Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

Alright so I'm thinking of making a tanky mctank but not a dwarven defender character (Blasphemy, I know) and I'm wondering if sneak attack damage will factor in to shield bash attacks.

Also I hate trolls and I've never been able to select torch fighting as a feat option. Is there some trick to finding it in the list? Am I just not looking hard enough? Or do you just like need to equip a torch prior to level up to meet its pre-requisite? Please illuminate (I crack myself up) this mystery for me.

Yes, you just need to equip a torch in your offhand and then the feat should be added to your char.

No clue about sneak damage.



And i'd like to add shieldbash questions of me own, as we seem not to get any server updates anymore :

You gain an additional shield bash at BAB 11, and another one at BAB 21.

Are these additional attacks implemented now ?

Does bardic inspire courage add to shield damage yet?

Theodore01 wrote:And i'd like to add shieldbash questions of me own, as we seem not to get any server updates anymore :

You gain an additional shield bash at BAB 11, and another one at BAB 21.

Are these additional attacks implemented now ?

Only one attack per round. AFAIK, shieldbash is considered an off-hand weapon similar to basic two weapon fighting.

Theodore01 wrote:Does bardic inspire courage add to shield damage yet?

No. Just bludgeoning damage.

Where did you get the above quoted information?

I've foubd that sneak attack does indeed work with shield bashing, and it should be noted that the stun from shield slam opens the opponent up to sneak attacks as well even from the front.

Duster47 wrote:Only one attack per round. AFAIK, shieldbash is considered an off-hand weapon similar to basic two weapon fighting.

Seems the Wiki needs a change. I wonder if anyone will take Weapon Focus/Weapon Specialization [Shield Type] then.

Duster47 wrote:

Theodore01 wrote:Does bardic inspire courage add to shield damage yet?

No. Just bludgeoning damage.
Where did you get the above quoted information?

A bard can use song or poetics to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. This gives a bonus to hit and damage. It starts at +1, and becomes +2 at 8th level, +3 at 14th level, and +4 at 20th level.

That adds damage to all melee and ranged attacks. - It is only logical to assume that it should work also on Shieldbash and Weapon and Torch Style. Why does it not?

Theodore01 wrote:

A bard can use song or poetics to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. This gives a bonus to hit and damage. It starts at +1, and becomes +2 at 8th level, +3 at 14th level, and +4 at 20th level.

That adds damage to all melee and ranged attacks. - It is only logical to assume that it should work also on Shieldbash and Weapon and Torch Style. Why does it not?

I know there is no additional damage added to either Shield Bash or the fire damage when using Torch-style fighting. I do not know if that is a bug or a feature. I am unsure if Inspire Courage's ATK-bonus is added or not.

Okay so as far as I can tell the behaviour of Shield Bash attack wise is as follows:

- I believe the attack scaling works as intended: Goes from 1 to 2 to 3 attacks in a round.
- Attack damage is d4/d6/d8 + STR modifiers
- The attack is made at the highest AB you have - progression. This means your shield bash will typically have a higher AB than your main strike unless you are using a buckler.
- No active attack bonuses stack with it. This includes Divine Might etc.

I am of the opinion that the feat is weak atm.

MopKnight wrote:- No active attack bonuses stack with it. This includes Divine Might etc.
I am of the opinion that the feat is weak atm.

That was my impression also when i tried it a year ago.
It's very strong in the beginning as long as you have only one main attack. Later on it's still an extra attack. But probably not worth spending other shield feats on it.

Shield Slam however is very good in combination with sneak attacks.

I can see the reason why the additional bashes were not implemented - it would be unfair as others need to spend 2 feats (Improved and Greater TwoWeaponfighting) to get 3 attacks with an offhand weapon.

Proposal: add shield bash and this the additional shield bash at BAB 11, and another one at BAB 21. as Man at Arms Class feats, that class could use a slight damage boost. (add the feat at lv6 to prevent lv3+5 dips)

I wrote an update for it a while ago but it never made it live for a number of reasons... the way it works is that you get extra attacks depending on whether you have the Shield [something-competence-agility?] feat, and Improved / Greater - Two Weapon Fighting.

Same thing with Torches, minus the shield feat (since its a torch, not a shield).

Ohh and shield bashing does not trigger sneak attack when attacking an already otherwise engaged foe from behind (but the main weapon does).
Surely hitting with a shield from behind should be as hurtful as with a club (or any weapon regarding sneak attack)

Every shield build is feat starved so it will be very hard to get any two weapon fighting feats(you probably won't have the dex either). I suggest getting the gloves from beregost with two weapon fighting on them or you'll miss too much.

Shield slam is a waste unless you devote your entire character to it and even then, it's just a 1 round stun. Shield bash is really good at lower levels and really bad 15+. This is because every other monster has damage reduction, which completely screws shield bash over.

There are lots of decent non dwarven defender builds though. Man at arms is a very underrated/underused class. It's basically the poor mans defender that can't afford mithril full plate but still gets amazing AC. If you really want to go full cheese defense mode just make a gish or favored soul.

I am having trouble getting Shield Slam to work. Literally 19/20 times I use the feat the cooldown pops but my combat log says nothing about the attack ever going off. It seems to only work reliably if I start a fight with it which I never like to do since I have all the Charge feats. Am I doing something wrong?

Vhaeraun Baen're wrote:I am having trouble getting Shield Slam to work. Literally 19/20 times I use the feat the cooldown pops but my combat log says nothing about the attack ever going off. It seems to only work reliably if I start a fight with it which I never like to do since I have all the Charge feats. Am I doing something wrong?

Shield bash is something you just activate and it stays toggled, like power attack or combat expertise. You turn it on and your guy does an extra attack a round with his shield specifically.

Shield Slam, I dont know anything about a feat call shield slam.

Taintedglory wrote: Shield Slam, I dont know anything about a feat call shield slam.

http://bgtscc.wikia.com/wiki/Shield_Slam

http://bgtscc.wikia.com/wiki/Shield_Feats

Deathgrowl wrote:

Taintedglory wrote: Shield Slam, I dont know anything about a feat call shield slam.

http://bgtscc.wikia.com/wiki/Shield_Slam

http://bgtscc.wikia.com/wiki/Shield_Feats

That just seems like that wouldnt work at all, if ever with this engine