Greetings
fellow Ramblers!
I have
a treat for you today, something that I’ve only discovered the versatility of
in the last few years, despite 25+ years of gaming. To me a shield was always a
tool, much like a weapon but with less variety, and never really something that
stood out as useful for anything more than extra AC for a melee character. All
this changed a few years ago (probably about 3-4 years under the 3.5 rules)
when I made an Azerblood Fighter (Tank) by the name of Jock McStrap (yes, it
was a joke name but this is a rare thing for me and I was playing outside my
comfort zone at the time). He had a fairly high Constitution, I think it was
about 24 by 8th level, and as many of the feats that gave him more hit points
or AC as I could stack on him. Since he was built to take punishment, he also
needed a high AC, and after looking through the special shields I came upon the Spined
Shield and was instantly smitten. A shield that doubled as a ranged weapon
(something that my Dexterity challenged character didn’t have) was A-OK in my
book and so with my GM’s permission I added on as many extra pluses as I could
afford with my starting gold (he was a replacement for my previous character
and so started at 8th level) and thus my view of shields was forever
altered. He went on to miss waaaaay more times than he actually hit with the
spines, but that never deterred him (or me) from using it.
So now
when I make a character who can use a shield, I look beyond its AC bonus and
try to see whether or not I can find other uses that will complement the
character I am building. To this end, I now present a new column for you here
that I hope will give you some extra versatility when rolling up your
Pathfinder Fighter or Paladin, Druid or Inquisitor, Cleric or Cavalier or any
other concept that you imagine.
Thanks to Theodric, each
Sunday I’ll give you a new shield and I hope that you enjoy them and can get
some use from them. And as an added bonus for my first week, I’m also gonna
give you a new shield Magical Property as well.
The
reconnaissance shield was devised by a wizard general during a massive civil
war to help his scouts get close enough to the enemy camps to gather useful
information without getting caught. After the enemy commander learned of the
tactic, he ordered large cleared areas be made around their campsites, but
despite this sound order enough of his tactics and troop movements had been
gleaned by that time to lead to his eventual defeat.
Reconnaissance Shield
Aura Moderate Illusion; CL 6th
Slot shield; Price
22,150gp; Weight 45 lb.
DESCRIPTION
This +1
Tower Shield looks like any other wooden shield of its kind, except for the
carved leaves along the front border. It is used primarily by armies and forest
scouts as a useful device for spying on enemy encampments.
While
Proficiency with Tower Shields is needed for normal use, its other power can be
used by anyone without penalty.
Three
times a day, the wielder can crouch down behind the shield and make the image
of a tree appear around herself. This illusion acts as a major image in all ways, save it is centered on the shield and
cannot be moved. The tree can be made to appear as any kind the wielder wishes
to blend in with their surroundings and can be any height from 10-20ft. A
viewing slot in the shield (undetectable from the front facing) can be opened
up once behind the shield so as to spy upon whatever the user wishes. The
duration lasts for as long the shield is held, although movement in any
direction of more than a foot from the spot the illusion was first enacted also
cancels the effect.
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and
Armor, major image; Cost 11,075gp
Originally
developed by a magus who employed a shield as his weapon of choice to confuse
his enemies, this special ability has made its way into general use, although
its cost means it is still quite rare.
Shield Special Ability
Invisible: A shield with this special ability
can be made invisible at will as a swift action. This invisibility lasts for up
to 10 rounds, after which time it becomes visible again. The wielder can make
the shield visible again at any time during the 10 rounds as a free action.
Once the shield has been made visible, it cannot become invisible again for a
number of minutes equal to the rounds it was invisible.
While
active, an invisible shield gives it’s user a +5 bonus on bluff attempts to
feint in combat. It also imparts an additional +2 deflection bonus to AC while
it is active, as your opponent is never quite sure where your shield is
positioned.
Strong
Illusion; CL 9th; Craft Magic Arms
and Armor, shield, greater invisibility; Price +3 bonus.
