Rogue question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Rogue question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
frapast1981
03-02-07, 03:08 AM Hi to everybody

I have a little questione regarding rogues, and I don't have my PHB ay hand:

Is a rogue proficient with light metal shields or has he to spend a feat?

Thank you in advance for your kindly answers.
philnicau
03-02-07, 03:22 AM Hi to everybody

I have a little questione regarding rogues, and I don't have my PHB ay hand:

Is a rogue proficient with light metal shields or has he to spend a feat?

Thank you in advance for your kindly answers.

Rogues are not proficient with shields
Green Elven Vampire
03-02-07, 03:33 AM A Rogue with a shield?? That's like a Paladin with a drug problem, it's just not going to happen due to his disposition.
frapast1981
03-02-07, 06:27 AM In our group my rogue went often melee, because I can do a lot more wounds with my sneak attack, if i can flank.
Recently we found a dwarven light metal shield with element resistance, and I'm the only one interested in using it (our fighter use a two-handed sword, and our rangers prefer to make ranged attacks).
Why Green Elven Vampire do you say that "this is not hoing to happen due to his disposition"?
Mirashira
03-02-07, 06:47 AM well you can argue over that point .... if you want to spend a feat on Shield Proficiency just to get that resistance you could easily get otherwise (Buffs, Items - just sell the shield and get another item with the same resistances) - then go for it...It's your character and i don't want to tell you what you have to do.
But in my opinion it would not be worth it ... you can easily get other weapons/armor/items BUT you cannot change your feats. So choose wisely :P
frapast1981
03-02-07, 09:51 AM Thank you very much Mirashira

I never intended to spent a feat to get shield proficency. I thought that should be interesting and useful for my character to go in battle with a shield, because I'm only a rogue and don't have so much HP.
It's sometime difficult for me to go melee, because my AC is not so high and to improve it a bit....
However I'm Rogue 3rd Lvl and next to 4th Lvl, I will buy another dexterity point so that my score will be 18 (another AC point at least!).

Thanks to everyone for your fast and kind answers:)
Mirashira
03-02-07, 10:12 AM well you _could_ use it without the proficiency feat.
but if you are using a shield with which you are not proficient, you take the shield's armor check penalty on attack rolls and on all skill checks that involve moving, including ride checks.

In your case, as you said it is a light steel Shield - it would give you a +1 Bonus to AC but also a -1 on attacks, and said skill checks.
Calmar
03-02-07, 07:47 PM Which gives me the impression, everybody could use mithral shields... ;)

frapast1981, why don't you just get your rogue a nice fighter level, that gives her/him many hp, lots of proficiencies (also with all shields), a better BaB and a bonus feat.
Call 555 015 f-t-r. :D
Kid SixXx
03-07-07, 08:17 AM I never intended to spent a feat to get shield proficency. I thought that should be interesting and useful for my character to go in battle with a shield, because I'm only a rogue and don't have so much HP.

If you're thinking about getting a shield, you're planning on getting hit a lot.

You're not thinking very "rogue-ly" ;)

Tumble and flank, my friend. Tumble and flank.
Perun
03-07-07, 12:23 PM Recently we found a dwarven light metal shield with element resistance [...] <snip>

So, it's a magic shield?

well you _could_ use it without the proficiency feat.
but if you are using a shield with which you are not proficient, you take the shield's armor check penalty on attack rolls and on all skill checks that involve moving, including ride checks.

In your case, as you said it is a light steel Shield - it would give you a +1 Bonus to AC but also a -1 on attacks, and said skill checks.

Except it's (presumably) a magic shield, meaning it's also, by definition, masterwork. Masterwork armour and shields reduce their armour check penalty by 1.

A light shield has armour check penalty of -1, and a masterwork one's ACP is 0.

So, a non-proficient character could use one with no penalty whatsoever.

And the said shield should give a +2 shield bonus to AC, at least (+1 by being a light shield, +1 enhancement that it must have in order to have another magical effect (energy resistance in this case)).

