Shield types in 5e and remaking The Testudo

[BurgTurdler]

There was a Paragon path in 4e called The Snapping Testudo. If I remember right it was a fighter that wielded two shields and used them as weapons. I'm trying to rebuild that in 5th but I'm kind of stuck because the PHB just says Shield. It doesn't differentiate between Tower, Spiked, Buckler, etc. Have they released anything with stats for different shields?

Can you guys help me figure out how I could sell this to my DM? I'm thinking you'd need BM Fighter with TWF and the Shield Master feat as a minimum. I would say that they'd be piercing and bludgeoning damage and you'd get the +2 to AC from both but the balance to that is that they only do a d4+str mod damage. I can see this character ending up being more of a battlefield control type than a damage dealer. Once you get extra attack you can do the Athletics Check to bash for a prone with one shield then pound them in the face with the other and everyone else gets advantage too.

Any ideas?

[Giant2005]

You would need two feats for a starter: Dual Wielder and Tavern Brawler (the latter can be ignored if you don't mind dealing 1 + strmod damage and not having your proficiency bonus on attack rolls).
But as for advice on how to convince your DM to let it happen... I can't help you. Getting an extra 5-11 AC over your armor is absolutely massive - I wouldn't allow that under any circumstances. The rule in the PHB, page 144 states quite concisely "You can benefit from only one shield at a time." and it was made specifically to prevent this kind of game destruction.

[Kane0]

The Shield master feat sounds appropriate, and a Lizarkfolk's spiked shield might prove helpful.

[BurgTurdler]

I just found this from 2015: Link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-399961.html)

The subclass at the bottom is an interesting spin.

[BurgTurdler]

You would need two feats for a starter: Dual Wielder and Tavern Brawler (the latter can be ignored if you don't mind dealing 1 + strmod damage and not having your proficiency bonus on attack rolls).
But as for advice on how to convince your DM to let it happen... I can't help you. Getting an extra 5-11 AC over your armor is absolutely massive - I wouldn't allow that under any circumstances. The rule in the PHB, page 144 states quite concisely "You can benefit from only one shield at a time." and it was made specifically to prevent this kind of game destruction.

I can't figure how you got +5-11 to AC. The most I could see from two +2 AC shields would be +4.

[Giant2005]

I can't figure how you got +5-11 to AC. The most I could see from two +2 AC shields would be +4.

+1 more for dual-wielding, and up to +6 more from magic shields.

[BurgTurdler]

+1 more for dual-wielding, and up to +6 more from magic shields.

Oh. lol Yeah... I hadn't thought of that. Maybe I could pose that it couldn't have more than the +4 no matter what.

Iguess I'm deeply into homebrew range at this point. Damn... I wanted this to be sort of legit.

[Giant2005]

If you want it to be legit, go SnB style with a Warhammer and a Shield. The Warhammer is mechanically a Warhammer, but just flavor it as another shield (as in it is a shield that acts as a Warhammer rather than a shield).
Your DM should be perfectly okay with that.

[Foxhound438]

If you want it to be legit, go SnB style with a Warhammer and a Shield. The Warhammer is mechanically a Warhammer, but just flavor it as another shield (as in it is a shield that acts as a Warhammer rather than a shield).
Your DM should be perfectly okay with that.

even if they're not, they don't know what you're picturing in your head when you say "hit it with a war hammer"

Basically to "legit" build this I'd say take shield master (bonus action shove prone) and use warhammer and dueling fighting style, re-fluffed as recommended above. Possibly go eldritch knight for the shield spell, and take magic initiate cleric (or just a cleric level) for shield of faith. Everything is shields. your armor is plate, but all the plates are shields. Your sandals are shields too. You go to a bar, you order a beer... but in your mind, you're drinking another shield.

Anyways, it ends up a pretty standard EK tank, AC is 20, 22 with shield of faith, 25 with shield of not faith, and 27 with both once you get plate armor.

[BurgTurdler]

If you want it to be legit, go SnB style with a Warhammer and a Shield. The Warhammer is mechanically a Warhammer, but just flavor it as another shield (as in it is a shield that acts as a Warhammer rather than a shield).
Your DM should be perfectly okay with that.

Hey... That's a really good idea! Thanks :smallcool:

[BurgTurdler]

even if they're not, they don't know what you're picturing in your head when you say "hit it with a war hammer"

Basically to "legit" build this I'd say take shield master (bonus action shove prone) and use warhammer and dueling fighting style, re-fluffed as recommended above. Possibly go eldritch knight for the shield spell, and take magic initiate cleric (or just a cleric level) for shield of faith. Everything is shields. your armor is plate, but all the plates are shields. Your sandals are shields too. You go to a bar, you order a beer... but in your mind, you're drinking another shield.

