Questions tagged [shield]
For questions about shields, defensive armor carried or worn on the arm for the protection of the body.
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Does Shielded Arm require a free hand to raise/block?
The description of Shielded Arm reads (emphasis mine):
Reinforcing veins of ore run through the target's arm, letting it ward off blows with its bare skin. It can use the Raise a Shield action to ...
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When you receive a physical attack and Shield Block it, if it deals multiple types of damage, how is damage reduced?
Shield Block states that:
Trigger While you have your shield raised, you would take damage from a physical attack.
You snap your shield in place to ward off a blow. Your shield prevents you from ...
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How is Raise a Shield/Shield Block affected by the Paralyzed condition
The scenario that arose last night at the table was as follows:
On the Fighters turn as one of his actions he Raises a Shield (+2 to his AC)
Monster attacks the Fighter and successfully beats this ...
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How should the price, hit point and hardness (and aura) be calculated for a magical weapon & armor shield?
The core rule mentioned that each enhancement bonus granted to a weapon/armor would also grant it additional hardness and hit points.
It also mentioned that while shields can be enchanted as armors, ...
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What are all of the armors and shields that are legal in 3.5e?
I want a complete list of every 3.5e-legal type of armor and shield published by Wizards of the Coast, or in Dragon or Dungeon magazine. (To be clear, I mean base type of armor or shield, not every ...
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Does the buckler make other shield options irrelevant?
Years ago in our group we came to the conclusion that the buckler is a shield that leads itself to help player optimization as it allows most character to have shield empowered with magical armour ...
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How does Shield of missile attraction work with friendly fire?
Let's say the tank is attuned to the shield of missile attraction and a fellow team member fires a bow/crossbow at an enemy within 10ft of said tank. Does the team member's projectile hit the tank ...
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What is an attack for Shield Block?
The Shield Block reaction has this trigger:
While you have your shield raised, you would take damage from a physical attack.
Is it something with the "attack" trait, or is it just plain ...
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Can a Path of the Beast Barbarian make claw attacks while using a shield?
I'm playing a 3rd level Path of the Beast Barbarian. If my claws are out can a shield be used and still get 2 claw attacks in?
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Does the AC bonus from artificer infusions affect the Shield Master feat?
The Shield Master feat contains this:
If you aren't incapacitated, you can add your shield's AC bonus to any Dexterity saving throw you make against a spell or other harmful effect that targets only ...
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Is there a way to use a shield with a glaive?
I'm making a character for a Halloween one-shot, and want to use a glaive and a shield.
Glaives have the two-handed property, which requires the use of two hands to attack ... but your attack is only ...
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How do Armors and Shields with special abilities with no bonus stack?
I am not sure how some of the magic special abilities of armors and shields work.
Is an element resistance on an armor or a shield (e.g. acid /10) a bonus or is it not considered a bonus? (there is a ...
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Does the blade skill Mind Shield actually grant you a physical shield?
I was wondering if the soulknife blade skill "Mind Shield" actually supplies you with a physical shield. (Note I am specifically referring to the blade skill "Mind Shield" not the &...
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Do Bracers of Defense stack with a shield?
In AD&D (1e or 2e) would Bracers of Defense stack with a shield?
The relevant text from the AD&D DMG (p. 139) is:
Their magic bestows an effective armor class equal to actually wearing armor ...
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Can an artificer use both a shield and a crossbow at the same time? [duplicate]
Ok, so from reading the rules, you can't use a shield and a crossbow at the same time due to the fact that you need a free hand to load the crossbow.
My question is about a very niche artificer thing. ...
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How can I increase a Shield's HP?
What ways are there to increase the HP of a shield?
I found Shield Boss', and I know enhancement bonuses will help as well.
Are there any other options like making the shield thicker?
It needs to be ...
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Can you benefit from the Fencing Grace feat while wielding a buckler?
