[3.5] Dual Shield Fighter

[gentlemanlyGeek]

Hi folks, first post here so go easy on me. :smallredface:

I want to use dual shields in 3.5, but I feel like I'm using a crappy build and won't do **** in combat. Do you guys have any build advice?

(Trying to stick to core, character is level 3, trying to avoid most spell casting)

[Hiro Protagonest]

Anything fighter is crappy in core barring the Horizon Tripper, which is still only okay. But yes, while there are a couple shield bash feats in core, your strength would come from the ones in Complete Warrior and Agile Shield Fighter from PHB2.

[gentlemanlyGeek]

Well i wasn't thinking of just doing a straight fighter, im totally cool with multiclassing and spells. I just want to be mostly a guy who hits people with two shields

[Urpriest]

Core isn't how you do dual shield fighter. The reason you do dual shield fighter is because of the various PHBII feats that bolster that fighting style, and the various other cool options from guides like this one (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123630). If you don't have access to that stuff you don't have the motivation to go dual shield fighter, the build just doesn't exist.

[Nirhael]

Sad fact: Base Shield AC don't stack together, so you only get the benefit of one of them minus whatever enchantment or other stuff you slap on.

[shylocke]

There are feats for it in plot and poiskn. Its a 3rd party book. Can't remember publisher. I can't remember the build but if you go mostly core except for that book. You can have mid to high 20's for an ac at lvl one.

[shylocke]

Dual shield characters are really funny. But be sure to buy data a as well. And some dancing shields.

[Urpriest]

There are feats for it in plot and poiskn. Its a 3rd party book. Can't remember publisher. I can't remember the build but if you go mostly core except for that book. You can have mid to high 20's for an ac at lvl one.

If the OP can't go outside core, they're certainly not going to have access to third party.

[Vogonjeltz]

Hi folks, first post here so go easy on me. :smallredface:

I want to use dual shields in 3.5, but I feel like I'm using a crappy build and won't do **** in combat. Do you guys have any build advice?

(Trying to stick to core, character is level 3, trying to avoid most spell casting)

You should check with your DM to ensure they ok any home brew (ie dual shields)

[Hiro Protagonest]

You should check with your DM to ensure they ok any home brew (ie dual shields)

Dual-wielding shields isn't homebrew. :smallconfused:

[Vogonjeltz]

Dual-wielding shields isn't homebrew. :smallconfused:

Dual wielding them is beyond the scope of RAW so that is home brew.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Dual wielding them is beyond the scope of RAW so that is home brew.

No, it's not. Just because the rules don't explicitly talk about dual-wielding shields doesn't mean it's against RAW, there's rules for shields as weapons and rules about how bonuses of the same type stack (they don't), therefore you can dual-wield them.

[Vogonjeltz]

No, it's not. Just because the rules don't explicitly talk about dual-wielding shields doesn't mean it's against RAW, there's rules for shields as weapons and rules about how bonuses of the same type stack (they don't), therefore you can dual-wield them.

Those rules also say the shield is an offhand weapon attack. (That being said, the 3.5 FAQ clarifies that the rules assume the character is wielding a weapon in their primary hand and the shield in their off hand.)

Anything not actually covered in the rule set is an addition to the game (in other words, homebrew). I don't mind it, but being that it is an addition the players DM is almost certainly going to have an opinion that counts.

[shylocke]

If the OP can't go outside core, they're certainly not going to have access to third party.

Only book I known of that has feats for advanced dual shields.

[Sir Chuckles]

Dual wielding them is beyond the scope of RAW so that is home brew.

Beyond the scope of RAW =/= homebrew.

If you're sticking with core, then you're mostly going to be a run-of-the-mill TWF Fighter. But with shields.
Spikes are clearly a must.

As with other TWF, I could see a very silly Rogue sneak attacking via shield.

[Darrin]

(Trying to stick to core, character is level 3, trying to avoid most spell casting)

Core? Huh. That's kinda a step beyond "doing it the hard way", but okay.

The best way to do this in core is:

Wield a heavy spiked bashing shield two-handed, use Improved Unarmed Strike as your offhand attack. Power Attack + TWF. Fighter 20 should work ok for this, but Ranger 2/Fighter 18 would have more decent skills.

If you want two shields, then TWF with a heavy shield as your primary attack and a light shield in your offhand. However, your damage will drop off because you won't be getting two-handed Power Attack damage on your primary and you won't get any Power Attack damage at all on your offhand attack.

If you can get access to PHBII, you can get Agile Shield Fighter + TWF and wield two heavy shields, one primary and one offhand, and you can Power Attack with both (they are both one-handed weapons, but the TWF penalties are -2/-2 due to Agile Shield Fighter).

If you can get a few things outside Core, then there are two things that can help a dual shield fighter:

1) Riverine shield (+4000 GP, Stormwrack p. 128). Making a shield out of this material means half of the shield bonus becomes a deflection bonus, which does stack with your other shield bonus. For a +2 or +3 defelection bonus, this is somewhat comparable to a Ring of Protection +2 or +3, although the ring will be a little bit cheaper. If you get a Riverine Extreme Shield +5 (Races of Stone), you can get a +4 deflection bonus for 29180 GP, which is cheaper than a Ring of Protection +4 (32000 GP), but you won't be able to bash with the Extreme Shield. If you have two shields, though, you can bash with the other one.

2) Inlindl School feat (Drow of the Underdark). At the start of your turn, you can convert your shield bonus divided in half into an attack bonus with light/finessable weapons. As with Riverine, it can be difficult/expensive to get a decent bonus out of this, and it may restrict you to only using light/finessable weapons, so it may cut off some damage buffs like Power Attack. Using a Feycraft (DMGII) heavy shield may fix this, as it will be considered a finessable weapon for Weapon Finesse purposes, but still counts as a one-handed weapon for Power Attack. Damage will drop by a step, but you can get that back with Strongarm Bracers (6000 GP, MIC) and Sizing (+5000 GP, MIC). If you're trying to do a Dex-based TWF build with two finessable shields, then Drow Hit-And-Run Fighter ACF (same Drow book) may help with damage. Race is not listed as a prerequisite, so presumably the feats and ACFs are available to non-Drow (just write into your backstory that you were trained by drow, or were an escaped slave from a drow pit-fighter arena or something).

[Urpriest]

Only book I known of that has feats for advanced dual shields.

Pretty sure you've heard of the PHBII.

[Mandark]

Race of Stone use the dwarven buckler axes, sized up to be light shield size. Or use the Gnome tortoise blades