Shield bashing and you

[KhyberKruel]

So here's a few thoughts and suggestions I've had since starting pretty much every character since the release of shield bash with the feat line... and trying to make it useful.

Of course first would be the damage reduction, which everyone has noticed and made a point of. Unsure if its intended, but if you have a weapon equipped that bypasses that reduction your shield bash will go through it! Tested it with silver and cold iron weapons on fey and vampire/werewolves.

Two weapon fighting vs. Agile shield fighter - With the gloves you can buy that provide the two weapon fighting feat for free anything aside from a tower shield can be bashed with without the -ab. The Agile shield fighter feat requires two feat investments for the same effect, which is another reason shield fighters are feat starved. A suggestion to help with that would be to allow those with the feat to sneak attack with shields (even thought bashing with a shield is considered an off handed attack with a martial weapon >.<) or allowing you to add your dex damage to your shield bash kind like the feat swash buckler gets. Its not much, but it would give more of a reason to use the second feat when focusing on shields. The other still letting you switch between two weapons or shields if you really hate having feats for anything else heh

Shield slam! While super neat and kinda useful I've noticed a few things and would like to share my thoughts. First I would love to have the green stun indication back like when the ability first came out, for nothing other than to let people I'm grouped with know that thing is stunned. Secondly would it be possible to instead of using an attack in the round to deliver the ability to use the shield bash that round instead. Currently ever round I smack things twice in a row with a shield and it looks hilarious, but it also gives me three attacks at my max AB (though two do alot less dmg).

Shield charge is actually pretty good where its at. Some times you don't shield bash during your charge round, but the next bash you throw out will attempt to know them down. Using shield charge instead of normal charge helps with that too.

While I don't know if it is code-able, I sure would love to see the ab and damage on the shield bash and slam to have buffs and debuffs added to it. Strength has an effect on it and that's about it as far as I've seen.

Chest bashing while disabling or unlocking... If you have to bash a chest that can't fight back the extra shield damage really isn't required. I'd make it where you can't bash objects as more than one time I made party members scatter when it auto bashed a trapped chest. Sure it doesn't trigger the trap, but its a bit unnecessary and a bit game breaking.

Thought not related to the actually feats I would be very happy to see some shields added that deal extra damage or effects.

Finally I would like to say give the feat line a chance before you dismiss it. It is very powerful at lower levels as it gives you and extra attack, and at higher levels it is pretty constant damage that has a good chance to hit.

[R0ninknight]

Noticing shield bash was implemented when I looked at the server customizations was actually a -huge- factor in my trying out this server at first. Later, though, I ended up having to ditch the whole feat tree it because gishes are so feat starved and taking all those feats end up being a nerf!
My original idea was 'if the shield bash stuns then you get no reflex save the next round so that's my cue to start casting!'. I was, fortunately, informed early enough that this was not going to work out well if at all here.

I really like the concept of shield bashing. I'm hoping it gets some love so that it can be useful to more builds.

[PJtheFey]

You forgot the all important dual wielding shield basher... Tower shield on each arm, pow pow pow...


Kidding...


It was just an amusing mental image.

[R0ninknight]

In tabletop once I portrayed a character that used two spiked shields. With proper wealth management and access to NPC crafters for customizations it worked out really, really well- I was quite pleasantly surprised. Also no, the ACs didn't stack- I just used different effects on each shield and I really enjoyed the tactical adaptability.