What games do interesting things with shields?

Narmer · September 17, 2018, 04:19:38 PM

So The Hero's Journey: Fantasy Roleplaying gives shields their due in my opinion. This Swords & Wizardry Whitebox derivative has armor act as a damage reducer and only shields and dexterity adjustments affect armor class. And instead of a measly +1 to AC, shields give a significant boost. Large shields give a +8 to ascending AC for example.

RPGPundit · September 19, 2018, 04:57:20 AM

Quote from: Beldar;1055952Most tabletop games greatly undervalue shields. Fighting with a shield is a real game changer on the battlefield. They are far more than the small AC bonus classic games provide. What games out there do interesting thinga with shields in combat other than just a tiny AC boost? I'm not talking only about D&D types, but any traditional tabletop RPG.

In Lion & Dragon there are parrying/blocking rules that make use of shields. You can parry with a weapon, but it's more effective to block with a shield.

Warboss Squee · September 19, 2018, 06:45:35 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;1056810In Lion & Dragon there are parrying/blocking rules that make use of shields. You can parry with a weapon, but it's more effective to block with a shield.

What are the pros/cons of either?

RPGPundit · September 21, 2018, 02:49:06 AM

Quote from: Warboss Squee;1056823What are the pros/cons of either?

Some classes have bonuses with using specific weapons (that they get as they level up), so in some cases the chance to block will be higher with the weapon than with the shield (though the shield has a base +2 to blocking, in addition to the base attack, so you'd need to have +3 or higher with the specific weapon for it to be more worthwhile), but then after you block, you roll against the damage dealt to see if you succeed in the parry, and in those cases weapons roll a base D4 while shields roll a base d8.

So in most cases, it's better to block with a shield than a weapon, but if you're true master of a weapon it might be better to block with the weapon.

TheHistorian · September 22, 2018, 09:30:33 PM

Quote from: Sable Wyvern;1055964In Hackmaster (4E) shields increase your chance of being hit but, if you are hit, there is an excellent chance the hit will be to your shield, which means your enemy does less damage, and more of said damage is soaked. A particularly heavy hit to a shield may break it, however.

Minor correction: that should be Hackmaster 5E.

Sable Wyvern · September 23, 2018, 08:52:14 AM

Quote from: TheHistorian;1057448Minor correction: that should be Hackmaster 5E.

Right you are.

What games do interesting things with shields?

Narmer

RPGPundit

Warboss Squee

RPGPundit

TheHistorian

Sable Wyvern