Shield variations

[Tiwanoz]

After looking around on the forums and the D&D reddit page I've compiled my own variations on shields. I plan to use these in the game I'm DM'ing and I was wondering if there was anything overly unbalanced/underpowered/overpowered.

Feedback would be very much appreciated!

Appendix: Shield variations
Shove Action:
Using the attack action, you can make a special melee attack to shove a creature, either to knock it prone or push it away from you. If you're able to make multiple attacks with the attack action, this attack replaces one of them.

The target of your shove must be no more than one size larger then you. (When not using a Tower Shield.) And it must be within your reach.

You make a STR (Athletics) check contested by the target's Strength (Athletics) or DEX (Acrobatics) check. If you win the contest, you either knock the target prone or push it 5 feet away from you.

Bash Action:
Using the attack action, you can make a special melee attack to bash a creature to damage it and knock it back. If you're able to make multiple attacks with the attack action, this attack replaces one of them.

The target of your bash must be no more than one size larger then you (When not using a Tower Shield.) And it must be within your reach. You make a STR (Athletics) check contested by the target's Strength (Athletics) check.

If you win the contest you can knock your opponent 5ft back and deal 1d6 of Bludgeoning damage.

When you are using a Light Shield you can choose to use DEX (Acrobatics) instead. When doing so your opponent can choose to use either it's STR or DEX check to oppose your own check. A bash with a Light Shield will also only deal 1d4 Bludgeoning damage, but still pushes the opponent 5ft back.

Buckler: 5 GP, 4lb.
+1 AC as a reaction
- Strength requirement: 8
- The Buckler is a small shield that requires proficiency with simple weapons rather than the shield proficiency.
-You can use your bonus action as a 1d6 Bludgeoning attack. Treat this bonus action as if you are dual wielding.
-You can also wear the buckler when using a two handed weapon. However your reaction by default is the +1 AC bonus, and you can't use the 1d6 Bludgeoning as a bonus action. (You can use it as an action without any proficiency bonuses.)
-No DisAdv on stealth checks.

Light Shield: 5 gp, 10 lb.
+1 AC
- Strength requirement: 10
- Requires shield proficiency
- No DisADV on stealth checks
- Allows shove action (DEX/STR)
- Allows bash action (DEX/STR)

Heavy Shield: 10 gp, 20 lb.
+2 AC
- Strength requirement: 14
- Requires shield proficiency
- DisAdv on stealth checks
- Allows shove action (STR)
- Allows bash action. (STR)

Tower Shield: 20 gp, 40 lb.
+3 AC
- Strength requirement: 17
- Requires shield proficiency
- DisAdv on stealth checks & DEX ST's.
- Allows shove action on creatures one size larger then yourself. (STR)
- Allows bash action on creatures one size larger then yourself. (STR)

Action, Bulwark: You can use your action to benefit from Tower Shield Cover for 1 round. (+3 AC & +5 to STR checks)

[Markoff Chainey]

I dislike the additional rules because the additional interactions are too complicated to be fun.

You should take the existing options from shove / knock prone and especially shieldmaster into account. When inventing something, think about who that works with the existing rules and how to get what you want (more diversity with shields) with the least possible intrusion into existing rules.

I am not sure if you found my previous thread, but I will explain why I do find my version of Buckler / Tower Shield better.


Counts as a martial weapon (not as a shield)

Damage: D4 bludgeoning

Properties: finesse, light
weighs 2 lbs, cost 2 sp
You may add +1 to your AC while wielding it as long as you wear no armor, light armor or medium armor; this bonus cannot be combined with a shield or another buckler.



First, your buckler inflicts D6... that's way too much if you compare it to other "simple weapons". A D4 is actually already a stretch but somehow explainable. Second, your buckler is a shield, yet you do not need the shield proficiency NOR does it work with shield master... hence, it is not a shield and you should not put it into that category. A buckler was normally used in TWF and that is why it is smart to put it into the weapon category. - This way, elegantly, you get around all the extra rules that it cannot be used to perform shoves with it and how it interacts with weapons. Using it with a two-handed weapon is stupid for 2 reasons - first it was not done that way IRL and second, the game does not benefit from this, in the opposite, it makes two-handed weapons OP.

Your "light" shields weighs 10 lbs?? :smalleek: I do not see any reason why anybody should use a light shield over a "heavy" shield besides the strength requirement and that seems to be highly redundant. I would scratch the "light" and "heavy" if you do not have a mechanical difference in mind and leave it as "shield".

