Shields & Armor
Shields, armor and weapons in dnd are often used very unilaterally. Only a few pieces of equipment are used and fights with pure fighters are therefore very one-sided. Armor is too strong and independent of the level, especially plate armor possible, a good armor class with almost no requirements. Nevertheless, these rules should only expand the existing system and not completely overwrite it.
Armor
| Armor | Cost | Armor Class (AC) | Strength | Stealth | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| light Armor | |||||
| Padded | 5 gp | 11 + Dex modifier | — | Disadvantage | 8 lb. |
| Leather | 10 gp | 11 + Dex modifier | — | — | 10 lb. |
| Studded leather | 45 gp | 12 + Dex modifier | Str 10 | — | 13 lb. |
| Medium Armor | |||||
| Hide | 10 gp | 12 + Dex modifier (max 2) | — | — | 12 lb. |
| Chain shirt | 50 gp | 13 + Dex modifier (max 2) | — | — | 20 lb. |
| Scale mail | 50 gp | 14 + Dex modifier (max 2) | Str 10 | Disadvantage | 45 lb. |
| Breastplate | 400 gp | 14 + Dex modifier (max 2) | Str 11 | — | 20 lb. |
| Half plate | 750 gp | 15 + Dex modifier (max 2) | Str 13 | Disadvantage | 40 lb. |
| Heavy Armor | |||||
| Ring mail | 30 gp | 14 | Str 13 | Disadvantage | 40 lb. |
| Chain mail | 75 gp | 15 | Str 15 | Disadvantage | 55 lb. |
| Splint | 200 gp | 16 | Str 17 | Disadvantage | 60 lb. |
| Plate | 1,500 gp | 17 | Str 19 | Disadvantage | 65 lb. |
Shields
| Armor | Cost | Armor Class (AC) | Strength | Stealth | Abilities | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Shields | ||||||
| Light shield | 5 gp | +1 | — | — | Stable | 3 lb. |
| Buckler | 10 gp | +1 | — | — | Parrying | 2 lb. |
| Medium Shields | ||||||
| Infantry Shield | 15 gp | +2 | 15 | Disadvantage | Shield Wall | 8 lb. |
| Cavalry Shield | 25 gp | +2 | — | Disadvantage | Mounted Defense | 6 lb. |
| Heavy Shields | ||||||
| Pavise | 30 gp | +3 | 15 | Disadvantage | Bulky, deployable | 15 lb. |
| Tower Shield | 30 gp | +3 | 17 | Disadvantage | Bulky, shield wall | 22 lb. |
Properties
Stable
The hands that holds this shield retains enough freedom of movement to do the following simple tasks by keeping the weight of the shield in your wrist: lift, drop, hold, push, or pull an object or creature or container, make an unarmed strike, wield a simple melee weapon, or use a versatile weapon with two hands. If using a weapon solely in your shield hand, you are not considered to be wielding this weapon proficiently.
Bulky
Using this shield in one hand reduces your speed by 10ft. and imposes disadvantage on all Dexterity based ability checks. It also cannot be used while riding on a mount.
Deployable
If equipped, you can deploy this shield as an action or bonus action to an unoccupied place within 5 ft of you as three-quarters of cover for one creature of medium size or smaller. Once deployed, the shield behaves as part of the environment and does not occupy a hand. It can be picked up as an action. When equipped, this shield imposes disadvantage on attacks due to its cumbersome nature. Mounted Defense The AC this shield provides also applies to your mount.
Parrying
When another creature hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to add half your Proficiency Bonus to your AC(rounded up).
Shield Wall
This shield gives a +1 to its base AC for each ally using the same type of shield within 5ft of you or the attacker to a maximum of +2, if you stand on the ground. While riding this shield imposes disadvantage on attacks.
Shield Usage
To use a shield you need proficiency with the same type of armour and shields to use a shield of the type. A character that isn't proficient has disadvantage on all attack rolls. A creature that does not meet or exceed the Strength requirement has a by 10ft reduced speed. Medium and heavy shield impose disadvantage on attack rolls.
Break the Shield
A creature can use one of its attacks for the purpose of deactivating the shield of a creature within 5ft. The person makes an athletic check against the athletic check of the target, if your roll is higher the target's roll the creature can't apply the shield bonus until the beginn of its turn.
Feats
Shield Feats
Light Shield Master
Requirement: Proficiency in light armor and shields You use light and hand shields not just for protection but also for more tactics. You gain the following benefits while you are wielding a light shield:
- If you use a weapon while wielding a shield in this hand, you can use your proficiency bonus if you are proficient.
- If you try to parry with a shield you can add your full proficiency bonus to your AC
- If you have a Dexterity of 15 or higher you get a +1 Bonus to AC while wearing at least one light shield
Medium Shield Master
Requirement: Proficiency in medium armor and shields
You use shields not just for protection but also for offense. You gain the following benefits while you are wielding a medium shield:
- If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to try to shove a creature within 5 feet of you with your shield. Additionally you could make an attack with your shield that deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage. On a hit the creature must make a Strength Saving Throw (DC 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Strength Modifier), on a failure the creature falls prone.
- When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding an infantry shield.
- While riding and wearing a cavalry shield creatures attacking your mount have disadvantage on attack rolls.
Heavy Shield Master
Requirement: Proficiency in heavy armor and shields
You use heavy shields for more protection. You gain the following benefits while you are wielding a heavy shield:
- When your shield is deployed you can pick it up, as a bonus action rather than an action.
- 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 you.
- If you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you can use your reaction to take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, interposing your shield between yourself and the source of the effect.
Armor Feats
Lightly Armored
- Increase your Strength and Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- You gain proficiency with light armor.
- While wearing light or no armor, you have advantage on Acrobatics checks to tumble through an enemy’s space and opportunity attacks made against you have disadvantage.
Medium Armor Master
Prerequisite: Proficiency with light armor
- Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- You gain proficiency with medium armor.
- Wearing medium armor doesn’t impose disadvantage on your Dexterity (Stealth) checks. When you wear medium armor, you can add 3, rather than 2, to your AC if you have a Dexterity of 16 or higher.
Heavy Armor Master
Prerequisite: Proficient with heavy armor
You can use your armor to deflect strikes that would kill others. You gain the following benefits:
- Increase your Strength by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- When wearing heavy armor, bludgeoning, slashing and piercing damage you take from non-magical weapons is reduced by your Proficiency Bonus.
Credits
This Document is inspired by FollowTheLaser big thanks to him and by Zmelk.
Please send me your ideas to expand this system in a second version. I would like to add feats for individual weapons to make sense of things like a sickle, a club or a hammer.
If you like this content please don't forget to leave an upvote. Your Flongo_
