Shields
A shield affords extra protection at the loss of use of one hand.
Shields serve two useful functions: first, they provide a bonus to AC against the hexes you are facing, either one or two as per the rules of Facing. This bonus only applies as long as at least one point of Combat Ability is spent on BDB.
Second, a shield is the best defense against arrows and other ranged attacks. When a character is aware of an incoming arrow or other ranged weapon (he does not need to actively observe its being fired, merely be aware that the person who is firing it is present), he may spend 2 AP and make a shield check. This is an Immediate Action. If successful, the arrow is blocked and negated. A shield check is:
D20 + Agility + Reflex modifier + BDB + Facing
Each shield has a different DC to successfully block an arrow, representing the difference between shields with which it is very easy to block (tower shield) and those with which it is nigh impossible to block (buckler). Any condition that would make you lose your shield bonus to AC makes blocking a projectile in this manner impossible.
While these are usually referred to as arrows, any projectile, whether thrown or fired, can be blocked like this with a shield.
As an action costing 4 AP on your turn or 6 AP off-turn, you may hunker down and gain a +10 on all shield checks vs projectiles. This also makes such checks free as opposed to costing 2 AP as normal. You must remain this way for the entire round, and may keep it or choose to come out of the stance (for 2 AP) at the beginning of your next turn. This applies only to light and heavy shields - it cannot be done with a simple shield.
Any situation which denies you your Dex also denies you the opportunity to defend against projectiles in this manner. It also denies you your shield bonus to AC (because you have no CA to your BDB).
Shield bashes are just like normally attacking with an off-hand weapon. All shields used this way are martial weapons (though proficiency is determined by shield proficiency) - simple and light shields are light weapons (though they cannot be used in a grapple nor finessed), and heavy shields are one-handed weapons. Shields are normally bludgeoning weapons - added spikes deal piercing, though normal damage is still dealt.. Damage is determined by the shield type - see description. You can bash as long as you could make an attack with your shield arm - whether or not you have your shield bonus to AC that round does not matter, and conditions that prevent you from using your shield do not usually prevent you from making a bash.
Shield Types
Simple Shields
| Shield Type | AC Bonus | Arrow Block DC |
AP | Price(uV) | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I'm a shield | I block swords | and arrows | -- | I cost a bunch | and am heavy lb |
| Cloth Wrap | 1* | Impossible | -- | - | 0 lb |
| Cloak/Cape/etc. | 1* | 35 | -- | - | 0 lb |
| Bracer Shield | 1 | 40 | -1 | 10 | 3 lb |
| Buckler | 1 | 40 | -- | 15 | 6 lb |
| Leather Shield | 1* | 50 | -- | 5 | 2 lb |
* See Description
Light Shields
| Shield Type | AC Bonus | Arrow Block DC |
AP | Price(uV) | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Wooden Shield | 1 | 35 | -1 | 10 | 5 lb |
| Light Wooden Shield | 2 | 30 | -1 | 15 | 10 lb |
| Light Metal Shield | 3 | 35 | -2 | 15 | 20 lb |
| Banded Wooden Shield | 3 | 30 | -2 | 15 | 15 lb |
* See Description
Heavy Shields
| Shield Type | AC Bonus | Arrow Block DC |
AP | Price(uV) | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Wooden Shield | 4 | 20 | -2 | 20 | 25 lb |
| Wooden Kite Shield | 4 | 20 | -3 | 25 | 30 lb |
| Round Metal Shield | 4 | 25 | -4 | 30 | 30 lb |
| Metal Kite Shield | 4 | 25 | -5 | 35 | 35 lb |
| Tower Shield | 5 | 15 | -6 | 40 | 45 lb |
* See Description
Shield additions
| Shield Type | AC Bonus | Arrow Block DC |
AP | Price(uV) | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shield Studs | - | -- | -- | 2 | 2 lb |
| Shield Spikes | 1 | -- | -1 | 4 | 6 lb |
