Using Two Shields at Once

[tomc]

How do you reconcile Two Weapon talent (ITL p41) with Shield Expertise (ITL 39) when using two shields at once?

Here's what I do:

1) Double the -1DX penalty for attackers in the front hexes to -2DX.

2) Each shield stops an extra hit.

3) The shield expert can attack with one or both shields, each doing damage as a club.

4) A shield used to attack stops no hits that turn.

5) A shield used to attack doesn't give the -1DX penalty to attackers from the front.

6) Shield Rush is unchanged. The second shield makes no difference, same as any other weapon.

So we have a Shield Expert:

ST 12, DX 14(13), IQ 11, MA 10
Talents: Two Weapons(2), Shield(1), Shield Expertise(2), Toughness(2)
Spiked Shield (2H/A)
Large Shield (3H/A)
Toughness (1H/A)
Total: 6H/A

Note: Any attack from the front hexes is at -2DX for Shield Expertise twice.

Combat Options:
Defend (attacker rolls 4 dice at -2DX for Shield Expertise twice)
Shield Rush Spiked Shield (does 1d-2 damage, target at -2DX to stay afoot)
Shield Rush Large Shield (target at -2DX to stay afoot)
Attack w/Spiked Shield (as club, 1d-2 for ST 12)
Attack w/Large Shield (as club, 1d-2 for ST 12)
Attack w/Both (-4 DX for second attack)

Put him in chain mail and have him defend, and he stops 9H/A while his attackers are rolling 4 dice at -2DX.

Give him two tower shields (4H/A each) with chain mail and toughness he's a super-munchkin who stops 12H/A. (I think two tower shields is a bit much unless he's ST 16+ or so.)

[Shostak]

I would not let Two Weapons work with two shields.

[Bill_in_IN]

Originally Posted by Shostak

I would not let Two Weapons work with two shields.

That would probably be the easiest solution. If one did allow it, I would say that the Shield Expertise couldn't stack for two shields via Two Weapons Talents unless used in a Shield Rush, a Shield is not a Weapon.

Under normal circumstances, Shield Expertise stacks with other weapons expertise like fencing. But having it stack with itself via Two Weapons Talents I believe to be negated by the fact that they are not weapons.

Now, If one shield is in use as a shield and the other used for Shield Rush attacks, then that may be workable but the Shield Expertise bonuses would not stack. One is a shield and one is a weapon.

That's my take on it anyway.

[timm meyers]

I love unconventional character builds and hate power builds. A fun game is always a balance of advantages and disadvantages. That is why I think TFT is a superior system and does well in this area.
2 wea. + shield expert is full of "character". The priesthood of defense, or the literal minded bodyguard that has sought the skills to be the perfect protector and let not a single drop of blood be spilled. OR can be conceived to fulfill the dream of a tank-o-doom that can never be touched.
An honest read of the rules from my viewpoint leaves you with the following when armed with 2 shields.

can wield 2 shields effectively = deflection of hits from both shields to front at +1 hit per shield.
Attacker is -1DX when attacking from front. (this does not stack any more than weapon expert does when wielding 2 swords)
May do 2 "rush" attacks on the same target (second attack always at -4 DX). Alternatively, could do 1 rush on 2 separate enemies if both are in their front hex, again the 2nd rush is -4 DX.

Again, I think a very intriguing build that my weirdness would probably enjoy playing. Spike shields would be my only hope of being a damage dealer but it would be great fun to team up with a polearm user etc. and try to be the ultimate shield maiden/guardian. The potential of some high strength and extra armor combined with toughness would make him/her a tough nut to crack.
I wonder if you could convince 1 or 2 other players to join the brotherhood and create a true "shieldwall". That could be fun marching down the dungeon halls shoulder to shoulder.....

[Shostak]

Shield size should be taken into consideration. I don't see how someone is going to be particularly effective with two large shields--they are just too big.

[leorasy89]

Defensive spells can be divided into three categories: elemental, mental, and physical. Elemental spells are those that affect the environment in some way. basketbros

[Chris Rice]

I don’t think using two shields would be effective in most situations as they would just get in each other’s way. Octopi, being larger and with more arms, are a different story…

[Ken Green]

Or you could connect two wall shields together with hinges and shape them so they're concave instead of convex in order to enclose your enemy.

[David Bofinger]

A two-handed shield sounds a lot more practical. There's some discussion of these at https://www.quora.com/Is-there-such-...-handed-shield. Ignore the duelling shields, you're looking more at a more portable variant of a pavise or their Assyrian equivalents. I think either a duelling shield or a pavise might be an interesting silly thing to have in TFT, though I find it hard to imagine a PC deciding to carry them.

[David Bofinger]

Something like: Duelling shield (ST 11, 25 lbs(!), $70) can be used offensively (Attack action, damage 2d-1, stops 1 hit, -1 DX) or defensively (Defend action, stops 3 hits).