Shields - proficiencies and bypasses.

[Theomniadept]

I've been reading some random threads across the nets regarding 3.5 shield use, and it's been enlightening. I never knew you could just use a mithral shield gauntlet non-proficient at no penalty like casters and their mithral bucklers.

However I've noticed many threads noting the option to swap tower shield proficiency, namely for fighters. I heard it was in Complete Warrior, but all I have been able to find are the pages allowing swapping of racial proficiencies (like swapping the nigh-useless Dwarven Urgrosh for the Dwarven Warpike).

In addition to different proficiency-swapping, I was wondering if there were special ways to negate the ACP on different exotic shields. I know of mithral, obviously, but what's the total list of shields that can be used non-proficiently given simple mithral as a material?

Finally, this is all sort of for my halfling paladin in my sunday game. The total build is Paladin 6/Halfling Outrider 1/Beastmaster 1/Halfling Outrider 9/ Wild Plains Outrider 3. This means all my proficiencies are gained at level 1 and since paladin has only proficiency with "shields" I'm assuming this only means bucklers, light and heavy shields. Is there any special way I can gain Rider's Shield benefits beyond taking the feat for it (which the build literally won't allow for until level 18)?

Side Note - If anyone knows a way to get a Warbeast paladin mount beyond simply asking for one or paying for the thing please let me know.

[Firechanter]

Well, keep in mind that tricks like special materials only reduce the ACP. For patterns like a buckler that's enough, because nonproficiency only means you take the ACP as penalty to attack rolls. If the ACP is 0, the penalty is 0, whether you're proficient or not.

Exotic shields like Riding Shields are a wholly different matter, since they allow you to do things that you normally couldn't - if you know how to. This Know-How is reflected by the feat. So if you use a Riding Shield without proficiency, you take any ACP to attacks _and_ you can't use it to protect your mount. Even if you negate the ACP, you still don't know how to use it properly.

As a 1st level Fighter you can trade your Tower for Exotic Shield Prof (Races of Stone pg 139).

Here's a handy guide for you:
Person Man's Guide to Shields (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123630)

[Diarmuid]

Do you mean an actual mount that sticks around all the time, or do you mean the Paladin Class feature that grants them a Mount?

[Theomniadept]

Do you mean an actual mount that sticks around all the time, or do you mean the Paladin Class feature that grants them a Mount?
Yeah, the Paladin feature. If Warbeast template can only be applied to a creature essentially at birth the recruiting one via animal companion would be very unlikely and the Paladin Mount can be a Warhorse, so I was wondering if that extended to technically applying the warbeast template to other creatures without a War_____ entry.

Also, I know shields like Rider's Shields require the feat but that was kinda what I was hoping for; is it possible to trade something like Light shield proficiency for that kind of proficiency?

Also, still wondering where the thing to trade Tower Shield Proficiency exists.