Anyways, it ends up a pretty standard EK tank, AC is 20, 22 with shield of faith, 25 with shield of not faith, and 27 with both once you get plate armor.

Thanks! That's great too!

[Lombra]

The legit way is to dual wield shields and attack with them treating them as improvised weapons: you'll get AC bonus from only one of the two, so you can do that without feats, although two weapon fighting style (protection is cool too), tavern brawler and shield master go well with the build.

Keep in mind that both hands are occupied, so no grapples available.

Sure it's not fantastic but if the DM follows your fluff you could get a +2 magic shield soon ;)

[Giant2005]

The legit way is to dual wield shields and attack with them treating them as improvised weapons: you'll get AC bonus from only one of the two, so you can do that without feats, although two weapon fighting style (protection is cool too), tavern brawler and shield master go well with the build.

You do need feats - you need the Dual Wielder feat to be able to dual-wield weapons that don't have the Light property. Tavern brawler would also be extremely advisable in order to inflict more than 1 base damage and more importantly, add your proficiency bonus to attack rolls.

[Lombra]

You do need feats - you need the Dual Wielder feat to be able to dual-wield weapons that don't have the Light property. Tavern brawler would also be extremely advisable in order to inflict more than 1 base damage and more importantly, add your proficiency bonus to attack rolls.

Yeah I forgot about the light weapons thing, my bad. But don't improvised strikes deal 1d4 regardless of tavern brawler? With this build you'll attack with the shield (improvised weapon) not the fists. Tavern brawler do is valueable but not necessary like dual wielder

[Giant2005]

Yeah I forgot about the light weapons thing, my bad. But don't improvised strikes deal 1d4 regardless of tavern brawler? With this build you'll attack with the shield (improvised weapon) not the fists. Tavern brawler do is valueable but not necessary like dual wielder

Fair call.

[EvanescentHero]

Shield Master seems to me like a necessary feat for this build.

[Wulfskadi]

Simply allow no armor. Give the tetsudo the ability to use two shields. Say the ability does not work while armored. done.

[Fighting_Ferret]

From the equipment section in the PHB:

"Shields. A shield is made from wood or metal and
is carried in one hand. Wielding a shield increases
your Armor Class by 2. You can benefit from only one
shield at a time."

A magical shield wouldn't add it's bonus to the attack roll or damage(it's a defensive bonus, not an offensive bonus), however it would be considered magical for overcoming damage resistance. Also attacking with a shield does not deprive the user of its defensive bonuses.

[JackPhoenix]

Yeah I forgot about the light weapons thing, my bad. But don't improvised strikes deal 1d4 regardless of tavern brawler? With this build you'll attack with the shield (improvised weapon) not the fists. Tavern brawler do is valueable but not necessary like dual wielder

The damage isn't a problem, not adding proficiency bonus to hit is. In a long run, you lose more damage that way than by having smaller damage die.

[Lombra]

The damage isn't a problem, not adding proficiency bonus to hit is. In a long run, you lose more damage that way than by having smaller damage die.

It is in fact valueable, but not necessary (dual wielder is necessary because you couldn't dual wield shields, and tavern brawler is not needed but almost mandatory for the build's effectiveness)

[JackPhoenix]

It is in fact valueable, but not necessary (dual wielder is necessary because you couldn't dual wield shields, and tavern brawler is not needed but almost mandatory for the build's effectiveness)

You only need dual wielder if you want to use both of them as weapons at the same time. You can use one shield as improvised weapon and the other as, well, shield.

IMO, Tavern Brawler > Dual Wielder for such character. Dual Wielder is optional, Shield Master would be good replacement too, if you get Athletics proficiency.

[Lombra]

You only need dual wielder if you want to use both of them as weapons at the same time. You can use one shield as improvised weapon and the other as, well, shield.

IMO, Tavern Brawler > Dual Wielder for such character. Dual Wielder is optional, Shield Master would be good replacement too, if you get Athletics proficiency.

Since damage is not the objective of the build you are right.

[Douche]

What's the point of having 2 shields if he doesn't get the armor bonus?

[Lombra]

What's the point of having 2 shields if he doesn't get the armor bonus?

Pure flavour I guess, this forum is not only about optimization, and that's a very good thig :P