Fencing Grace:
When wielding a rapier one-handed, you can add your Dexterity modifier
instead of your Strength modifier to that weapon’s damage. The rapier
must be one appropriate for your size. You ...
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If Heat Metal is cast on a shield, could the target be forced to drop it?
I'm wondering if Heat Metal could force a target to drop their shield.
The spell description says (emphasis mine):
If a creature is holding or wearing the object and takes the damage from it, the ...
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Can more than one creature hold the Sentinel Shield to share its benefits?
Holding the Sentinel Shield provides the follow benefits:
While holding this shield, you have advantage on initiative rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks.
While I wield the Sentinel Shield, can a ...
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Can a second character remove a willing PC's shield?
It takes an action to don and to doff a shield (See Pg 146 of the PHB).
Does that action need to be the PC's action, Or, could another member of the party (another PC), or even a familiar with ...
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Fighter with Aggressive Block & Flinging Shove & Powerful Shove
I would like to use these three feats, but I'm not sure how they work together.
Aggressive Block
You push back as you block the attack, knocking your foe away or off balance. You use your shield to ...
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Are shields constantly equipped while adventuring?
In 5e it takes an action to doff or don a shield. But does that assume the shield is always donned while the character is awake and adventuring?
It seems like a question that the DM and player would ...
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Would the Subtle Spell metamagic or the Aberrant Mind sorcerer's Psionic Sorcery feature let you cast spells while using a shield without proficiency?
The PHB's rule on armor proficiency states that you cannot cast a spell while wearing/using armor you are not proficient with.
The Metamagic option Subtle Spell lets you cast a spell without having to ...
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Are Monks hindered by shields?
I did search for "shield" in the Monk chapter of the CRB, found nothing.
The search for "armor" gave the result that only Incredible Movement does not work if you wear armor.
In ...
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Would allowing a character to gain bonuses for two shields be unbalanced?
Would allowing a character to gain bonuses for two shields be unbalanced?
I have a character I've been working on who worships a god of protection. The idea is that he will use two shields, but the ...
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Does the vanguard's Entropy Shield stack with a real physical shield?
Can a Vanguard have both an Entropy Shield and a real physical shield, and do they stack if so?
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Sheathing/unsheathing weapons to cast spells
My friend is playing as a cleric that uses a shield in combat. I am unsure of how the rules for sheathing/dropping weapons work. The way my friend is playing, he seems to be able to cast a spell and ...
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Mirror Image and shield combo
On the topic of mirror image and shield combo, lets say a creature successfully attacks the real one and then the defender decides to use shield as a reaction, which comes first and which has priority?...
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What is the DC and how much does it cost to repair a Sturdy Shield?
It is 4th level (Hardness 8, HP 64, and BT 32), and has taken 30 damage in the last encounter.
How many times do I have to roll what DC, and how much does it cost me?
I have found Repair, but I still ...
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Can anyone Raise a Shield?
I have not found any Shield proficiency in the game. Can Wizards carry around a Steel Shield, and get +2 AC out of it?
What is the point of the Shield cantrip then? Twice the AC, same action. You can ...
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What kind of action is it to put away a shield without dropping it?
I am currently playing a sword and board slayer how likes to switch his warhammer to two-handed or back in a pinch.
However, it is not clear to me how I can do this without dropping the shield. He is ...
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As a sword-and-board Eldritch Knight fighter, do I need to put away my sword on my turn if I want to cast the Shield spell as a reaction?
Without the War Caster feat, I can't cast spells with somatic components if I have both a shield and a sword in my hands. Putting my sword away or dropping it is a free action; however, you can't do ...
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With a Blinkback Belt, a Quickdraw Shield with the Throwing Shield property can be donned and thrown as a free action. How many throws is reasonable?
A player in my group is interested in making a offensive shield build. They found that if you get a quickdraw shield and modify it with the throwing shield property, that you can don it, and throw it ...
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Is there a cost for donning or doffing a shield and armor during combat?