Regards.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
frapast1981 03-02-07, 03:08 AM	Hi to everybody I have a little questione regarding rogues, and I don't have my PHB ay hand: Is a rogue proficient with light metal shields or has he to spend a feat? Thank you in advance for your kindly answers.
philnicau 03-02-07, 03:22 AM	Hi to everybody I have a little questione regarding rogues, and I don't have my PHB ay hand: Is a rogue proficient with light metal shields or has he to spend a feat? Thank you in advance for your kindly answers. Rogues are not proficient with shields
Green Elven Vampire 03-02-07, 03:33 AM	A Rogue with a shield?? That's like a Paladin with a drug problem, it's just not going to happen due to his disposition.
frapast1981 03-02-07, 06:27 AM	In our group my rogue went often melee, because I can do a lot more wounds with my sneak attack, if i can flank. Recently we found a dwarven light metal shield with element resistance, and I'm the only one interested in using it (our fighter use a two-handed sword, and our rangers prefer to make ranged attacks). Why Green Elven Vampire do you say that "this is not hoing to happen due to his disposition"?
Mirashira 03-02-07, 06:47 AM	well you can argue over that point .... if you want to spend a feat on Shield Proficiency just to get that resistance you could easily get otherwise (Buffs, Items - just sell the shield and get another item with the same resistances) - then go for it...It's your character and i don't want to tell you what you have to do. But in my opinion it would not be worth it ... you can easily get other weapons/armor/items BUT you cannot change your feats. So choose wisely :P
frapast1981 03-02-07, 09:51 AM	Thank you very much Mirashira I never intended to spent a feat to get shield proficency. I thought that should be interesting and useful for my character to go in battle with a shield, because I'm only a rogue and don't have so much HP. It's sometime difficult for me to go melee, because my AC is not so high and to improve it a bit.... However I'm Rogue 3rd Lvl and next to 4th Lvl, I will buy another dexterity point so that my score will be 18 (another AC point at least!). Thanks to everyone for your fast and kind answers:)
Mirashira 03-02-07, 10:12 AM	well you _could_ use it without the proficiency feat. but if you are using a shield with which you are not proficient, you take the shield's armor check penalty on attack rolls and on all skill checks that involve moving, including ride checks. In your case, as you said it is a light steel Shield - it would give you a +1 Bonus to AC but also a -1 on attacks, and said skill checks.
Calmar 03-02-07, 07:47 PM	Which gives me the impression, everybody could use mithral shields... ;) frapast1981, why don't you just get your rogue a nice fighter level, that gives her/him many hp, lots of proficiencies (also with all shields), a better BaB and a bonus feat. Call 555 015 f-t-r. :D
Kid SixXx 03-07-07, 08:17 AM	I never intended to spent a feat to get shield proficency. I thought that should be interesting and useful for my character to go in battle with a shield, because I'm only a rogue and don't have so much HP. If you're thinking about getting a shield, you're planning on getting hit a lot. You're not thinking very "rogue-ly" ;) Tumble and flank, my friend. Tumble and flank.
Perun 03-07-07, 12:23 PM	Recently we found a dwarven light metal shield with element resistance [...] <snip> So, it's a magic shield? well you _could_ use it without the proficiency feat. but if you are using a shield with which you are not proficient, you take the shield's armor check penalty on attack rolls and on all skill checks that involve moving, including ride checks. In your case, as you said it is a light steel Shield - it would give you a +1 Bonus to AC but also a -1 on attacks, and said skill checks. Except it's (presumably) a magic shield, meaning it's also, by definition, masterwork. Masterwork armour and shields reduce their armour check penalty by 1. A light shield has armour check penalty of -1, and a masterwork one's ACP is 0. So, a non-proficient character could use one with no penalty whatsoever. And the said shield should give a +2 shield bonus to AC, at least (+1 by being a light shield, +1 enhancement that it must have in order to have another magical effect (energy resistance in this case)). Regards.