Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The_Basilisk 04-16-07, 07:31 PM	Character who will be using it is an elven druid, if that helps. I will get a Hvy Wooden shield+2, with a +1 equivalent magic enhancement. Which one would you pick?
snakebliskan 04-16-07, 08:01 PM	I always liked bashing gives you another att option!
sineous blackspell 04-16-07, 08:17 PM	fortification-light
Jaxgaret 04-16-07, 08:20 PM	Death Ward is my favorite. Nothing better than not being dead. Of course, that's better for casters without a good Fort save.
unusualsuspect 04-16-07, 08:20 PM	I've become enamored with the Variable enhancement from the MIC. Swift action commands means, for the most part, you aren't making actions that'll interfere with, say, moving 20 feet to a fallen companion and casting Regeneration. Also, if you're worried more about protection than attacking into melee or special movement, a +2 tower shield works a bit better then even a +3 heavy wooden shield.
draconic_swine 04-16-07, 09:42 PM	Of the enhancements from the SRD (which there are few), bashing or light fortification are the only really useful ones. Which one you take depends whether you want some more potential offense or a better defence. I'd personally go for bashing, and wait to get medium fortification or heavy fortification.
The_Basilisk 04-17-07, 12:04 PM	Thanks guys. I was really looking at light fortification, but I was flipping through my Magic Item Compendium (I haven't read through it completely, its still new) and found ranged, which I took. It has a 30 ft. range increment when thrown, 1d8+2 dmg (hvy shield+2) and returns to hand as a free action, sweet!
bondious 04-17-07, 04:35 PM	Thanks guys. I was really looking at light fortification, but I was flipping through my Magic Item Compendium (I haven't read through it completely, its still new) and found ranged, which I took. It has a 30 ft. range increment when thrown, 1d8+2 dmg (hvy shield+2) and returns to hand as a free action, sweet! All of that for just a +1? Dang! Kinda like Bashing, Throwing, Returning and Distance x2 all rolled into one (at least as ranged attacks go). I'm thinking that this might almost be TOO GOOD.
Archangel62 04-17-07, 04:37 PM	All of that for just a +1? Dang! Kinda like Bashing, Throwing, Returning and Distance x2 all rolled into one (at least as ranged attacks go). I'm thinking that this might almost be TOO GOOD. It's not as useful as you'd think. One of the big things is that WotC is trying to beef up the ol' Sword and Board fighters and also most shield augmentations have been rather lacking.
bondious 04-17-07, 05:00 PM	It's not as useful as you'd think. One of the big things is that WotC is trying to beef up the ol' Sword and Board fighters and also most shield augmentations have been rather lacking. I'd say it's pretty useful...but that's not what I was saying. What I was trying to say is that this one +1 enhancement does the work of up to +5 worth of regular weapon enhancements, which is what I thought might be "too good". Heavy shield damage = d6, or d8 with Bashing (in this case it looks like the damage is d8) Throwing provides a range increment of 10' Distance extends the range increment by 10', (in this case, range increment is 30', so you'd need Distance x2, if that's even legal) Returning sends the weapon back to your hand, ready to be used, just before your next round. Now I haven't read about this since I don't own that book, and I'm going off of The_Basilisk's description, but this one +1 ability seems to be doing +5 worth of work. Even if it is only for a shield that's still pretty buff in my opinion, and I'd probably charge a +2 if I was to have created something like this myself. In any event, I think it's a pretty cool ability. I'm a comicbook fan and have always liked adapting comic elements into D&D games, and this is right up my alley (ie: Captain America, R.I.P. :weep: ). I'm just questioning the price of it because WotC tends to overpower things whenever they come out with a new supplement, at least in my opinion they do. :duel:
tyrecian 04-17-07, 06:25 PM	i would save money and go for wild =) that way when you shapechange your shield will stay with you with the +4 total ac you are using. also if the +2 is enhancement to defense, then it probably isnt going to help you hit, therefore you most likely are not getting the +2 that you added, unless that is your strength =) hard to say, that sounds nice for a fighter, but how often are you really going to be throwing your shield. Remeber that it takes a bit for it to return, your DM could be hitting you while its on its way back and you might not have the AC (at least our DM made all returning items return on the next rounds begin, so that if you threw a trident and then attacked with a greatsword you wouldnt lose the trident (of returning) which would return on the beginning of the fighter's next turn... course that is a houserule) i like it though =)
The_Basilisk 04-18-07, 12:26 PM	also if the +2 is enhancement to defense, then it probably isnt going to help you hit, therefore you most likely are not getting the +2 that you added, unless that is your strength =) You wouldn't think so, but the property description states that you add the enhancement bonus to attack and damage when you throw it. Therefore, a +2 ranged shield counts as a +2 thrown weapon. It's good, but I picked it more for a bit of combat flair and fun than for character optimization.