I have been unable to see a mechanic for donning and doffing armor and shields during combat.
Is this "free" or is there an action cost?
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Is this homebrewed shield weapon balanced?
Relatively new player here who likes to theorycraft. Currently playing a homebrew campaign, and I'm thinking of making a backup character for if my current one (a Ranger, who AFAIK are known to be ...
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Artificer Armorer (UA) Dual Wield Feat while wearing a Shield
I have made a PC (5e) Artificer's Armorer subclass from UA that has the Dual Wielder (DW) feat. What happens when the PC is in the guardian mode and equips a shield?
Two-Weapon Fighting:
When you ...
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Can I use a spiked shield in my primary hand as a weapon? If so, does it count as a simple or martial weapon?
Can any humanoid PC use a Spiked Shield in their 'primary hand' as a Weapon?
and
Is it a Simple or Martial Weapon?
The Lizardfolk entry in the MM (p. 204) has a statblock that includes the ...
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Does the Shield of the Hidden Lord magic item grant a total of +2 or +4 to AC?
The description of the Shield of the Hidden Lord magic item from the adventure Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus (p. 225) reads:
While holding this shield, you gain a +2 bonus to AC and ...
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Are these two homebrew shields balanced?
I remember being impressed with this question, although it was closed as too broad for asking about too many things in one go. I left a comment at the time about asking less, and coming back to this ...
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Does the Shield spell count as a Shield for Shielded casting?
I'm 99% certain not, but maybe I'm wrong.
Does the shield spell count as a shield for eg: Shielded casting?
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If I am holding a shield and sword, do I need the Improved Pact Weapon eldritch invocation to cast spells with a material component?
I am playing a Hexblade, who is holding a shield in one hand, and a sword in the other.
Because I don't really want to use a bow, and like a lot of other invocations, I have decided not to take ...
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With only one free hand, can I still cast spells with somatic components?
I have a doubt about this. I have had various answers and they contradict each other so I would like some clarity on this.
I am a Cleric, I have a shield (which is also my focus), I want to wear my ...
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Can I cast a spell as an action and use the bonus-action shove from the Shield Master feat in the same turn?
I need some clarification about this as I've had contradicting answers to this question, which has left me confused.
I am a cleric with the Shield Master feat. I want to wear my shield in battle to ...
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Are shields a numerically significant defensive boost?
We have had a number of questions about the function of Shield Block, and some of the answers have me questioning the viability of shields.
Considering the need to purchase shields, use an action to ...
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How can I effectively shield block with a tower shield?
I am a champion with a shield ally and a tower shield. Shield ally adds +2 to my shield's hardness and 50% HP and BT. So a normal tower shield in my hands has a hardness of 7 and 30 HP.
I want to be ...
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Does a shield get its Hardness when using Shield Block?
The ability Shield Block allows you to spend your Reaction reducing incoming damage by a shield's Hardness at the cost of damaging the shield as well as you. Does this damage also get reduced by the ...
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Is the Moderately Armored Feat really the only way for my dwarf to get shield proficiency without multiclassing?
I really enjoy working out rather unusual character builds, or taking a subpar character concept and try to make it work using min/maxing, point buy and having every level from one to twenty planned ...
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Does having the Shield Master feat mean that the shield is indestructible?
Does having the Shield Master feat mean that the shield is indestructible?
The Shield Master feat (PHB, p. 170) says:
If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to try to ...
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Can I benefit from a magic shield while holding it without my hands?
Would it be acceptable to hold a shield without using your hands? For example use it as an adornment, chinese hat, tied back as a backpack, etc.
*Just hold without "donning" it?
I'm asking because I ...
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Can a Sentinel Shield Be Painted With A Cleric's Holy Symbol?
In a campaign I'm DM'ing, I'm planning to leave out some good loot for the players next week to reward them for completing the first part of the campaign. I want some of the loot to also be helpful to ...