Shield Revamp
This document aims to expand the rules for shields in 5e somewhat, adding new types of shield each with their own properties and proficiencies. This is to make things needlessly complicated and make me personally feel better about the difference between bucklers and massive chunks of metal.
New Shields
Heavy Shield
- Weight. 10lbs
- Price. 20gp
- Properties. -10ft movement, disadvantage on Stealth checks, Heavy, Portable Cover
Heavy. This shield is too cumbersome to be used by Small or smaller creatures without the requisite training.
Portable Cover. During your turn, this shield grants you a +5 bonus to AC. At the end of your turn, you must choose a direction – the shield grants you three-quarters cover against attacks (including melee) and effects originating from that direction, but offers no protection to being targeted from other directions. You may also change the chosen direction as a reaction, interposing the shield between yourself and a new threat.
The heavy shield is most likely a tower shield, akin to a Roman scutum. Its size and weight offer significant protection compared to other shields, but also make it incredibly cumbersome and impossible to manoeuvre quickly, rendering its wielders vulnerable to flanking attacks. That it specifically counts as cover, rather than a flat AC bonus, makes it particularly effective against spellcasters, but hostile sharpshooters can easily pick them apart.
Light Shield
- Weight. 2lbs
- Price. 5gp
- Properties. +1 AC, Parry
Parry. As a reaction, you may increase your AC by +2 against a single attack roll that would otherwise hit you, so long as you can see the attacker.
The light shield is a smaller, more portable shield such as a buckler, or even a heavily reinforced armguard. While it does not provide as much general protection as a larger shield, skilful wielders can use it to great effect in single combat.
Personal Shield
- Weight. 6lbs
- Price. 10gp
- Properties. +2 AC
The standard shield you are used to seeing in 5e, the personal shield is a mid-sized item such as a targe or kite shield, used to provide decent single-person protection in a variety of scenarios.
Shield Proficiencies
I've updated as many classes and subclasses that I can remember to reflect the new types of shield.
Typically, training in medium armour should also include training with personal shields, and the same with heavy armour and shields respectively. If a class normally doesn't get any shield proficiencies, but is proficient in light armour and seems inclined towards duelling, light shields may be added.
- Artificer. Light shields, personal shields
- Barbarian. Light shields, personal shields
- Bard. Light shields
- College of Valour. Personal shields
- Blood Hunter. Light shields, personal shields
- Cleric. Light shields, personal shields
- Any subclass that grants heavy armour proficiency. Heavy shields
- Druid. Light shields
- Fighter. Light shields, personal shields, heavy shields
- Monk. None
- Paladin. Light shields, personal shields, heavy shields
- Ranger. Light shields, personal shields
- Rogue. None
- Swashbuckler. Light shields
- Sorcerer. None
- Warlock. None
- Hexblade. Light shields, personal shields
- Wizard. None
Shield Feats
The following feats are either new, or old ones that have been amended to reflect the new types of shield.
Heavily Armoured
The feat now also grants you proficiency with heavy shields.
Lightly Armoured
The feat now also grants you proficiency with light shields.
Moderately Armoured
The feat now also grants you proficiency with personal shields.
Shield Bash
When you take this feat, your Strength score increases by +1.
When you make a successful Shove attack against a creature with your shield, it takes bludgeoning damage depending on the size of your shield:
- Light Shield. 1 + your Strength modifier
- Personal Shield. 1d4 + your Strength modifier
- Heavy Shield. 1d6 + your Strength modifier
Walking Fortress
Prerequisite: creature size Small or larger
While you are wielding a heavy shield, you reduce all damage dealt to you by 2 if the shield was granting you cover against the damaging effect.
If you are a Medium creature or larger, you ignore the movement penalty imposed by heavy shields. If your size is Small, you may now wield heavy shields.