than anything else, so i decided i want my paladin to hit stuff with his shield. Thing is, there are a lot of wierd rules about two weapon fighting in this system, and even more with shields and how they interact with them. How does normal twf work? how does it work in comparison to agile shield fighter? how does twf work with a bastard sword in one hand and a shield in the other? is agile shield fighter needed along side twf? What will my penalties for multi attacks look like? and will those penalties affect my normal full round attack? and will i ever be able to make them go away?

As an aside, my level progession idea for this character looks like this: Paladin 5/ fighter 2/ Divine Crusader 1/ Knight of the Raven 10. I intend to pick up a few other feats (like divine might), but even being a human, im going to be feat starved. Is there a prestige class that will lay on me some wonderful feats? (good reflex also appreciated.)

I know this is silly and there are better things to spend my feats on, but remember, this game is about fun. I could have picked druid in the begining, but i picked paladin instead. Keep in mind, getting the stinkeye for planning a one level dip in Divine Crusader.

[Garagos]

What type of shield is it, light or heavy? That will make a difference in the penalties you take for TWF with it. Light shields are treated as light off hand weapons, which would make the penalties -2/-2. If its heavy, its treated as a 1H off hand weapon, which would make the penalties -4/-4. You'll definitely want to take Improved Shield Bash, so you can keep the shield's AC bonus even when you attack with it. May want to put a shield spike on it too.

I just looked up Agile Shield Fighter so a lot of what I just suggested/said may be irrelevant if you already have that feat, as ISB is required for it. Shield Ward may be another decent feat for you to take so you can apply your shield bonus to your touch AC.

[brutticusforce]

thanks for the reply. I intend to fight with a bastard sword in one hand and a heavy shield in the other. I intend to retrain for improved shield bash next time we play, and my next non fighter feat (at level 6) will be shield spec.

ASF is on my hit list for feats to get asap, if it does what i think it does (allow me extra attacks with my shield at a reduced penalty.)

Also, how does my shield interact with my normal full round attack? Can i normally make my sword hit at +6 and my shield attack at +1? and if i wanted to make a 3rd attack with my shield it would be at -2? or are all my attacks at -2 when i want to sword strike and shield bash, even if i have enough BAB?

[Garagos]

I'm assuming you have the appropriate Two Weapon Fighting feats? If you don't have TWF you should forget about attacking with two weapons, the penalties you take will be horrendous. If you're fighting with a bastard sword and heavy shield you will take -4/-4 to attacks with the sword and shield. So lets just say you're 5th level paladin with a STR of 16 and a +1 magic sword and shield. That would make your full round attack modifiers +5/+5. So you would roll with +5 on both the sword and the shield to attack. If you only decide to attack with the sword for one round you should be rolling with a +9. Since you're only getting one attack because of your +5 BAB, you can only make two attacks. Once you get a +6 BAB, you could make 2 sword attacks and 1 shield attack with mods of +6/+1/+6. Take Improved TWF and you would then get a 4th attack with the shield, +6/+1+/6/+1.

What you can probably do is take TWF feat until you can get ASF, then retrain TWF to something else if you only want the 1 attack with your shield. If you want 2/3/4 attacks with the shield as well as the sword, you need to keep TWF and continue to go up that feat path for the extra iterative attacks.

[brutticusforce]

ASF says it causes all penalties to be -2. how does that interact with two weapon fighting reducing the penalties even more?

As for following the twf progression, im afraid as a pally, Sir Hugh, while more dexterous than most, is not nearly agile enough. Nor does he have nearly enough feat slots left.

I need fighter bonus feats. are there any prestige classes which i can look into for some? i only have three levels left in my build.

And thanks for your incredible patience, garagos. 3.5 is not the system im used to.

[Keld Denar]

ASF is a very special version of TWFing. It is used in place of TWFing. You don't need TWFing to use ASF. ASF is better than TWF in nearly all regards except that there is no Improved our Greater Agile Shield Fighter, so you will only ever get one attack with it regardless of your BAB. The good thing about it us that you can use a large shield in your offhand and it has the same penalties as a TWFer with a light shield. That basically gives you TWF and OTWF in one feat. Also, since a heavy shield isn't a light weapon, that means you can Power Attack with it, if you can get a suitably high bonus to hit (Law Devotion!) aSF also doesn't have the rather high Dex requirements that a MAD paladin probably does not have.

Given the choice between ASF and TWF, you should probably use ASF. It is better in nearly every way you want to use it for.

Make sure your DC domain is War, then take the Holy Warrior reserve feat (CChamp) for nice static bonus damage.