[MA] Shield Techniques
 

If a shield's primary use is to defend, and using it as a weapon is secondary, is it reasonable to allow Techniques for Shield Rush and Shield Bash?

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

Not in my book.

After all, the primary purpose of a sword is to kill people with it. That doesn't mean you can raise your skill for Parrying with a technique.

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

No, if it was possible, it would become a main weapon.

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

I was pretty sure you could buy parrying as a Technique for up to +5 relative to base skill.

Still agree you shouldn't be able to buy a basic attack as a Technique above Shield skill.

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

Maybe on 3e, on 4e you have enhanced parry.

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

They are not techniques, they are advantages. And it is possible to raise shield parry and dodge with Enhanced Parry and Enhanced Dodge.

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

For Shield Rush I would be inclined to say yes since not every shield can do it, but it is clearly defined by shield skill. (By extension this would also apply to slams with long weapons).

For Shield Bash though I would say no, since Main-Gauche is similar. Both are skills for weapons used primarily defensively, just Main-Gauche happens to more clearly behave like other melee weapon skills with regards to strikes, so Shield should too.

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

I don't see why shield should be any different from any other weapon skill, the offensive/defensive split seems needlessly complicated, the kind of thing I would expect to hear from a player trying to rationalise "kewl powas" beyond the accepted.

i would not allow someone to improved Broadsword (parry) or Broadsword (Swing) techniques so I wouldn't allow someone to improve similar abilities just because they were using a shield.

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

If you're proposing to be allowed to buy up an attack roll to above unmodified skill, you should think very, very hard about whether you should really go there.

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

I'd say that a shield's Primary use is to Block, Rush, or Bash, just like most weapons include attacking and parrying. I don't think I've ever had a lesson on shield, witnessed a lesson on shield use, or seen someone talk functional shield use that didn't at least touch on shoving and bashing. Even with small shields and bucklers shoving is a common "aggressive defense" tactic. I wouldn't allow a technique for these things.

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

Shield Rush does seem different enough that it would be similar to the Trip technique with a polearm (clearly something you can do, but not the main purpose).

Then again, from strict reading of Martial Arts, you can buy up Judo Throw with a technique, so buying up Shield Bash with the same technique might fly with some GMs.

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

I use Shield Rush all the time in games where I have a shield. It's like Slam (ie: awesome) only better in every way other than "needing a shield."

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

Techniques to do what, though? You bash with a shield at full skull, and rush with a shield at full skull. So there is no penalty to buy them off.

However, you could make a more effective shield bash as a penalized technique, much as Exotic Hand Strike and Hammer Fist do to punches. I'd just be sure to include some downside to it so that striking with the shield in a straight-up doesn't become a useless move. Make a "shield edge strike" that does extra damage but reduces your DB by one in exchange for the extra damage, or which can be clumsy and make the shield unready.

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

I was just talking about the standard bash and rush, as those could be considered secondary to blocking. there are a number of techniques that default to full skill... so I just thought I'd throw it out there.

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

That may work until someone put a spike on the shield, buy targeted attack(eye) and start targeting the eye at full skill with an easy weapon.

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

I know, and we've discussed this to death on other threads. There are not a lot of techniques that default to full skill, and there are extremely few that are better than the basic use of the skill without having any limitations (in fact, off-hand, I can't think of any.)

So yes, I think you can make them, but I also think it's a bad idea to do so unless they are limited in some way that makes them a tradeoff to try. Some of the techniques that default to full skull in GURPS Martial Arts cannot be improved (Judo Throw, for example), or can be but represent a small subset of the uses of the skill (Arm Lock, for another). They can be improved if you add Technique Mastery, but GM approval is required for that. I make no assurances it's a good idea to allow it in this case (or other cases).

Re: [MA] Shield Techniques
 

Thanks for your input Peter! Happy Holidays!