Shields Revised (3.5e Variant Rule)
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Shields Revised
Shields are kind of a main staple of the whole medieval fantasy warrior thing that a lot of D&D campaigns are built around. That said, the way shields are implemented in core D&D, their functionality is more like a second source of armor. This leaves some things to be desired.
This transformational variant rule intends to fix some of these things, making shields more than simply an additional source of AC. Plus, with many variant rules in existence that smoothes over character progression (such as Scaling Benefits), I don't feel this game benefits much from shields as just another numerical bonus to your defenses.
The Functionality of a Shield
A shield is a barrier that you carry with you, to absorb damage. How much damage a shield can absorb depends on three things; the shield's stability rating, its reduction value, and the amount of time the character has available to renew his guard. A shield in the hand of a proficient user blocks incoming attacks, taking less damage from them. Only attacks that hit can be blocked, since missed attacks do not need blocking.
To be able to block with a shield, the user must be aware of the attacker and be allowed his Dexterity bonus to AC.
Stability
Stability is the amount of damage a shield can absorb. Smaller shields like bucklers or light shields only take one strong hit to penetrate and only reduce a small portion of incoming damage, yet heavy shields and tower shields can greatly diminish the user's damage taken. Whenever a character using a shield gets hit by a blow, the damage is dealt to the shield's stability. A shield cannot absorb more damage than it has stability remaining. Any damage dealt over the shield's remaining stability is dealt undiminished to the user.
Note that stability is relative to the user and not the shield. When the user exchanges shields, the amount of stability damage he has taken is preserved. If he switches to a weaker shield, this stability damage can become negative until replenished. Likewise, any character receiving a used shield from another character starts at full stability.
Stability Rating
Each shield has a stability rating. The stability rating determines the base amount of stability a shield has. A shield's stability equals its stability rating times the user's base attack bonus. To wield a shield effectively against powerful attacks, a character also needs Strength. Any damage dealt to a shield's stability gets reduced by an amount up to its wielder's Strength bonus.
Example: Bob is a 5 fighter with a Constitution of 14 and a Strength of 18. A heavy shield used by Bob (stability rating 5) has a stability of 25. If Bob blocks a successful attack against him that deals 20 damage, his Strength bonus of +4 reduces the damage to his shield's stability to 16.
Recovering Stability
A shield passively recovers stability at a rate of the wielder's Constitution bonus per round. Furthermore, he may regain additional stability by 'resting', expending certain actions to do nothing. A move or standard action recovers an amount of stability equal to the wielder's BAB. A full-round action combines the former two, recovering twice the user's BAB. Stability regained over the shield's maximum is lost. Using the Total Defense action counts as using a full-round action to recover stability.
Example: Bob passively recovers 2 points of stability every round. By expending a move- or standard action, he can recover an additional 5 stability that round (or 10, if he does both). The total stability he can recover in any round is 12.
Reduction
Shields reduce incoming damage by a certain percentage, rounded up to the next integer. Heavier shields generally reduce more damage than lighter ones.
A shield has reduction values for specific types of damage. Mundane shields usually only have physical reduction. For ease of calculation, all reduction percentages are a multiple of 10.
- Physical Reduction: The percentage of bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage that is reduced.
- Magic Reduction: The percentage of damage from non-elemental spells and spell-like effects that is reduced.
- Elemental Reduction: The percentage of energy damage (acid, cold, electricity and fire, each taken individually) that is reduced. Sonic damage is not reduced by shields, as it is generally unaffected by physical barriers.
Example: Bob's heavy shield has a physical reduction of 50%. In blocking that attack that dealt 20 damage, he took 10 damage himself.
Revised Shield Statistics
| Shield | Cost | Shield Bonus1 | Stability Rating | Reduction Percentage2 (%) | Maximum Dex Bonus |
Armor Check Penalty |
Arcane Spell Failure Chance |
Weight | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | M | A | C | E | F | ||||||||
| Buckler | 25 gp | +0 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | –1 | 5% | 5 lb. |
| Shield, light wooden | 20 gp | +1 | 4 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | — | –1 | 5% | 5 lb. |
| Shield, light steel | 30 gp | +1 | 4 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | — | –1 | 5% | 6 lb. |
| Shield, heavy wooden | 40 gp | +2 | 5 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | — | –2 | 15% | 10 lb. |
| Shield, heavy steel | 60 gp | +2 | 5 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | — | –2 | 15% | 15 lb. |
| Shield, tower | 200 gp | +4 | 8 | 80 | 0 | 30 | 30 | 50 | 50 | +2 | –10 | 50% | 45 lb. |
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Masterwork Shields
A masterwork shield increases the effective base attack bonus of its user by 1 point for the purpose of total stability and its recovery.
A masterwork element for a shield adds 300 gp to the price.
Magic Shields
A magic shield increases the effective base attack bonus of its user by 1 point per point of base enhancement bonus for the purpose of total stability and its recovery. This overwrites the bonus from masterwork. Furthermore, each point of enhancement bonus increases the shield's Magic reduction by 10%, and its shield bonus to AC against ranged attacks by 1.
Notes
This variant rule should be mechanically functional, but is still subject to change. I am aware that it is a fair bit of work to keep track of things, though I am looking for ways to simplify this expansion of core rules. Please direct any questions and suggestions to the Talk page.
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