[tomc]

Thanks for the responses.

First off, I'm defining a weapon as "something you hold in your hand to fight with". If you're more strict with the rules-as-written, then two shields at once is a clear no go.

I don't think it's too big a stretch though, since Two Weapon talent lets you fight effectively with some awkward combos such as a spear and a morning star. Also, Shield is a one point talent, while Sword, Ax/Mace etc. are two points each, which makes me think a shield is easier to use.

I'm on the fence about doubling the attacker's DX penalty though. Would a second shield make the user twice as effective? Maybe, maybe not, but I thought he could use all the help he can get.

And there are some downsides:

He only does 1-2 damage with the shield, which isn't going to win many fights.
He's still vulnerable to HTH, attacks from behind, environment damage, etc.
Shield, Shield Expertise and Two Weapon all together cost 5 IQ points, which isn't much if you're just building gladiators, but there's a real opportunity cost if you're making a full fledged PC.

The two shield expert wouldn't make a very good PC. Most of the time you'd just sit there and watch other players roll hand fulls of dice. I was thinking of him more as a specialized minion defending a narrow bridge, knocking foes into spiked pits, or defending the Boss Wizard.