3.5 Animated Tower shield, still take -2 to attacks? [Archive] - Wizards Community

3.5 Animated Tower shield, still take -2 to attacks? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Harmor
09-09-04, 03:51 PM Does an animated tower shield still give you a -2 to attacks?
Tony Vargas
09-09-04, 04:03 PM It's still big, it's still in the way - I don't see why it wouldn't.
Kainy
09-09-04, 06:53 PM Perhaps because animated shields specifically state that they get out of your way when you attack?
obrysii
09-09-04, 07:26 PM I'd say that you don't suffer the -2, because you arn't suffering from it being cumbersome in your hand.
Tony Vargas
09-09-04, 07:54 PM Perhaps because animated shields specifically state that they get out of your way when you attack?

You're probably think of the Shield spell, which does (or at least did in 3.0) say exactly that. This is what the SRD has to say about Animated:

"Animated: Upon command, an animated shield floats within 2 feet of the wielder, protecting her as if she were using it herself but freeing up both her hands. Only one shield can protect a character at a time. A character with an animated shield still takes any penalties associated with shield use, such as armor check penalty, arcane spell failure chance, and nonproficiency."

Italics added to the bits that would seem to imply that you still take the -2...
Dunbar
09-09-04, 08:27 PM With an animated shield...

...a rogue still has penalties to skills like move silent or hide.

...a monk loses his monk AC bonus, fast movement, and cannot use flurry.

...a wizard/sorceror/bard has a chance to lose a spell to ASF.

So why would a fighter not get the -2 to-hit with an animated tower shield? An animated shield lets you use your shield hand for something else, and that is all. A tower shield is still really big and still gets in the way, even when it is animated.
Count Arioch the 28th
09-09-04, 09:16 PM If the shield would normally give the fighter -2 to all attacks, then the animated version would as well.
Harmor
09-09-04, 09:51 PM Animated: Upon command, an animated shield floats within 2 feet of the wielder, protecting her as if she were using it herself but freeing up both her hands. Only one shield can protect a character at a time. A character with an animated shield still takes any penalties associated with shield use, such as armor check penalty, arcane spell failure chance, and nonproficiency."

Italics added to the bits that would seem to imply that you still take the -2...Does say anything about encumberance penalties.
teclis
09-09-04, 10:55 PM it's not an encumbrance penalty, it's an unnamed penalty, and as such fall into the category of "penalties associated with using it."
FreeTheSlaves
09-10-04, 03:34 AM Just ban animated shields, you know you want to.
Count Arioch the 28th
09-10-04, 08:24 AM I don't want to ban them . . .
Harmor
09-10-04, 09:26 AM it's not an encumbrance penalty, it's an unnamed penalty, and as such fall into the category of "penalties associated with using it."Actually in the description of the Tower shield is IS an encumberance penalty.

The shield weight is 46 pounds...that's pretty heavy.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Harmor 09-09-04, 03:51 PM	Does an animated tower shield still give you a -2 to attacks?
Tony Vargas 09-09-04, 04:03 PM	It's still big, it's still in the way - I don't see why it wouldn't.
Kainy 09-09-04, 06:53 PM	Perhaps because animated shields specifically state that they get out of your way when you attack?
obrysii 09-09-04, 07:26 PM	I'd say that you don't suffer the -2, because you arn't suffering from it being cumbersome in your hand.
Tony Vargas 09-09-04, 07:54 PM	Perhaps because animated shields specifically state that they get out of your way when you attack? You're probably think of the Shield spell, which does (or at least did in 3.0) say exactly that. This is what the SRD has to say about Animated: "Animated: Upon command, an animated shield floats within 2 feet of the wielder, protecting her as if she were using it herself but freeing up both her hands. Only one shield can protect a character at a time. A character with an animated shield still takes any penalties associated with shield use, such as armor check penalty, arcane spell failure chance, and nonproficiency." Italics added to the bits that would seem to imply that you still take the -2...
Dunbar 09-09-04, 08:27 PM	With an animated shield... ...a rogue still has penalties to skills like move silent or hide. ...a monk loses his monk AC bonus, fast movement, and cannot use flurry. ...a wizard/sorceror/bard has a chance to lose a spell to ASF. So why would a fighter not get the -2 to-hit with an animated tower shield? An animated shield lets you use your shield hand for something else, and that is all. A tower shield is still really big and still gets in the way, even when it is animated.
Count Arioch the 28th 09-09-04, 09:16 PM	If the shield would normally give the fighter -2 to all attacks, then the animated version would as well.
Harmor 09-09-04, 09:51 PM	Animated: Upon command, an animated shield floats within 2 feet of the wielder, protecting her as if she were using it herself but freeing up both her hands. Only one shield can protect a character at a time. A character with an animated shield still takes any penalties associated with shield use, such as armor check penalty, arcane spell failure chance, and nonproficiency." Italics added to the bits that would seem to imply that you still take the -2...Does say anything about encumberance penalties.
teclis 09-09-04, 10:55 PM	it's not an encumbrance penalty, it's an unnamed penalty, and as such fall into the category of "penalties associated with using it."
FreeTheSlaves 09-10-04, 03:34 AM	Just ban animated shields, you know you want to.
Count Arioch the 28th 09-10-04, 08:24 AM	I don't want to ban them . . .
Harmor 09-10-04, 09:26 AM	it's not an encumbrance penalty, it's an unnamed penalty, and as such fall into the category of "penalties associated with using it."Actually in the description of the Tower shield is IS an encumberance penalty. The shield weight is 46 pounds...that's pretty heavy.