Your tower shield is "just" a shield+ - If you are big and strong enough, its plainly better. If you do not think and on purpose want to strengthen STR melee builds, this is not a good choice. AC +1 means something in 5e... A tower shield should give a bonus in some contexts, but should be a major pain in others. I personall think that it would be great to have an option against ranged attacks and tower shields are made for that... The problem is that they are too heavy and clumsy to be used in 1 vs. 1 melee combat. - I like your idea to give the wearer disadvantage with stealth, but I would not add DEX and STR checks - as those are also necessary to use shieldmaster to shove and that would be weird - you allow that a bigger than large creature can be shoved, but then you put disadvantage on the throw? I personally would do neither.



Counts as a shield

Properties: heavy
weighs 6 lbs, cost 30 sp
While you wield it, you may use your bonus action to "take cover".
Take Cover: When you take cover behind your shield, you lose the AC bonus that your shield normally provides. Instead, you count as ¾ covered (AC +5) in a cone in front of you. On the opposite side of that cone, you are not covered.

To all other sides, you count as ½ covered (AC +3). Should you get flanked, you get no AC bonus. While you cover behind your shield, all your own attacks suffer disadvantage.

You may use your bonus action to "drop cover" to come out of the cover without providing attacks of opportunity against you.

[Tiwanoz]

Thanks for the quick and expansive reply!


I dislike the additional rules because the additional interactions are too complicated to be fun.


This is purely a matter of opinion, I don't mind a few extra rules if it enhances the gameplay for my players.



You should take the existing options from shove / knock prone and especially shieldmaster into account. When inventing something, think about who that works with the existing rules and how to get what you want (more diversity with shields) with the least possible intrusion into existing rules.


My shove option is literally taken from the DMG, apart from some slight edits on the use of the Tower Shield. The Bash option was taken from Reddit and changed a bit. I felt that a damaging component should be added for the shield users since they were used like that historically as well. I guess you could argue that the knocking prone represents this as well.



I am not sure if you found my previous thread, but I will explain why I do find my version of Buckler / Tower Shield better.


Do you have a link to the thread?



First, your buckler inflicts D6... that's way too much if you compare it to other "simple weapons". A D4 is actually already a stretch but somehow explainable. Second, your buckler is a shield, yet you do not need the shield proficiency NOR does it work with shield master... hence, it is not a shield and you should not put it into that category.


A d4 does make more sense. Well a buckler is a shield in the sense that it is... A shield, it functions differently from a normal shield, but its still a shield. Really this is just arguing in which list it's placed. The fact that I gave it a bludgeoning attack makes it work like a simple weapon. Which is why I figured it needed a simple weapons proficiency more than a shield proficiency.

I could just avoid this problem all together and just make it a 1d4 martial weapon with a +1 AC reaction ability. But similar to my light shield, it's supposed to help squishy characters a bit. Making it a martial weapon would ruin that part.



A buckler was normally used in TWF and that is why it is smart to put it into the weapon category. - This way, elegantly, you get around all the extra rules that it cannot be used to perform shoves with it and how it interacts with weapons. Using it with a two-handed weapon is stupid for 2 reasons - first it was not done that way IRL and second, the game does not benefit from this, in the opposite, it makes two-handed weapons OP.


Point taken.



Your "light" shields weighs 10 lbs?? :smalleek: I do not see any reason why anybody should use a light shield over a "heavy" shield besides the strength requirement and that seems to be highly redundant. I would scratch the "light" and "heavy" if you do not have a mechanical difference in mind and leave it as "shield".


The STR requirement is the exact reason why there is a light shield. These things are designed for NPC use as well, and city guards, commoners & bandits don't have a lot of STR.

The 10 lbs is a bit much yes, 5 would probably work better. Though after looking around a tad my heavy should should weigh 10 lbs. Perhaps more if the player chooses to go with a heavier material.



Your tower shield is "just" a shield+ - If you are big and strong enough, its plainly better. If you do not think and on purpose want to strengthen STR melee builds, this is not a good choice. AC +1 means something in 5e... A tower shield should give a bonus in some contexts, but should be a major pain in others. I personally think that it would be great to have an option against ranged attacks and tower shields are made for that... The problem is that they are too heavy and clumsy to be used in 1 vs. 1 melee combat.


Which is sort of the point. I could probably change it by lowering the STR requirement and giving the user disadvantage on attack rolls or something similar.



- I like your idea to give the wearer disadvantage with stealth, but I would not add DEX and STR checks - as those are also necessary to use shieldmaster to shove and that would be weird - you allow that a bigger than large creature can be shoved, but then you put disadvantage on the throw? I personally would do neither.


With my variation on the tower shield you cannot use your DEX stat to Shove. Which is why I felt save imposing a DEX ST disadvantage, which in itself makes sense since while carrying around a heavy shield you won't be that fast and nimble as you would be without one.