For a Cap'n America build

[krugaan]

Human Eldritch knight
Feats: tavern brawler, shield master, prodigy (athletics expertise)
Fighting style: duelist

Prodigy really helps make Cap a good grappler without having to dip into unthematic bard or rogue for athletics expertise.

My questions:

1) is an improvised weapon like the shield eligible for duelist bonus damage?

2) can an improvised weapon like the shield be eligible for EK pact weapon? the bonus action to resummon to hand is sort of critical for the whole Cap'n throwing shield thing.

[ImproperJustice]

I think it will depend heavily on your GM and their buy in to your concept.

Me?
Totally on board with fun concepts that don’t ruin anyone else’s fun.

Some GMs?
They prefer to keep everything RAW to maintain a balanced table. Or at least as balanced as RAW allows it to be....

[Unoriginal]

Remember to pick up cold spells.

So that you can hail Hydra.

[krugaan]

I think it will depend heavily on your GM and their buy in to your concept.

Me?
Totally on board with fun concepts that don’t ruin anyone else’s fun.

Some GMs?
They prefer to keep everything RAW to maintain a balanced table. Or at least as balanced as RAW allows it to be....

Does it somewhere say improvised weapons don't actually count as melee weapons? I'm aware this is pretty murky RAW wise, but still.


Remember to pick up cold spells.

So that you can hail Hydra.

Zing.

[Eradis]

I'm not sure about improvised weapon counting as a weapon, but I sure do consider a shield one, especially the spiked shield. For the Eldritch Knight bond, I wouldn't see why your shield couldn't be summoned to you. A board and sword Eldritch Knight should bond both his shield and sword to always be ready to be at his top. Otherwise, if my memory serves me right, the dueling fighting style rule states that you must have a weapon in one hand and your other hand free of a weapon, but still allows shield (confirmed by the designer), insinuating a shield is not a weapon. Personally I allow my Swordmage to call forth his shield as well as his sword when his second bonded weapon isn't his bow.

[krugaan]

I'm not sure about improvised weapon counting as a weapon, but I sure do consider a shield one, especially the spiked shield. For the Eldritch Knight bond, I wouldn't see why your shield couldn't be summoned to you. A board and sword Eldritch Knight should bond both his shield and sword to always be ready to be at his top. Otherwise, if my memory serves me right, the dueling fighting style rule states that you must have a weapon in one hand and your other hand free of a weapon, but still allows shield (confirmed by the designer), insinuating a shield is not a weapon. Personally I allow my Swordmage to call forth his shield as well as his sword when his second bonded weapon isn't his bow.

ahhh nuts, I suppose that's true. Archery style then, for more accurate shield throwing!

[Eradis]

ahhh nuts, I suppose that's true. Archery style then, for more accurate shield throwing!

Don't forget this rule implies shield used as a shield. If it's used as a weapon, I'm guessing the Dualing fighting style will work, but take away that +2 to AC, also considering it's quite difficult to block an arrow coming your way when you just swing-ed (what's the past tense of this one? Autocorrect won't let me have it right) that plank of yours in your enemy's face.

[PhoenixPhyre]

I can't help too much with the proposed build, but I did write a homebrew class where one of the subclasses was "Captain America, the subclass":

Seeker of Forms (http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/B12upq1_-), Focus of the Eternal Ageis

--Gets an ability to BA shield bash (1d4 + STAT)
--At higher levels can throw the shield (2d4 + MOD)
--Gets protection style and can spend ki-equivalent resource to extend the range on it up to 20 ft
--Can bind all sorts of other pseudo-magical gear (like Incarnum) for various effects.

Downside is it's DEX focused, so grapples aren't as good.

It still needs play-testing and adjustment, but...

[lunaticfringe]

Don't forget this rule implies shield used as a shield. If it's used as a weapon, I'm guessing the Dualing fighting style will work, but take away that +2 to AC, also considering it's quite difficult to block an arrow coming your way when you just swing-ed (what's the past tense of this one? Autocorrect won't let me have it right) that plank of yours in your enemy's face.

Swung. Swinged is actually Swinge-d which is a different word. Though I think flung or hurled sounds better.

[Eradis]

Swung. Swinged is actually Swinge-d which is a different word. Though I think flung or hurled sounds better.

Thanks, this helps improved my second language. "swung" was underlined for an obscure reason that day and isn't today. Might have switched two letter without noticing though.

Oh... and eh... Shield stuff... (sorry I've got nothing more to contribute to this topic, but the thank you was justified.)